What are the best things to do in Cairo?

Give the Giza plateau a full morning and the Grand Egyptian Museum a half day at minimum. Islamic Cairo rewards walking: the Al-Muizz street corridor links mosque after mosque, and Khan el-Khalili is at its end. Coptic Cairo is quieter and compact. Saqqara and Dahshur, thirty to forty minutes south, hold the step pyramid and the bent pyramid with a fraction of the crowds.

When is the best time to visit Cairo?

October to April is comfortable, with daytime temperatures usually in the low twenties Celsius and cool evenings. May through September is hot, regularly above 35C, which makes open desert sites hard going before mid-morning. If you travel in summer, start at dawn and keep afternoons for museums.

How many days do you need in Cairo?

Three full days covers Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum and Islamic Cairo without rushing. Four or five lets you add Saqqara, Dahshur and a slower pass through the older quarters.

How do you get to Cairo?

Cairo International is Egypt's main hub with direct flights from across Europe, the Gulf and beyond. The metro is cheap and quick on the lines it covers; ride-hailing apps work well everywhere else and spare you negotiating fares. Traffic is heavy, so allow far longer than the distance suggests.

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Cairo

The sprawling capital of Egypt, where ancient pyramids meet bustling bazaars. Home to the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, and the world-renowned Egyptian Museum, Cairo offers an unparalleled journey through 5,000 years of civilization. Wander through the medieval streets of Islamic Cairo, cruise the Nile at sunset, and experience the vibrant culture of the Middle East's largest city.

Popular in Cairo

Cairo

Religious Sites

4-Hour Private Tour: Islamic Mosques, Coptic Cairo & Khan el-Khalili Bazaar

See the magnificent religious architecture of Old Cairo on a 4-hour, private tour that takes the stress out of navigating Cairo’s chaotic streets. Visit the Hanging Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue, Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church, the Citadel of Saladin, and the Alabaster Mosque without the hassle of finding a series of taxis between destinations, and a flexible departure time means the tour can be tailored to your schedule.

Cairo

Religious Sites

5-Hour Trip from Cairo to the Cave Church at Mokattam Mountain

Visit the Cave Church (St. Simon the Tanner Monastery) in El Mokattam Mountain on this private tour from Cairo. Travel through the so-called "Garbage City," home to the mostly-Coptic Zabbaleen trash collectors, learn how the churches were carved into the rock, and visit a Virgin Mary apparition.

6-Hour Half-Day Tour: Discover Sakkara, Memphis & Dahshour

Cairo

Sightseeing

6-Hour Half-Day Tour: Discover Sakkara, Memphis & Dahshour

Explore Egypt’s ancient capital, the pyramids of Dahshur, and the Saqqara necropolis on this private excursion. After convenient pickup at your Cairo hotel, travel by air-conditioned vehicle to Saqqara’s step pyramid, the red and bent pyramids of Dahshur, and Memphis with its massive limestone statue of King Ramses II. This is a modular package. Book a transport-only tour, or upgrade to add a guide, entry fees, and a restaurant lunch.

Cairo

Adventure

All-Inclusive Luxor Day Tour from Cairo: Flight, Hotel, Hot Air Balloon, East & West Banks

See the highlights of Luxor in just one day with this private day trip from Cairo. You'll start the day with a sunrise hot air balloon flight over Luxor, followed by visits to some of the most important archeological sites in the area, including the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Colossi of Memnon. You'll also take a sailing trip on a traditional felucca before flying back to Cairo in the evening.

Cairo

Best Cairo Tour: Visit to the Egyptian Museum

With its spectacular collection of ancient artifacts, including the iconic mask of Tutankhamen, the Egyptian Museum is naturally one of the most popular attractions in Egypt. With this tour, you'll head out to the museum via a private vehicle, spending half a day exploring its hundreds of thousands of artifacts with an Egyptologist as your guide. After your tour, you’ll be dropped back at your hotel at no extra charge.

Private Tour: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & Grand Egyptian Museum

Cairo

Sightseeing

Private Tour: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & Grand Egyptian Museum

Visit the Giza Pyramids, Egyptian Museum, and Khan El-Khalili on a full-day, private tour that includes a camel ride and a local restaurant lunch. Exploring Cairo with a personal guide means you won’t have to contend with the crowd of touts at the pyramids (and the Sphinx), enjoying the flexibility to explore at your own pace as you see ancient monuments, browse pharaonic treasures, and wander Cairo’s biggest bazaar.

4 hours

Cairo

Sightseeing

Cairo Tower

Standing 615 feet, 187 meters, above Cairo, the Cairo Tower’s distinctive latticed structure makes it one of the city’s most visible modern landmarks, with sweeping views across the city, the Nile, and even the Giza Pyramids. Experience it in comfort and style when you book this private tour, with precise time slots and private hotel transfers so that you can make the most out of your day.

Cairo

Adventure

3-Day Siwa Oasis Adventure

The Siwa oasis is one of the Western Desert’s most magical areas, but it’s more than an 8-hour drive from Cairo. Say no to hellish bus journeys and yes to the comfort of your own private vehicle with rest stops, snack breaks, and a guide. Explore the Great Sand Sea by 4WD, with dune bashing, sandboarding, and a desert sunset; see salt lakes, ancient ruins, Fatnis Island, and more.

About Cairo

Cairo is where most trips to Egypt begin, and it earns the time you give it. The Giza pyramids and the Sphinx sit on the city's western edge, close enough to reach in a morning, while the Grand Egyptian Museum holds the fullest collection of pharaonic material anywhere in the world. Beyond the monuments it is a vast, loud, genuinely lived-in capital of more than twenty million people, with medieval mosques, Coptic churches, and the covered lanes of Khan el-Khalili all within a short drive of each other.