Egypt has been a place of wonder and mystery for me ever since I was a little girl. The mummies, pyramids, and Sphinx played significant roles in my imagination, knowing that these were not just symbols of Egypt, but a reflection of its entire civilization. Reading books and watching documentaries on National Geographic and the Discovery Channel felt like pieces of a puzzle I needed to solve. 🔍

Fast forward to today, I finally decided to add Egypt to my bucket list. The year 2025 marked my 10th year of solo international travel. Having started my travels in Vietnam, I felt it was only fitting to journey to a distant place that, while familiar, remained entirely unknown in my travel portfolio. With that, I mustered the courage to plan my travel to Egypt! 🥰🥰🥰

Out of the 10 years spent planning my travels, I can honestly say that Egypt was the most challenging. Though we have the internet now, I struggled to find blogs or stories from a solo Filipina traveler who had gone directly to Egypt from the Philippines. I’m not sure if I just wasn’t searching thoroughly enough, but I couldn’t find one. I tried to incorporate this type of planning into all my itineraries to get first-hand experiences from female solo travelers, and even male Filipino travelers would have worked. Yet, there were no such blogs or videos. Most of the content I found involved travelers coming from Dubai or Abu Dhabi, as they were working there. There was no content on travelers flying directly from Manila. As a result, my planning became more difficult. 😓

However, I am grateful that I made it to Egypt, and I’m excited to share the itinerary and planning process that helped me tick this destination off my bucket list and made my dream came true. 😍✨😍

1. Visa and Immigration
2. Transportation to and in Egypt
3. Accomodation in Egypt
4. Internet in Egypt
5. Money in Egypt
6. Weather in Egypt
7. Time difference in Egypt
8. Delicacies in Egypt
9. Itinerary in Egypt
10. Enigmatic Egypt

Visa and Immigration

While browsing posts about how a Filipino can travel to Egypt, I found a post from Kach of TwoMonkeys Travel that she was able to enter Egypt using her Philippine passport and Japanese visa. It was posted 2 years ago so I researched for more recent travels of a Filipino in Egypt.

I tried to join different Facebook groups about travelling to Egypt. Some posted that they were able to use Philippine passport but most of them are Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) residents. Thus, they were able to enter Egypt without a visa.

In my desperation to find a legitimate and recent resources about using PH passport and used and existing Japanese visa, I sent an email to the Egyptian Embassy here in the Philippines. With luck, they responded within the week. 🥳

At last! I found a legit source! After this confirmation, I booked my flight to Cairo and started to draft itinerary on my own. 🥰🥰🥰

While checking  in with EgyptAir in Dubai International Airport, the guy from the check-in counter asked for my passport, boarding pass and my Egyptian visa. I mentioned to him that I will apply for a visa on arrival. However, he said that I am not valid to have visa on arrival. Thus, I informed him that I have multiple entry Japanese visa and the Embassy of Egypt in Manila confirmed that I can enter Egypt via visa on arrival with my Japanese visa. He then let me go and advised to proceed to immigration. 😇 From that point, I proved that some airline personnels do not knew yet the current immigration policy. However, I cannot blame them as they are just doing their job. 👍

Upon touchdown in Cairo, I immediately searched for the area where to buy the visa on arrival stamp. There were signages in pillars where you can buy it. As for me, I bought it a currency exchange center named Travel Choice.

I made sure I prepared the exact US $25 as for sure they will not provide a change. They just checked my passport and in less than 2 minutes, they gave me the stamp. 🥳 If you will buy a visa on arrival stamp, do not attach it in your passport yet. The immigration officer will do it.

In the immigration counter, I provided my passport, boarding pass and stamp. Same scenario happened when I was in Dubai, the immigration officer told me that I was not valid to enter Egypt with visa on arrival. I expected the same so I informed the immigration officer that I have a used and existing Japanese visa.

The immigration officer held me in the counter for 10 minutes to validate if I can enter Egypt with Japanese visa using a Philippine passport. I saw her asking to other officers and she went to their office too. Another 10 minutes passed, she mentioned that she was searching for my used stamp in Japan. I flipped the page of my passport and showed it to her. When she saw it, she prepared her stamp. However, she walked away and check it again with other officers. It seems she was not sure of what she was doing. 🤔

After another 5 minutes, she returned then asked me, “You really have gone to Japan?” and I answered her YES! 😁😁😁 She then put a stamp in my passport finally. 😍🥰😍

However, there was another stamp in my passport that indicated “Registration within 7 days”. So, I returned to the immigration counter to ask what does it mean but I cannot see the officer at all. I asked one officer and she mentioned that my stamp is valid for 7 days only. If I will stay more than 7 days, I need to get another stamp and pay US $15. Since I will stay in Egypt for 8 days and I do not want to get into trouble, I searched for the counter where I can get the Registration Stamp or what they called the triangle stamp.

