Egypt Safety on Egypt Tour with Nile Cruise

Egypt Safety

Egypt is far safer than you may think. Indeed, it's a sad irony that the handful of terrorist attacks involving foreigners has given Egypt a reputation as a dangerous place, because it's blissfully free of the sort of ordinary social violence -- murder, mugging, vandalism, and so on -- that's all too common in the West. In Cairo there are no "bad" neighborhoods, only poor ones, and you can freely walk anywhere at any hour.

Pickpocketing is a minor concern in heavily touristed areas like bazaars. ATMs are safe to use at virtually any hour of the day or night, as many banks have 24-hour guards posted. Women can reduce unwanted advances by dressing in a way that reveals little skin. Generally, you'll find that you are more likely to be assaulted by hospitality than by violence.

What Egypt does have, unfortunately, are rare but shocking attacks that seek to destabilize the government by scaring away tourists (tourism revenue is the lifeblood of the country). The government stepped up security following the Luxor massacre in November 1997 -- which was likely the last gasp of the Islamist groups rather than a sign of their resurgence -- but it is impossible to stop every radical, so the threat of attacks remains. Once you land in Egypt, however, you'll realize how remote this threat feels.

Although most people in Egypt will treat you with genuine kindness and honesty, there are exceptions. Watch out for the mostly harmless but annoying offers to "take you to my uncle's shop." This proposition is invariably offered by an unofficial guide who gets a percentage from the shop owner on any purchase you make. More serious are the rare instances of scams pulled by rogue "cops." These are usually police impersonators who will ask to see your passport and/or wallet, then will make off with whatever you give them. Do not turn over your passport to any unidentified person claiming to be a police officer, and certainly do not get into any unmarked "police" car.

It's perfectly safe for female Travellers to brave Egypt alone, but women should expect to encounter a fair degree of unwanted attention from men, ranging from polite questions about marital status to catcalls in the street. The latter are best ignored, or perhaps answered with a sharp 'ayb (for shame!). For more-persistent admirers, just mention the tourist police, or the shurtat al-siyaha -- you'll be surprised how quickly your unwanted companion will disappear. To put a stop to personal questions, politely point out to your interrogator that such questions are considered rude in your country; this will immediately embarrass him into silence. You can avoid unwanted attention by dressing modestly and being firm but polite when being approached by strangers. If you do ever feel threatened in public, or have the unfortunate experience of being touched inappropriately, raise your voice in any language and make a scene. You'll find Egyptians, both men and women, rushing to your defense. They'll deal with your aggressor swiftly and harshly.

During the 1990s, Egypt's image as a safe country to visit was shattered by a wave of terrorism, culminating in the 1997 Luxor massacre. Although it ceased shortly afterwards and shows no signs of resuming, security at all tourist sites remains extremely heavy, giving first-time visitors an unnerving impression.

While relatively few in number, pickpockets are skilled and concentrate on tourists. Most operate in Cairo, notably in queues and on the crowded buses to the Pyramids. To play safe, keep your valuables in a money belt or a pouch under your shirt (leather or cotton materials are preferable to nylon, which can irritate in the heat). Overall, though, casual theft is more of a problem. Campsites, hostels and cheap hotels often have poor security, making it unwise to leave valuables there. At most places, you can deposit them at the reception (always get a receipt for cash).

If you are driving, it goes without saying you should not leave anything you cannot afford to lose visible or accessible in your car.

Between 1992 and 1997, Islamist militants murdered tourists, police and government officials in a series of bombings and shootings. Middle Egypt became a no-go zone for foreigners and tourism expired nationwide after the Luxor massacre. Egyptians were so revolted by the atrocity that even the Gamaat Islamiya disowned it as an act by wayward members, and their imprisoned leadership announced an end to violence in 1998. Meanwhile, thousands were detained under the emergency laws until the state saw fit to release them, and the combination of force and inducements seems to have worked, for there has been no terrorist act in Egypt since then.

But the authorities are taking no chances, and security has been reinforced since the September 11 and Bali outrages. There are armed police at all tourist sites, stations and checkpoints; scanners in hotels, plainclothes agents in bars and bazaars. More relevant to visitor's movements, travel restrictions apply in the Nile Valley.

In Cairo and Luxor, railway clerks have been told not to sell tickets for any trains up or down the Nile Valley except on those services designated for tourists, which have plainclothes guards riding shotgun. Tourist buses between Cairo and Israel, and from Aswan to Luxor or Abu Simbel, must travel in a convoy ( kol) with a police escort. Perversely, there is no formal ban on visiting once "risky" areas, but the local police will certainly keep a close eye on you, and may insist on accompanying you to sites like Abydos or Dendara.

