Egypt customs and traditions: etiquette, dress, mosques, Ramadan and photography

How should I dress in Egypt?

Dress conservatively, with shoulders and knees covered. Experience Egypt says shoulders and legs must be covered at places of worship, and Wikivoyage advises trousers, jeans or long shorts instead of short-shorts, since only tourists wear those. The Government of Canada says women should wear knee-length or longer dresses with long sleeves, and men should avoid shorts outside tourist areas.

Wikivoyage is more relaxed for women: it says to cover arms and legs if travelling alone, that you do not need to cover your hair, and that short-sleeved and even sleeveless tops are acceptable in summer, especially in a tour group. Treat the stricter advice as the safe default. Bring a wrap or cardigan for your shoulders and a scarf for mosques and churches.

How do I visit a mosque?

Remove your shoes before you enter. Wikivoyage says not to enter a mosque wearing any shoes, sandals, slippers or boots, which it calls very disrespectful, and that socks are fine. It also says to avoid walking in front of people in prayer. Experience Egypt advises a headscarf at mosques, churches and other places of worship.

Dress to the standard of a religious site, not a beach. The same rule applies to men and women: shoulders and legs covered, as Experience Egypt says.

What about churches?

Experience Egypt, the official tourism site, says to bring a headscarf and cover your shoulders and legs at mosques, churches and other places of worship. Rules for shoes and seating differ from church to church and we found no official list, so ask your guide at the door.

How do people greet each other?

Wikivoyage recommends the greeting “es-salāmu-`alēku”, which literally means peace be upon you. It adds that people who do not smile while they speak are considered rude or unfriendly, and that Egyptians consider it shameful not to give a guest a warm welcome. For goodbye it gives “ma`a s-salāma”.

A polite “la shukran” (no thanks) helps a lot when you decline touts and unwanted guides, says Wikivoyage. We found no official source on handshakes between men and women, so wait to see what the other person offers.

Is it worth learning some Arabic?

Start small: “la shukran” for a polite no and “ma`a s-salāma” for goodbye, both from Wikivoyage, plus the greeting you hear first. These are short phrases you can learn before the flight.

What changes during Ramadan?

Ramadan is a lunar month of fasting. The Government of Canada (page last updated 26 May 2026) says eating, drinking and smoking in public should be discreet between sunrise and sunset, and that in 2027 it is expected to begin on or around 7 February. The Umm al-Qura astronomical calendar of Saudi Arabia, as published by Makkah Live, puts 1 Ramadan on 8 February 2027 and says the real start may differ by a day. La Presse (22 October 2026) reports that Egypt’s national astronomy institute projects 8 February, with the new moon’s conjunction on 6 February at 15:56 UTC, and Gulf News (updated 1 September 2026) says the crescent is to be sought on the evening of 7 February. Treat Ramadan 2027 as an approximate period around 7 to 8 February. Dar al-Ifta announces the exact day in Egypt: it says seven committees try to sight the crescent from locations across the country on the 29th of each lunar month, and the Grand Mufti then announces the new month. Plan for either date. OfficeHolidays lists Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan as a three-day holiday, from 9 to 11 March 2027.

For visitors, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities lists shorter Ramadan hours at some museums, for example 9:00 to 16:00 at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, so check each site. Wikivoyage notes that during Ramadan only holders of foreign passports are allowed to buy alcohol by Egyptian law, and that it is often sold only in Western-style hotels and restaurants for foreigners. We found no official source on restaurant hours or hotel availability in Ramadan, so ask your hotel before you plan a day around a meal. See when to visit Egypt for how this affects planning.

What are the photography rules?

The Government of Canada says photographing bridges, canals, government, police and embassy buildings, and military personnel and sites, is prohibited. It also says drones are strictly prohibited in Egypt and that violations can bring lengthy jail terms and deportation.

For people, Experience Egypt says photos of children are forbidden and Egyptian citizens can be photographed only with written permission, and Wikivoyage says not to photograph people without permission. Experience Egypt also says photos inside museums and indoor archaeological sites are allowed only with the flash switched off. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities pages for the Giza Plateau and the Valley of the Kings state hours and tickets but no camera, flash or tripod rules, so ask your guide or the ticket office at each site.

What does Egypt expect about alcohol and public behaviour?

The Government of Canada says open public drinking is not allowed outside venues such as hotels and restaurants. It also says customs and laws follow Islamic practice closely, so respect religious and social traditions. It warns that posts critical of the government or society can lead to arrest.

How should I behave at a meal or in a home?

