Visitor Information
Visas
Non-Egyptian participants arriving in Egypt are required to be in possession of a valid passport for at least 6 months. Entry visas may be obtained from Egyptian Diplomatic and Consular Missions Abroad. It is, however, possible for most of the visitors to obtain an entry visa at any of the Major Ports of Entry. Visitors entering Egypt at the overland border post to Taba to visit Gulf of Aqaba coast and St. Catherine can be exempted from visa and granted a free residence permit for fourteen days to visit this area only.
Citizens of the following countries are required to be in possession of a pre-arrival visa: Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Chechnya, Croatia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Lebanon, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Moldavia, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, The Philippines, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Sri-Lanka, Tadzhikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and all African countries.
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and all African countries. It is, however, highly recommended to check with the nearest Egyptian Consulate for specific details and regulations relevant to your nationality. Here is a List of Egyptian Embassies Worldwide.
A visa would approximately cost US$15 - US$90 depending on the nationality.
For further information, please check the official website of Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on www.mfa.gov.eg
Airport
The Airline you choose to travel to Egypt will most probably determine your landing in one of the following airports. Please note that the closest airports to the conference venue are the first 3 airports:
- Cairo International Airport ( 3 terminals ) www.cairo-airport.com
- Alexandria Nozha Airport
- Alexandria Borg El Arab Airport
- Luxor Airport ( Upper Egypt )
- Aswan Airport ( Upper Egypt )
- Hurghada Airport ( Red Sea coast )
- Sharm El-Sheikh ( South Sinai )
Banking and Currency
Currency
Egyptian pound (EGP) - Livre Egyptian (LE) is equivalent to 100 piasters. Notes are in denominations of EGP 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Coins are in denominations of 100 (EGP 1), 50, 25, 20, 10 and 5 piasters.
Currency exchange
It is always available at banks and official exchange offices. There are five national banks and 78 branches of foreign banks.
Credit and debit cards
MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club and Visa are accepted. Check with your credit or debit Card Company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.
Traveller’s cheques
To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take travelers cheques in US dollars, Euros or Sterling pounds.
Currency restrictions
- The import and export of foreign currency is unlimited; although it is mandatory to report the specific amount in cash if it exceeds US $10,000.
- The import of local currency is unlimited.
- There is a limit of 1000 Egyptian Pounds in cash that you may take out of Egypt.
Exchange rates
For additional information about the latest exchange rates, please visit the website: www.xe.com/ucc
Tourist Information: some of the sightseeing places in Egypt
Cairo
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Pyramids & Sphinx
Were reckoned by the Greeks to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World . A single pyramid is built of 2,300,000 blocks, each weighing an average of two and one–half tons. In the face of such immensity, one cannot help but feel the wonder and awe that so many writers & artists have sought to convey over the centuries. The Cheops Pyramid is especially interesting since its interior burial chambers are open for inspection by the public. Not far from the Pyramids is the Great Sphinx of Giza, which dates from the time of Chephren (2620BC). Hewn from natural yellowish limestone & standing 65 feet high & 187 feet long, this unforgettable statue combines the head of a Pharaoh with a lion's body.
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Egyptian Museum
The Egyptian museum is the most important depository of Egyptian antiquities anywhere in the world. It features artifacts from the Pharaonic and Greco-Roman periods, including the celebrated mummies of ancient Egypt 's king and Tut Ankh Amun treasures.
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Memphis & Sakkara
Memphis served as the capital of Upper & Lower Egypt some 5,000 years ago during the 1st Dynasty. Menes, the first pharaoh of this dynasty, built a great white-walled palace & the Temple of Ptah here.
Sakkara is one of the most exciting historical & archaeological area in all of Egypt is Sakkara , situated about 12 miles South West of Cairo. The site is dominated by the famous step pyramid of King Zoser. It was the first pyramid to be built in ancient Egypt , preceding those at Giza by many centuries, & is the work of the famous Pharaonic architect Imhotep.
