Everyone Told Me Not to Go to Egypt
Okay so let me tell you about Egypt, because almost everybody in my life had something to say about this trip before I even got on the plane. Here is the gist, the good and the bad, the way I would tell it if you were sitting right across from me.
Is Egypt safe, what does a trip to Egypt actually cost, and do you even need a visa? Short answers here, from my own June and July 2026 trip to Cairo and Giza. The long answers are coming in Part 1 and Part 2, and the free visa I found gets its own post.
Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you book or buy through one, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only point you to things I actually used.
Everybody told me not to go to Egypt
Men dressing up as police officers who were not police officers. How hard it is for women. One of the workers at my clinic told me her mother and her sister went and just did not like it. And on top of that, people telling me not to go because of everything happening in the Middle East.
Here is the thing I could not get past though. Almost none of the loudest people had ever set foot in Egypt.
So why did I go anyway
I went because I needed to get to Nigeria to visit family, and instead of going through Europe or the East Coast like you normally do, thanks to EgyptAir opening its new direct flight from LAX to Cairo, I bit the bullet and went for it.
What also helped was talking to my husband. It helped settle my fears, because I am the emotional one that can think of every possible negative scenario. He is super logical, and so his opinion and input provided that layer of calm that put my mind to rest.
Do you need a visa for Egypt? I found a free one
I am in my business class seat, minding my own business, no pun intended. And I look up at the screen and I see it. Ninety six hour transit visa. Free. Stay four days or less and you skip the 60 dollar visa on arrival entirely. We used it twice. We got into Egypt for free, twice.
It never showed up on my algorithm once, and I was actively looking at Egypt content. I am writing up exactly how to use it, including the free hotel they give you. Yes, a free hotel.
Cairo airport, and the line nobody warns you about
Getting off the plane was easy. Then you hit immigration, and I stood in that line for an hour and a half. Mind you, I was in the Gold Track lane, the fast lane for business class. So go pee before you get in it. I am serious.
Outside is where Egypt actually introduces itself. It smells like cigarettes, it is dusty, and do not wear white shoes. Part 1 walks you through the whole arrival, including the Uber guys who will swear the app is wrong.
The first time I saw the pyramids
From the plane. I jumped like a kid, and I kept trying to nudge my husband, except he was sitting in the row behind me, so I am over here pointing out the window at nobody.
And nobody tells first timers this: Giza is a whole neighborhood. People picture the pyramids alone out in the desert. No. You are driving through buildings crunched up together, and then there they are.
Where to stay in Giza with a pyramid view
I decided that I wanted to treat myself with a view to the Pyramids of Giza, and to help me do that I decided to stay at the Soul Pyramids View. The hotel room was $127 for the night, and that is because I wanted the highest room. They have cheaper ones.
But the icing on the cake is the view. It is like if you leaned over you could touch them. As a history nerd, and as that little girl who always dreamt of coming here, this trip truly proved to be an out of body experience.
We had been trying to get to Egypt since 2020
Five years. And every single time it did not work out, because my husband had his Nigerian citizenship, and they give Nigerians a really hard time. Unfortunately a lot of countries do. So we just never got to go. Year after year.
He is a US citizen now. So standing there was all of those years landing on me at once. All those times we thought it was never going to happen for us. And we are finally here.
So if you are waiting on your spouse's citizenship, thinking it is never going to happen: it is going to happen. And when it happens, you will have your "Egypt" moment too. Your country of victory that you will take a trip to, and I hope to be part of the planning experience.
How much does a trip to Egypt actually cost?
Cheaper than I ever perceived it to be. Here is a taste.
| Uber Comfort, Cairo airport to Giza, 45 to 60 minutes | $11 |
| Water or a can of soda, at the actual pyramids | $1 |
| Pyramids of Giza, entry for two | $28 |
| Grand Egyptian Museum | $55 |
What I personally paid in June and July 2026. Rates and entry fees change. Every single receipt is going in Part 2.
Is Egypt safe? What I would tell you if you are scared
Do not let the videos in your algorithm decide this for you, and be careful whose opinion you are borrowing, because the loudest voices are almost always the ones who have never set foot in the country. Go check travel.gov, see what alert level Egypt is actually on, and make the call yourself.
One last thing before you go
This girl slept on a mattress on the floor with five other people. This girl did not have her own room until she was 16. Nobody in my family had the luxury of taking anybody on trips.
But I brought myself here. So if that is you, you can do this too. Whatever your Egypt is.
Is Egypt safe to visit?
I went in June and July 2026 and never felt in danger once. The pushiness people describe is sales pressure, not threat. Check travel.gov and decide for yourself.
Do I need a visa for Egypt?
Not always. Staying four days or less, Egypt has a free 96 hour transit visa. I used it twice and got in free both times instead of paying 60 dollars on arrival. For longer stays, get the e-visa in advance, and check with your airline before you book.
How much does a trip to Egypt actually cost?
Far less than people assume. An Uber from Cairo airport to Giza was 11 dollars and water at the pyramids was 1 dollar. Government run attractions are where the money goes: the Grand Egyptian Museum was 55 dollars and the Pyramids of Giza 28 dollars for two, in June and July 2026.
Want me to plan yours?
I found the free visa, tested it twice, and tracked every dollar, all for my own trip. Imagine what I will do when I am planning yours.
Still letting other people talk you out of it? go and form your own opinion