Hospitality is taken seriously. Wikivoyage says Egyptians consider it shameful not to give a guest a warm welcome, and that if they invite you to their home they will expect you to return the gesture in some way. We found no official source on shoes or seating in a private home, so watch your host and ask.

What should I know about online posts and photos of others?

The UK Foreign Office says it is illegal to take or share photos that could be considered damaging to the country’s image. Ask permission before you post a photo of another person. The Government of Canada warns that posts critical of the government or society can lead to arrest.

What does Canada say about LGBTQ travellers?

The Government of Canada says same-sex relationships are not criminalised but discrimination occurs and police have targeted dating apps. It says travellers may be arrested for indecent exposure or public nuisance. Read the current page before you travel.

Is there a quick reference?

Is haggling polite?

Yes. Wikivoyage says to remember to bargain in markets and with street vendors, and to demand prices for everything. Agree the price before you accept a service. If you would like help with haggling in Khan el-Khalili, the Islamic Cairo and Khan el-Khalili day tour walks the bazaar with a guide.

Which Egyptian rules are laws?

Several things that look like etiquette are legal matters. The UK Foreign Office safety and security page (checked 29 October 2026) lists them, and the table summarises what it says.

The written-permission rule is stricter than the “ask first” advice in the tourist guides above. Our reading is that a quick snapshot of a street scene is treated differently from a portrait, but we found no official page that draws that line, so do not rely on it.

What about couples and public affection?

Keep it modest. The UK Foreign Office says couples showing physical affection in public is frowned upon, though holding hands is generally acceptable. It adds that there is little public acceptance of same-sex relationships and that same-sex couples showing affection may attract negative attention.

On entry, it warns that travellers may be refused if their gender expression or appearance does not match the sex marker in their passport. It also says the authorities have prosecuted LGBT+ people under debauchery laws, including for displaying rainbow flags at public events.

How can women handle taxis and hotel staff?

With routine precautions. The UK Foreign Office advises women travelling alone to take care at night in taxis, to share the driver’s details, the trip and a live location with a friend, and not to let hotel staff enter the room while alone.

It also says sexual assaults have been reported to the British Embassy, most in Red Sea resorts, often involving someone the victim had already met, such as hotel or excursion staff. Our guide for solo women covers this in more depth.

Which public holidays change a 2027 trip?

The weekend in Egypt is Friday and Saturday, and a national holiday can close offices and shops, so plan errands around both. OfficeHolidays (a secondary source) lists the 2027 dates below, and says that Islamic dates depend on moon sightings and may differ by a day. The Coptic Church feast calendar for 2027 confirms Christmas on 7 January and Easter on 2 May. The State Information Service reports that the Prime Minister’s decision for 2025 made 7 January an official paid holiday for public and private sector employees, so confirm each year’s decision close to the date.

The same page says that since 2020 Egypt has observed most mid-week holidays on Thursdays, and may move them to Sundays.

How can a visitor take part in Ramadan evenings?

By walking, not by joining a table uninvited. Experience Egypt says iftar meals are a grand affair shared with family and friends, that the streets are hung with colourful lanterns, and that visitors can stroll El Moez Street, see the Al-Hakim and Al-Azhar mosques and shop for decorations and spices at Khan el-Khalili, especially lively in the evenings.

If you are invited to an iftar, accept graciously, arrive on time and bring something small to share. That last tip is our own, not from the sources we read, so ask your host what is welcome.

How do you prepare your first day?

1. Pack one outfit that works everywhere: long trousers or a long skirt, and a top that covers the shoulders.
2. Keep a scarf in your bag for mosques and churches.
3. Carry your passport or a copy. Police check ID regularly, according to the UK Foreign Office, and may detain anyone who cannot show a passport and visa.
4. Learn three words: shukran, la shukran and the greeting you hear first.
5. Decide where you will take photos before you leave the hotel, and leave the drone at home.

For clothes by season and city, see what to wear in Egypt.

What are the common mistakes?

• Treating the photography rules as advice. Several are laws, as the table shows.
• Posting criticism online. The UK Foreign Office says negative comments on social media can put foreign nationals at risk of detention.
• Drinking in public. Alcohol belongs in hotels, restaurants and private homes.
• Planning bank or office errands on a holiday or on a Friday or Saturday.
• Photographing children. Experience Egypt says it is forbidden.

What can you relax about?

Wikivoyage describes a warm welcome for guests, and the sources ask mainly for modest dress and respect at religious sites.

What we could not confirm is a fixed rule on shoes or seating in churches, and exact photography rules at each Ministry site. Ask at the entrance.