You’ll Need Cash, Especially Small Bills—Lots of Them
Egypt is still a country where cash is king, so you'll need cash for most modest and even some major transactions. You can use a credit card to pay for your hotel stay and certain significant purchases in stores, but the majority of your transactions will be in cash. U.S. debit cards are accepted at most ATMs, but not all of them, so you may need to try more than one (Banque Misr ATMs usually work). Most big hotels (particularly in Cairo) feature a bank branch where you may exchange US dollars. As a result, pack at least $200 in US cash, preferably in $20 notes, so you may convert it if necessary.
If you withdraw Egyptian cash from an ATM (which is still your best choice), you'll probably get largely bigger notes, so you'll just get change when you buy something. Larger banknotes can often be exchanged for smaller amounts in a bank or at the front desk. If all else fails, guides are aware that you will require local money to tip and make modest purchases, and the better ones will carry a huge supply of tiny notes on hand to break your larger bills. However, if possible, avoid tipping in foreign currency. There is always a fee to turn US dollars back into Egyptian pounds, and US cash cannot be used by Egyptians.