Since I can get the triangle stamp outside the arrival hall, I got my luggage and bought sim card first. Outside the arrival hall, in my left side, if you are in Cairo International Airport, you will see the signage “Services of the General Administration of Passport and Immigration”.

I went there and asked for the triangle stamp. The officers were nice and they immediately assisted me. They said that the triangle stamp was a new policy of their immigration. Maybe that was the reason why I didn’t read about it on the internet. They said that once I pay the US $15, I can apply for residency in Egypt for 90 days. After some minutes, they stamped my passport. Please note that this policy was as of June 2025.

Officially, I entered Egypt! 😍🥳😍

Transportation to and in Egypt

From Manila, I booked a flight to Dubai via Cebu Pacific. I got the round-trip ticket on sale! 🥳 Although there came a point when I was torn between Egypt and Türkiye, I ultimately chose Egypt. There is no direct flight from Manila to Cairo, so I took a flight from Manila to Dubai. It was a 9-hour flight.

Dubai is 4 hours behind Manila and I arrived by 7 PM. From Dubai International Airport, I booked a hotel nearby, just 5 minutes away. To read about my adventure in Dubai, follow this blog.

I stayed one night in Dubai, and the next day, I flew to Cairo via Egypt Air. The flight from Dubai to Cairo was 4 hours. It was my first time to flew with Egypt Air. I read some bad reviews about delayed flights and all, but from my experience, the schedule was on time. The plane fixtures and upholstery were somehow outdated. 😥

But for an economy flight with a personal monitor and earpiece, I was delighted. 🤩 There were movies and series that you can watch. You can also view in the monitor where are you located. Also, they served a sumptuous meal! 😋

I’ll be honest—I was terrified when planning this trip. I had read too many posts on Facebook, X, and YouTube about scammers. Some try to trick you at the airport, and I can honestly say it almost happened to me. There were so many drivers outside the arrival hall asking if I wanted to ride in their taxi or private car. As someone who always travels alone, I’ve almost mastered how to ignore these people. But believe me, Egypt was different! 😖

They will follow you and persist in asking you thoroughly. That’s why I arranged all my transfers with my hotel. The hotels I booked offered guided tours, including private car transfers. Instead of worrying about myself, I chose to hire someone who could help me get around the city safely. 😇 That was my first impression about Egypt. 😌

However, if you want to do it by yourself, you can use Uber in Cairo and InDrive in Luxor. You can also hail a cab in the streets. During my travels in Cairo, Alexandria, and Aswan, everything was arranged via private cars. I also did the same in Luxor.

But after my guided tour in Luxor, on my last day in Egypt, I decided to walked on my own and hailed a cab. It was fantastic! 😍🥰😍 Though there were some persistent horse-drawn carriage drivers outside my hotel in Luxor, I just smiled at them and said, “La, Shukran” (No, thank you). There was one driver who followed me, but I just ignored him, and eventually, he left. After walking for more than 2 kilometers from my hotel in Luxor, I hailed a cab to return. Luckily, the cab driver I met spoke English and was very nice. My reward was the beautiful sunset in Luxor. 😇

Though having a private driver gave me comfort, I still felt safe while walking in the streets of Luxor. My entire first impression was changed after this walking experience in Luxor. 😍🥰😍 Hopefully, if given a chance, I can do the same in the busy streets of Cairo. 😌

In Luxor too, I also had a chance to ride a boat before our tour begun to ride a hot air balloon. One of the lunch I took in Luxor was in a boat too while cruising Nile River in daylight. I had the chance to cruise Nile River in nighttime when I was in Cairo. The transportation in Nile River is very essential to Egyptians until today.

Apart from the private cars, I also tried the overnight train from Giza to Aswan. It was about a 14-hour ride. I booked the train via Abela Trains. The train I took was not for the faint-hearted. It was outdated and unclean. However, having a single solo cabin helped me last the night. To read about more about my train experience, please follow my blog in Aswan.

