Cairo Travel Guide

This travel guide is full of tips on how to spend your holidays in Cairo. This city is famous for the Pyramids of Giza, the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing today. It’s also considered the gateway to the land of pharaohs with the nearby Memphis, the first ancient capital of Egypt and Saqqara with the Step Pyramid of Djoser, which is the oldest one in the country.

Cairo is where the early Christianity is mixed with the Muslim traditions within the Coptic and Islamic districts. What’s more, it’s called the ‘City of Thousands Minarets’ for the good reason. With over 20 million inhabitants you can spot the most beautiful mosques on every single corner.

The community of people living in Cairo is very unique and has own rules. Being constantly asked where you’re from and pushed to buy something is the common practice. The roads with no junctions, the knee-high pavements, constant honking and crossing at the red light while policemen are watching is just a way of life. Blending in such an environment is easy and the only option to fully enjoy the city vibes.

What to Visit in Cairo

The fact is that Cairo is the capital and the largest city in Egypt. But it’s also the Muslim city, located on the banks of the Nile River in the northern part of the country (Lower Egypt). In terms of the beach, Cairo is roughly 2 hours driving (120 km away) from the nearest one called the Ain Sokhna. The city covers 3,085 square km with the population reaching over 21 millions people, which makes it the biggest of all in the Arab World.

Historically, the city of Cairo was founded in 969 AD by the Fatimid Dynasty (general Jawhar al-Siqilli) and became the capital in 972 AD. When Egypt was invaded by Muslim Arabs in 641 AD, it was then gradually converted from Coptic Orthodox into Islam. This event also ended the long period of Roman (Byzantine) rule over Egypt, which began in 30 BC.

The first capital of Egypt under the Muslim rule was Fustat, which currently is the part of Old Cairo (near the Babylon Fortress in Coptic Cairo) in the norther parts of the city. It was built by the Rashidun dynasty and the general ‘Amr ibn al-‘As. This area became home to the Mosque of Amr, which was the first mosque built in Egypt. The British were the last to occupy the country and Cairo has been the capital of the independent Arab Republic of Egypt since 1953.

The interesting fact is that most pyramids in Egypt (over 100 in total) were built during the Old Kingdom (2700-2200 BC). At that time, Memphis (not Cairo) was the capital and centre of the religious life. As we know now, Memphis was the first ancient capital of Egypt, where Phat, the local god of creation and artwork, was greatly worshiped.

Don’t leave Cairo without seeing:

1. Pyramids of Giza
2. Sphinx
3. Giza Solar Boat Museum
4. Islamic Cairo
5. Al-Hussain Mosque
6. Khan El Khalili Bazaar
7. Al-Azhar Mosque and University
8. Wekalet El Ghouri Arts Centre
9. Bab Zuweila
10. Al-Azhar Park
11. Cairo Dead City – Cairo Cemetery
12. Cairo Citadel
13. Mohamed Ali Pasha Mosque
14. Al Nasir Mohammad Mosque
15. Mosque & Madrassa of Sultan Hassan
16. Ibn Tulum Mosque
17. Abdeen Palace
18. National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation
19. Egyptian Museum
20. Museum of Islamic Art
21. Coptic Cairo
22. Greek Orthodox Church of St George
23. Church of the Virgin Mary
24. Cavern Church – Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church (Abu Serga)
25. Babylon Fortress
26. The Hanging Church
27. Coptic Museum
28. Cairo Tower and Zamalek
29. Tahrir Square
30. Talaat Harb Square
31. Pharaonic Village
32. The Cave Church (Saint Simon The Tanner Monastery)
33. Garbage City
34. Sound & Light Show at Pyramids
35. Saqqara (Step Pyramid of Djoser)
36. Memphis
37. Dahshur Pyramids (Bent, Red and Black Pyramids)
38. Abusir Pyramids
39. Felucca Nile Cruise
40. Al Tanura Troupe Sufi Dance

Daily Excursions from Cairo

• Memphis
• Saqqara
• Dahshur
• Abusir
• Wadi El Rayan
• Alexandria
• Giza Necropolis
• Ismailia & Fayed
• Ain Sokhna (beach)
• Al Fayoum Oasis

Hiking in Cairo

Well, Cairo is rather flat. But there’s the Mokattam Hill on the outskirts of the city you can climb. If, however, you wish to do some trekking outside of the capital, the best hiking trails include the Pyramids of Giza or Dahshur or Abusir. The last two are located far out in the desert, so you need the car to get there.

