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Health and food safety in Egypt

No vaccinations are mandatory for Egypt (yellow fever only if you arrive from a country where it occurs); hepatitis A and typhoid are recommended. Don't drink tap water, and for pharaoh's revenge any pharmacy sells Antinal or Streptoquin over the counter for about 30–60 EGP. Take out travel insurance, because the EHIC card is not valid in Egypt.

Staying healthy in Egypt mostly comes down to being sensible about water, food and sun. The illness almost every visitor meets sooner or later is "pharaoh's revenge", a few days of stomach trouble.

Vaccinations

None are mandatory (except yellow fever if you arrive from a country where it occurs). Recommended:

  • routine vaccines (MMR, tetanus-diphtheria-whooping cough, polio, flu),
  • hepatitis A: common, recommended,
  • hepatitis B: for longer stays,
  • typhoid: if you will eat widely outside hotels,
  • rabies: for long stays or contact with animals,
  • COVID-19: keep up to date.

Book a travel health appointment 6–8 weeks before you fly.

Water

  • Don't drink tap water, even in expensive hotels.
  • If your stomach is sensitive, use bottled water for brushing your teeth too.
  • Check the seal and hand back any bottle that has been opened.
  • Ice in good hotels and chain restaurants is fine.
  • Fresh juice is excellent, but ask whether it has been mixed with water. Sugarcane juice or whole fruit cut in front of you is the safe choice.

Food safety

Usually safe:

  • hot, freshly cooked food (koshari, ta'ameya, grilled meat),
  • busy stalls with a quick turnover,
  • fruit you peel yourself (oranges, bananas).

Higher risk:

  • raw salads rinsed in tap water (in cheap places),
  • fruit that was cut in advance,
  • buffet food that has been standing,
  • dairy kept out of the fridge,
  • ice made from tap water.

A simple rule when unsure: if it is hot and the place is busy, eat it.

Pharaoh's revenge (traveller's diarrhoea)

On a two-week trip, the odds of getting it are high. Pack:

  • Imodium (loperamide) for emergencies such as long bus journeys,
  • oral rehydration salts (ORS), which are sold everywhere,
  • probiotics, which some people start taking before the trip,
  • an antibiotic such as azithromycin: ask your doctor for a "just in case" prescription.

Most cases clear up in 24–48 hours. See a doctor if there is blood, a high fever, or it lasts more than 3 days.

What Egyptian pharmacists recommend: walk into any pharmacy and ask for Antinal (nifuroxazide, an intestinal antiseptic) or Streptoquin (streptomycin sulfate, sulphaguanidine, kaolin and pectin). Pharmacists hand out one of these on the first day of an upset stomach. Both are sold without a prescription, cost very little (about 30–60 EGP a box) and are trusted by locals. Use them alongside fluids and rest, and still see a doctor if symptoms are severe.

Sun and heat

  • SPF 50+ sunscreen: the desert sun is strong even in winter.
  • Hat, sunglasses and a water bottle, especially at the Pyramids and in the Valley of the Kings.
  • Drink 3–4 litres of water a day in summer.
  • Signs of heatstroke are headache, nausea and no longer sweating. Get into the shade and cool down quickly.

Pharmacies

  • Seif and El Ezaby are reliable national chains with English-speaking staff.
  • Many medicines that need a prescription in Europe are sold over the counter here.
  • Pharmacies open late, often 24 hours in the cities.

Hospitals

The best private hospitals for visitors are in Cairo:

  • As-Salam International,
  • Cleopatra Hospital,
  • Dar Al Fouad.

In Hurghada: Hurghada International Hospital. In Sharm El-Sheikh: Sharm International Hospital.

Most take card payment up front, and you then claim the cost back from your travel insurer.

Travel insurance

Buy it. The EHIC card does not work in Egypt, which is outside the EU. Insurance matters most if you are:

  • diving in the Red Sea (decompression illness cover),
  • travelling to remote sites (medical evacuation),
  • carrying expensive electronics.

Mosquitoes and insects

  • Malaria: not present in the tourist areas.
  • Dengue: very rare.
  • Mosquitoes are a nuisance along the Nile and on cruise boats, so bring repellent.

Wildlife

Don't put your hands into rock crevices or holes around the Pyramids or in the Valley of the Kings. Scorpions and snakes live there, although bites are rare.

A small first-aid kit to pack: Imodium, ORS, ibuprofen, an antihistamine, antiseptic wipes, plasters, sunscreen, after-sun and travel sickness tablets for buses and boats.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need vaccinations to travel to Egypt?

None are mandatory, except yellow fever if you arrive from a country where it occurs. Hepatitis A and typhoid are recommended, with hepatitis B and rabies for longer stays. See a travel health clinic 6–8 weeks before you fly.

Can I drink the tap water in Egypt?

No, not even in upmarket hotels. Drink bottled water and, if your stomach is sensitive, brush your teeth with it too. Check that the seal is intact. Ice in chain hotels and good restaurants is generally fine.

How do I treat pharaoh's revenge?

Oral rehydration salts (ORS), plenty of bottled water and rest. Egyptian pharmacies sell Antinal (nifuroxazide) or Streptoquin over the counter for about 30–60 EGP. See a doctor if there is blood, a high fever or symptoms last more than 3 days.

Does the EHIC card cover me in Egypt?

No. Egypt is outside the European Union, so the European Health Insurance Card does not apply there. You need private travel insurance, with decompression cover if you plan to dive.

Which pharmacies in Egypt can I trust?

Seif and El Ezaby are the two largest national chains, with English-speaking staff and branches in the big cities and many resorts, often open 24 hours.

Is there malaria in Egypt?

There is no malaria in the tourist areas and dengue is very rare. Mosquitoes can be annoying along the Nile and on cruise boats, so pack repellent. No antimalarials are needed.