The border between Egypt and Israel marks a historic meeting point of Africa and Asia, a frontier defined by the 1979 peace treaty that reshaped the Middle East. Set in the stunning landscape of the Sinai Peninsula and the Red Sea, your crossing here is a passage between two nations linked by tourism and a shared, complex history.
For travelers, there is one primary crossing point: the Taba Border Crossing. This facility connects the Egyptian resort town of Taba with the Israeli port city of Eilat at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba. It is the only crossing on the 230-kilometer border that is consistently open for international tourists.
The Taba crossing operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, though it is wise to check for any changes due to public holidays. The process is thorough on both sides, and you should be prepared for detailed security questioning and luggage checks. There are also exit and entry fees charged by both countries, so have cash on hand.
This crossing is a hub for the region’s tourism industry. Many use it to combine a beach holiday in the Sinai’s famous diving resorts with a trip to see the attractions of Eilat, Petra in nearby Jordan, or Jerusalem. The process is well-practiced, but patience is always a virtue at this historically significant frontier.