Overland Egypt Travel
Currency to display:
Contents
- 1 Visiting Egypt
- 2 Entering Egypt with a Car or Motorbike
- 3 Driving in Egypt
- 4 Gas price in Egypt and Diesel price in Egypt
- 5 Safety and Security Considerations
- 6 Camping in Egypt
- 7 Navigation
- 8 Special Overland Travel interests
- 9 Vehicle Maintenance
- 10 Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Egypt
- 11 References
- 12 Helpful External links
Visiting Egypt
Give a brief overview of what it's like to visit. How easy is the border, how safe is the country, are there great things to see and do, etc.
Entering Egypt with a Car or Motorbike
Correct as of: June 2013
Required Paperwork
(To check if you need a travel Visa for Egypt, application instructions and fees see: Egypt Visa online application at VisaHQ.com)
- Carnet de Passage
- Original Vehicle registration
Process at border
In July 2013 UnUrban Adventures describe the border crossing from Sudan to Egypt very well in their blog post Sudan to Egypt on Lake Nasser. The blog post lists contact information, prices and the whole process. It's very much worth the read.
In May 2017 at; http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/sub-saharan-africa/sudan-egypt-vice-versa-no-918277 Jbernert reported on Horizons Unlimited that a new crossing point on the west side of the Nile is now open. Dongola Sudan to / from Abu Simbel Egypt. "No more Lake Nasser Crossing" Road and Border Post are clearly visible on Sat. Images.
In October 2015 Overlanders shipped their vehicles form Greece to Egypt. A very detailed explanation of the process is here http://4-wheel-nomads.de/?p=3775
Cost of entry
Leaving Sudan across Lake Nasser seems to cost around $360.00 USD
Entering Egypt is around £1,300.00 EGP
March 2014: 360 USD in Sudan for transportation, 955 egyptian pounds for clearing in Aswan & 50 USD to the fixer.
Permitted length of stay
30 days appears normal.
Extension of stay
In July 2013, UnUrban Adventures] explained it as follows: To extend our personal visa would not be a problem, but to extend the car papers is not so easy. It can be done, but takes two days and cost a bit of money. We were not really sure about the process, but it would involve getting a new Egyptian driving permit, new license plates for the car, and we did not know what they would do with the Carnet de Passage. We would probably need the help of a fixer to find all these places in Port Said. There would be bribes to be paid, and another round with the Egyptian bureaucracy was not really tempting.
Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country
Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long.
Also mention if the owner / temporary importer can leave the country while the vehicle is in storage.
Exiting with a vehicle
In July 2013 UnUrban Adventures describe the border crossing leaving Egypt to Israel very well in their blog post Taba in Egypt to Eilat in Israel. The blog post lists prices and the whole process. It's very much worth the read.
Driving in Egypt
Recommended books for Overlanding in Egypt
Travel insurance for Egypt
World Nomads offer the most flexible Travel Insurance at the best prices for multi-country / multi-year trips. You can buy, extend and claim online, even after you've left home.
Vehicle insurance requirements
Although the COMESA yellow card states that it is valid in Egypt in actual fact it is not. Local insurance can be purchased at the border or at the port (depending if you are driving in or shipping in).
Cost of vehicle insurance
See the prices listed on the COMESA Insurance page.
Where to purchase vehicle insurance
Describe where insurance can be purchased.
Driving license
State the kind of driving licenses required. i.e. International Driving Permit.
Driving side of road
Right.
Unknown if RHD vehicles can be driven in Egypt.
Mandatory items in vehicle
State any mandatory items that must be carried in the vehicle. (i.e. safety triangle, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, etc.)
Roads
General Road quality
Give a brief description of the general road quality. Mention if one way streets are common.
Road signs
Briefly describe the overall quality & existence of road signs for directions and hazards.
Toll roads
List the frequency and approximate price of toll roads.
Bribery in Egypt
Briefly describe how common bribery is and whether it should be expected, and the best way to deal with it.
Checkpoints
describe the frequency of checkpoints (police or military and what to expect.
Traveling with pets
List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet.
Gas price in Egypt and Diesel price in Egypt
Last updated: October 2012 (diesel March 2014)
Currency and unit to display:
| Gasoline Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| Unleaded | €0.38 EUR per Liter |
| Diesel | €0.26 EUR per Liter |
Gas and Diesel Availability / Frequency
Briefly describe if gas shortages are known to occur.
Also state the approximate average distance between gas stations. This is a very rough estimate.
Gas and Diesel Quality
Discuss if gasoline / diesel considered "clean" or "dirty", and generally high or low quality.
State the sulfur content of diesel, if known.
Safety and Security Considerations
Driving at night
Discuss driving at night and if it should it be avoided. Mention why.
Vehicle parking
Discuss if vehicles can be parked on the street, if they are considered "safe" at night. If vehicles can not be parked on the street, list the other options that exist.
