Travelling to Egypt alone with my toddler

[Lara45]

I will be travelling to Hugharda Egypt in June with my toddler who is 3 years old.

Does anybody have any tips and advice on travelling with a toddler, I am a single mum and this is our first holiday together.

I have booked us a 5* family resort hotel and it is all inclusive.

Does anybody have any experience visiting Egypt with DC.

Thanks

Not somewhere I would chose to go alone with such a young child tbh. June will be very hot in Egypt, around 36. Do you have the option to change the resort to somewhere more child friendly/safer/better hygiene standards? Most people I know that have been to Egypt have had a dodgy tum, bad enough for an adult, much more serious for a young child. Sorry not to be more positive.

You will enjoy it if you are very careful. The heat will make it quite dangerous for sunstroke/dehydration, it is seriously HOT there in June. Full cover up thinggys are an absolute must for you and the child. Water, juice, all day every day for both of you.

Try to avoid cooked meats and salads. I am not trying to be negative, just realistic. I was there as part of an Egypt wide tour in mid October and I thought I was going to pass out it was so hot. I avoided anything cooked TBH and stuck with pastries, bread, fruit that could be peeled, and juice. Not much appetite in the heat anyway, and I was the only one of our 20 or so travellers in the group who did not get sick.

You may be going AI so be careful with the food. Watch your child does not get overheated or sunburned or dehydrated (well both of you!) and have a nap in the middle of the day.

I've been to Egypt a few time, as others have said be careful what you are eating from the buffet, drink bottled water and use it for teeth cleaning too.

I recommend taking a probiotic (Acidophilus) a few weeks before you go and throughout the duration of your stay which you can get from Holland and Barrett.

If you get mummy tummy whilst there, get to a pharmacy or ask hotel to get you some Antinal (Egyptian diarrhoea medicine) which will sort you right out.

You may well find yourself dealing with unwanted male attention. Sorry but not somewhere I would go as a single woman.

You know people in Egypt have children of all ages...? Kids are amazingly adaptable, so just take sensible precautions and they'll be fine. Some of my best childhood memories are going to hot countries.

We took my then 2 year old to hurghada last summer.
The flight was long and we had a night flight back which wasn't great but we managed.
He loved Egypt.
The kids pool was shaded, we ate inside at the all inclusive restaurants mainly for air con.
There was always some sort of pasta/bread option.
Fresh pizzas cooked for lunch.
Take water bottles with you to fill up so your water keeps cool through the day.
He had full arm & to knee swim suit with spf protection in it. Plus sun cream application.
He will need some sandals or wet shoes for round the pool. The tiles get super hot.
Take some toys for the pool, but you'll be able to buy some out there in the hotel shop if you don't have anything you want to get wet.
He napped most days so we had a pram with us but mostly he was under a sun lounger .
There was access to a water park where we went which was brilliant.
The resort we were at was a little tired but clean. He also loved the kids mini disco.
It was a great holiday for us. Hoping it is for you to xxx

That isn't likely in a 5* all inclusive resort. The staff are very well trained and courteous. The one we went to was very wary of people going off on their own and want you to stay in the resort where it's safe. I went in August and stayed mainly by the shady undercover pool and I didn't get ill. The waiters pushed bottled water at us at every opportunity. Avoid salads and eat hot food and fruit you can peel.

I would also like to add that I was born in North Africa to British parents and lived there until I was 2. I survived without any problems.

Don't go
Just been with DH and 3 kids and most chauvinistic, macho, threatening place I've ever been
Men don't talk to women
No women work anywhere at all
Threatening culture
I wouldn't risk it
Horrible place

It's very hot. You'll need a good sunscreen, not the spray ones.
You should be OK with the hotel food, but be careful with food like salads and fruit when out and about. Take diarrhoea and indigestion tablets with you.

I’ve had very positive experiences of travelling to Egypt - as a single woman, with DC alone, and on family trips.
The Egyptian people I’ve encountered have always been incredibly courteous and hospitable.
Have encountered many women working there in and out of hotels. Our recent trip I had to different Egyptian female Egyptologists as tour guides, Egyptian female hotel staff etc.
The hotel staff will take very good care of you. Wherever I’ve stayed staff have always been very respectful, and they will totally dote on children- they often work away from their own family.
Havinv said all that I am always plagued by a dodgy tummy regardless of where I say, but agree that Antinal will sort you right out. On the other hand DH and DC are always absolutely fine!

I would be worried about getting ill and having to look after a toddler whilst ill.

