I’m heading to Egypt soon and trying to work out how much cash I realistically need to carry.
I’ll need cash for entrance fees included in my tour, as well as tips, but I’m on a fairly tight cash budget and would prefer to use a credit card where possible.
I’ll be travelling to Cairo, Luxor, Aswan (on a Nile cruise), and then Dahab, and I’m wondering how common card payments actually are in these places??
Are cards widely accepted at major sites, hotels, and restaurants, or should I expect to rely mostly on cash? I’m especially keen to avoid carrying more cash than necessary.
Any recent experiences or tips would be really appreciated. Thank you!
I was there in 2024: cards are fine at hotels and restaurants (some of the hotels were even providing cash out services). Having your entrance fees along with $50 - $100 equivalent in local cash will suffice to buy snacks and whatever along the way.
@ck_explorer1000 Credit cards are accepted in Egypt, but with some important cautions.
In larger hotels, well-known restaurants and some tourist-oriented places, especially in Cairo and on Nile cruises, credit cards are commonly accepted. However, our guide strongly advised us to avoid using credit cards unless absolutely necessary.
In small businesses, local shops, markets and taxis, cards are accepted, but they come with a higher risk of fraud or incorrect charges. Our guide specifically warned us about issues such as extra zeros being added or suspicious transactions, which unfortunately do happen.
Because of this, we were advised to rely mostly on cash for everyday expenses, and only use credit cards at very reputable, well-established places.
I traveled on this TourRadar trip and was very happy with the overall experience, but this advice about credit cards was emphasized throughout the trip: https://www.tourradar.com/t/45553
My takeaway: carry enough cash for tips and small payments, use credit cards cautiously, and always double-check charges.