It was indeed a wonderful experience trying different kinds of transportation in Egypt. It felt like I was not just a traveler but a local too. 🥰

Accomodation in Egypt

For all the accommodations, I booked everything on my own via Booking.com. However, I was very specific to my hotel in Giza. I wanted to experience waking up and seeing the pyramids right after my eyes so I found it challenging to search for my “perfect hotel” in Giza. I never really intended to book a hotel in Cairo even it is nearer the airport since I wanted to see the pyramids in every morning I will be there. 🤩🤩🤩

After months of searching the hotel in Giza, I found Prestige Pyramids Inn. The hotel is owned by Waleed whom I met after I booked his hotel. The hotel for me was perfect! 😍 It was not just the view but also the room itself. I love the bed, the simple breakfast and the people who run the hotel. It was clean and perfectly safe. For me, it was the best hotel I stayed in Egypt. 😍🥰😍

When I transferred to Aswan, I booked David’s Hostel via Booking.com. David’s place is an old house turned to a hostel. I need to be honest, this place is not for the “modern” people. When I arrived, David offered me a dinner in his unclean table. There were tools in the table like screwdrivers, a long rope, big scissors and other stuff that made me feel unsafe. 😣

I understand that a night will cost here for less than US $6 yet every corner was old. By that time, I just prayed that I will last the night. Happily, I did! 😇 Luckily too, David was a good host and offered cheap transportation to Luxor. 😍

In Luxor, I booked Iberotel Hotel. It is a 4-star hotel in Luxor and at the banks of Nile River. From my previous creepy experience from David’s Hostel, the transition to this hotel was immensely what I needed. 😍🥰😍 Though, my room lacks brighter lighting, I was too blessed to have a better and more comfortable stay in Luxor. 😍🥰😍

Since the hotel is just at the banks of Nile River, at one of my tour in Luxor, my guide docked his boat in the hotel and viola! I was right there! 🤩🥳 I also love the buffet breakfast in the hotel. I stayed in Iberotel Hotel for 3 nights. 😍🥰😍

Internet in Egypt

In my previous years of travelling abroad, I do not mind if I have internet or not. What I prioritized before was the calmness that I am off the grid. However, as time changes, internet is a must not just about social media but for searching for directions and translating languages. So, it is a must to have internet access wherever I go. 👍

However, I read that connecting to internet in Egypt was challenging. Finally, I proved that. 😅 There was no free Wi-Fi in the airport. The hotel I stayed Giza has slow internet connection. The internet in my hotel in Luxor was a bit intermittent too. It was more reliable to have mobile data. Here are the speed tests I took using hotel’s Wi-Fi vs. Vodafone. 😁

Since I knew there were some areas that can have no Wi-Fi or internet signal, I did not opt to have an e-sim. Not a fan of it yet since I am not confident how it works in different countries. Thus, my option for all travels is to buy a sim wherever I travelled.

In Cairo International Airport, mobile companies like Vodafone and Etisalat are available to purchase. I opted to buy Vodafone sim with 31GB of data that cost EGP 716 or about PHP 830. The signal was good in most of the parts of Egypt that I travelled to aside from the area near Abu Simbel which is technically near Sudan. 😁 Overall, I was happy using Vodafone. As of June 2025, here are prices packages offered by Vodafone.

For communication, WhatsApp is widely used in Egypt. It was very essential when trying to reach my drivers and hotel owners. 👍

Money in Egypt

Egyptian Pounds is widely used in the country. However, there were some restaurants and establishments that also accepts US Dollar. If you will use US Dollar make sure you have the exact amount as Egyptians mostly do not provide change.

When I arrived in Cairo International Airport, I withdrew money from an ATM using local currency. I do not exchanged money from the airport as ATM is widely used.  When I was in Luxor, I was lucky that there was an ATM inside my hotel. It was safer there than to go outside my hotel.

For all the entrance fees in museums and attractions, only credit card is accepted. They do not accept cash. Maybe for some reason it is to avoid corruption and let all the tourism money be collected correctly by the government. Since most of the credit cards I used have international access, I had no issue using my credit card in Egypt. However, as due diligence to avoid hassle, I still called my banks in the Philippines to issue travel advisory.

