What to sort out before you go
Egypt asks very little of visitors on health grounds. There is no required vaccine for most travelers. What helps is a short conversation with a doctor or travel clinic, good habits with food and water, and a travel insurance policy that covers medical care abroad.
This is general information, not medical advice. Your own history, age and health decide what is right for you.
Vaccines: what CDC says
CDC's Travelers' Health pages for Egypt say to stay up to date on routine vaccines, and recommend two travel vaccines for most visitors:
- Hepatitis A. Recommended for unvaccinated travelers aged one year or older. It spreads through contaminated food and water.
- Typhoid. Recommended for most travelers, especially people staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas. CDC adds that safe food and water habits, including washing hands at key times, also help prevent it.
Yellow fever vaccine is not recommended for travelers going to Egypt. If you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk, check the entry requirements for your route.
Book a visit with a doctor or travel clinic four to six weeks before you leave. That leaves time for vaccines that need more than one dose, and for any advice specific to your health.
Stomach trouble: the common problem
The most common health complaint of visitors to Egypt is a stomach upset, often called travelers' diarrhea. CDC's clinician guidance says doctors could consider prescribing an antibiotic that a traveler carries to self-treat it, which is a conversation for your own doctor before you go.
- Drink bottled or filtered water, and check that bottle caps are sealed.
- Be careful with ice, raw salads and food that has been sitting out.
- Eat food that is hot and freshly cooked, and peel fruit yourself.
- Wash your hands before eating, and carry hand sanitizer for places without a basin.
- Pack oral rehydration salts, anti-diarrheal tablets if your doctor agrees, and your regular medicines in their original packaging.
Sun and heat
Most of the trip is outdoors, and the sun in Upper Egypt is strong even in winter. Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, carry water, and plan the long outdoor sights for the early morning. In summer, midday heat is the main risk.
Travel insurance: what to check
Travel insurance matters because a medical problem abroad can cost more than the trip. Before you buy, check:
- Medical cover. Does the policy pay for doctors and hospital care outside your home country?
- Evacuation. Does it include medical evacuation or repatriation, and with what limit? We found no official source on evacuation in Egypt, so ask your insurer directly.
- Trip cancellation. Does it return the cost if you or a family member become ill before the trip?
- Activities. Check any exclusions for activities you plan, such as diving, desert trips or balloon flights.
- Existing conditions. Declare them. Rules differ by insurer and can affect a claim.
Keep a copy of the policy number and the insurer's emergency number with you, and tell your operator or hotel if you need to see a doctor. Hotels and tour operators can usually direct you to a doctor or a clinic.
A simple checklist
- Book a doctor or travel clinic four to six weeks before you leave.
- Ask about hepatitis A, typhoid and your routine vaccines.
- Buy travel insurance that includes medical care abroad and read the evacuation terms.
- Pack medicines in their original packaging, plus rehydration salts and sunscreen.
- Drink bottled water and eat freshly cooked food.