Woman Traveling Alone

I have read reports in recent news about women in Egypt (particularly protesters) being assaulted and raped - not while alone in dark alleys, but right out on the streets surrounded by people and I have read that anyone who comes to her aid is similarly assaulted and beaten. Does anyone currently in or recently in Egypt have an opinion about whether a foreign female should be traveling in Egypt alone right now? I will not be alone at all times and I may seek refuge in a scheduled tour (not my usual style of travel, but is this perhaps safer?) but what about traveling in taxi cabs, seeing sights, walking down the streets of Cairo, Luxor, Sharm? I was comfortable when I booked my trip, but I am growing more worried by the day. Any thoughts are appreciated.

There's not any danger walking on the street in Egypt. Loads of Western women live in Cairo, and it feels safer than most Western big cities, as long as you follow the golden rule: do not enter crowds.

All the women who've been assaulted the past year were attacked while they were in the middle of dense crowds of protesters, making it very difficult for the police or for people to rescue them - when thousands of people are pressed against each other, you cannot do much to get a person out of the crowd and prevent bad men from touching her. You also run the risk of being trampled.

Many of the women who were targeted were TV journalists, and were targeted as journalists - some thugs want to discourage TVs from reporting on Egypt. A couple of other women were targeted for no particular reason. sadly you'll always have some bad guys were around, looking for a bad deed because they know that they will be able to escape in the dense crowd.

Stay away from crowds of protesters or crowds celebrating something (political event, football match...) and you'll be as safe as in the US.

Also worth adding that there are some cases of handbag snatching, Italian style, in the most affluent neighborhoods in Cairo. Carry your stuff in a backpack.

The above answers are fair enough, but I'd like to add that Luxor, Aswan and Sharm are very quiet cities with no political events or protests, you can enjoy ur time there very well.

As for Cairo it's like any other big city in the world, it has classy places (mainly for tourists) lol (and rich Egyptian of course) and other bad areas that u have to avoid, but all historical places and such areas where tourists hit oftenly are well secured by the police, just try not to go into protests as Egyptian police is very stupid and try to deceive the people by making them believe that any protest is planned by foreign countries lol, though u'd like watching protests in here but I don't advice.

As a woman, try not to wear hot clothes, people here are really conservatives.
taxi cabs are fine, and in general most hotels are arranging with certain cabs to call them on need, so you can ask your reciptionist to call a cab for you.

feel free to ask any more questions :)
I hope you like our country and have a happy trip, don't forget you camera to capture the best moments :)

Thank you Willii and CatW. I have never been to Egypt and I am very excited to see your beautiful country. I have been reading to understand appropriate dress and behaviors as I prefer to fit in than offend. I promise to be careful to do both. I am a seasoned traveler, but this region is new to me. Thank you for your kind advice.

Don't worry, am sure you're going to enjoy your trip:)

if it happen to need to know about anything just email me I'd be glad to answer all ur Q's
hr4emco@gmail.com

I really have my doubts whether or not this will be posted.

You need to Google, Sexual harassment in Egypt to find out the true story. You might also Google Amnesty International who are currently working with the UN office for human rights to try to do something about gender based violence in Egypt. Do some research. On January 25th, 19 women were sexually assaulted in Cairo according to Amnesty International. One of them was was very seriously injured and needed emergency surgery.

Try this link to Amnesty.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/egypt-impunity-fuels-sexual-violence-2013-02-06

Thank you for the link Marie. Now that the political/legal pendulum has swung towards Sharia you can bet that gender based violence in Egypt will increase. Those perpetrating these crimes will no doubt be dealt with with a wink and a nod. As Amnesty International points out this will fuel the problem.

" I have been reading to understand appropriate dress and behaviors as I prefer to fit in than offend. I promise to be careful to do both. I am a seasoned traveler, "

That will make the difference. I am sure that you can look into a great trip.

Here is a rather disturbing article from the San Francisco Chronicle describing one woman's trip to Egypt. She was harassed all over the country including the beach resorts at Sharm. She spent $200. on clothing to cover up so she was not showing much skin.

http://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Tourist-finds-sexual-harassment-common-in-Egypt-3189881.php

for sure you going to enjoy your trip. egyptian ppl are very friendly . you will love egypt

Glad to see another woman travelling to Egypt! I've been reading all posts about Egypt to be fully informed. I am not nervous going to Egypt; just being told I CANNOT go! So far there is just a travel alert on the state dept website-nothing mandatory! I am so excited to see Egypt...a life-long dream! When are you going Charlotte? I am going in May. I would love to see a status post if you are going earlier! I think if you practice safe travelling as in any big city, things should be fine. Dress conservatively, don't be overly friendly, don't travel at night alone, be aware of your surroundings, WE should have a wonderful time!