However, most of the time, I still brought a small amount of Egyptian Pounds in my pocket. Why? It is for the tip. 💰 Egypt, as I may describe is also a poor country same as the Philippines. However, in Egypt, if you do something for a foreigner like taking a picture or providing a guide how to get somewhere or just simply carrying a luggage, most Egyptians expect you to pay something in return. Though I understand this culture but it was somehow terrifying. It was like others were so eager to have tip they will really follow you. 😖

This was one of the reasons why I opted a tour package – to avoid people who will just take money for no exact reason. Though, I am happy that I did not get harassed by anyone just to give them tip. 😇

However, worse was I experienced some police officers who asked money from my drivers. 😖😖😖 First of that experience was when we parked our car while I was in the Nile River cruise in Cairo. The police officer asked money from my driver for the parking yet there should nothing be paid. 😖 To avoid trouble, my driver just gave some pounds to the officer. The second one was when we entered and exit the area of Abu Simbel in Aswan. In the checkpoint, a police officer asked for money to my driver in broad daylight! 😖😖😖

It was disappointing since they are public servants if yet they ask money for their convenience. 😖 I saw both of my drivers with sad faces yet they still continued to drive for me. With those scenarios, I gave tips to my driver since the money they used will also be deducted from the tour package that I paid for. It may seem as not my issue at all but my drivers were too helpful and nice to me so I wanted to give something that can lift them up somehow. 😇😇😇

For my budget and expenses in Egypt, I added the details below including my itinerary.

Weather in Egypt

It was the first week of June when I arrived in Egypt. Summer season was fast approaching. In Cairo, Giza and Alexandria, the heat was bearable as the wind was still cold. When we visited The Great Pyramids of Giza, Waleed, my guide, told me that I was extremely lucky. 😇 He said the past few days before I arrived, the weather was really hot even the wind was humid. However, on the day of our tour, the sun was bright yet the air was cool! 🌬️

When I arrived in Abu Simbel in Aswan, it was a different story! It was bloody hot! 🥵🥵 Abu Simbel is kilometers away from Sudan, making the weather extremely warm. 🥵🥵 While walking in the entrance of Abu Simbel complex, I thought that I will passed out because of the heat. But with faith and perseverance to see a magnificent wonder, I survived! 🥳🙏

When I was in Luxor, I was lucky and blessed to ride the hot air balloon in schedule. 😍🥰😍 I read in a Facebook post that the hot air balloon ride in Luxor were cancelled on the past couple of days because of strong wind. My guide, Ahmed, told me the same. So, on the day of riding the hot air balloon, I felt truly lucky and blessed! 😇🥰😇 Indeed, riding a hot air balloon requires a good weather. It was not a joke to fly in the air with a pumping gas. 🥵 That day, I felt that God’s presence as He is the only one who can control our weather. 🙏🙇‍♀️🙏

Also in Luxor, while visiting the Valley of the Kings, the humidity was rising. Visiting the tombs which were either on the top or under of the valley will change the temperature inside. Good thing, there was a shaded area inside the complex where we can relax. 😌

As my guides told me, the perfect time to visit Egypt was from November to May. The sun was up yet the wind was cool. However, if you cannot visit during these months same with my travel dates, I recommend the following,

• Always bring a bottled water. Be hydrated.
• Wear a cap or hat.
• Wear light-colored, thin and flowy clothes.
• Apply sunscreen and other sun protection lotion.
• Bring a fan or mini electric fan.
• Bring an umbrella.
• Bring extra towel or clothes.

We all knew how can the weather in the Philippines can be cruel specially on summer. However, the weather in Egypt was different. 😁 It was like summer multiplied to 30 times! 🥵🥵🥵 This was my opinion as for someone who did not grew up in dessert. That is why I noticed that all buildings I saw has air-conditioning system. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed my days in Egypt. 😍🥰😍

Time difference in Egypt

Cairo is 5 hours behind from Manila and 1 hour behind Dubai. It was my first time to travel with this kind of timezone. Though the adjustment was not that of a big deal, I found it bizarre while I am updating my family in Manila. They would like to call me at dinner time but by that time I was still in the streets for my tours. I found all messages to me awkward as well as I was reading it in 5 hours difference. 😂😅

I added this section in my blog as Egyptians were somehow like Filipinos, particularly to the “Filipino Time” which is a embarrassing due to its late occurrence. There were some days of the tour that my driver will tell me that they will pick me up by 9AM but it was already 9:30AM and he was not there. As for me, since I was not in a hurry, this was fine. However, for the rest of the tours, all time schedules were followed. 😇

