Hello. I was wondering whether the average traveler got sick from the food and/or drinks in Egypt. Any advise on what to avoid? Any recomendations on where/what to eat? Thank you!

Hi Danae
When we visited Egypt, we didn`t have any problems. We didn`t eat salads, vegetables and didn`t drink the water. We went out every evening to dine and as I mentioned we just left the vege on the plates. A good place to eat is the cairo tower, the food is ok but the view is fab.
Best of luck Alfie, Denmark

I lived in Egypt for 4 years and these were the basic rules I gave to visiting friends/family-

only drink bottled water

only eat fruit you can peel yourself

avoided uncooked leafy things like lettuce and fresh spinach and also celery

cooked veggies should be fine

don't eat eggs (or meats) that aren't fully cooked

be careful with buffet foods that could easily spoil if not kept at correct temperature

be VERY careful with seafood that is part of a buffet

The above list is probably an "overkill." I often ate salads at restaurants, and my husband loved all the fresh fruit salads at the various resorts. But - if we got sick, it was an inconvenience - it didn't spoil an expensive vacation! SO - best to be overly cautious!

Grcxx3 speaks with wisdom - I like the list, but would also add 2 additional overkill cautions - juices, since many lemonades, juices are reconstituted with local water and dairy products (milk especially) since you can not be sure about local pasteurization processes. When you buy water at historic sites from vendors, make sure cap is sealed and you wipe off rim of bottle before you drink.

The real wisdom, though, is in that as a tourist you are going to Egypt to see stuff - a day in bed or afraid to leave your hotel room is a real loss when there is so much to see. Many people do not follow such strict food safety practices while in Egypt and do not get sick, but a significant number will.

We were on a tour of about 30 people. We were over-cautious of what we ate (family of 4). We were the only family who did not have someone in their family who did not get at least a little sick during the 2 week trip.

Bathroom facilities in Egypt are not always pleasant, and they are not all that easy to find in some areas, even in Cairo.

Bring some immodium and Pepto Bismol with you for emergencies. But remember that when your intestines react with to a food borne illness with diarrhea, it is your body's way of ridding itself from the pathogen - so reserve taking medication for real emergencies.

gail - good additions!

I think most juices served in resort/hotel restaurants are from boxes (altho the orange juice always tasted like Tang to me). And little juice boxes are readily available at markets and kiosks. Of course, my kids really miss the fresh watermelon juice that they used to get!

As for milk, most of the milk is long-life boxed stuff. Again, little boxes of it are very available if you want to buy those to have for coffee, etc (if you want to be extra safe).

Thank you so much for the suggestions!

We drank those wonderful Mango and Payaya juices... in the boxes and which we noticed they served on the inter-country flights. Then found the same juices right here in NYC... I was so pleased and still purchase these.

We ate salads and veggies, but rarely (in fact, never) saw lettuce or spinach. But did eat the cucumbers (bad, bad... shame on us). Neither one of us had any tummy problems.

Of course, always bottled water which is readily available and inexpensive, if not already provided.

Just be aware and if not sure, don't eat or drink. There's plenty you can eat and not have a problem.

Realize also, sometimes it's not the food, but the heat, running around on busy schedules, in/out of air conditioned space... the body doesn't adjust. So try to find some downtime during your visit.

My husband & I went to Egypt in late March this year & although we loved it most of our traveling companions were sick for several days. We were paranoid about salads, foods that hadn't been boiled, baked or fried (even avoided tea & coffee), & kept hands clean with Purel. I refrained from breaking into song in the shower to avoid getting the water in my mouth! The culprit appeared to be on the Nile River cruise on MS Salacia & a seafood buffet served in Aswan. I recommend eating only in your hotel & other clearly upscale places, passing on the salads, unpeeled fruits, etc. Note that we were advised by a doctor that Immodium & similar remedies do not work on whatever bugs infect you in Egypt.

If you do get sick, you will likely be offered some mysterious remedy in a capsule by hotel, guide, taxi driver, etc. Some people in our group took these and said it helped. I personally preferr not to take medication or medical advice from guides and cab drivers, especially when there is no identification on the medication or they are written in Arabic.

The main problem with getting sick is the different bacteria then our bodies are used to. Drink bottled water and canned drinks. Try eating yogurt at breakfast for a couple of days and you should be used to the bacteria after that. We've had no problems at all. Would avoid rice served on buffets as that can be reheated over and over and can go bad. Not everywhere but better safe than sorry. Would avoid touching the water in the Nile as there are things in that water that our bodies are not used to.

I think you have to follow the suggestions in this web site if you want to limit the possibility of getting sick. But that will not guarantee that you won't get sick. Most everyone I know who has traveled here has gotten some form of it, no matter how they ate.

So you should go prepared with lots of kleenex, toilet paper, that non-soap bacteria cleaner and some immodium and cipro.

I traveled in Egypt for 8 weeks over the last year and a half, then moved here in January. When a traveler and eating mostly in 5 star hotels and a cruise, I caught mummy's tummy each time. After I moved here, I have not caught it once. Not quite sure why.

hi

Am just back from Egypt (came in about 8 days back.) Been to Cairo, Hurghada, did the cruise that covered Luxor, Aswan, Edfu. In short tried most of the 'must see' places and checked the food everythere. About it being 'unsafe' is an exaggeration. Ofcourse as a tourist we must be cautious on going overboard with any kind of food at anyplace. But this caution applies when we travel to any country for that matter. Basically our system is not used to it. But for fact of sticking to only bottled water (which again is advisable which ever part of world you visit as a tourist), food has a good combination of veg and non veg. A lot of salads available in Egypt. Carrots, cabbage, tomatos and potaoes is what you find at the food table there. Olives, dates too are a common sight. An assortment of breads, pita bread with eggs however you like. Stick to bread with high fibre. Chicken and veal/beef is served extensively. Mutton is a not easily available.And fish could be avoided. As you can see there is a whole gamut of food available. But food is not considered tasty as in 'tasty'. The rice for instance is sticky and needs getting used to. I am from india and enjoy spicy food and egyptians are petrified at the sight of a chilli or red pepper! Food is basically bland and insipid but edible. In short people should go to Egypt not for the food but for the most amazing of places to sight see.
Any which way you will enjoy Egypt