Shopping in Egypt is part of the trip: busy markets, spice stalls and workshops selling silver, leather, cotton and papyrus. This guide shows what to buy in Egypt, where to shop, how to bargain politely and what you cannot take home. Prices are negotiable in markets and fixed in many modern shops. For the Cairo bazaar, read our Khan el-Khalili guide.
Check your home country’s customs rules, especially for plants, food and animal products. It is illegal to take antiquities out of Egypt, and you should not buy coral or shells. Keep receipts for expensive items.
Start at about half the first price, smile, and be ready to walk away. Never agree to buy unless you mean it. Read our haggling guide.
Shop where you can see goods made, compare two or three stalls and keep your budget. A guided tour of the markets can help you avoid tourist traps.
Book a nearby tour: Giza Pyramids and Egyptian Museum Day Tour from $30.
Yes in markets and souvenir shops. Fixed-price shops and department stores do not bargain.
Papyrus, spices, silver and cotton scarves are popular.
No. Exporting antiquities is illegal. Buy reproductions and keep receipts.
Most open in the morning and stay open late into the evening. Check local times.
Many tourist shops do. Markets often prefer cash, so carry small notes.
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