I travelled to Egypt by early June and summer was about to start. ☀️ With this season, the sunset will be at almost 8PM. The sunrise was about 7AM. Since most of the Egyptians follow the sun, their schedules were also adjusted. Their typical breakfast is from 7AM to 10AM. Their lunch is from 2PM to 4PM. Their night life started at around 9 in the evening. 😵😵😵 As person who are not fond of going outside during night, this was new for me. 😵

I consider myself as a morning person so this time adjustment was a bit awkward for me. 😅 Our normal Filipino lunch is 12 PM but for Egyptians it will be 2 PM. So by the time we finished the tours at around 3 PM, that will be the time we will just eat for lunch. 😁 As days passed, I also adjusted in this schedule. Nevertheless, my tour guides were very nice as they were asking me always if I was hungry so they can adjust the tours too. 😇

Delicacies in Egypt

I was happy to learnt that Egyptians love rice, too! 😁 However, their rice was different! 😝 It has some pasta or macaroni in it or what they called “koshary”. It has rice, lentils, macaroni, chickpeas and different kinds of sauces. At first, I found it weird. 🙃 However, their versions of it has thin slices of pasta that you will not notice if it was rice. 😝

I love their “kofta”. It is made from lamb meat and usually grilled in charcoal. It was delicious and perfect with rice and “tahini”, it is a white sauce made of hummus, baba ghanoush or halva. It was very delicious once combined especially if the “kofta” is still hot. 😋

For the desserts, I tried the “basbousa”. Its like a bread pudding with flaky, nutty and sweet toppings. I first tried this dessert when I was in Nile River Cruise in Cairo.

Aside from the meals, I also like the different desserts and drinks I tried when I was in Egypt. There was this one particular pistachio cake that I bought from Alexandria that was so yummy! 😋 I also enjoyed the fresh sugar cane in Luxor thus I got two of it! 😋 However, please keep in mind to still drink bottled water for your safety. 👍

After my tour in Abu Simbel, I had the chance to eat a fresh fried fish from Lake Nasser. It was very tasty! Indeed, it was freshly caught from the lake. 😋 It was a perfect meal after a hot day in Abu Simbel. 😋

Gastronomical adventure in different countries is one of my favorite activities too. So, I really enjoyed the Egyptian food. 😋 Note that fast foods like McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Domino’s Pizza and Burger King were available too in Egypt.

Itinerary in Egypt

I have spent almost 8 days in Egypt. It was short yet compact with all the places I wanted to travelled to since I was a little girl. I wish I can extend more but vacations have time limit too. 😭😭😭 For my entire stay in Egypt, this was my itinerary last June 2025 that may help you if you are planning to visit soon.

Apart from my itinerary, I am sharing my expenses in Egypt below. Please note that the conversion was from last June 2025 and some were paid gradually months before my travel. Expenses displayed below do not include other expenses for souvenirs, laundry, dinner, snacks and tips . Adding these expenses not to brag but for you to have an idea of how much you can spend in Egypt.

Click here. 💸

Enigmatic Egypt

After planning and learning all of these essentials when travelling to and in Egypt, I realized that my 10th country was a memorable addition to my list. 😍🥰😍😍🥰😍 The planning was difficult yet when I was in Egypt, I felt that the magic of travelling was casted upon me. I felt like there was nothing I cannot conquer in life after this journey. 💪💪💪

Egypt will remain as a mysterious place for me but in a good way. 😍🥰😍 Egypt left me breathless with the magic and wonder of Earth. 😍🥰😍 From the pyramids, mummies, museums, Egypt was extremely bursting with energy. Her shine and glamour will live in me forever. 😍🥰😍

All of my experiences since I arrived from Cairo and Giza, travelling to Alexandria for a day, train ride from Giza to Aswan and last stop in Luxor were truly unforgettable and perfect for my 10th year of solo international travel. 😍🥰😍

From a childhood dream, it was a memory that I will truly cherish. And definitely, you can travel from Manila to Cairo just like what I did! 😍🥰😍 Shukran, Egypt! You were amazingly beautiful and memorable! 💜💜💜

To know more about my travel adventures in Egypt, check my blog site for more of my posts. 💜💜💜