# eSIM for Middle East Viasimo's Middle East eSIM starts at $3.79 for 1 GB over 7 days, running on local 5G networks where available. Plans last 3 to 180 days, arrive by email in minutes and install from your phone's settings, with no app. Canonical page: https://viasimo.com/destinations/middle-east/ ## Middle East eSIM prices | Plan | Data | Days | Price | Price per GB | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Unlimited, 3 days | Unlimited | 3 | $15.00 | - | | Unlimited, 5 days | Unlimited | 5 | $23.00 | - | | 1 GB, 7 days | 1 GB | 7 | $3.79 | $3.79 | | Unlimited, 7 days | Unlimited | 7 | $32.99 | - | | Unlimited, 10 days | Unlimited | 10 | $43.99 | - | | 3 GB, 15 days | 3 GB | 15 | $9.99 | $3.33 | | Unlimited, 15 days | Unlimited | 15 | $64.99 | - | | 3 GB, 30 days | 3 GB | 30 | $10.99 | $3.66 | | 5 GB, 30 days | 5 GB | 30 | $15.00 | $3.00 | | 10 GB, 30 days | 10 GB | 30 | $26.99 | $2.70 | | 20 GB, 30 days | 20 GB | 30 | $51.99 | $2.60 | | Unlimited, 30 days | Unlimited | 30 | $124.99 | - | | Unlimited, 60 days | Unlimited | 60 | $239.99 | - | | Unlimited, 90 days | Unlimited | 90 | $359.99 | - | | Unlimited, 180 days | Unlimited | 180 | $709.99 | - | ## Which networks does the Middle East eSIM use? The host network is chosen automatically when you arrive. ## eSIM Details - **Data**: 1 GB – 20 GB or unlimited - **Validity**: 3–180 days - **Speed**: 4G LTE / 5G - **Hotspot / tethering**: Supported on most devices - **Activation**: Starts when you first connect in your destination - **Speed management**: Roughly 2-3 GB per day at full speed, sometimes less depending on the local carrier, then reduced - **Top-ups**: Add more data from your account, before the plan expires - **Text messages (SMS)**: Data only: use an app for verification codes - **Unused validity**: 180 days before it must be installed ## Middle East: what to know before you land Source: https://viasimo.com/destinations/middle-east/#destination-guide · Researched October 2026 by Viasimo This plan covers the Gulf states, Türkiye, Jordan, Egypt, Israel and parts of the Caucasus and North Africa on one eSIM. The Gulf has some of the fastest 5G anywhere, but the rules change at every border: WhatsApp and FaceTime calls have long been blocked in the UAE, while desert and mountain routes in Oman, Jordan and Egypt still have real dead zones. ### Middle East: quick facts | Fact | Middle East | | --- | --- | | Emergency number | 999 in the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain; 911 in Saudi Arabia and Jordan; 112 in Türkiye; 100 (police) in Israel; varies elsewhere | | Main airports | Dubai International Airport (DXB); Hamad International Airport, Doha (DOH); Istanbul Airport (IST); King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh (RUH); Cairo International Airport (CAI); Queen Alia International Airport, Amman (AMM) | | Plug types | Type G, C, F, H, D (220–240V) | | Currency | Local currency in each country, including the UAE dirham, Saudi riyal, Qatari riyal, Turkish lira and Jordanian dinar | | Apps worth having | Careem, Uber, WhatsApp, Talabat, BiTaksi, Google Maps | ### Dubai to Muscat and the Musandam peninsula (Middle East · https://viasimo.com/destinations/middle-east/#guide-dubai-to-muscat-and-the-musandam-peninsula) A popular Gulf trip combines Dubai or Abu Dhabi with Oman, either flying to Muscat or driving across the land border at Hatta or Al Ain. Both countries are covered, so your phone simply switches from a UAE network to an Omani one as you cross. Near the border, it may hop back and forth for a while. The Musandam peninsula, an Omani exclave at the Strait of Hormuz, is often visited from Dubai or Ras Al Khaimah for dhow cruises from Khasab. Signal is reasonable in Khasab town, but drops once boats head into the fjords. Mountain roads like the one up Jebel Harim are also patchy. In mainland Oman, coverage is good in Muscat, Nizwa and Sur, and along the coastal highways. Desert camps in the Wahiba Sands, the mountain villages of Jebel Akhdar and Jebel Shams, and the road to Salalah through the interior have weaker stretches. Download offline maps and campsite instructions before leaving the main roads. ### Petra, Wadi Rum and the Red Sea crossings (Middle East · https://viasimo.com/destinations/middle-east/#guide-petra-wadi-rum-and-the-red-sea-crossings) Jordan, Israel and Egypt are often visited together, and all three are covered by this plan. In Jordan, Amman, the Dead Sea resorts, Aqaba and the town of Wadi Musa near Petra have good coverage. Inside