Emergency information for travelers in Egypt

1.Hydrate aggressively. Bottled water, oral rehydration salts (sold over the counter as 'Rehydran').
2.Imodium (loperamide) stops symptoms but doesn't cure. Use it sparingly and only when traveling.
3.If symptoms last more than 48 hours, include blood, or come with fever above 38.5°C — see a doctor. Cipro or azithromycin is the standard prescription and is sold in pharmacies.
4.Eat plain: bread, rice, bananas, plain yogurt. Skip salads and uncooked vegetables for a day.

1.Get into shade or air conditioning immediately. Remove excess clothing.
2.Sip cool water with electrolytes. Apply wet cloths to the neck, armpits, and groin.
3.Warning signs that mean call an ambulance: confusion, no sweating despite heat, body temperature above 40°C, or loss of consciousness — that's heatstroke, not exhaustion, and it's a medical emergency.
4.Prevent: hat, long-sleeved sun shirt, electrolytes daily, sites in the early morning, rest 12–3pm.

1.File a police report at the nearest Tourist Police office (dial 126). They will issue a stamped report — you need this to leave the country and for the embassy.
2.Contact your embassy in Cairo to apply for an emergency travel document. Bring the police report, a passport photo, and any photo ID or photocopy of the lost passport.
3.If you have a digital copy of your passport in cloud storage, it dramatically speeds up the replacement. Save one before you fly.
4.Plan an extra 2–4 days minimum in Cairo for the replacement.

1.Pickpocketing is uncommon but happens in dense crowds (Khan el-Khalili, Tahrir, transit hubs). Carry a money belt; never keep your phone in a back pocket.
2.Common scams: 'free' camel rides that demand money to dismount, 'closed' temples redirecting you to a friend's papyrus shop, taxi meters that don't work. Agree the price before getting in.
3.For any theft, file a report with the Tourist Police (126). You'll need this for travel insurance claims.
4.Cancel cards via your bank's emergency line. Most banks have a 24/7 collect-call number — save it before you fly.

1.If anyone is hurt, dial 123 for ambulance immediately, then 122 for police.
2.Don't move vehicles until police arrive unless they're blocking traffic dangerously.
3.As a foreigner, you'll usually be presumed at fault. Stay calm, do not admit liability, do not sign anything in Arabic you can't read. Ask the police to call your embassy or insurer.
4.Take photos of everything — vehicles, plates, the scene, the other driver's ID — before anyone leaves.

1.Suspected decompression sickness: stop diving immediately, breathe 100% oxygen if available, hydrate, and get to a chamber.
2.The main decompression chamber for the Red Sea is the Hyperbaric Medical Center in Hurghada (+20 122 218 7550). Sharm El-Sheikh and Marsa Alam also have chambers.
3.DAN (Divers Alert Network) hotline for medical advice and evacuation coordination: +1 919 684 9111 (call collect from anywhere).
4.Never fly within 24 hours of your last dive — 48 hours after repetitive or deep dives.

1.Avoid all demonstrations, rallies, and large gatherings — even peaceful ones. Foreign press credentials don't protect you here.
2.Stay away from Tahrir Square and government buildings on politically sensitive dates.
3.Register with your embassy's traveler-alert system (STEP for US citizens, LOCATE for UK) before you arrive so they can reach you if something happens.
4.Follow your embassy's social media. They post real-time advisories during incidents.

If something goes wrong