Find a place
Pyramids of Giza

Countries in the atlas · Middle East and North Africa

Egypt

Pyramids, the temples of Luxor and the Red Sea: ancient history and coral reefs in one trip.

Russian passport: e-visa · 30 daysprices 2.3 times lower than in Russia

Photo: Ricardo Liberato · CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Pyramids of Giza
Photo: Ricardo Liberato · CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Cairo, Egypt · World’s best

Pyramids of Giza

Access 1/5 · easyJFMAMJJASOND

The pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure have stood on the Giza Plateau for about 4,500 years. Entry inside the pyramids is by separate ticket; nearby are the Great Sphinx and temples.

The Grand Egyptian Museum, with the treasures of Tutankhamun, has opened next to the plateau. Memphis and its Necropolis with the pyramids are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Getting there
Direct flights from Russia to Cairo; from the centre to the plateau, 30–60 minutes by taxi, depending on traffic.
Sources (3)
Luxor
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Egypt

Luxor

Access 1/5 · easyJFMAMJJASOND

On the east bank are the temples of Karnak and Luxor with the Avenue of Sphinxes. On the west bank are the Valley of the Kings with its painted tombs, the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon.

Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At dawn, hot-air balloons rise over the valley.

Getting there
Fly to Luxor, take the train from Cairo (about 9–10 hours) or a Nile cruise from Aswan.
Sources (2)
Mount Sinai and Dahab
Photo: Dr. Ondřej Havelka (cestovatel) · CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

South Sinai, Egypt

Mount Sinai and Dahab

Access 2/5 · fairly easyJFMAMJJASOND

People climb Mount Sinai (Jebel Musa) at night to watch the sunrise over the mountains. At its foot is Saint Catherine’s Monastery, one of the oldest working Christian monasteries in the world and a UNESCO site.

Dahab, on the Red Sea, has coral reefs right off the shore and the famous Blue Hole. Deep dives into it are for experienced divers only.

Getting there
Fly to Sharm el-Sheikh, then about an hour to Dahab and 2.5–3 hours to Saint Catherine’s Monastery.
Fees and tickets
Mount Sinai is climbed with a guide, hired at the start of the trail.
Sources (3)

Before you go

Egypt: entry, safety, money, flights, laws and budget — with sources.

Entry

Russian citizens need a visa: an e-visa at visa2egypt.gov.eg (single entry $30, multiple entry $65, apply at least 7 days ahead), valid for 30 days. On arrival in Cairo the visa can be paid for in cash dollars (the Russian Embassy).

If you fly into Sharm el-Sheikh, unofficial sources say you can stay up to 15 days without a visa, but only in the Sinai resorts — if you go further, you need a regular visa.

Rules for any passport

Checked 2 November 2026. These are the rules for a Russian citizen with an international passport on a tourist trip. For other passports and purposes, see the official website — the button above.

Sources (4)

Safety

No Russian Foreign Ministry advice to refrain from travel (as of 02.11.2026).

Sources (2)

Money and cards

The Mir card does not work in Egypt. Bring dollars in cash: you can also pay for the visa on arrival with them.

Sources (2)

Flights

Direct flights by Aeroflot, Rossiya and Egyptian airlines to Cairo, Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh.

Sources (3)

Laws and bans

  • Drugs: even a small amount can mean life imprisonment or the death penalty.
  • Drones: bringing one in and flying it only with permission from the Ministry of Defence; otherwise, up to 7 years in prison or a fine of 5–50 thousand Egyptian pounds.
  • Alcohol only in licensed restaurants, bars, hotels and resorts; elsewhere you can be arrested.
  • Professional photo and video equipment requires a permit; better not to film government buildings, infrastructure or religious sites without asking.
Sources (1)

Budget

prices 2.3 times lower than in Russia · price level 0.16 (US = 1), 2025

One of the most affordable price levels in the atlas — less than half of Russia’s. Mandatory costs are the $30 visa and tickets to museums and necropolises.

The price level is the ratio of purchasing power parity for household consumption to the market exchange rate (World Bank). These are national averages: resorts and capitals cost more, the countryside less. Flights are not included.

Sources (2)