Safety: Egypt is a safe country to visit and certainly incidences of violence against tourists are exceedingly rare. The country, like anywhere however, has its fair share of miscreants and unscrupulous characters and holidaymakers need to take some basic steps to avoid becoming victim to them. Pickpockets and bag-snatchers are largely opportunists so in short, don’t give them any opportunity to get their hands on your cash and valuables by keeping them in difficult to reach places. Keep an eye out for those vendors who are on the less than honest side and watch out for tricks such as short changing and claiming to have no change at all, which can be common especially in market areas. Terrorism has unfortunately been something of an issue in Egypt with attacks occurring in 2005 and 2006, while the threat status is generally considered to be relatively low; visitors are advised to check their own country’s foreign office website for the latest recommendations on the subject. When to go: Egypt experiences a hot climate almost all year round with the summer being an especially fiery season. Maximum temperatures in the period from June through September are generally in the 30s (°C) which can be somewhat uncomfortable for anyone not acclimatised to heat; and hence those visitors falling into that category would be wise to consider visiting somewhat earlier or later than the main summer season. Money: the official currency in Egypt is the Egyptian pound, a unit which is comprised of 100 piastres. Notes are issued in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 pounds while coins come in 5, 19, 20, 25, 25 and 50 piastres. Currency exchange is available at banks across the country and at bureaux de change in popular tourist areas; some hotels may also offer exchange services although generally at poor rates. ATMs are commonly available and most accept foreign cards although it’s advisable to have a card that’s endorsed by a reputable credit firm such as AMEX, Barclaycard, Visa or Diner’s Club. Emergency: 0
Ambulance: 0
Police: 0
Recommended hospital: Nile Badrawi Hospital, Cairo; Tel: +202 5240349 Business needs: the country’s mobile phone operators maintain connection agreements with most major providers from developed countries, allowing the majority of visitors to make mobile telephone calls, provided their handsets are suitably equipped. Internet access is available in reputable hotels in tourist areas and in a large number of internet cafes also. If you intend on conducting business with the locals then you will need to apply for a business visa from an Egyptian embassy in your country of origin. | 
