Safety in Egypt: what overland travellers should know

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

Safety

Sinai and permits — North Sinai is under military control and entering it requires specific authorisation. Travel in the Sinai is advised against, with the exception of the resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh and excursions to St Catherine's Monastery run in strict compliance with local security instructions. Bedouin groups in the peninsula have in the past been responsible for intimidation and violence, tourists included.
Unexploded mines — Second World War mines are still a danger in the hinterland behind the Red Sea coast and in the belt between Alexandria and Marsa Matruh. Do not leave the main roads and the routes normally used by tourists.
Desert excursions — Trips into non-touristic desert areas are strongly discouraged: over wide stretches there is no GPS coverage, so a rescue cannot reach you quickly. The desert between Gebel Al Uweynat and Gilf El Kebir in the south-west, on the Libyan and Sudanese borders, is off the list entirely, because rebel groups and criminals have long been active there.
Border crossings — At the southern border with Sudan the local authorities do not let people cross with their own vehicle, partly because of the civil war in Sudan. Crossing into Libya is strongly advised against, and the Rafah crossing is currently open only to authorised Palestinians. The area next to Gaza is very delicate and the border zones with Israel can be affected by events there.
Where not to travel — Non-essential travel is advised against outside Cairo, Alexandria, the Red Sea coast, the tourist areas of Upper Egypt and the Mediterranean coast, and even there the threat level is not zero. Past attacks hit churches, state targets, security forces and a tourist bus near the Giza pyramids, though none have been recorded since 2017.
Politics and phones — Taking part in unauthorised political demonstrations is severely punished, and so-called subversive activity carries heavy sentences with up to two years of pre-trial detention. Keep away from protests and avoid political statements, social media included. If you are stopped, the authorities may inspect your phone and social accounts for political content, and photographing anything during moments of tension near sensitive sites is a bad idea.

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.