The short version: drink water from sealed bottles, peel your fruit, eat meat well cooked, stay in the shade at midday, and do not swim in the Nile. Do that and most people get through Egypt with nothing worse than a brief upset stomach. The rest of this page explains what matters, and what to pack.
We are not doctors, and this page is not medical advice. See your GP or a travel clinic well before you leave. For health risks and vaccination recommendations, the current assessment of the German Federal Foreign Office is the authority on this. This page is about the practical side of the days on the ground.
Food and drinking water
An upset stomach is the complaint you hear about most on a trip to Egypt. Usually it is not one particular dish but unfamiliar bacteria, heat and long days together. A few habits make a real difference:
- Drink from sealed bottles. Check the cap has not been opened. Bottled water is always in the car on our day trips.
- Skip ice and tap water, including for brushing your teeth if you have a sensitive stomach.
- Peel fruit, and be careful with raw salad. Cooked, fried or peeled is the safer choice.
- Eat meat well done. That cuts the risk of an upset stomach considerably.
- Wash your hands before eating, and carry a small bottle of hand gel.
- At the buffet, choose what is freshly cooked and hot over what has been sitting lukewarm for hours.
None of this means avoiding Egyptian food, quite the opposite. Freshly cooked dishes from a busy local kitchen are some of the best parts of the trip. How things look at the hotel buffet really depends on the house, which is why we choose our partner hotels with food quality specifically in mind.
For most travellers, the worst that happens is a brief upset stomach that passes within a day or two with rest, plenty of fluids and plain food. If it drags on, or you feel noticeably worse, see a doctor, our team is glad to help you find one.
Heat and sun
Almost everyone underestimates the Egyptian sun the first time. Luxor and Aswan are drier and hotter than the coast, and the breeze on deck or on the beach hides how strong it is.
- Drink steadily through the day rather than waiting until you are thirsty.
- Hat, sunglasses, high-factor sun cream - including the back of your neck and the tops of your feet.
- Spend the middle of the day in the shade. That is why our day programmes start early, so the outdoor sightseeing falls in the cooler morning hours where possible.
- Light, long clothing often protects better than sun cream alone.
- In the evening, an insect repellent is worth applying, plus air conditioning or screens in your room.
How hot it gets and which month suits which trip: the best time to visit Egypt.
The Nile: look, but don’t swim
Fresh water in the Nile valley and delta is best enjoyed from a distance, swimming in it is not advisable for health reasons. The same goes for canals and still water. Enjoy the river from the deck, a felucca or the bank. The sea and hotel pools are fine for swimming.
What to pack
What you need depends on you, so go through the list with your pharmacist or doctor. As a starting point:
- your own medication, with a few days in reserve
- oral rehydration salts and something for diarrhoea
- painkillers and something for fever
- insect repellent for the skin
- high-factor sun cream and something for sunburn
- plasters, blister plasters, antiseptic
- hand gel
Keep your own medicines in your hand luggage, ideally in the original packaging. For strong painkillers, ADHD medication and anything that may count as a controlled substance, check with the Egyptian embassy or a consulate before you travel whether and how you may bring it in. That is not something to find out at the airport.
If you need a doctor
According to the German Federal Foreign Office, medical care in Cairo is adequate. Outside Cairo, provision varies by location. Two practical consequences: treatment is billed privately, and many clinics want payment or a guarantee from your insurer settled before they treat you.
That is why we treat travel medical insurance that includes repatriation as essential, not optional. Our trip prices do not include insurance. Save your insurer’s emergency number in your phone and carry the card.
The Orientoura team is always glad to help our guests with any questions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drink the tap water in Egypt? We advise against it. Drink water from sealed bottles, it is cheap and available everywhere.
Can I swim in the Nile? We advise against it for health reasons. The Red Sea and hotel pools are fine.
Where can I find reliable information on health risks and vaccinations? These change and depend on your individual situation. The current advice of the German Federal Foreign Office is the authority here, best discussed with a travel clinic as well.
Sources
Health advice changes. Check your own government’s current travel advice before you leave.
Other things worth knowing before you go: money in Egypt. Travelling with children: what a Nile cruise asks of them.
Auf Deutsch lesen: Gesund durch Ägypten
Last checked: October 2026. Health advice changes. The authority here is the current travel advice of the German Federal Foreign Office. We review this page every quarter.