Egypt has long been a favourite destination for travellers — whether on the Red Sea coast (Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Marsa Alam), at the pyramids (Cairo, Giza) or along the Nile (Luxor, Aswan). But how do you get internet in this North African country?
Why does internet matter in Egypt?
In Egypt, hotel Wi-Fi is often slow and unreliable, especially at all-inclusive resorts where hundreds of guests share a single connection. On top of that, there's often barely any signal in the rooms.
Yet internet is essential:
- Google Maps and navigation — especially in Cairo
- Uber — the safest way to get around
- WhatsApp — staying in touch with home
- Google Translate — if you don't speak Arabic
- Sharing photos — with family back home
Comparing your options
1. Home roaming
Egypt falls into a distant price zone with most home carriers, which means:
- Data: very expensive per MB without a bundle
- Daily roaming bundles: costly, with limited data
A week's holiday: a substantial sum (and that's just for internet!)
2. Local SIM card
At the airport (Hurghada, Cairo) you can buy a SIM card:
- Orange Egypt: 10 GB for the equivalent of a few euros
- Vodafone Egypt: similar prices, good coverage
- Etisalat: a reliable third operator
Drawbacks:
- You have to queue at the airport (after a tiring journey)
- You have to communicate in Arabic/English
- You can lose access to your home number while swapping the SIM (if you don't have dual SIM)
- Returning travellers must complete IMEI registration
3. eSIM (recommended)
From the eSIM Surfer app you buy the Egypt data plan at home, in your own language and currency. Egypt plans start from €1.99 for 1 GB/7 days, with 5 GB/30 days at €8.99:
- Prepaid, fixed price — no surprises
- Installable at home — internet the moment you land
- Dual SIM — your home number stays active
- No queuing at the airport
Coverage in Egypt
Egypt's mobile network is surprisingly well developed in tourist areas:
- Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Marsa Alam: good 4G/LTE coverage in resort areas
- Cairo, Giza: excellent 4G coverage, works even in the metro
- Luxor, Aswan: good coverage in the cities and at tourist attractions
- Desert, remote areas: weak or no coverage
The local operators:
- Orange Egypt — the best coverage in tourist areas
- Vodafone Egypt — a reliable second operator
- Etisalat — a third major operator
Important: IMEI phone registration
In Egypt it's a relatively new rule that foreign phones must be registered:
- First visit: generally no problem — the phone can be used freely with a local SIM for 90 days
- Returning visit: if you come with the same phone and a local SIM, you must register through the 'Telephony' (My Phone) app, for which you'll need your passport and IMEI number
When using an eSIM, this rule generally doesn't apply to you, since an eSIM isn't a local Egyptian number but a roaming-style data connection.
Practical tips
- Download the offline map for Egypt in Google Maps — GPS works via satellite even without internet
- WhatsApp: works without issue in Egypt, unlike in the Emirates
- Hotel Wi-Fi: ask reception for the password, but don't rely on it completely — let the eSIM be your main internet
- Saving data: at the poolside at an all-inclusive the hotel Wi-Fi will do, and save the eSIM for excursions
Summary
When travelling to Egypt, an eSIM is the most convenient solution: you buy it at home, in your own language and currency, and you have internet the moment you arrive. No airport queues, no haggling in Arabic, no IMEI-registration headaches.