Practical
Tipping in Egypt: what is customary?
In short: for a private guide €10 to €20 (roughly $11 to $23 or £9 to £17) per day per traveller is customary, for the driver €5 to €10 (about $6 to $11 or £4 to £9), in hotels €1 to €2 per service and in restaurants about 10%. Tipping, known locally as baksheesh, is a fixed part of Egyptian culture and is given as a sign of appreciation for good service. Below you will find guideline amounts for every situation, from the hotel porter to the Nile cruise crew, and the answer to the question whether you tip in dollars, euros, pounds sterling or Egyptian pounds.
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Tipping is customary in Egypt, but never compulsory.
Small dollar and euro notes are appreciated everywhere; foreign coins cannot be exchanged in Egypt.
With your trip documents you receive a practical overview from us, matched to your route.
Why tipping matters in Egypt
In Egypt the tip, known locally as baksheesh, is a fixed part of income in the service sector. Basic wages are low, and guides, drivers, hotel staff and ship crews count on tips as recognition for good service. It is part of the culture and is given and received with a smile. Once you understand the system, it stops feeling like pressure and becomes a simple gesture.
Tipping in an all-inclusive hotel in Hurghada, Marsa Alam or Sharm el-Sheikh
Tipping is customary in all-inclusive hotels too, but in small amounts. Give €1 to €2 (about $1 to $2) or 20 to 50 Egyptian pounds for luggage, housekeeping or a particularly attentive waiter, spread over your stay rather than in one large sum. For a waiter or barman who looks after you all week, €5 to €10 (about $6 to $11) at the end of your holiday is a nice thank-you. You owe nothing to anyone who did not actively help you.
Tipping on a Nile cruise
On Nile cruise ships and dahabiyas a tip box appears on the last evening, and its contents are shared among the whole crew: cabin staff, kitchen, waiters and sailors. The custom is €5 to €10 (about $6 to $11 or £4 to £9) per person per day, so €20 to €40 per person for a four-day cruise. Your Egyptologist on board is not part of the crew and receives his tip separately, following the guidelines for a private guide. How a small sailing boat compares with a cruise ship, and what that means for the crew, you can read in our guide to a dahabiya Nile cruise.
Dollars, euros, pounds sterling or Egyptian pounds?
Euro notes and US dollar notes are gladly accepted everywhere in Egypt and are the simplest solution for your guide, your driver and other larger tips; neither has an advantage over the other, so bring whichever you already have. Pounds sterling notes are accepted too, especially by guides and in the resorts, but hotel staff know dollars and euros better. One rule applies to every currency: Egyptian banks do not exchange foreign coins, so coins are practically worthless to the person receiving them. Bring small notes of 5 and 10 dollars or euros. For small things like toilets, temple guardians or a felucca boatman, Egyptian pounds are more practical: withdraw cash at the airport or in your hotel and ask reception to break large notes into small ones.
Tipping your guide and driver on a private tour
On a private tour the same guide and driver often accompany you for several days. In that case it is customary not to tip daily but at the end of your time together, for example when you say goodbye in Cairo or Luxor. Count on €10 to €20 (about $11 to $23) per traveller per day for the guide and €5 to €10 (about $6 to $11) for the driver; as a couple you would hand over roughly €80 to €160 (about $90 to $185 or £70 to £140) in an envelope for four days with a guide. If your guide and driver change by region, settle up per person and per stretch of the trip.
How much cash do you bring for tips?
On a tour in which hotels, guides, transfers, entrance fees and most meals are organised, you need cash mainly for tips, drinks, souvenirs and the odd meal. Count on €20 to €40 (about $23 to $46 or £17 to £35) per person per day in foreign notes and Egyptian pounds together, of which a large part is tips. Bring €100 to €200 (about $115 to $230 or £85 to £170) per person in small notes and withdraw the rest locally in Egyptian pounds. For the full picture of what is included and what you pay locally, see what a trip to Egypt costs.
Baksheesh at the sites: do you have to tip everywhere?
No. Tip above all when you are happy with the service. At temples and tombs a guardian may open a gate, point out a detail or offer to take your photo; 10 to 20 Egyptian pounds is plenty if you accept, and nothing is owed if you decline. Someone who offers you a photo unasked or steers you into a shop has no claim to anything; a friendly, firm no is enough. Your private guide handles most of this for you and tells you when a small note is appropriate, so during your tour you never have to guess what is fitting.
Our advice
At home, prepare an envelope with 5 and 10 dollar or euro notes for your guide and driver, and keep a handful of small Egyptian pound notes within reach on the road. That way you always have something to hand when you want to reward good service. With your trip documents you receive a practical overview from us, matched to your route.
