Before coming to Egypt, I heard a lot of people warning me about certain things. Four specific pieces of advice—that I ended up ignoring—stood out. The first was to avoid staying in Giza. The second was not to come during the summer. The third was about not traveling without a man. And the last was to always stay in good hotels.
I heard this advice a lot before coming—and now I completely understand why. Still, I was so taken by the view from the hotels that I decided to stay there anyway. There’s no denying that waking up to the pyramids is magical. I loved having breakfast on the hotel rooftop each morning with that iconic view.
Great for views, but not for walking
If you’re planning a luxurious trip—say, staying at the Marriott Mena House with a driver—then staying in Giza can work. But if you plan on walking around at all, I’d actually agree with the advice I got: don’t stay there. The streets are chaotic. Crossing them is nearly impossible—there are barely any crosswalks, and the traffic has no sense of order. Even walking on the sidewalks didn’t feel safe. Cars would slow down, honk, or shout things at us. It was overwhelming and uncomfortable.
Giza isn’t exactly charming
Now, don’t get me wrong—Giza holds incredible historical value. We came across amazing local businesses: cotton shops, essential oil vendors, and jewelry producers. Supporting them was a great experience. But in terms of the city itself, it’s not exactly beautiful—aside from the pyramids, of course.
My recommendation
If you want to fully experience Egyptian culture, I’d suggest staying in Cairo and visiting Giza just for the day. We also spent time in New Cairo, which is a great option if you’re looking for a more modern, upscale experience. It doesn’t reflect ancient Egypt at all—it’s more about luxury, shopping malls, and fine dining—but it’s clean, safe, and well-structured.
Coming from Rio, Brazil, I consider myself pretty heat-resistant. So when people told me not to visit Egypt in the summer, I honestly thought they were exaggerating—I figured I’d be fine. And to be fair, for the most part, I was!
Cairo in June: surprisingly doable
We traveled in mid-June, and the first few days in Cairo were totally manageable. In fact, the lower number of tourists due to the off-season made the experience even better. Attractions were less crowded, and we could explore more comfortably than expected.
Then came Luxor…
Things took a turn when we arrived in Luxor. It’s essentially a massive desert with a city in the middle, and I cannot begin to describe how hot it was. One night, we went to a light show at the temple and I was drenched in sweat—even after the sun went down.
The worst part, though, was visiting the Valley of the Kings. We weren’t feeling well that day—feverish and weak from something we had eaten. Our guide was passionate and full of amazing historical knowledge, but I could barely focus. I was overheating, dehydrated, and just trying to stay upright. I really wish I had felt better so I could absorb everything she was saying, but I was honestly close to passing out.
Beach days saved us
Thankfully, our next and final stop was Soma Bay and Hurghada. We stayed at a beach resort, and the weather there was perfect—for me, at least. I loved tanning, swimming, and yes, even burning a little in the sun. But I can’t say the same for my friends (from Australia and Germany). They couldn’t handle the sun and avoided going outside until after 5 PM, when the heat started to ease up.
A final reminder: bring water!
On our last day, we did a quad bike tour in the desert, which was super fun—but in our rush to leave, we forgot to bring water. Not the best idea when riding through a scorching desert in summer. So yeah, definitely don’t do that.
So, should you go in summer?
If you’re thinking of going to Egypt in June or July, my honest advice is: don’t. But if that’s your only option, it’s not the end of the world—just be prepared, stay hydrated, and avoid peak heat activities if possible.
Many people advised me not to go to Egypt unless I was with a man. I ended up traveling with two of my girlfriends instead—and while we didn’t regret it, we did run into some uncomfortable moments.
We weren’t harassed, but we weren’t left alone either.
While we didn’t face blatant harassment, we did experience a lot of insistence—especially from taxi drivers at the airports in Cairo and Luxor. Even when we told them someone was already picking us up, they kept pushing. In street markets, the persistence was also there, but a bit more manageable.
Tour guides made a huge difference.
