Can I go to Egypt as a Solo Female Traveler?

When my life in Turkey started to fall apart, I was forced to make a sudden and quick decision on which country to fly to next. I knew in my heart, I wanted to go to Egypt and that it was just a short flight away. It made sense to me, or did it? I was after all, a woman traveling alone. I asked myself many times, “Can I go to Egypt as a solo female traveler?”.

A quick google search showed me pages upon pages of reasons why Egypt would not be safe for a woman alone. I read horror stories from women who experienced harassment, abuse and even stalking. I read 101 reasons why NOT to go to Egypt as a solo female but, being who I am, my travel-lust was just too strong and I went anyways.

So, Can I go to Egypt as a Solo Female Traveler?

The Truth

What I experienced in my 2 weeks in Egypt, was nothing like what I had read online. Besides some street merchants trying to sell me something, I did not experience any harassment at all. Not once.

In fact, I found Egyptian people to be among the most friendly I’ve ever met. Everywhere I went people smiled and said “Welcome to Egypt!”. I was chased by a group of 40 children who I believed would surely rob me. Turns out they only wanted to take a photo together. To get to the White Desert, I took a 10 hour local bus that was full of only men. They treated me with nothing but respect, and even shared their snacks with me.

I am not here to downplay the experiences other women have had. If they said they had a bad experience, I believe them. However, I can only share my experience and what I did that may have helped keep me safe, and could help you too.

So, to any ladies considering a trip to Egypt without a partner, I’ve got good news. It is totally safe to travel to Egypt as a woman alone. Here is my experience and some tips for any solo female travelers planning a trip to Egypt.

What to Wear

I knew that if I wanted to minimize my chances of any negative attention, I would need to stand out as little as possible. Generally speaking, women in Egypt dress modestly, with shoulders, chest and legs covered.

At the beginning of my trip, I took this to the extreme, which was fueled by the fear I had created in my head after reading all those horror stories online about other females being harassed.

So what ensued, was a ridiculous outfit. I landed in Cairo with no less than a full length dress on, with an oversized knee length hoodie over it. I had a scarf on that I used to cover my entire neck, face and hair. To complete my invisibility suit, I had sunglasses on, even at night.

Needless to say, I looked insane the first couple days. But no one harassed me, and I thought “Hey, the outfit is working!”. As I became more used to my surroundings, I learned quickly this isn’t actually necessary.

If you cover your chest, shoulders, and legs (to the ankle), you should be fine. Covering your arms is a plus, but not necessary. Loose clothing is also better, for modesty and for comfort. It’s hot in Egypt!

Try to Blend in

There are some rumors that blond girls get more unwanted attention in Egypt. While I can’t confirm or contest that, I will say that you can try avoiding this by covering your hair. Bring a cute scarf and you’re good to go. You’ll need them to enter mosque anyways, plus, scarves will look cute in your instagram pictures!

In my home country, it’s wrong to say a woman will be treated differently according to how she’s dressed, but this is a different country. If you choose to come here, you should be willing to respect local customs, period. Don’t bring your home country politics into it, it’s not that deep. Just dress like the locals, and if they see that you respect their customs, they will be more likely to respect you.

Wear a Fake Wedding Ring

This was a tip I got from another traveller. While I didn’t do it myself, she swore it was the simplest and most hassle free way to turn down unwanted flirting. Generally, people are more likely to respect a declined advance if you are married, so a quick flash of the ring and a hard no could do the trick.

Uber is Your Best Friend

I was happy to see that Uber is widely used here. Since you probably already have the app, this is the simplest way for you to get around in Cairo, and the major cities. I had some 15 minute Uber rides that costs less than $1. It’s insanely cheap! Plus, this takes away the hassle of negotiating or chance of being ripped off, since the price is determined by the app. The local equivalent to Uber is Careem, which is slightly cheaper and also reliable.

Pro Tip: avoid regular taxis if you don’t want to get ripped off. If you do take a taxi, and they try to overcharge you, firmly decline to pay it and offer to only pay the true fare. They are mostly opportunistic, so if you are an easy target, they will try to overcharge you. Stand your ground, and they’ll likely just laugh and accept it.

Use Common Sense

This should go without saying, but I’m going to say it. Don’t do anything here that would be deemed unsafe or questionable in your home country, or anywhere for that matter. This includes walking alone at night, getting super drunk or going into dark unlit alleyways.

To be fair, I did walk around after dark all the time, by myself. Nothing happened to me, but if you want to guarantee your safety, following the same common rules you’d follow anywhere will help you avoid any danger.

Be Careful With the Traffic

The traffic in Cairo is honestly out of control. I’ve been to Vietnam and other hectic places, but Cairo was really intimidating. Take extra care when crossing the roads here. Again, Uber is cheap and reliable. If you feel uneasy about the street traffic here, it’s well worth considering using Uber to get anywhere more than a 10 minute walk away.

Get a SIM Card

A SIM card is super cheap, and you’ll need an Egyptian number for Uber or if you want to book a train. Plus, it’s good to have for emergency situations, and it’s so affordable you really have no reason not to get one.

Dealing With Pushy Merchants

The only slight feeling of discomfort I had in Egypt came from people trying to sell me things. I get that they just want to make some money, but sometimes it came off aggressive.

Pro tip: If you do plan to shop, have a set price in your head that you’re willing to pay for something, even before they name the price. That way, when they throw out a price, you already have a clear idea if it’s a yes or no. Any hesitation for them, is a sign to drill you until you buy, so be firm on your price.

If they start to follow and harass you, just continue walking away. Don’t give any fear or sign of weakness, they are all talk anyways. Just let it go and don’t let it ruin your day.

People Will Want to Take Pictures With You

This isn’t a direct cause for danger, but something you should know will happen. Multiple times an hour, I was asked to take a group picture with children, mothers, teenage girls, tour group leaders, bus drivers, you name it.

For the most part, it’s harmless and they are just excited to see a foreigner. They collect photos with tourists like 8 year old me collected Pokemon cards.

However, the choice is always yours to say yes or no. If you are uncomfortable, or are exhausted from the 100 photo opts a day, just politely say no thank you. They may be sad, but you won’t offend anyone.

So to answer the questions “Can I go to Egypt as a solo female traveler?”, I would say, absolutely. This country blew me away more than I could have imagined, and it shouldn’t be missed. No amount of pictures you’ve seen online can compare to seeing it for yourself. If you are a woman traveling alone, follow these guidelines to ensure a smooth and safe trip.

Have you been to Egypt? How was your experience? Let me know!

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