Rules for overlanding in Egypt

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

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.

A Carnet de Passage is required for vehicles imported temporarily.

Traffic keeps to the right.

Helmets are compulsory for motorcyclists. A warning triangle is compulsory too, and that includes motorcycles.

There is no blood alcohol limit set by law, but a driver who causes a crash while drunk can be prosecuted.

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.

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.

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.

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.

There is an absolute ban on photographing military or police equipment and other security installations, whether fixed or mobile.

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.

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.

The passenger page of Egyptian Customs lists radio-controlled aircraft among its examples of commonly imported restricted goods: they require approval from the relevant regulatory inspection authorities, such as the Ministry of Defense. The list does not mention drones by name. (Egyptian Customs Authority (Ministry of Finance) — Travel and Tourism: Passengers)

The regulations published by Egypt's Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) for protected areas state that camping is prohibited unless in designated areas (by notice). They also state that all visitors must leave protected areas by sunset unless using a designated camping area. (Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) — Protected Areas: Regulations (PDF))

The regulations published by Egypt's Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) for protected areas state that it is prohibited to drive off marked tracks and to drive any motor vehicles on any beach, and to access any closed area. Offenders are subject to prosecution under Law 102 of 1983. (Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) — Protected Areas: Regulations (PDF))