Another wise move is to respect local customs (in public, anyway). The less you stand out and cause offence, the smaller the chance of attracting any hostility. By going with the swim of society, you'll gain a measure of protection. There are also armed police everywhere, whose mission includes keeping an eye on your safety, but as their usual response to trouble is to let rip with Kalashnikovs, this is a somewhat mixed blessing. In the event of real trouble, hit the deck or get off the streets immediately.

It goes without saying that certain subjects – Palestine, Israel and Islam, for instance – should be diplomatically handled should they come up in conversation. Some Egyptians are keen to discuss them, others not.

Egypt has a plethora of police forces whose high profile in Cairo (which has more cops per thousand citizens than any other capital in the world) and at checkpoints on trunk roads strikes first-time visitors as a sign of recent trouble, although it has actually been the rule since the 1960s. Whereas Egyptians fear police brutality, foreign visitors are usually treated with kid gloves and given the benefit of the doubt unless drugs or espionage are suspected.

The Municipal Police handle all crimes, and have a monopoly on law and order in smaller towns. Their uniform (khaki in winter, tan or white in summer) resembles that of the Traffic Police, who wear striped cuffs. Both get involved in accidents and can render assistance in emergencies. However, relatively few officers speak anything but Arabic.

If you've got a problem or need to report a crime, always go to the Tourist and Antiquities Police. The ordinary ranks wear the regular khaki police uniform with a "Tourist Police" armband; officers wear black uniforms in winter and white in summer. Found at tourist sites, museums, airports, stations and ports, they are supposedly trained to help tourists in distress, and speak a foreign language (usually English). In practice, the odds of getting such an officer are fifty-fifty – but it's worth trying them first. The more senior the officer, the better the chance they'll speak English.

The fourth conspicuous force is the Central Security force (dressed all in black and armed with Kalashnikovs), who guard embassies, banks and highways. Though normally genial enough, this largely conscript force will shift rapidly from tear gas to live rounds when ordered to crush demonstrations or civil unrest. If you find yourself getting caught up in anything, clear out quick. Ordinarily, though, they are nothing to worry about.

To guard vital utilities, there are also Electricity, Airport and River Police forces; the last is responsible for overseeing felucca journeys between Aswan and Luxor, though the formalities are usually handled by the captain of the boat rather than the passengers.

The Military Intelligence (the Mukhabarat) is only relevant to travellers who wish to visit remote parts of the Western Desert or go down beyond Mersa Alam on the Red Sea Coast, for which you need permission (details in the text). Their offices in Mersa Matrouh and the oases are signposted in English and quite tourist-friendly, whereas in Sinai they have secret agents stationed in Dahab, Nuweiba, Na'ama Bay and Sharm el-Sheikh, whose brief includes watching Israeli tourists, and Egyptians who visit Israel.

Finally there is the State Security, who may take an interest in tourists in border areas or Middle Egypt, but are generally irrelevant as far as most tourists are concerned. All of these forces deploy plainclothes agents who hang around near government buildings and crowded places, dressed as vendors or peasants – hence their nickname, the "Galabiyya Police". Aside from the sport of spotting agents in Cairo (where they dress quite snappily), tourists needn't think about them – though in hotels or bars, you might be disconcerted to find yourself chatting with a guy who suddenly announces that he's a cop. There are lots of them around.

Most of Egypt's hashish came from Lebanon until the destruction of that country's industry by the Syrians at the end of the 1980s, when it was replaced by bango (marijuana) from Sudan. Since then, Egypt's own marijuana industry, based in the Sinai, has seen a vast increase in both quantity and quality, supplemented by the recent, though still small-scale, return of Lebanese hash. A small amount of opium is also produced in the Sinai.

Despite a tradition of use stretching back to the thirteenth century, Egypt was the first country in modern times to ban cannabis, back in 1879. The prohibition was not strictly enforced under President Sadat (who smoked dope himself), but the country now has draconian anti-drugs laws that make hanging or life imprisonment mandatory for convicted smugglers and dealers (which could be interpreted to mean somebody caught with a few sachets of the stuff), and the law against cannabis is much more strictly enforced than it ever used to be. Mere possession or use merits a severe prison sentence and a heavy fine, plus legal costs, upwards of US$1000. Despite this, hashish and bango are still consumed by Egyptians who can afford it, and by tourists in Dahab, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada and Cairo – where police usually turn a blind eye if people smoke indoors and behave themselves on the street. In practice, the least you can expect if caught with a smoke is immediate deportation, and a ban from ever visiting the country again. You may be able to buy your way out of trouble, but this should be negotiated discreetly and as soon as possible, while the minimum number of officers are involved: once you are taken in, it will be a lot more difficult. Needless to say, your embassy will be unsympathetic. The best advice is to steer well clear of all illegal drugs while you are in the country.