Egypt travel family guide

Home to some of the most fascinating ancient sites in the world, as well as a mix of landscapes from bustling cities to empty desert, the rich Nile and the spectacular underwater world of the Red Sea. While tourism is big business in Egypt, and you’ll find some lovely hotels and efficient internal rail links and flights, travelling here is never going to be the same as a holiday in western Europe, so taking a relaxed approach is always helpful.

So, can you visit Egypt with kids? Absolutely! A family holiday in Egypt isn’t just doable, it’s unforgettable. Children will be the centre of attention wherever you go and you’ll find nothing is too much trouble – family is hugely important in Egypt. The key is tailoring your trip to suit your kids, their ages and interests.
Teens and tweens will love the adventure and you can plan to fit more into your trip when they’re old enough to handle busier days. Younger kids will still love the mystery and excitement of Ancient Egypt, but you may prefer not to head too far off the beaten track, and you may want to plan in extra downtime rather than attempting to tick off all the sites.

The extreme heat of Egypt’s summer is hard enough for adults to handle, so it’s best to avoid the hottest months when you plan your Egypt family holiday. The months from October to April are best; the winter months are still warm during the daytimes, although much cooler at night if you’re looking for the most temperate daytime options. March/April and October are hotter during the day, but not as chilly in the mornings and evenings, so you can plan sightseeing for the start and end of the day, with time to relax, hit the pool or nap during the hottest hours.
Inevitably the school holiday periods tend to be the busiest times when they fall during peak season, as people look for winter sun around Christmas, as well as shorter breaks at February and October half-terms, plus Easter.

It always pays to take sensible precautions, but almost 20 million tourists visit Egypt each year and the vast majority of trips go ahead with no problems. While a few areas close to the Libyan and Israeli borders aren’t safe to travel to, this doesn’t affect the main tourist areas.

The most common risks for families to be aware of are from Egypt’s strong sun and possible illness from food. Always stick to bottled water for drinking and brushing your teeth, and avoid ice unless you’re sure bottled water was used. Otherwise, follow the usual common-sense precautions such as peeling fruit, choosing cooked vegetables over salad, and being wary of street food, unless it’s hot and freshly cooked. Even the most cautious traveller can be unlucky, so it’s always worth having a well-stocked first aid kit including rehydration sachets. There’s no malaria in Egypt, but it’s a good plan to have mosquito repellent, especially around the Nile. Needless to say, you should always have travel insurance covering medical treatment, just in case. In an emergency, call 123 for an ambulance (112/122 is for police, 126 for tourist police).

Don’t underestimate how hot Egypt gets either. SPF50 and hats are essential, while lightweight fabrics and portable fans will also help, but it’s best to stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day. Always make sure to drink plenty of liquids as well.

Egypt stretches for over 600 miles from the Mediterranean coast to the temples of Abu Simbel so don’t forget the distances involved when you’re planning where to go. A private driver can often be the best option for families as it gives you more flexibility, although sleeper trains and internal flights can save hours on the road – these do book up at peak times so it’s worth planning ahead.

Egypt has some of the world’s most fascinating ancient sites, and the chance to peek inside a tomb, marvel at the pyramids and be dwarfed by vast statues is guaranteed to appeal to all ages. But even the most dedicated mini-Egyptologist can get pharaoh fatigue, so if you’re planning back-to-back temple visits, it’s soon going to lose its thrill.
Happily, there are plenty of other equally enticing options to mix in with the ancient sites – how about star-gazing in the desert or sailing along the Nile on a traditional felucca? There’s even the chance to see 40-million-year-old whale fossils, although you’ll have to head off the beaten track to do that.

– The pyramids – there’s nothing quite like getting to see these iconic structures up close. The nearby Grand Egyptian Museum is filled with Tutankhamun’s treasures, and plenty more modern interactive displays (although with more than a dozen artefact-packed galleries, you’re unlikely to see everything with kids).

– The Valley of the Kings – with their decorative walls and stories of curses and grave robbers, the last resting place of many of Egypt’s pharaohs is also unmissable.

