Discover Egypt is committed to enjoying and preserving the planet, by ensuring environmental and cultural demands are kept as low as possible.
Keep your packing to a minimum and avoid disposable goods. Waste-disposal facilities can be limited in some destinations and recycling is often non-existent in many parts of the world. Eco-friendly soap is recommended.
Discover Egypt only hires local guides and representatives to support jobs, their communities and further education. Bird watching guides and local Egyptologist experts are always available for questions and advice.
Unfortunately, Egypt does not have adequate litter collection or efficient recycling, so the less rubbish you leave behind, the better. We are constantly monitoring this on the Nile and, try to ensure that rubbish from our cruise boats is not dumped in the river. We also ask our cruise boat operators to limit the use of the boat klaxon, thereby preventing disturbance to the local population along the riverbanks.
Wherever possible buy your souvenirs from local shops. Haggling is often customary and can be fun but stop once you’ve been offered a reasonable price: a few pence won’t make a huge difference to you, but it can mean everything to traders trying to make a living. Avoid buying souvenirs that exploit wildlife or threaten endangered species. Also don’t buy items that could be perceived as ancient and thereby protected artefacts.
Avoid disturbing wildlife and damaging their natural habitat. Take care not to touch coral reefs and do not feed animals or fish. Where horses are used for towing caliches, please make sure that the animal is healthy and if in doubt, refuse to travel with such an owner.
Enjoy at least one wildlife excursion, whether bird watching on the Nile or snorkelling in the Red Sea. The value you place on the environment you are sightseeing stimulates a local interest for protection, conservation and education.
Stay at an eco-lodge which are owned, constructed and managed by the local people. There are various ones on the West Bank of the Nile and in some coastal areas – an excellent way to meet likeminded adventurous people policies. The Eskaleh Eco-Lodge at Abu Simbel is a property that we support.
Don’t give out sweets or money, especially to children. Giving will only teach them that begging is rewarding and can undermine parental authority. It is far better to interact with children. Begging is the sole source of income for many of the world’s poor, it’s far more constructive to give money to charities which often offer long-term help to a far greater number of people.
Local people often make good subjects for photographs but ask before you snap. Many people, for whatever reason, do not like being photographed and you should always gain permission before taking photographs.
You may have come across charitable projects or been affected by humanitarian or conservation concerns on your holiday. Please let us know if you have these concerns and we will endeavour to address these. Discover Egypt also supports local charities in Upper Egypt.
The ancients venerated their natural environment. From cats to cattle, crocodile to cobras, images of wildlife are carved adoringly into the walls of temples and tombs, allowing a glimpse into a time when man and wildlife flourished together. Egypt’s heritage is as much about its archaeological past as it is about its ecological future.
If you have comments – positive or negative – about sustainable tourism issues on your tour, let us know! We are continually striving to improve performance and your comments are vital in helping us ensure we act on the issues and operate in a responsible fashion.