Viewpoints in Cairo

For the most beautiful views of Cairo, you should climb Mokattam Hill or visit the Cairo Tower, Bab Zuweila, Cairo Citadel, Al Azhar Park (the view of the citadel’s Mosque of Muhammad Ali) or stay or dine at the hotels and restaurants such as:

• Marriott Mena House
• Sofitel Gezirah
• Nile 49
• Ramses Hilton
• Grand Nile Tower
• Le Méridien Pyramids Hotel & Spa
• Best View Pyramids Hotel
• Le Deck Cairo
• Novotel Cairo El Borg
• The Nile Ritz-Carlton
• Crimson Bar & Grill

Beaches in Cairo

Unfortunately, Cairo has no direct access to the sea. The nearest beach is in Ain Sokhna, about 2 hours driving from the capital (120 km away). You can also fly from the capital to Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada or Taba.

Where to Stay in Cairo

The most popular place to stay in Cairo is the Downtown area near the Islamic Cairo district (New Grand Royal Hotel). It’s reasonable priced and located within oldest part of the city. The biggest advantage is that it’s close to the main tourist attractions and bazaars (souks), so it’s easily walkable. Anyways, when choosing the hotel anywhere in Egypt, it’s worth finding the one with the pool (high prices to be expected).

While it’s good to stay in Cairo for week, it’s also recommended to spend one night near the Pyramids in Giza. If you book the hotel with the pyramids view (Hayat Hotel in Giza), you’ll get to see the Light & Sound Show free of charge. You can enjoy the show while eating your dinner at the rooftop hotel restaurant, plus it’s only a few hundreds meters away from the pyramids entrance. This makes it so much easier to explore the Giza Necropolis the next morning.

If you plan on visiting Cairo, you should know the city is divided into the following districts: Midan Tahrir (Cairo Downtowns), Midan Ramses, Garden City, Islamic Cairo, Old Cairo (Coptic Cairo), Dokki and Mohandeseen, Gezira and Zamalek, Giza, Heliopolis and Nasr City and Ma’adi.

Most recommended hotels in Cairo:

• New Grand Royal Hotel Cairo
• Hayat Pyramids View Hotel in Giza
• Osiris Hotel
• Le Riad Hotel de Charme
• Victory Of Downtown Hotel
• Grand Nile Tower
• Novotel Cairo El Borg
• Marriott Mena House
• Kempinski Nile Hotel
• Best View Pyramids Hotel

What to Eat in Cairo

It’s no surprise the Egyptian food is so healthy when all they focus around are vegetables, grains, fish and meat. The Nile River is the great source of the local produce so people in Cairo love beans, rice, lentils, pasta, fish and grilled meat, all well spiced.

The street food in Cairo is really cheap (LE20 to LE80, £1 to £3.50, Felfela Restaurant). On the other hand, dining at the traditional restaurants is also really affordable (LE150 to LE200, £7 to £9, Café Riche, Old Cairo Restaurant & Cafe in Coptic Cairo, Hayat Hotel Pyramid View in Giza). But, if you want to indulge yourself with the finest dining with the Nile view, you should prepare to spend at least LE900 (£40).

Because Cairo is the Muslim city, finding a place to buy some alcohol is not impossible but it’s hard. There are some restaurants serving all kinds of alcoholic beverages (eg. Café Riche in Downtown), but such a treat comes with the price. Before you order, you’ll be asked to show your passport to prove you’re not Egyptian. The pint of beer in Cairo (Egyptian Stella, Sakkara Gold) costs around LE65 (£3). If you smoke, the pack of 20 cigarettes is around LE40 (£1.80).

