Essential Apps for Egypt Travel
At a glance
Uber, maps, translation, payments — 13 must-haves for Egypt.
TL;DR – install these right away
| Category | Apps |
|---|---|
| Taxi | Uber, Careem, InDriver |
| Maps | Google Maps |
| Translation | Google Translate |
| Payments | Wise, Revolut |
| Food delivery | Talabat |
| Booking | Booking, GetYourGuide |
1. Taxi & transport
Uber
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
The most trusted ride-hailing app in Egypt. Operates in Cairo, Alexandria, Giza (the pyramid area), Luxor, and Hurghada. Regular Egyptian taxis often have no working meter, making haggling essential — but Uber confirms your fare before you leave, so there's no risk of overcharging. Options include UberX (standard), Uber Comfort (mid-size), and Uber Van (minivan), plus an Egypt-specific UberMotorcycle in some areas. Registering a card in advance lets you get out without any cash exchange — safer overall. Calling an Uber near the pyramids (Giza Plateau) or the Sphinx lets you avoid the unofficial taxi and horse-carriage touts in the area. From Cairo International Airport into the city, Uber is the safest and cheapest option.
⚠️ Note on Cairo airport/pyramids: near the airport exit and the pyramid entrance, people approaching you saying "No money! Just look!" or "Uber too expensive, I am cheaper!" are almost always overcharging taxi or tour touts. Ignore them and wait for the Uber you already requested.
Careem
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
A ride-hailing app specialized for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), acquired by Uber in 2019. Offers a similar service to Uber in Egypt, sometimes with more available cars or cheaper fares in certain areas. Mainly usable in Cairo, Alexandria, and Giza. The Careem app is optimized for Egypt's local environment, handling Arabic addresses smoothly, and locals widely use it alongside Uber as one of the two dominant apps. In some areas, cash payment is supported alongside cards, so you can pay with Egyptian pound cash.
InDriver
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
A fare-negotiation app, also available in Egypt. You can negotiate fares 20–40% cheaper than Uber or Careem, especially effective for airport pickup or long-distance travel (like the overland route between Cairo and Luxor). Riders propose a fare first and the driver accepts, and Egyptian locals also use it widely. Always check the driver's rating and reviews, and note that cash payment is more common than card here.
2. Maps & navigation
Google Maps
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
An essential map app for a trip to Egypt. Provides accurate locations and routes for the Cairo Metro, bus information, the Giza pyramids and Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, Khan el-Khalili market, and the Citadel of Saladin. Save locations offline for the Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple, and Luxor Temple in Luxor, and Abu Simbel (280km south of Aswan). It's also accurate for beach resorts and dive sites in Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh. Cairo has severe traffic congestion, so use Google Maps's real-time traffic info to plan your travel time ahead.
💡 Cairo Metro: the Cairo Metro's 3 lines connect the major tourist sites. Get around cheaply by taking the metro between Tahrir Square (the Egyptian Museum), Giza station (toward the pyramids), and Ramses station (the train station). Riding in the women-only car (marked in pink) is more comfortable.
3. Translation
Google Translate
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
Egypt's official language is Arabic (the Egyptian Arabic dialect). English is widely understood at Cairo's tourist sites and upscale hotels, but Arabic is essential at Khan el-Khalili market, local restaurants, and provincial towns. Download Google Translate's Arabic offline pack in advance to translate without internet. Arabic is written right-to-left, and the camera translation feature lets you instantly decode Arabic menus, signs, and bus destinations. Knowing just a little Arabic when haggling at a souk (market) — "Ghaali" (expensive), "Arkhis" (cheaper, please) — is well received. Most Egyptian guides and tourism workers speak English, so communication generally isn't too difficult.
4. Payments
Wise
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
A fintech app that's favorable for exchanging and paying in Egyptian pounds (EGP). Egypt went through a foreign exchange crisis in 2022–2023 that sharply devalued the pound, but the situation has stabilized relatively since. A Wise card lets you withdraw from Egyptian ATMs (Banque Misr, CIB, HSBC Egypt). When withdrawing from an ATM, decline the DCC option (withdrawing in USD/EUR) and withdraw in Egyptian pounds (EGP). Card payment is accepted at tourist restaurants and malls in Cairo, Luxor, and Hurghada, but prepare plenty of cash too for markets, small restaurants, and taxi payments.
Revolut
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
A multi-currency management app including the Egyptian pound. Holding a USD balance lets you track a favorable exchange timing when converting to pounds at Egyptian airports or exchange offices. Some tourist spots in Egypt also accept USD cash directly, so carrying $100–200 in USD cash as a backup is convenient.
💡 Cash tip: shopping at Khan el-Khalili market, carriage tours around the pyramids, and quick tips (baksheesh) are all cash-based. Always keep small-denomination Egyptian pound bills in your wallet.
5. Food delivery & dining
Talabat
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
The largest food delivery app in the Middle East and North Africa, started in Kuwait and now operating in 9 countries including Egypt. Order everything from Egyptian classics (koshari, ful, ta'meya, kunafa) to global chains (McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut) in Cairo, Alexandria, Giza, and Hurghada. Supports an English interface, with both card and cash payment available. Useful for a day when you want to relax at your Cairo hotel, or for a late-night meal — average delivery time is 30–60 minutes. A Talabat Pro subscription includes unlimited free delivery.
6. Tours & activity bookings
GetYourGuide
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
Book Egypt's core tours in your own language. Book a half-day/full-day Giza Pyramids and Sphinx tour, Egyptian Museum admission plus a guide, a Nile cruise (Aswan↔Luxor, 3 nights/4 days), a Valley of the Kings + Karnak Temple tour, an Abu Simbel day trip (departing from Aswan), or a Hurghada snorkeling/diving tour. Guide quality varies considerably on Egypt tours, so check reviews carefully and choose options rated 4.5 or higher. Booking ahead lets you get the tour you want at a good price, without being harassed by local touts.
Booking.com
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
Compare and book accommodations in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada, and Sharm El Sheikh. Options range from Giza pyramid-view hotels (Mena House and more) to all-inclusive resorts in Hurghada. In Cairo, accommodations with a pyramid view are popular, and booking ahead notably lowers the price. Nile cruise accommodation is more commonly booked as a package through a local travel agency or GetYourGuide rather than Booking.com.
App installation checklist
- Uber (essential for getting around Cairo)
- Careem (an alternative to compare against Uber)
- InDriver (fare negotiation for long-distance travel)
- Google Maps (saved offline, including Giza, Luxor, Hurghada)
- Google Translate (Arabic offline pack)
- Wise or Revolut (pound exchange, ATM withdrawals)
- Talabat (food delivery)
- GetYourGuide (pyramid/Nile cruise/tour bookings)
- Booking.com (accommodation bookings)
Why an eSIM matters for an Egypt trip
Calling an Uber or Careem, navigating with Google Maps, translation, Talabat delivery, checking tour tickets — data is essential throughout a trip to Egypt. You can buy a local SIM (Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt, Etisalat) at Cairo International Airport, but the airport SIM shops often have long lines and a tricky registration process. Install an eSIM from home in advance, and you can call an Uber and check directions on Google Maps the moment you land at Cairo Airport.
👉 Compare the best Egypt eSIM prices on esimoa
Note: app details are current as of 2025 and service policies may change.