To feel safer, we booked several tours with female guides. They were incredible—warm, knowledgeable, and professional. It made us feel much more at ease.
Tipping culture caught us off guard.
Even at 5-star hotels like the Marriott and Steigenberger, staff were friendly—but there was always an unspoken expectation for a tip. Sometimes even when we declined help, they’d assist us anyway and then expect payment. It was hard to adjust to, especially coming from cultures where that’s not the norm.
A word about Uber…
One ride stood out for all the wrong reasons. The driver spent the entire trip trying to convince us to cancel our tours and book through him. He made us save his number on WhatsApp, insisted we message him, and when we arrived, he pretended not to know how to end the ride in the app. I had to cancel it myself—it was uncomfortable, and I wouldn’t recommend using Uber without caution.
Would a man have changed things?
Maybe. I’ve heard that men are treated with more respect and that when they say “no,” it’s taken more seriously. I can’t confirm that from personal experience, but it’s something to keep in mind.
Before the trip, I heard that five-star hotels in Egypt often feel more like four stars elsewhere—and that staying in average hotels could be risky or uncomfortable. I didn’t take this warning seriously at first, but I can now confirm: it’s absolutely true.
Giza hotel: great view, poor quality
Our first hotel in Giza had an incredible view of the pyramids and friendly staff. The people working there were genuinely nice, and overall, the hotel wasn’t terrible. That said, the quality definitely didn’t match its claimed five-star rating. The cleanliness left a lot to be desired—we arrived to find a drop of pee on the toilet seat, the shower was dirty and splashed water all over the bathroom, and the breakfast was not great. I won’t mention the hotel name here because I wouldn’t recommend it, but in hindsight, the experience kind of matched Giza’s chaotic vibe.
Steigenberger Achti Resort in Luxor: good, but intense
Next, we stayed at the Steigenberger Achti Resort in Luxor, which we really liked. Unfortunately, we were sick for most of our time there, so we couldn’t enjoy it fully. One thing that stood out was how overly eager the staff were to help. Normally, that would be a positive thing—but in this case, it felt a bit forced. Even when we politely declined help, they insisted anyway, and we felt pressured to tip constantly. It made the experience feel a little uncomfortable.
Kempinski Soma Bay: perfection
This was, without a doubt, the best hotel of the entire trip. Everything about Kempinski in Soma Bay was perfect—the service, the food, the cleanliness, and the absolutely stunning setting. The food was incredible, with a huge variety of options, and the atmosphere was truly relaxing. I recommend this one wholeheartedly!
The Hurghada hotel fail
Our last stop was in Hurghada, and things didn’t go so smoothly at first. We had booked a three-star hotel to save some money, but the moment we opened the bathroom door, the most sour smell we’d ever encountered hit us. We didn’t even have the courage to check the toilet—it was that bad. The shower was also dirty, the room corners were filthy, and even the bottom of the curtains looked unwashed.
Desperate, we looked for another option and found the Marriott Hurghada Beach Resort nearby. Thankfully, it was a massive upgrade. The beach was absolutely stunning, and the facilities were excellent. The only downside was that some of the staff directly asked us for tips for putting us in a good room, which felt awkward and unprofessional—but aside from that, the experience was great.
My advice?
Stick to well-reviewed four or five-star hotels, and don’t cut corners on accommodation. In Egypt, it really makes a difference. Spending a little more can save you a lot of discomfort—and in some cases, save your entire trip.
All in all, I actually do recommend following the advice you read online—especially when it comes to safety, comfort, and logistics. And more than anything, I highly suggest exploring Egypt with a local guide. Tour guides are respected, they know exactly what they’re doing, and they can take you places you might not feel confident navigating on your own. Most of the time, you can trust them, and having someone local by your side will save you a lot of stress (and possibly money!).
Hope this post helped you get a better idea of what to expect—and what to ignore—before heading to Egypt. If you have any questions that haven’t been asnwered, or if you need help with your itinerary, feel free to contact us!
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