Common tourist scams in Egypt and how to avoid them

Egypt's tourist economy runs on baksheesh, and the line between a tip and a demand is where most scams live. Someone opens a gate, points at a viewpoint, hands you a scarf or a papyrus scroll, or takes a photo for you, then asks for money. The amount is negotiable and often starts absurdly high. The workable rule: if you did not ask for the service, you owe nothing, but a small note (EGP 20–50) ends the conversation faster than an argument.

The second family of scams is price manipulation. Menus without prices, or a price quoted in US dollars and then charged in pounds, or a "special price for you" that is three times the local rate. Taxis and horse carriages are the classic case: the meter is broken, the fare is agreed verbally, and the agreed fare changes at the destination. Ride-hailing apps remove most of this because the price is fixed in the app before you get in.

The third is commission shopping. A guide, driver or hotel clerk suggests an essential stop at an alabaster factory, perfume shop, papyrus institute or cotton store. The goods are usually real but priced for the commission, which can be 30–50% of what you pay. You are not obliged to buy, and you can ask to skip such stops before you hire anyone.

Around the Giza plateau and the major temples, expect persistent unofficial guides and "guardians" who offer to show you a tomb or a better angle. Some are genuinely helpful for a tip; others will walk you into a paid camel or horse ride with a price that multiplies afterwards. Agree the total, the duration and whether the price is per person or per animal before you mount.

Card and ATM skimming exists but is not the main risk. Use ATMs attached to a bank branch, cover the keypad, and refuse offers of help from anyone standing nearby. Keep a second card and some cash separate from your main wallet. Pickpocketing is uncommon outside crowded markets and the metro at rush hour, but keep your phone out of your back pocket in Khan el-Khalili.

Agree prices in Egyptian pounds, not dollars, and repeat the number back. A price written on a phone screen or a receipt removes the "you misunderstood" argument.

Keep a stack of EGP 20, 50 and 100 notes. Most disputes are about small change, and having the right note ends them quickly.

Book guides, drivers and Nile trips through your hotel, a licensed operator or a well-reviewed company. Independent touts at the gate have no licence to lose.

Photograph the taxi plate, the driver's name card or the boat registration before you set off. It is a quiet deterrent and useful if you need to report something.

If a price changes at the end, pay what you agreed and no more, then leave. Escalating in public rarely helps; the tourist police (126) exist for the cases that matter.

Read your government's current travel advisory before you go, and note which regions it advises against. That is the one source that changes with events on the ground.