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If you do encounter a sign that says “No Flash Photography”, please respect it and do as it says. Apart from you running the risk of being ejected from the site, with your photographic gear maybe even being confiscated, you will cause damage! Remember, the sign is there for a reason.
A very handy item for you to have is a small flashlight: the ones that are not much larger than the AAA battery that power them. It can be quite difficult to see some of the reliefs in the darker tombs and temples, and the illumination from the uplighting just does not work well enough. These little flashlights do the job nicely, without causing any damage to the delicate artwork. But please do not use the brighter halogen lights: they do cause damage!
Obviously a tip is a gratuity for a service offered/done, so if you were given good service, you would pay more; if bad service, than less. As a rule of thumb if you are not sure how much to tip, give 10% of what you paid for the service.
In almost all cases you should tip after you have received the service. In your hotel, rather than tip each member of staff with whom you had contact, it is customary to leave an envelope at reception which can then be divided amongst them later.
When visiting the various sites any type of footwear can be worn, but ladies should avoid wearing high heels due to the sandy conditions (Egypt is a desert country) and the unevenness of the floors, especially when wooden floorboards have been installed as heels could get trapped and/or broken between the planks.
Cotton is by far the best fabric to wear as it tends to keep you cooler than acrylic clothing, especially if you are going to be spending a lot of time in the sunshine when visiting sites. Skirts are okay to wear but remember that some places will require you to climb stairs, so a little bit of decorum should be considered and perhaps jeans could be the best substitute.
When visiting mosques you will be expected to remove your footwear, though some of the larger mosques do supply paper overshoes. Please be prepared for this and follow what you are asked to do. Likewise, women are usually asked to cover their shoulders and upper torso’s so if a mosque is on your itinerary for the day, think of dressing accordingly.
When you arrive in Egypt, please try to remember that it is a Muslim country and so has a different culture to the one you are used to. Many things that you take for granted are scorned here: kissing and fondling your partner in public; wearing clothing that is extremely revealing, and homosexuality are obvious examples. If you do visit a mosque, you will be expected to remove your footwear, though some of the larger mosques do supply paper overshoes. Please be prepared for this and follow what you are asked to do. Likewise, women are usually asked to cover their shoulders and upper torso’s so if a mosque is on your itinerary for the day, think of dressing accordingly.
In Upper Egypt especially, if you wish to take a felucca trip, be very careful before committing to the journey. Some, and only some, felucca captains will agree on a price, only to renege on this agreement once you have reached the half-way point, insisting that the deal was for a one-way trip only: meaning you have to pay for the return leg as well. Please ensure the price quoted is the price you want for the whole trip. Again, your hotel’s reception desk will often be able to point you towards a reliable felucca captain that they deal with, even getting him to meet you at the hotel.
Some felucca captains will also offer you the opportunity of sail between Aswan and Luxor, or vice versa. This is a popular pastime for budget travelers, but please be aware that you will be sleeping rough, though some captains do carry a canvas, and the food will be of a low standard. Also, it is not a secure way of travel, your personal belongings and finances will be at risk.