Petra, the main trail through the Siq to the Treasury and the Monastery has some signal, but side valleys and high trails are patchy. Wadi Rum's desert camps have limited coverage and often rely on their own wifi. If you cross between Jordan and Israel or the West Bank, check the latest situation before you go. The UK Foreign Office has reported deadly attacks at the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge crossing in 2024 and 2025, and border crossings can close at short notice. Foreign visitors may need a Jordanian visa in advance for that crossing. The Aqaba to Nuweiba ferry across the Gulf of Aqaba links Jordan to Egypt's Sinai coast. You will lose signal in the middle and reconnect to an Egyptian network near Nuweiba. In Egypt, Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh have good coverage; the desert roads between them have gaps. ### Istanbul, Cappadocia and the Caucasus (Middle East · https://viasimo.com/destinations/middle-east/#guide-istanbul-cappadocia-and-the-caucasus) Türkiye is part of this plan, so it can be combined with the Gulf or with Armenia and Azerbaijan, which are also covered. Istanbul has strong 4G on both the European and Asian sides, and the ferries across the Bosphorus keep signal throughout because they stay close to land. Cappadocia's towns, such as Göreme and Ürgüp, are well covered, and balloon flights depend on morning weather, so keep your phone on for updates from your operator. Pamukkale, Ephesus and the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts are well served. The mountains of eastern Türkiye, such as around Mount Ararat or Lake Van, have weaker coverage between towns. In the Caucasus, Yerevan and Baku both have good 4G, as do most towns. Mountain routes, such as the road to Tatev Monastery in Armenia or the drive to Sheki and Lahij in Azerbaijan, have weaker stretches. Georgia is not on this plan, so if your route goes through Tbilisi, your data will stop at the Georgian border. ### Sources for the Middle East guide - [Internet censorship in the United Arab Emirates (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates) - [United Arab Emirates travel advice: safety and security (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/united-arab-emirates/safety-and-security) - [Israel travel advice: safety and security (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel/safety-and-security) - [Jordan travel advice: safety and security (GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/jordan/safety-and-security) - [Internet in Qatar (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_in_Qatar) - [Allenby Bridge (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allenby_Bridge) ## Fourteen days in Türkiye, Jordan and Egypt: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Petra, Wadi Rum, Cairo and Luxor Multi-country route · 14 days · Source: https://viasimo.com/destinations/middle-east/#itinerary A three-country route of ancient sites linked by short flights: Istanbul and Cappadocia in Türkiye, Amman, Jerash, Petra and Wadi Rum in Jordan, then Cairo, Giza and Luxor in Egypt, avoiding land crossings and Sinai. **When to go:** March to May and October to November are best, with warm days at Petra and Luxor and cooler nights in Cappadocia and Wadi Rum; summer is very hot in Egypt and Jordan. Regional tensions in 2026 have caused airspace closures, so check FCDO advice and your flights before each leg. ### Day 1 in Middle East: Istanbul: Sultanahmet - **Base:** Istanbul - **Plan:** Start at Hagia Sophia, then cross the square to the Blue Mosque, timing visits around prayer times and dressing modestly. Go underground into the Basilica Cistern, then visit Topkapı Palace and its Harem. In the evening, walk down to the Galata Bridge for the view of the old city's domes. - **Mobile signal:** Strong 4G and 5G on Turkcell or Vodafone across the historic peninsula and on the trams. ### Day 2 in Middle East: Istanbul: the bazaars and the Bosphorus - **Base:** Istanbul - **Plan:** Explore the Grand Bazaar and walk down through the market streets to the Spice Bazaar and the Süleymaniye Mosque. In the afternoon, take a public ferry or a Bosphorus cruise from Eminönü up the strait past Dolmabahçe Palace and Rumeli Fortress, returning at sunset. - **Mobile signal:** Good in the bazaars, though the covered Grand Bazaar can be weaker deep inside. The Bosphorus ferries stay in coverage. ### Day 3 in Middle East: Istanbul: Galata and the Asian side - **Base:** Istanbul - **Plan:** Climb the