Guideline amounts
Tipping in Egypt per situation
The amounts are guidelines per person, not rules. Give more when the service was special, and less or nothing when it disappointed. Dollar and pound figures are rough equivalents of the euro guidance.
| Situation | Guideline | When and how |
|---|---|---|
| Private guide | €10 to €20 per day (about $11 to $23, £9 to £17) | At the end of the day or the trip, in an envelope or directly into their hand |
| Driver | €5 to €10 per day (about $6 to $11, £4 to £9) | At the end of your time together; for a single transfer €2 to €3 |
| Hotel porter | €1 to €2 per bag (about $1 to $2) | At check-in and check-out, in Egyptian pounds or a small foreign note |
| Housekeeping | €1 to €2 per day (about $1 to $2) | On the pillow in the morning or collected at the end of your stay |
| Restaurant | about 10% | Only when no service charge appears on the bill |
| All-inclusive hotel | €1 to €2 per service (about $1 to $2) | Small amounts spread over your stay; for a regular waiter €5 to €10 a week |
| Nile cruise | €5 to €10 per day (about $6 to $11, £4 to £9) | Into the tip box on the last evening, shared by the whole crew; the guide is tipped separately |
| Toilets, temple guardians, felucca | 10 to 20 Egyptian pounds | Keep small change in pounds ready; that is a matter of pennies |
| Taxi | round up | Agree the fare in advance or use a ride-hailing app |
| Massage and spa | about 10% | Directly to the person who treated you |
As of 2026. One euro buys roughly 50 to 60 Egyptian pounds and a US dollar a little less; the rate fluctuates, so check it shortly before you travel.
Practical
Private guide
€10 to €20 (roughly $11 to $23 or £9 to £17) per day per traveller, depending on the length of the excursion and the quality of the guiding. Given at the end of the day or at the end of your time together.
Driver
€5 to €10 (about $6 to $11 or £4 to £9) per day per traveller. For a single transfer, such as from the airport, €2 to €3 (about $2 to $3) is appropriate.
Hotel and restaurant
€1 to €2 (about $1 to $2 or £1 to £2) for luggage or room service. In restaurants about 10% is customary when no service charge appears on the bill.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do you tip a guide in Egypt?
For a private guide €10 to €20 (about $11 to $23 or £9 to £17) per day per traveller is customary, depending on the length of the excursion and the quality of the guiding. When a guide accompanies you for several days, you give the tip in one go when you say goodbye.
How much do you tip a driver in Egypt?
For a private driver €5 to €10 (about $6 to $11 or £4 to £9) per day per traveller is an appropriate amount. For a single airport transfer €2 to €3 (about $2 to $3) is enough.
How much do you tip in an all-inclusive hotel in Egypt?
Small amounts, spread over your stay: €1 to €2 (about $1 to $2) or 20 to 50 Egyptian pounds for luggage, housekeeping or an attentive waiter. For staff who look after you all week, €5 to €10 (about $6 to $11) at the end of your holiday is customary.
How much do you tip on a Nile cruise?
The custom is €5 to €10 (about $6 to $11) per person per day into the tip box, which is shared among the whole crew on the last evening. The Egyptologist receives his tip separately, like a private guide.
Is 200 Egyptian pounds a big tip?
200 Egyptian pounds, roughly €3 to €4 or about $4, is too little for a full day with a driver or private guide: there the guidelines are €5 to €20 per day per person. For a smaller service such as a single transfer, a porter or a felucca ride, that amount is a fair guideline. So keep several smaller notes ready rather than a single 200-pound note.
Should you tip in dollars or euros in Egypt?
Both are gladly accepted, so bring whichever currency you already have; neither has an advantage over the other. Pounds sterling notes are usually accepted too, but are less familiar to hotel staff. For small amounts Egyptian pounds are more practical. Only coins should be avoided, in any currency, because nobody in Egypt can exchange them.
Can you tip in euro or dollar coins in Egypt?
Better not. Egyptian banks do not exchange foreign coins, so euro, dollar or sterling coins are almost worthless to the recipient. Give small notes or Egyptian pounds instead.
Is tipping compulsory in Egypt?
No. A tip is a sign of appreciation, not an obligation. Give above all when you are happy with the service; when the service disappoints, you do not have to give anything.
Are tips included in the price of the trip?
Tips for guides, drivers, hotel staff and ship crews are not included in the price of our trips. That way you decide for yourself, based on the service, what you want to give. Before you travel you receive a practical overview with guideline amounts from us.
Read on
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