What this solves
Egypt's photography rules are not unified. The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) and the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir have different rules. Giza plateau is mostly free; the tombs inside Valley of Kings charge separately and forbid flash on a per-tomb basis. Sinai St Catherine's Monastery is restrictive about dress, not cameras. Khan el-Khalili is free in the alleys but expects three polite refusals when a vendor asks you to shoot a "painting" he's holding. None of it is uniformly decided here.
This tool answers four questions, in order: what camera is allowed where, when flash damages tomb pigment, which camera triggers a fine (drone, mostly), and how to decline a "please don't, it's not free" politely without. The drone rule is the harshest — without an SCA (Supreme Council of Antiquities) permit, fines range from 5,000 to 30,000 EGP, plus confiscation.
A useful framing: phones are universally OK at the surface of pyramids and gardens, restricted inside tombs. Compacts are commonly accepted; some cinemas reject interchangeable use. Drones are significantly more restricted. Tripods are flagged for professional use; flashes damage pigments in tomb walls. The 4-status matrix is the right level of detail for a tourist deciding what to pack.
The calculator
How to read the output
- Four statuses. ✓ allowed free · ● permit-only · ✗ no · ⚠ ticket-only. "Allowed free" means no fee beyond the standard entry ticket. "Permit-only" means a separate permit from the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) or the site's authority is required; cost 1,000–5,000 EGP and 5–30 days advance. "No" means forbidden, often with a fine. "Ticket-only" means you need an additional ticket (e.g. a separate camera ticket) for the right.
- The flash rule. SETI I marker does no flash in tombs. Flash damages pigment over time; the SCA raises controlled mineral so that the paintings last. This is a real, evidence-based rule; it's not theatre. Don't argue; turn off and wait.
- The drone rule. Drone without SCA permit is forbidden, full stop. Fines 5,000–30,000 EGP. This applies at every archaeological site, every mosque, every government building, every military installation. Camera trips work fine for a phone; the drone alone is the problem.
- The tripod rule. Tripod without permit is forbidden for professional use only. Personal phone-on-tripod in a public courtyard is generally fine; tripod for a DSLR in a tomb is a permit conversation.
- Phone is universal at the surface. Phones are OK at the surface of pyramids, in gardens, in courtyards, in alleys. Restrictions kick in inside enclosed spaces (tombs, museums, monasteries).
Limitations
- Per-tomb rules vary. Valley of the Kings has 11 open tombs, and each tomb has its own photography rule. Tutankhamun's tomb forbids it entirely; Seti I's allows no flash; others allow photo access for $20 extra. Verify on the day's notice at the entrance.
- Personal vs. commercial use is the SCA's hard line. Personal phone use is permissive; commercial use (book, ad, magazine) requires the SCA permit. The cookie captures the most common case (personal).
- "People" Tenants' rule: don't pose at anyone without consent, especially women and children. This applies in markets, on streets, at religious sites. Doing so is rude and increasingly enforced.
- Military and border installations are forbidden to photograph. Don't ask, don't shoot. Train stations are sometimes OK, sometimes not.
- This tool assumes no SCA permit has been issued. If you have one, the "permit-only" sites become allowed; if you don't, the "no" sites stay no.
FAQ
Can I film at GEM?
Phone: yes. Compact: yes. DSLR: yes for personal, yes with permit for commercial. Tripod: usually permit-only. The Grand Egyptian Museum opened with relatively permissive photography compared to the Tahrir Museum; the SCA's 2025 rule update made phone and compact "allowed free" inside the permanent collection. The special exhibitions may charge a separate camera fee.
Can I use a drone?
Not without an SCA permit. Fines range 5,000–30,000 EGP plus confiscation. The SCA issues drone permits for commercial filming projects; personal drone use is uniformly forbidden at every site in this tool. Don't bring a drone to Egypt as a tourist; if you want aerial shots, hire a local with a permit.
What's the polite refusal script?
"Mumkin mush min fadi" (please don't, it's not free, please without charge) — used when a vendor offers to pose for a "free" photo and then asks for 200 EGP. Smile, nod, decline, walk. Other useful scripts: "shukran, la" (thanks, no); "ma fe mushkila" (no problem); "yimkin takhfees?" (can you reduce?) if you do want to pay.
Why no flash in tombs?
Seti I marker does no flash in tombs. Flash is a high-intensity light that triggers a photochemical reaction in the pigment, accelerating its decay. The SCA raises controlled mineral to limit exposure. The rule is real, evidence-based, and not theatre. Don't argue; turn off flash and respect it. Some tombs now also forbid phone-on clips in selfie mode for similar reasons.
Can I photograph military installations?
No. Don't ask, don't shoot. The rule applies to barracks, checkpoints, bridges, gas stations, telecom towers, certain highways, and the Suez Canal banks. If you're not sure if a structure is military, ask. The wrong answer has consequences you cannot defend. Trains stations: often OK, often not; ask before pressing the shutter.
Can I photograph children?
It is increasingly rude and occasionally illegal to photograph children in Egypt without parental consent. The law is unevenly enforced, but social pressure is real. A polite "law samaht, mumkin asawwar al-walad?" (please, may I photograph the child?) gets you a clear yes or no. If no, walk away. For street photography of adults, ask before pressing the shutter.
Related tools
Sources
- Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), 2025 commercial photography permit schedule.
- Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), 2025 photography rule update, visitor information.
- Valley of the Kings, per-tomb rule, autumn 2025 (Tutankhamun's tomb no, Seti I flash-off, others fee-bearing).
- Sinai St Catherine's Monastery, 2025 visitor rule update.
- Flash-damage research summary, pigment-photochemistry studies (UNESCO 2018, SCA technical bulletin 2022).
- Drone fine schedule, 2026, Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
About
Pharaoh Compass is a small, ad-light, decision-grade toolkit. We started as a one-page Giza order optimiser and grew into 36. We don't sell tours, we don't take bookings, we don't take affiliate commissions. We make calculators.
Privacy
No personal data collected. No first-party cookies, no analytics cookies, no fingerprinting. The only third-party resources are Tailwind CSS (cdn.jsdelivr.net) and Font Awesome (cdnjs.cloudflare.com), both served from public, no-tracking CDNs. As of this version we run no Google AdSense or any advertising script. Should we later monetise via Google AdSense, this page will disclose: AdSense use, Google's cookie-based personalisation, opt-out URLs (adssettings.google.com, aboutads.info, youronlinechoices.eu), and an EEA consent banner per GDPR/ePrivacy.
Disclaimer
For reference only. SCA rules, ownership, and fines change. Verify at the site entrance or with the site's information desk. We are not a regulator or legal advisor. No warranty is made that any rule will be applied the same way at every door or every guard station.