Cairo & Giza
where every trip begins.
The pyramids of Giza, the treasures of Tutankhamun and a medieval city still full of life. Two or three days here set up everything that follows.
What it is
really like.
Cairo is big, loud and much more rewarding than its traffic suggests. It is home to about 22 million people, and almost every international flight into Egypt lands here. For most travellers it is the first stop and the place they understand Egypt from.
The pyramids are on the western edge of the city at Giza, about 45 minutes from the centre without traffic. Beside them is the Grand Egyptian Museum, which now holds the Tutankhamun collection and is the largest museum in the world devoted to a single civilisation. Together they fill one long day.
The rest of Cairo is a different trip in itself. Islamic Cairo has one of the largest concentrations of medieval architecture anywhere, around the Khan el-Khalili bazaar and the Al-Azhar and Al-Muizz streets. Coptic Cairo, in the old Roman fortress of Babylon, holds some of the oldest churches in the world. South of the city, Saqqara and Dahshur show how pyramid building began.
Where to stay
We usually split guests between two areas. Hotels near the pyramids put you minutes from Giza and the museum but further from the old city. Hotels on the Nile in central Cairo or Zamalek make the old city easy and suit evening walks. On a short trip, the Giza side often makes more sense.
The best of
Cairo & Giza.
The places we build days around. Not a list to tick off: most people choose three or four and leave time between them.
The Giza pyramids and the Sphinx
The Great Pyramid of Khufu, the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, the Sphinx and the Valley Temple. Go early; it is cooler and quieter.
The Grand Egyptian Museum
Tutankhamun's complete burial treasures, a colossal statue of Ramesses II in the atrium and tens of thousands of other objects.
Saqqara and Dahshur
The Step Pyramid of Djoser, decorated tombs, and the Bent and Red Pyramids. Much quieter than Giza.
Islamic Cairo
Al-Muizz street, the Al-Azhar mosque, the Citadel of Saladin and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali.
Coptic Cairo
The Hanging Church, the Ben Ezra Synagogue and the Coptic Museum, all within a few minutes' walk.
Khan el-Khalili
The old bazaar, best in the evening, with tea at one of the cafés that have been open for generations.
Cairo & Giza,
answered.
How many days do we need in Cairo?
Two full days cover Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum and some of the old city. Three or four let you add Saqqara, Dahshur and a slower day of exploring.
Is the Grand Egyptian Museum open?
Yes. It is now Egypt's main museum for Tutankhamun and the pharaohs. The older Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square is still open and worth a visit on a longer stay.
Can we go inside the Great Pyramid?
Yes, with a separate ticket. The passage is narrow, steep and warm, so it is not ideal for anyone uncomfortable in tight spaces.
Is Cairo traffic as bad as people say?
It can be slow at rush hour. We plan sightseeing around the worst times and use a private car with a driver who knows the city.
Ways to fit Cairo & Giza
into a trip.
Egypt Essentials
Six days for a first visit: Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum, old Cairo, then two full days in Luxor on both banks of the Nile.
See this journey →
Cairo & Sharm Escape
Three nights in Cairo, then three in Sharm El Sheikh with a boat day in Ras Mohammed National Park.
See this journey →
Egypt, In Depth
Three full days in Cairo, Aswan and Abu Simbel, a four-night Nile cruise to Luxor, then two days on the Red Sea.
See this journey →Tell us how long
you have.
Send your dates and who is travelling. We will suggest how many nights Cairo & Giza deserves and what fits around it.