Egypt is great, but it's not for the anxious traveller. If you've booked a nice hotel you'll be fine in the resort. Get transfers booked otherwise you'll be at the mercy of the local taxis, that have no seat belts, a driver that thinks he's on a F1 circuit and charged silly money for the pleasure.
You'll get hassled at the pool for massages and excursions and eyebrows and everything. When you leave the hotel you're constantly hassled too, and they are persistent. And it will be hot in June.
I've done North Africa lots, I love it, but personally it's not somewhere I'd choose to go alone with a young child. Unless you plan to spend the whole week in the hotel it could be quite stressful.

Please don't go shopping alone, even with my partner we were hustled endlessly. Latch onto another family for day trips. We had a lovely lady and her daughters stick with us as she had been harassed to buy things.

If anyone tries to put something in your hand or your toddlers, immediately return it or you will be expected to buy it. They will approach you with a cool story and before you know it something will be in your palm.

Please don't let this scare you or put you off, I've had lots of wonderful holidays in Egypt it's just the high pressured sales were testing, I don't give eye contact in shops or show outward interest when browsing.

i echo the others

why not think about somewhere a bit safer? spain?

It's a horrible place for women.

I went to a 5* hotel with a female friend and were harassed endlessly by hotel staff and have terribly frightening experiences on excursions.

Wouldn't go back now with an army of men around me and certainly not on my own with a toddler.

At the airport the staff will manhandle your baggage from you and refuse to give it back till you pay them. X-ray machine operators will refuse to let your bag off the machine till you pay them. You walk down to the coaches and there are gangs of men who will literally fight you to take your bags and then not give them back till you pay them. The coach drivers have no sense of road safety and think nothing of driving into traffic leaving you screaming in terror as a lorry hurtles towards your windows.

We had armed guards outside the hotel and it was terrifying.

I went to Egypt once for 12 days on an organised tour and I got food poisoning 3 times in 4 star facilities and I would rethink if I were you. Not suitable for a 3 year old and single parent. What will your child do if you get ill?

Don't would be my advice ! Unsafe, harassed by males I had a very traumatic experience , even without that it’s known for falling sick with bad food/water and if you’re ill puking and diarrhoea it’s gonna be really hard to look after a toddler with no help.
much better more suitable places to pick , also it’ll be super hot.

I think some may mean for your FIRST holiday alone with your DC I would not of picked Egypt. I say this as a single parent too and I've been to the Carribean alone and several other places however when it was my first time I tried Spain just for 1 week.

I loved it and I research every where even now OP. Follow Facebook groups BEFORE booming your hol... in future type the name of your hotel in on FB. Splashworlds are fabulous and I find TUI offer the best single parent codes.

Not been to Egypt yet as Turkey came up cheaper for this year.

So much negativity. She asked for tips on travelling with a toddler and lots of people are telling her not to go when she’s probably already booked it. Very strange

anyway, I have been away alone with my (then) 1yr old. We went to Spain. For the plane, have plenty of snacks/drinks to hand. I also brought his iPad and a few small toys. I would advise you to buy toys specifically for the flight, it will keep your child busy for longer playing with something new.

we stayed in a 4* hotel all inclusive. It was fab not having to worry about what we’re going to eat so I’m sure you’ll enjoy that

I’m sure you already know this, but use sun hats& sun cream when you’re out. Also have water/juice with you. I bought a mix of swimming costumes, but I mostly dressed my son in the full body sunsafe suits. Pool shoes were great because he’s a runner and those Shoes have really good grip. I would definitely advise them

not sure if your child is potty trained, but if not, bring more nappies than you usually use. I think I packed enough for 6 per day, and I bought 2 packs of swim nappies. You can also get these when you’re abroad but they’re more expensive, well at least they were in Spain

it’s daunting but I’m so glad I did it, and will definitely be doing it again!

That's my experience too.

Take a couple of packs of anti bacteria wipes and wipe down all the high touch areas in your hotel room as soon as you arrive - light switches, toilet (including the flush handle), TV remote, taps, bedside tables etc.

Don't use tap water for anything, apart from washing your hands, not even brushing your teeth.

Don't have food in your room. The ants will take over!!

Take ridiculously high factor sun block & wear hats.

Drink lots of water.

Take water shoes.

Take plenty of Calpol.

Thank you all for your recommendations, I will look into them x

the unwanted harassment from men is relentless, was with my dh too.

Hi Lara, did you go to Egypt in the end?