Galata Tower in the morning for the view over the Golden Horn, then walk the length of İstiklal Avenue, past the old tram and the passages off it, to Taksim Square. In the afternoon, take the public ferry across to Kadıköy on the Asian shore for its food market and the Moda seafront. Return for an evening of meze in Karaköy. - **Mobile signal:** Strong coverage on both shores and on the cross-strait ferries. ### Day 4 in Middle East: Fly to Cappadocia: Göreme - **Base:** Göreme - **Getting there:** Flight Istanbul to Kayseri or Nevşehir, about 1 hour 20 minutes, then a shuttle of about 1 hour. - **Plan:** Fly to Kayseri or Nevşehir and transfer to Göreme. Visit the Göreme Open-Air Museum, with frescoed rock-cut churches, then walk through Love Valley or Pigeon Valley among the fairy chimneys. Watch the sunset from one of the viewpoints above the town and book a balloon flight for the morning, weather permitting. - **Mobile signal:** Good in Göreme town and at the museum; patchy deeper in the valleys. ### Day 5 in Middle East: Cappadocia: balloons and an underground city - **Base:** Göreme - **Plan:** Watch or join the dawn balloon flights over the valleys. Later, join a day tour or drive south to the Derinkuyu or Kaymaklı underground city, carved several levels deep into the rock, then walk a stretch of the Ihlara Valley along the river past more painted rock churches. Finish at the Uçhisar Castle viewpoint at sunset. - **Mobile signal:** No signal deep in the underground cities; weaker on the Ihlara Valley floor. Good at Uçhisar. ### Day 6 in Middle East: To Amman: the Citadel and downtown - **Base:** Amman - **Getting there:** Flights Kayseri or Nevşehir to Amman via Istanbul, about 5 to 6 hours including the connection. - **Plan:** Fly to Amman, usually connecting via Istanbul, and check that your onward routing avoids any airspace closed at the time. In the late afternoon, climb to the Amman Citadel for the Temple of Hercules and the Umayyad Palace, with views over the city's hills, then walk down to the Roman Theatre and the downtown souks, ending on Rainbow Street. - **Mobile signal:** Your phone switches to Orange, Zain or Umniah in Jordan. Good 4G across Amman. ### Day 7 in Middle East: Jerash and Ajloun - **Base:** Amman - **Getting there:** About 1 hour each way by road. - **Plan:** Drive north to Jerash, one of the best-preserved Roman cities outside Italy, walking the colonnaded street, the oval plaza and the theatres. Continue to Ajloun Castle, built by Saladin's forces, for views over the hills. Return to Amman for dinner. - **Mobile signal:** Good at Jerash and Ajloun. Stay well away from the Syrian border area: the FCDO advises against all travel within 3 km of it. ### Day 8 in Middle East: The King's Highway to Petra - **Base:** Wadi Musa - **Getting there:** About 4 to 5 hours with stops, or 3 hours on the Desert Highway. - **Plan:** Drive south on the King's Highway, stopping at Madaba's mosaic map of the Holy Land, Mount Nebo and Kerak Castle. Arrive in Wadi Musa in the evening; if it is a Monday, Wednesday or Thursday, join Petra by Night along the candlelit Siq. - **Mobile signal:** Patchy on the empty stretches of the King's Highway; good in Wadi Musa. ### Day 9 in Middle East: Petra - **Base:** Wadi Musa - **Plan:** Enter at opening and walk through the Siq to the Treasury. Continue past the Street of Facades and the Royal Tombs, then climb the 800-odd steps to the Monastery. If you have energy, take the High Place of Sacrifice trail back down. A Jordan Pass covers entry and the visa for many nationalities. - **Mobile signal:** Patchy inside Petra: some signal near the Treasury and the main colonnaded street, but weak or none on the Monastery trail. Download your Jordan Pass and map before entering. ### Day 10 in Middle East: Wadi Rum - **Base:** Wadi Rum - **Getting there:** About 1.5 to 2 hours by road from Wadi Musa. - **Plan:** Drive to Wadi Rum and join a jeep tour with a Bedouin guide through the red-sand desert: Lawrence's Spring, the Khazali Canyon inscriptions and the rock bridges. Stay overnight at a desert camp and watch the stars away from any light. Check the latest FCDO updates first, as there were attacks and interceptions around nearby Aqaba in September 2026. - **Mobile signal:** Wadi Rum village has some coverage, but desert camps often have little or none and rely on slow wifi. Tell someone your plans. ### Day 11 in Middle East: Fly to Cairo: the Egyptian Museum - **Base:** Cairo - **Getting there:** About 4 hours by road from Wadi Rum to Amman Airport, then a flight to Cairo of about 1.5 hours. - **Plan:** Drive back to Amman and fly to Cairo. In the late afternoon, visit the Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square, or go straight to Khan el-Khalili bazaar and the medieval streets of Islamic Cairo around Al-Muizz Street for the evening. - **Mobile signal:** Your phone switches to Orange, Vodafone or Etisalat in Egypt. Good 4G across central Cairo. ### Day 12 in Middle East: Giza and Saqqara - **Base:** Cairo - **Plan:** Arrive at the Giza pyramids at opening, walk round the Great Pyramid and the smaller queens' pyramids, then go down to the Sphinx. Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum nearby for the Tutankhamun collection and the giant statue of Ramesses II in its atrium. In the afternoon, drive south to Saqqara for the Step Pyramid of Djoser, Egypt's oldest. - **Mobile signal:** Good at Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum; patchier at Saqqara away from the entrance. ### Day 13 in Middle East: Fly to Luxor: Karnak and Luxor Temple - **Base:** Luxor - **Getting there:** Flight Cairo to Luxor, about 1 hour, or the overnight sleeper train. - **Plan:** Take an early flight to Luxor. Spend the afternoon at the Karnak temple complex, walking through the Great Hypostyle Hall and its 134 columns to the sacred lake, then take a taxi or walk the Avenue of Sphinxes to Luxor Temple at dusk, when it is lit up. Walk the Nile corniche or take a felucca at sunset. - **Mobile signal:** Good 4G in Luxor and at the East Bank temples. ### Day 14 in Middle East: Luxor's West Bank: the Valley of the Kings - **Base:** Luxor - **Plan:** Cross to the West Bank early, before the heat. Visit the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari and the Colossi of Memnon. If you can, take a dawn balloon flight first. Return to the East Bank for your flight home. - **Mobile signal:** Weak inside the royal tombs and patchy in the valley; good at the main ticket offices and back in Luxor. ### Staying connected on this Middle East route - Check FCDO advice and airline notices before each flight; 2026 regional strikes have caused airspace closures and cancellations across the Middle East. - Download your Jordan Pass, Petra map and desert camp details before leaving Wadi Musa; Petra's trails and Wadi Rum have little signal. - This route avoids Sinai and the Aqaba to Nuweiba ferry; FCDO advises against all travel to North Sinai and all but essential travel to parts of South Sinai. ### Sources for the Middle East itinerary - [GOV.UK: Jordan warnings and insurance](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/jordan/warnings-and-insurance) - [GOV.UK: Egypt warnings and insurance](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt/warnings-and-insurance) - [GOV.UK: Turkey warnings and insurance](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkey/warnings-and-insurance) - [UNESCO: Petra](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/326/) - [Jordan Tourism Board: Jordan Pass](https://www.jordanpass.jo/) - [UNESCO: Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/357/) ## About this eSIM ### Landing at Dubai, Doha, Istanbul or Riyadh Most trips in this region start or connect at one of the big hubs: Dubai (DXB), Abu Dhabi (AUH), Doha (DOH), Istanbul (IST), Riyadh (RUH) or Cairo (CAI). Turn off airplane mode as you taxi in, and the eSIM will attach to a local partner. In the UAE it can use Etisalat (now e&) or du; in Qatar, Ooredoo or Vodafone; in Saudi Arabia, STC, Mobily or Zain; and in Türkiye, Turkcell or Vodafone. The Gulf states have very modern networks, with 5G across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh and Manama. Free airport wifi is available, but many people arriving for a short stopover find that their own data is simply quicker for booking a taxi through Careem or Uber, or messaging their hotel. ### Rules that change from country to country The biggest difference across this region is what you can do online, not how good the signal is. In the **United Arab Emirates**, WhatsApp, FaceTime and Skype voice and video calls have long been blocked on local networks, even though messaging in those apps works. The UAE has also restricted VPN use where it is linked to illegal activity, and the UK Foreign Office warns that swearing and rude gestures are illegal there, including online. Do not post anything that could be read as offensive about the country, religion or its leaders. In **Saudi Arabia**, the regulator