Is it safe to travel to Egypt? Latest travel advice

All the latest Egypt travel advice amid escalating conflict in the Middle East

Israel has launched a ground incursion in Lebanon after months of escalating tensions in the Middle East.
While Egypt is geographically close to the conflict zone, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) says it remains safe to visit the key tourist areas in Egypt, like Cairo and the Red Sea resorts of Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh.
However, the UK Government does warn against travel to large parts of Egypt, and advises travellers to be aware of terrorism and to avoid public demonstrations.
Here’s everything you need to know about travel to Egypt, whether it is safe to visit, and your rights if you do decide to cancel your upcoming holiday.
Egypt shares a border with Israel, and there is a crossing into the Gaza Strip at the Rafah Border Crossing, which has been a gateway for aid to enter the territory and for Palestinian refugees to leave the country. The crossing is currently closed, including for humanitarian aid workers.
The popular Red Sea holiday resort of Sharm El Sheikh is around 350 miles away from the Israel-Lebanon border. Cairo is just over 300 miles away from the conflict zone.
The FCDO does not advise against travel to any of Egypt’s popular holiday destinations including Cairo, the Red Sea resorts of Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh, and the cities along the Nile popular with river cruises, like Luxor and Aswan.
However, the FCDO has updated its advice to read: “Ongoing hostilities between Israel and Lebanon could escalate quickly and pose risks for the wider region.”
The FCDO advises against travel to within 20km of the Egypt-Libya border (except the town of El Salloum) and to North Sinai, which incorporates the Egypt-Israel border and the Rafah Crossing into Gaza.
The FCDO also warns against all but essential travel to the northern part of South Sinai, the eastern part of Ismailiyah Governorate east of the Suez Canal, the area to the west of the Nile Valley (with exceptions, see here) and the Hala’ib Triangle and Bir Tawil Trapezoid.
There has been a military response to Houthi militants’ attacks on international shipping passing through the Red Sea. The FCDO advises: “The military activity is limited to the Red Sea and Yemen, but travel advice for nearby countries could change at short notice.”
The FCDO says that terrorism is “a risk across Egypt, particularly in North Sinai. Attacks could be indiscriminate.”
Targets of terrorist attacks could include religious sites, large public gatherings, places visited by foreign nationals and Egyptian security forces, the FCDO advises.
The FCDO warns that there is a heightened threat of terrorism around religious sites during religious festivals, such as during Ramadan or the Christmas period. The Egyptian government lists all public holidays here.
Yes, flights to Egypt are operating as normal.
There are no FCDO travel advisories against visiting Cairo. However, the FCDO flags that protests and demonstrations happen across Egypt and particularly in the capital: teargas and live ammunition have been used for crowd control. Visitors are also advised to take extra care when travelling alone, particularly female travellers, and to be vigilant against scammers and pickpockets.
There are no FCDO travel advisories against visiting the popular Red Sea resorts of Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada. However, the FCDO warns of wider safety issues: overcrowding has caused accidents on Red Sea ferries, there have been reports of sexual assault in some tourist resorts, and safety standards of diving operators vary considerably.
You may notice that some tourist resorts in Sharm El Sheikh have tight security measures. In 2005, 88 people died during a terrorist bombing in Sharm El Sheikh. In 2015, a Russian airline exploded above the Sinai Peninsula after departing from Sharm El Sheikh airport for St Petersburg: all 224 passengers and crew died.
If you have booked a package holiday to Egypt and want to cancel your trip for any reason, contact your tour operator and they might offer flexibility with alternative dates.
But bear in mind that, because the Foreign Office has not issued any advice against travel to Cairo and the popular holiday resorts in Egypt, there is no guarantee you will receive a refund, nor will you be able to claim money back with your travel insurance company.
If you have booked flights and accommodation independently, and wish to cancel your holiday, contact your travel providers as soon as possible to see if you can rearrange your plans. Note, however, that given the circumstances, it is unlikely you will receive a full refund.
You can see the full Egypt FCDO advice here.
This story was first published in October 2023 and has been revised and updated.

Explore hotels that have been tried, tested and rated by our experts

Trending now