Don’t leave Cairo without tasting:

• Egyptian Bread – similar to pita but made with whole wheat flour
• Simit – sesame covered bread in a form of bagel, snack
• Falafel – balls of deep-fried chickpeas and fava beans
• Lentil Soup – soup made of brown, yellow, red or black lentils
• Hawawshi – stuffed meat sandwich
• Ful Medames – cooked fava beans stew, served for breakfast
• Shawarma – grilled kebab meat with veggies and pita
• Fattah – layers of bread and rice in the tomato sauce, topped with grilled meat
• Koshary – rice, pasta, and lentils in tomato and vinegar sauce
• Hamam Mahshi – roasted pigeon stuffed with rice or wheat, onions, cinnamon, cumin, and nuts
• Mahshi – different vegetables filled with spicy rice
• Egyptian Brunch – homemade dips such as baba ganoush (eggplant) and hummus, sides like Roumy cheese and garlic tomatoes, pita and falafels
• Om Ali – desert, bread pudding made of pastry blended with nuts, raisins, coconut, cinnamon, cream and plenty of sugar
• Coffee – steamed from the smoke of fragrant shishas
• Tea – black tea, mint tea

How to Get Around Cairo

Generally, the best way to get around Cairo is to use Uber. The standard ride around the city is between LE11 to LE40 (£0.5 to £2) depending on the distance. When you’re pressed for time, use metro (9 Stations – 5 LE (£0.25)). Once inside the Islamic or Coptic District, walking is highly recommended to admire the buildings from outside. If you travel from the airport, you shouldn’t spend more than LE80 (£3.60) to end up in Downtown (LE120, £5.50 to Giza).

The buses, however are not recommended as such. Because there’s no timetable and they stop anywhere along the road, you may find it hard to navigate around the city. Even though the buses are cheap, don’t go for the public ones (women harassment), but choose the air – conditioned or the mini buses (where standing is not allowed). The average bus ride is up to 5 LE – £0.25.

Cairo Travel Guide – Cost and Budget

If you want to fly to Cairo from the UK, it normally takes up to 5 hours and costs between £300 and £350 return. The domestic flights between Cairo and the main cities in Egypt take roughly one hour and cost £30 one way.

If you want to visit Cairo on the low budget, you shouldn’t spend more than £24 daily. That’s assuming you sleep in the hostel (LE200, £9), eat street food like Hawawshi or Shawarma (LE30, £1.40, Felfela), use the public transport (5 LE – £0.25 per journey) and see the basic attractions (LE200, £9 to enter the Giza Plateau but not inside the pyramids).

If you wish to explore Cairo on the mid – range budget, you should spend around £40 daily. This covers staying in the nice hotel for LE330, £15 at New Grand Royal Hotel Cairo or LE770, £35 at Hayat Pyramid View Hotel Giza. In terms of eating, you’ll be able to try the Egyptian food at the local restaurants (LE150 to LE200, £7 to £9, Café Riche, Old Cairo Restaurant & Cafe in Coptic Cairo, Hayat Hotel Pyramid View in Giza). Within this budget you can also use taxi more often (£0.5 to £2 per Uber ride) and see the main tourist attractions such as the Pyramids of Giza (LE200, £9 to enter the Giza Plateau and LE400, £18 to go inside the Great Pyramid) and go on the one day trip to Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur (£40 for 2 people).

If you want luxury in Cairo, you’re most likely to spend roughly £210 a day. This budget allows you to choose the hotels with the best Nile or Pyramid views (£130 at Kempinski Nile Hotel in Cairo or Marriot Mena House in Giza), dine at finest places in town (LE900, £40 at Crimson in Zamalek, Kempinski Roof or Rooftop Zamalek) and splurge on sightseeing a lot!

Cairo Travel Guide – Best Time to Visit

Generally, the best time to go to Cairo is either autumn (September to November) or spring (March to May), although winter is also popular with tourists. When travelling to Cairo, you should avoid going during the Ramadan (the ninth month in the Muslim calendar).

Autumn & Spring in Cairo

The fact is, autumn and spring are the best times to travel not just to Cairo, but also to the rest of the country. If, during one trip, you plan to visit the main cities, cruise Nile and go to the beach, you should choose to fly between September and November or March to May. With temperatures between 23°C and 36°C, the sightseeing is pure bliss and bathing in the Red Sea feels refreshing. Overall, spring is similar to autumn, however it often brings the sandstorms to the desert.

Winter in Cairo

If you travel to Cairo in winter (December to February), you’ll experience the mild temperatures around 19°C. This season particularly attracts the tourists wishing to do a lot of heavy exploring so crowds can be expected around the main attractions.

Summer in Cairo

Well, summer in Cairo (June to August), is basically the dead season. It’s because the temperatures can reach up to 35°C, so it’s boiling hot. Most people are often put off by the sweaty weather and the thought of struggling through the day.