lifted its ban on internet calling apps in 2017, so WhatsApp and FaceTime calls generally work. In **Iraq**, the plan includes the Kurdistan Region, where Korek and Asiacell are the networks most visitors to Erbil and Sulaymaniyah will see, but Iraq has a history of government-ordered internet cuts, so check the news before you travel. In **Qatar**, VoIP calling for personal use has been legal since 2008, though businesses may not sell VoIP services without a licence. In **Israel**, the UK Foreign Office advises following Home Front Command guidance, and many visitors install its alert app for rocket warnings and shelter instructions. These rules apply to the networks you are connected to, so expect them to apply on this eSIM too, and check current advice before you travel. ### Where coverage thins Cities and the main highways across the region are well covered. The gaps are in the deserts and mountains: the Empty Quarter and the Wahiba Sands in Oman, Wadi Rum and the Desert Highway in Jordan, the White Desert and Siwa in Egypt, and the mountain roads of eastern Türkiye. Desert camps often have very weak signal or none, and some rely on their own wifi. Open-sea routes such as the ferry between Aqaba and Nuweiba in Egypt, or dhow cruises around Musandam, also lose signal once away from the coast. ### Before you fly Check your route against the covered list. Lebanon, Georgia and Cyprus are not included, so a Caucasus trip that includes Tbilisi, or a Beirut stop, needs a separate solution for those days. Read the latest UK Foreign Office or US State Department advice for every country on your route, particularly for Israel, Jordan, Iraq and border areas. Install Careem, which covers ride-hailing and food delivery in much of the Gulf, and download offline maps for any desert or mountain trip. Keep your home SIM active for bank texts and normal voice calls, since this eSIM is data only. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does an eSIM work in Middle East? Yes. Your Middle East eSIM connects automatically the moment you arrive, with no roaming fees and nothing to set up at the airport. Coverage runs on 4G LTE and 5G where the network has rolled it out, and falls back to 4G elsewhere. ### Do I get 5G in Middle East? Yes, where it has been deployed. 5G runs on The local networks we use in Middle East, and your eSIM uses it automatically on a 5G-capable phone, dropping back to 4G LTE outside covered areas. No country is covered everywhere, so 5G availability varies by location. ### Can I make WhatsApp or FaceTime calls in the UAE on this eSIM? Do not count on it. WhatsApp, FaceTime and Skype voice and video calls have long been blocked on UAE networks, while text messaging in the same apps works. Because this eSIM connects through local networks, plan for the same restrictions. For important calls, use your home SIM for normal voice roaming, or check which licensed calling apps work before you travel. ### Does the Middle East eSIM work in Lebanon or Georgia? No. Neither Lebanon nor Georgia is on this plan's covered list, and neither is Cyprus. Armenia and Azerbaijan are covered, but a route through Tbilisi will leave you without data in Georgia. If you are visiting Beirut or Georgia as part of a wider trip, plan a separate solution for those days. ### Is there signal in Wadi Rum or at Petra? Some, but not everywhere. Wadi Musa, the town next to Petra, has good coverage, and the main trail inside Petra has patchy signal. Wadi Rum's desert camps often have limited coverage and rely on their own wifi, which can be slow. Download your tickets, maps and camp directions before heading into the desert. ### Will I have signal on the Aqaba to Nuweiba ferry? Only near the coasts. You keep Jordanian signal while leaving Aqaba and pick up an Egyptian network as you approach Nuweiba, but expect to be offline in the middle of the Gulf of Aqaba. Save your ferry booking and onward transport details offline before you board. ### How much data do I need for 7 days in Middle East? For 7 days in Middle East, Viasimo sells 1 GB for $3.79 and unlimited data for $32.99. Our sizing recommendation, not a measurement: maps, messaging and the occasional lookup, about 1 GB a week; maps, social, photos and some browsing, about 3 to 7 GB a week. The data calculator on this site works it out from how you actually use your phone. ## Information and verification - **Prices and plans**: Every price and allowance on this page is read from the live catalog, not typed in. Verified October 18, 2026.