You'll be perfectly safe in Egypt, and you'll enjoy the country immensely. You'll run into women travellers or expatriates in many places.

Just remember to stay away when there are dense crowds protesting on Tahrir Square, don't wear a bikini in the middle of Cairo, and avoid carrying a handbag (some cases of handbag snatching reported in affluent neighborhoods).

Thank you all very much for this useful information. To the other woman traveling (I'm sorry I've forgotten your user name since starting this reply!) I'm going about the same time that you are. I will nonetheless report back when I get home.

I am still very much looking forward to this trip of a lifetime - but it will not be my only time, I think: as my boyfriend cannot come along this time, I have promised to go back with him another time.

I hope I will not experience as much harassment as I'm reading in the articles, but I will remain wary and steel myself in case I do. I'm even taking weekly tutoring in Arabic between now and my trip, not because of the sexual harassment concern, but just so I can find my way around and be polite. I don't know whether speaking a few words in Arabic will help or hurt the unwanted attention, but no matter. I'll learn to manage it. Maybe my language tutor will give me some advice in this area.

I don't know if an unsolicited plug is inappropriate on this forum? I just wanted to share that I found a language tutor through verbalplanetdotcom - it connects me with a female tutor in Cairo - we connect via skype for our lessons - and the service is amazing. I can do one on one lessons during my lunch hour without ever leaving my desk and she is a very good teacher. I have had only one lesson so far (a free, trial lesson no less!) and I can say about 10 words already - I've been practicing all week - and I have learned three letters so far, each with its three iterations. It makes me look forward to this trip all the more. I have no connection at all to the service; I'm just very happy with it and thought others here might like it, too.

Hey Charlotte Parisi, Are you back from Egypt? Too bad we didn't bump into each other. How did you enjoy your trip? I'm back and I didn't enjoy Egypt very much. Should have gone with a tour. So many obstacles-from language barrier to no street signs in English (like the guide books show!), to unhelpful people and the harassment of selling stuff was unnerving. I got lost in Cairo twice...cried...and was helped both times by young Egyptians! Very thankful! An Egyptian woman was yelling at me in Arabic and I didn't know what the heck I did! I couldn't come and go as I usually do and that culture shock was disturbing. I wound up taking taxis and having drivers wait for me...something I didn't want to do. Everyone views you as a walking ATM machine...its ridiculous. "Where are you from?" "America?" "Obama!" A tout at the pyramids (did you see the US warnings about Egypt?...it IS TRUE and NOT baseless) kept bothering me and was following me all over asking about camel rides. I had to scream at him to stop and he said...."are you crazy?" but it worked and he left me alone! I also used some underhanded "tricks" I want to share....put on your ipod so you can't hear them and if they persist, start singing. I said...crazy american and they left me alone. I even resorted to sign language (I know a little) when my battery for ipod died and that worked the best of all, except for one creative man signing giddyup and saying horse ride! They say people are just trying to make a living, but come on...I was so on edge being CONSTANTLY bothered even after being polite and saying no thank you or la shukran! I realized I was too old for independent foreign travel. I understand about immigration now...why people want to live in the U.S. Nobody maintains anything there! Not their cars, trucks, buildings, animals even the beloved Nile was filthy and polluted. So sad. Even with all that, I did get to see and do everything I wanted: All day at the Egyptian Museum, pyramids and sphinx; Abu Simbel and felucca on the Nile @Aswan; Luxor Temple and Valley of the Kings tombs. Its just a shame that the last ancient wonder of the world HAS to be in a place like Egypt! I did encounter a few nice people-at the hotels but I assume its because I'm spending $$$ there! I also didn't enjoy the haggling. One guy wanted $93.00 (I had a converter w/me) for something you get at a dollar store and I said...I'm not playing the haggling game-I paid 150 Egyptian pounds for a souvenir for me (a tablet pendant w/ankh and hieroglyphs) and he kept haggling, so I left and went to a woman a few stands away and said...How much for that little sheesha and she said 150 Egyptian pounds (she didn't hear the transaction) and I gave her the $$. She was probably wondering why I didn't haggle! The guy was waiting for me and shook his head..I said to him...you shouldn't have been so greedy. He even blocked my way a few times and that is scary. I kept telling him I wasn't playing the haggling game, but he didn't listen. A few times I didn't leave my hotels (ate there mostly all meals) because I felt so uncomfortable!

Geehohl, isn't it time for you to realize that not all people on planet earth speak English?