Is Egypt Really That Hard to Travel? What It’s Like in 2026

Entering the Giza archaeological zone for the first time, I’d been bracing myself for the worst. For years I’d been hearing how the world’s most famous monument is actually far from a revelatory experience — instead described time and again as an absolute nightmare gauntlet of sellers, scammers, and touts. I took a breath and stepped in. So imagine my surprise when I simply found myself contemplating, alone and unbothered, the sheer impossibility and majesty of the Great Pyramid of Khufu. I wandered the site for half a day, immersed in the wonders of Ancient Egypt, and was only once (and only briefly and politely) approached by one camel rider. Oh dear… was the internet wrong? Actually, Egypt has changed quite a bit recently, but its past reputation lingers. Just browse some threads on Reddit about ‘the worst countries to travel to’ or ‘places you would never go back to,’ and it seems like half the responses include Egypt. I’d avoided visiting for this reason, and I suspect I’m not alone. At Saqqara’s Step Pyramid of Djoser – Egypt’s oldest large-scale stone structure I’m glad I finally gave Egypt a chance because it’s really not as bad as I’d been led to expect. While Egypt defini...