Tipping is a very tricky & sensitive issue in Egypt. Be prepared for tipping so that it does not dent your budget. Tipping is expected, whether the service is good or not. People are usually not averse to tipping at all, but here, something as small as pointing out the obvious (say, Horus on a temple wall) may demand a tip. Learn fast…..when people come to you, offering help which you don’t need, politely, but firmly tell them “No, thanks”. A few times, people may demand more tips & get angry, but, you also have to realize that most people expect such huge tips, only because their livelihood depends on tourism.
Speak to your hotel staff or guide to come up with a ready reckoner for tipping. As on December 2008, some handy figures are:
Car driver – 30 min to 4 hours – 20 LE minimum.
Car driver – 4 to 6 hrs (half day) – 25 to 30 LE
Car driver – full day / driving between cities – 40 LE / depending on distances
Guide – half day – 25 to 30 LE
Guide – full day – 50 LE
Egyptologist guide – maybe 75-100 LE for a full day?
Felucca / motorboat captain – upto 3 hours – 30 LE
Restaurant (not up-market) – minimum 5 LE or 10% of the bill, which-ever is more.
For carrying luggage / room service – 5 LE
Toilets / for minding shoes at mosques – 1 LE / 2 LE
For good service – use your discretion
It is nice to tip drivers at the end of the day, as you may get a different driver the next day. Guides can be tipped on the last day. At your hotel, where you would eat breakfast & maybe 1 other meal, you could tip every day, to ensure good service. At hotels, you can also leave a tip for the cleaning staff at the end of your stay. While in restaurants that have a service charge, it is still nice to tip the waiter separately, as the service charge is distributed only at the end of the month.
Please tip in local currency. It is advised to keep all the change required for tipping in a separate pouch so that you don’t have to dig into a loaded wallet while tipping. Aswan, Luxor & Cairo is where tips are demanded & expected. In Bahariya & Dahab, people seem pleasantly surprised & there is no demanding.