Tipping in Egypt (Baksheesh): Who, When and How Much

In Egypt, tipping — known locally as baksheesh — is a normal part of everyday wages in hospitality and tourism rather than a rare bonus. Knowing the typical amounts in advance takes away the awkwardness so you never feel pressured or unsure.

For small daily moments — hotel bellhops carrying bags (50–100 EGP or $1–2 per bag), restroom attendants (10–20 EGP), or temple guardians who point out a carving — keep a pocket stash of small Egyptian pound notes (20, 50 and 100 EGP). Keep that small-bill fold separate from your main wallet so you can hand over a note smoothly.

For your private driver and licensed Egyptologist guide, travelers usually tip at the end of each day tour, or at the end of each city leg on a multi-day package. As a practical benchmark for a couple: $10–15 USD per day for a private driver and $20–30 USD per day for a private Egyptologist guide, adjusted for group size and how well they looked after you. Both Egyptian pounds and crisp US dollars (or euros/pounds) are happily accepted for driver and guide tips.

On a Nile cruise ship, you do not tip individual waiters or cabin stewards after every meal. Instead, ships place a sealed crew tip box at reception on the final evening, which is shared among the kitchen, deck, housekeeping and dining staff — budget roughly $10–15 USD per guest per night for the ship crew.

Before your trip starts, your planner sends a simple one-page tipping cheat sheet matched to your exact itinerary, and your guide can help you break larger Egyptian pound notes at a bank or ATM on day one.