Special driving considerations
A List of special things to be careful of (i.e. Unsigned speed bumps, abnormal road rules, people or animals on the road, etc.).
List any roads that are not recommended to drive for safety or other security reasons.
Security advisories and information
- Country Specific Information - U.S. Department of State
- Travel Reports and Warnings - Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
- Travel advice by country - Foreign and Commonwealth office (U.K.)
- Travel Advice for Egypt - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Camping in Egypt
Describe if organized "pay" camping is common. List the facilities commonly found at these campsites.
List the approximate average price range of camping in organized campgrounds.
Also discuss the possibility of "wild" or "roadside" camping. How common is it? Is it considered safe, or a bad idea.
Camping guide books
List and link to books specifically for camping.
Drinking water
Egyptian tap water is generally considered safe by most locals, but will often make travellers ill. It is not recommended for regular drinking, especially to very local differences in quality. Bottled mineral waters are widely available: see Drink:Water section. Beware of the old scam where vendors re-sell bottled water bottles, having refilled with another, perhaps dubious, source. Always check the seal is unbroken before paying or drinking from it, and inform the tourist police if you catch anyone doing this.
Bottled water is widely available. The local brands (most common being Baraka, Hayat, Siwa ) are of the same price as foreign brand options which are also available: Nestle Pure Life, Dasani (bottled by Coca-Cola), and Aquafina (bottled by Pepsi). Evian is less available and is expensive. While safe to drink some may find the local brand, Baraka, has a very slight baking soda aftertaste, due to the high mineral content of its deep well water source.
No matter where you buy bottled water from (even hotels are not entirely reliable), before accepting it, check that there is a clear plastic seal on it and the neck ring is still attached to the cap by the breakable threads of plastic. It is common to collect empty but new bottles and refill them with tap water which drinking a bottle of might make you ill. Not all brands have the clear plastic cover but all the good ones do. Safety of bottled water
It is important not to buy strange brands, as they may not be safe for drinking. In 2012 the Ministry of Health ordered the following bottled water brands to be taken off shelves: Alpha, Hadir, Seway, Aqua Delta, Tiba, Aqua Mina and Aqua Soteir.
As of 2013, some of the previous ones were licensed, but the Ministry of Health warned against other unlicensed brands:
unlicensed, unsafe brands: (Safa, el Waha, Ganna, Sahari, Life, el Wadi, Zamzam ).
(صفا – الواحة – جنا – صحارى – لايف – الوادى – زمزم),
In 2013, the Ministry of Health stated there are only 17 licensed brands that are safe to drink. These are:
17 licensed safe brands: (Hayah, Safi, Aqua Siwa ,Siwa, Aman Siwa, Organica, Nahl, Aqua Sky, Mineral, Vira, Nestlé, Baraka, Alpha, Aquafina, Tiba, Aqua Delta, Dasani, Aqua Paris ).
(حياه، صافى، أكوا سيوة، سيوة، أمان سيوة، أورجانيكا، نهل، أكوا سكاى، منيرال، فيرا، نستله، بركة، ألفا، أكوافينا، طيبة، أكوا دلتا، داسانى، أكوا باريس)
Of the licensed brands, locals commonly advise tourists to avoid Baraka if possible, as it contains a high concentration of mineral salts and has something of an off flavour.
Paper maps
Reise Know-How are amoung the best paper maps. Purchase paper maps before arriving in Egypt
GPS Maps of Egypt
Tracks4Africa are the undisputed best GPS maps for Africa.
Tracks4Africa is an SD Card for Garmin GPS, and contain Routable turn-by-turn maps with 809,000 kms of roads and over 129,000 points of interest.
GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc. in Egypt
- iOverlander is a website and iPhone application designed by Overlanders, for Overlanders. It contains GPS co-ordinates and reviews for camping, hotels, propane, water, mechanics, borders and much more.
Link to sites that have a list of GPS co-ordinates (or directions) for camping locations (including "wild" campsites), propane filling, gas stations, repair shops, places of interest, etc.
Special Overland Travel interests
List any special items / places that are popular with Overlanders
Vehicle Maintenance
Dealers
4x4s / Trucks
- Toyota Global Dealer Locator
- Land Rover International Dealer Locator
- Mercedes Benz International (select country on bottom right)
- Jeep International site locator
Motorbikes
Local Garages
Add known good mechanics here.
Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Egypt
Buy
Describe how a foreigner can buy a vehicle.
List any difficulties or limitations on where the vehicle can be driven.
Sell
Describe how a foreigner can sell a foreign-plated vehicle, or list not possible.'
References
Links to the source of any information - blogs or discussion forums, etc.
Helpful External links
Add any helpful external links here.
- Egypt: Visa and Passport requirements | World Travel Guide
- Health Information for Travelers to Egypt - Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- Egypt travel guides at wikivoyage
- Egypt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