– A felucca ride on the Nile – nothing beats sailing along the Nile, watching the landscape pass by and spotting ancient temples as you go. A longer cruise isn’t always ideal with younger kids, but you can enjoy half-day trips to get a taste.

– The temples of Karnak and Luxor – you won’t be short of temples to visit in Egypt, including places like Kom Ombo with its stuffed crocodiles. But if you’re just choosing a few, the imposing columns at Luxor, the avenue of the sphinxes and the colossal statues at Karnak are some of the easiest and most memorable to see.

For more inspiration, take a look at all of our Egypt family trips. These can be tailored to your family’s needs and put together to create your ultimate family holiday.

Between hot weather, early starts and long days looking around ancient sites, it can make all the difference to have a great hotel to return to. Air con is a must, especially if you’re visiting outside the winter months, but accommodation with a pool is always a winner with kids – perfect for helping everyone cool down after walking around temples in the heat, and great for some chilled-out downtime too. Location plays a part too, especially in Cairo where traffic can be heavy. A central location like laid-back Zamalek Island works well if you’re hoping to explore the Citadel as well as heading out to Giza, for example.

Whether you’re travelling with picky eaters or mini gourmets, you’ll discover plenty of food in Egypt to suit your kids. In the more touristy areas, you won’t struggle to find western dishes, although there are also plenty of child-friendly dishes which are more traditionally Egyptian too.

Rice and flatbread are staples, and you’ll rarely find very spicy dishes. Instead, a lot of food will be familiar if you enjoy Middle Eastern cuisine – expect falafel and dips such as baba ganoush. Hawawshi is another street food favourite for kids, a pita bread stuffed with minced meat, mixed with onions and spices like cumin, cinnamon and paprika which is then grilled until crispy. Think of it like a hamburger with a twist. Or sambousek are similar to empanadas (or mini pasties!), little pies stuffed with meat.

If you’d like to be more adventurous, koshari is Egypt’s national dish, a hearty, naturally vegan-friendly mix of rice, lentils, macaroni and chickpeas with tomato sauce and crispy onions, or try molokhia (mulukhiyah), made using jute leaves, along with meat and rice – the slightly glutinous soupy result won’t appeal to all though.
Vegetarians are generally well catered for, as a lot of common dishes are already meat-free, alongside options like tahina salad and ful medames (made with stewed broad beans). You can also find dishes like moussaka using aubergine rather than meat.

1. Pace yourselves – with so many amazing sights to see, it’s tempting to try to pack everything in. But that’s a shortcut to temple fatigue, bored and cross kids, and a family holiday where everything blurs into a whirl.
2. Plan some low-key fun between sightseeing – mix the key attractions like the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings with some more laid-back options – a felucca ride on the Nile is fantastic and low effort, while you’ll find green spaces in all the cities and plenty of places for a cool drink with a view.
3. Keep your schedule flexible – be prepared for the fact that journeys can often take longer than expected – staying laid-back about delays and changes is a short-cut to a relaxed family trip.

4. Learn about Ancient Egypt before you set off – it’s a good idea to introduce your kids to some ancient Egyptian symbols and key gods before you go; you needn’t be able to translate hieroglyphics fluently but even younger kids can spot an ankh or Eye of Horus, and who doesn’t love the idea of gods with animals heads?
5. Choose your Nile cruise carefully – often a highlight of a holiday in Egypt, a shorter option is usually better with younger kids than a multi-day trip. Try a half-day excursion on a traditional felucca to get a taste of sailing along the Nile, or enjoy an overnight cruise, sleeping under the stars. With older teens, a felucca cruise is still a great option if they’re happy with few mod cons, or look at larger dahabiya sailing ships, as well as classic Nile river cruise ships for a few more luxuries on board.
6. Save time for some beach – the perfect end to a family holiday in Egypt, there’s fantastic snorkelling and great family-friendly hotels by the Red Sea. We recommend the area around Hurghada as one of the best options if you’re visiting Egypt with kids, including destinations like Safaga as a more relaxed alternative to Hurghada itself.