Egypt runs almost entirely on Type C and Type F electrical outlets at 220V — straightforward for most of the world, a genuine adjustment for a handful of countries, and one of the easier practical details to sort out before departure rather than scrambling on arrival.
Type C (two round pins, the standard European plug) and Type F work in Egyptian outlets — if your devices already use these (most of continental Europe, much of Asia, Africa, and South America), no adapter is needed at all. Older Egyptian buildings sometimes have slightly looser sockets than modern European ones, so a snug-fitting adapter is worth prioritizing over the cheapest option available.
Travelers from the UK, Ireland, North America, and countries using Type A/B (US-style flat-pin) or Type G (UK-style three-pin) plugs need a simple adapter — widely available before departure or, less reliably, at Egyptian airports and pharmacies. Buying one before you fly is the more reliable option; airport availability and selection can be inconsistent.
A universal adapter covering multiple plug types is worth packing regardless — useful well beyond just this one trip.
Egypt runs 220V, higher than the 110–120V standard in North America — most modern electronics (phones, laptops, cameras) handle this automatically via dual-voltage charging, but check labels on older or specialized devices (hair dryers, certain medical equipment) before assuming compatibility. A device rated only for 110–120V plugged into 220V without a proper converter can be damaged, not just fail to work, so this is worth actually checking rather than assuming.
Even well-appointed hotel rooms sometimes have limited accessible outlets, occasionally positioned inconveniently relative to the bed or desk — a short extension cord alongside your adapter solves this more reliably than hoping for a conveniently placed socket.
Pack a universal adapter rather than a single-purpose one — useful for this trip and future ones. A small portable power strip with your home-country plug type lets you charge multiple devices from a single adapted outlet, genuinely useful in hotel rooms with limited accessible sockets, and especially valuable on Nile cruise ships where cabin outlets are often even more limited than standard hotel rooms.