Cairo Travel Guide – Average Monthly Temperatures

Basically, Cairo is warm all year around but it’s the hottest in summer from June to August. Those months bring some boiling temperatures up to 40°C, with July being the hottest. In contrast, Cairo is the coldest in winter, from December to February. That’s when it’s still warm and sunny but temperatures drop down to 19°C, with January being the coldest.

Cairo Travel Guide – Average Monthly Precipitation

Generally, Cairo hardly ever sees the heavy rainfall. The city is the wettest between November and March, during the autumn and winter seasons. In fact, January is the month when it rains the most with (only!) 5 mm and 3,5 days of showers. In contrast, Cairo is the driest between April and October, during the spring and summer seasons. That’s when you don’t see a drop of rain in the city.

Cairo Travel Guide – Practical Information

This part of my travel guide provides useful tips on what to expect during your holidays in Cairo. For more information on language and local time, religion, electricity plug, internet, currency, visa, safety and health matters in Cairo, just follow my clues below.

If you love drones, you should know they are NOT allowed in Egypt under no circumstances. It’s because the Egyptian law forbids bringing them to the country and they will be confiscated when you cross the border. In the worst case scenario, the possession of the drone can lead to a jail sentence.

If you want to shoot photos and videos, you’re allowed to use your MOBILE PHONE DEVICE in most of the places. But professional cameras, tripods and other video recorders, including Go Pro devices are permitted to use in the open spaces, but NOT inside the buildings. If it’s allowed, there’s an additional fee to pay.

Population and Language – Cairo is the capital of Egypt with over 21 million people living in it. The official language is Arabic and most Egyptians speak English well.

Religion – 90% Muslim, 10% others.

Local Time – There is 1 time zone in Cairo: UTC+2 hours.

Electricity – Cairo runs on 220V voltage. There is 50Hz and the two round pin plug type C, F and L. Getting an adapter is recommended.

Internet – The internet in Cairo might be available either for free or at an extra cost from your hotel. There are many internet shops around the city you can use. Generally, it’s recommended to buy a cheap Egyptian sim card (£2) and mobile internet on arrival. The best prepaid sim cards in Cairo are: Orange Egypt, Vodafone Egypt or Etisalat.

Money and Currency in Cairo

Money – There are many ATMs you can use in Cairo, but for the safety reasons, it’s best to use one in the hotels or at banks. Most places will let you withdraw your money for a standard fee. Visa, MasterCard and other major Debit or Credit Cards are accepted. Sometimes, when paying with your card, you might be charged a sale fee between 3% and 10%. It’s recommended to always have the cash (preferably US dollars) and lots of change (many sellers or taxi drivers claim not to have it when you pay).

Currency – The official currency in Cairo is Egyptian Pound (LE). Most businesses (hotels, tour operators etc) insist on paying in US Dollars ($) so it’s best to have this currency in cash instead.

Visa Requirements for Cairo

Visa – The British and Polish citizens need to apply for the visa when travelling to Cairo. There’re the e-visa (online, $25, valid for 3 months for GB and 30 days for PL) or visa on arrival ($25, valid for 30 days).

Safety in Cairo

Safety Cairo is a safe city to travel, despite the rise in petty crime following the 2011 revolution. Problems such as pickpocketing and street hassling may occur in the busy places such as Khan Al Khalili, tube or buses. What women should still watch out for is the sexual harassment, which doesn’t happen often but may sometimes be an issue. Since Cairo is a Muslim city, they should also dress properly and cover the knees and arms most of the time. LGBT is illegal in Cairo.

The biggest scams in Cairo involve the tour companies and those offering the trips in the streets. It’s better to use the reputable company or pay at the places you’ll be visiting rather than from the stranger just met or even the hotel you’re staying in. Crossing the streets of Cairo can also be hard, the cars hardly ever stop and it’s best to follow the locals or wait until there’s no cars.

Emergency Numbers – The numbers for each emergency services in Egypt are: Police – 122, Ambulance – 123, Fire – 180, Highway Emergency Service – 136.

Health and Travel Vaccinations in Cairo

Health – Before you travel to Cairo, you it’s recommended to consider: the cholera vaccination, meningococcal meningitis vaccination, tuberculosis (TB) vaccination, typhoid vaccination and malaria vaccination. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that everyone is covered for the diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and polio, hepatitis A, hepatitis B regardless of their destination.