shopping or rather, bargaining is one traveller’s dream and another’s nightmare. in the bazaars you are expected to haggle. if you want some tips, try watching ‘life of brian’ before heading to egypt! the trick is to keep smiling. it’s all part of the game. a friendly bit of bargaining will generally get you what you want. if you are persistent you can probably get it for about half the original price. be careful, though, not to offer an absurdly low figure as this will cause resentment and you are unlikely to get a good deal. many shops have a ‘fixed price’ policy. generally except in the more up market establishments this is nonsense and they will still be prepared to negotiate. buying as a group can also achieve a better price for all of you.

note: if you arrive a day early and meet a friendly fellow who wants to be your friend and happens to know a great place to get papyrus, jewelry, or anything else, the best advice we can give it so say 'no thanks' or in arabic " la shokran". odds are you'll get scammed. wait until you meet your leader, get his advice, and then shop around and make your mind up. too many people get ripped off in their first couple of days.

normally shops and department stores are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. with

possible variations from town to town (except  for  the  ramadan  period).

post offices are open from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. they are closed on friday