Guide
Best eSIM for Egypt: Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Cairo and the Nile
Egypt is one of the most popular sun holidays from Europe, and one of the most expensive places to roam. A travel eSIM installed at home connects when you land in Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh or Cairo, with no queue at the airport SIM counter.
Your options for internet in Egypt
| Option | Works when you land | Keep your number | Setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roaming on your home plan | Yes | Yes | None, but usually very costly |
| Egyptian SIM card | After the airport counter | No, new number | Passport, a queue, and swapping SIMs |
| Hotel Wi-Fi | In parts of the resort | Yes | Often slow, sometimes per device or paid |
| Travel eSIM | Yes | Yes, for WhatsApp and iMessage | Two minutes at home |
Which networks does it use?
Our Egypt plan connects to Vodafone, Orange and Etisalat, three of Egypt's four networks. Your phone uses whichever is strongest, which matters in a country where coverage varies a lot between the coast, the cities and the desert. 5G is available in parts of the big cities.
Coverage is good in Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea resorts. On a Nile cruise, signal is strong near towns and patchy in between. In the desert, on the way to Abu Simbel or the White Desert, expect long stretches without signal on any network.
How much data do you need?
| Trip | Plan we'd pick |
|---|---|
| A short break, mostly on Wi-Fi | 1 GB for 7 days |
| A week at the Red Sea | 3 GB for 15 days |
| Two weeks, including a Nile cruise | 5 GB for 30 days |
| A month, or sharing with the family | 10 GB for 30 days |
Tips for Egypt
Don't rely on resort Wi-Fi. Many hotels have Wi-Fi only in the lobby, limit it to one device, or slow it down in the evening when everyone is online. With your own data, the beach and the room work too.
Share with the family. Hotspot is allowed on every plan, with no daily cap, so one phone can keep the kids' tablets online by the pool.
Rides and directions. Uber and Careem work in Cairo and Alexandria over the eSIM's data. Offline maps help in the desert and on the Nile.
Snorkelling trips. Boat trips go out of range quickly. Send your messages before you leave the marina.
Is your phone ready?
You need a phone that supports eSIM and isn't locked to your carrier. Here's how to check in two minutes.
How to set it up
- Buy the plan on our website or in the Blue eSIM app.
- Install it at home, on Wi-Fi. On recent iPhones the app installs it with one tap; on any phone you can scan the QR code.
- When you land, choose the eSIM for mobile data and switch on data roaming for it. Turn data roaming off on your home SIM.
- If you run low, top up the same eSIM in the app.
The plan only starts when it first connects in Egypt, so installing early costs you nothing.
What you get with Blue eSIM
- Three networks, Vodafone, Orange and Etisalat, so you get the strongest signal
- Hotspot on every plan, with no daily cap
- A plan that starts when you land
- Top-ups on the same eSIM
- Plans changed? Cancel any eSIM you haven't installed, for full credit, up to 5 months after buying
- An app and support in eight languages, including Albanian, Macedonian and Turkish
Frequently asked questions
What is the best eSIM for Egypt?
One that can use several networks, because coverage varies so much. Ours connects to Vodafone, Orange and Etisalat.
Does the eSIM work in Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh?
Yes. Both resort areas have good coverage.
Will it work on a Nile cruise?
Near towns, yes. Between towns, signal is patchy on every network, so download what you need while you have it.
Do WhatsApp calls work in Egypt?
WhatsApp messages work everywhere. Calls usually work over data, but quality depends on the signal.