Rules for overlanding in Egypt

Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 20 July 2026.

Which licence you need

All vehicles — An International Driving Permit is required, either the 1949 Geneva or the 1968 Vienna model.

An International Driving Permit states the categories it covers: check yours covers what you will actually drive. A car licence does not cover a motorcycle, and a heavy camper or a truck can need a higher category.

At the wheel

Insurance — Third-party liability cover is compulsory for residents and visitors alike, and the cover must be unlimited. If your policy is not recognised in Egypt you have to buy cover for the length of your stay from one of the approved local insurers, which can be done at the border.
Customs papers — A Carnet de Passage is required for vehicles imported temporarily.
Drive on the right — Traffic keeps to the right.
Compulsory equipment — Helmets are compulsory for motorcyclists. A warning triangle is compulsory too, and that includes motorcycles.
Alcohol — There is no blood alcohol limit set by law, but a driver who causes a crash while drunk can be prosecuted.
Roads — Broken surfaces, heaps of debris that are not always visible and weak observance of traffic rules make driving dangerous, in town and out of it. Fatal crashes have increased in several parts of the country.
No night driving — The ministry says to avoid travelling by car or coach at night altogether. Local drivers habitually drive with their lights off, street lighting is very poor and many roads are in bad condition.
Vehicles and operators — If you travel by coach or hire a car, check that the vehicle is up to the journey, and on organised trips check the driver's and the vehicle's credentials with the operator. On long legs the advice is to have two drivers who can swap. Excursions run by unauthorised operators and unlicensed taxis are best avoided.

What catches travellers out

Drones — Bringing a drone into the country, even for professional work, is forbidden unless you hold authorisation from the Egyptian Ministry of Defence, applied for with stated reasons. Ignoring this can mean arrest for several days and seizure of the equipment.
Photography — There is an absolute ban on photographing military or police equipment and other security installations, whether fixed or mobile.
Drugs — Possession and dealing, including small amounts of soft drugs, bring long prison terms and in the gravest cases the death penalty. Sentence reductions, pardons and extradition are not normally granted for these offences.
Tourist visa scope — A visa is compulsory. Staying under 14 days entirely inside the South Sinai resorts does not need an ordinary tourist visa, but without one you cannot reach any other part of the country, and no exceptions are made. Ask for the ordinary tourist visa in any case.

Before you rely on this

This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 20 July 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Egypt before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.

Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 20 July 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.