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The Citadel, Mosque & Khan Khalili Bazaar
Situated on a spur of the Muqattam Hills, the citadel dominates Cairo 's skyline and was the nerve center of the city and Egypt for almost 700 years. Its construction was initiated in 1176 by Saladin and completed by Muhammad Ali. Mameluke Sultans and Turkish governors later on made it their residence, building palaces and mosques within the citadel walls. Facing the citadel is the Mosque of Sultan Hassan, built between 1356 and 1363 and perhaps the most majestic monument of Arab architecture in Egypt . The tour also includes a visit to Khan El Khalili, a famous Cairo bazaar dating back to the late 14th century.
Alexandria
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Pompey's Pillar
 An approximately 25m red Aswan granite column with a circumference of 9m, was constructed in honor of the Emperor Diocletain. Originally from the temple of the Serapis, it was once a magnificent structure rivaling the Soma and the Caesareum. Nearby are subterranean galleries where sacred Apis bulls were buried, and three sphinxes. After his defeat by Julius Caesar in the civil war, Pompey fled to Egypt where he was murdered in 48 BC; mediaeval travelers later believed he must be buried here, and that the capital atop the corner served as a container for his head. In fact, the pillar was raised in honor of Diocletain at the very end of the 4th century. Diocletain captured Alexandria after it had been under siege. The Arabs called it "Amoud el-Sawari", Column of the Horsemen. The Pillar is the tallest ancient monument in Alexandria . A winding staircase descends several levels deep into the ground, with little chapels opening from it, furnished with benches to accommodate visitors or mourners bringing offerings. There are niches cutout to hold sarcophagi.
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The Catacombs of Kom es-Shouqafa
These tombs were tunneled into the bedrock in the age of the Antonine emperors (2nd century A.D.) for a single wealthy family still practicing the ancient religion. As a privately financed project, it is an engineering feat of some magnitude. These tombs represent the last existing major construction for the sake of the old Egyptian religion. They are alone worth the trip to Alexandria . Though the funerary motifs are pure ancient Egyptian, the architects and artists were schooled in the Greco-Roman style. Applied to the themes of Ancient Egyptian religion, it has resulted in an amazing integrated art, quite unlike anything else in the world.
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Bibliotheca Alexandrina
At the meeting point of the three continents, Asia, Africa and Europe, Egypt has been the cradle of civilizations since ancient times. The ancient city of Alexandria was at the beginning of the third century B.C. the birthplace of the great plan to build a library: the Bibliotheca Alexandria . But a fire, which ravaged Alexandria , destroyed the library, this vast storehouse of learning. The Egyptian Government, in co-operation with UNESCO, has decided to resurrect the old dream to endow this part of the world with an important focal point for culture, education and science.
The Language
Arabic is the official language in Egypt. Egyptian Arabic is a separate dialect from the language spoken in other Arab countries; although standard Arabic in written form is used in newspapers and literature. However, most hotels, touristic and business facilities speak other languages such as English, French and sometimes German, Italian or Spanish.
The table below will give you a quick idea about the basic Arabic words and phrases that are common in everyday life in Egypt.
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Other Tips
Time Zone and DST
Egypt is two hours in advance of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +2) and operates Daylight Saving Time (+1 hour) from the last Friday in April until the last Friday in September
Electricity
Electrical current is 220 volts AC, single phase, 50 hertz. Wall sockets are round, two-pin European type, however the socket holes are often too narrow for European plugs. Bring adapter plugs and transformers, if necessary.
Tips (Baksheesh)
Most travelers are quite familiar with the concept of tipping. In Egypt, you may tip people in the community with EGP 1-2 for their services rendered (assisting you with your bags, parking your car, etc.). Make sure, however, that you do not tip professionals or businessmen who may consider this offensive.
Mobile Phone Services
GSM mobiles may be used in Egypt; if you have a roaming service set to your mobile prior to travel from your home country. The 3 mobile networks in Egypt are:
- Etisalat
- Mobinil
- Vodafone
Important Telephone Numbers
- Emergency Police: 122
- Tourist Police: 126
- Ambulance: 123
- Tourism Information: 03/ 3913454
- Railway Information: 03/ 5753555
- Bibliotheca Alexandrina: 03/ 4839999
- Cairo Airport Information: 02/2265-5000 Or 02/ 2265-3333
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