Egypt - Prepare

Bring cool comfortable cottons, a warm sleeping bag for camping in the desert and an empty suitcase for miniature pyramids and belly-dancing outfits.

Get your running shoes on for the Luxor International Marathon in February and watch local couples tying the knot in style at May's Pharaonic Wedding Festival. Tune your musical ear for August's Ismailia International Folklore Festival. Get cosmic at Abu Simbel for the Festival of Perpendicular Sun and motor-mad for the Rally of the Pharaohs at Giza's pyramids (both Oct). Sing along to regional chanteuses at November's Arabic Music Festival at the Cairo Opera House.

Eid al-Adha – Feast of Sacrifice, celebrating the last day of Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca (Dec/Jan), Al Hijrah – Islamic New Year (Jan), Eid Milad Mnabi –Prophet's Anniversary (Mar), Labour Day (1 May), Liberation Day (18 Jun), Revolution Day (23 Jul), Wafa'a al-Nil (Flooding of the Nile, 15 Aug), Armed Forces Day (6 Oct), Eid al-Fitr – end of Ramadan (Oct). Based on the lunar calendar, Islamic holidays move forward approximately 10 days every Western year.

Alexandria temperatures are comfortable throughout the year, from 31°C in the summer to 10°C in winter. Cairo hits 40°C from May to August but winter evenings drop to a blissfully cool 11°C. Aswan blisters in hotter summers (35°C-43°C). The dramatic khamsin dust storms strike between March and May. Occasional light snow falls on Sinai's higher hills.

220V AC, 50Hz, two-pin round plugs are standard.

+20 (national).

Egyptian pound (£) is the currency.

+2 (+3 in Daylight Saving Time, late April to late September).

Egypt Tourist Authority website

Sunhat, sunblock, light walking shoes and layers for desert nights are needed throughout the year, and women should cover legs and upper arms. Eat with your right hand (left is considered unclean), avoid smoking in public during Ramadan and put your right hand on your heart when refusing anything.