Yes, you can smoke shisha in Egypt. It is an activity that is legal and permitted, and it is practised by a large part of the local population in cities such as Cairo. In this post we share more details so you can understand what this deeply rooted custom involves—one that is not without harmful effects on health.
What shisha is and how it works
Shisha is the name used for the device used to smoke tobacco in this country. Other popular names are narguilé, pipe or hookah, and its origins appear to be in India, from where it spread to much of the world, including the Middle East.
It is an instrument made up of different containers and tubes. For example, a base with water, a bowl with the tobacco and the charcoal, and several hoses used to draw in the vapour produced by this mechanism.
Shisha tobacco is moistened in different ways, with apple juice being very common, which gives the inhaled vapour its aroma. Depending on the venue, other flavours may also be available, such as melon, strawberry, cherry or a mixed fruit blend.
Warning: shisha is not harmless
Before continuing, it is important to remember a key point if you are considering smoking shisha in Egypt: the narguilé is not harmless to health. In other words, it has long-term harmful effects, especially on the lungs. It is true that the nicotine concentration in this type of tobacco is lower than in a cigarette, but since a shisha session lasts longer (often an hour), the overall consumption could be equivalent to 10 cigarettes, according to some studies, while others put it at more than 25 cigarettes.
In fact, since 2010 the country has had a very strict anti-smoking law, which prohibits smoking in public spaces such as public transport, as Egypt has higher smoking rates than the Middle East average.
Where you can smoke shisha
Despite legal reforms, smoking shisha in Egypt is still seen by many as a social activity and is therefore done in certain venues, although it can also take place in private settings. Specifically, narguilés can be seen in many cafés in major cities: they correspond to the ‘tea house’ concept also found in some venues in Western cities, with low tables and seating, subdued lighting, and a menu of cold and hot drinks, as well as different types of tobacco. These are, therefore, venues designed for comfort and for spending long periods of time around a shisha, often on terraces in iconic locations, such as riverside promenades.
Until relatively recently, these were male meeting places, where men chat or even play backgammon. But in recent decades, smoking shisha in Egypt has become increasingly mixed, with different friends meeting to chat in a relaxed way, regardless of age or gender.
And given the country’s tourist appeal and the prime location of many of these cafés, smoking shisha in Egypt is also an activity enjoyed by tourists. In fact, many of these venues are linked to hotels, as part of their facilities.
That is why it is easy to find them in tourist areas of Luxor, for example near the cruise ship moorings. Or in the heart of Cairo’s Islamic Quarter, including the famous Khan el-Khalili bazaar, where many shops have made this item one of their best sellers.
