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Voykit pocket guide · Egypt
Cairo
القاهرة
Cairo is an early-start city: be at the pyramids or the Khan at opening, sit indoors from noon to 16:00, eat late, and fix every price (taxi, camel, guide) before you start.
Cairo sprawls across the Nile and the Giza plateau, and the distances between sights are measured in traffic, not kilometres. The trips that go wrong are the ones that try three districts in a day, arrive at the pyramids at 11:00 in summer, or accept a stranger's offer of a lift, a tour or a shop. Five walking clusters cover a first visit; Saqqara, Alexandria and the Nile Valley are trips away from one kept bed.
- Country
- Egypt
- Local name
- القاهرة
- Best months
- Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · Oct · Nov · Dec
- Time zone
- Africa/Cairo
- Stay
- 2 days: Giza plateau at opening, Islamic Cairo in the evening
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EGP
- Money
- Cash (Egyptian pounds) for stalls, tips, markets and most taxis; cards work in hotels, malls and larger restaurants. Many sights now take cards at the gate but keep cash as a backup. Carry small notes — EGP 200 and EGP 100 are hard to break at kiosks.
- Daily spend
- Budget EGP 800–1,500 excl. bed · Mid EGP 1,500–4,000 excl. bed · High EGP 4,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Buy a tourist SIM (Orange, Vodafone, Etisalat or WE) at the airport arrivals hall or a city shop with your passport; eSIMs bought before you fly also work.
- Emergency
- Police 122 · Ambulance 123 · Tourist police 126
- Plugs
- 220 V; two-round-pin sockets (type C/F, European style). Bring a universal adapter.
- Tipping
- Baksheesh is expected everywhere: EGP 10–20 for a bag carried, a toilet attendant or someone who points you somewhere; 10% in restaurants if service is not already added; small notes for site guards who 'show' you something not on the ticket are optional, not owed.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water; use bottled or filtered water and check the seal is intact. Ice in hotels and established restaurants is usually safe; skip it at street stalls if unsure.
- Toilets
- Hotels, malls and cafés; carry small notes and tissues for attendants at public and site toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea at an ahwa | EGP 25–60 |
| Koshari (a full bowl) | EGP 40–90 |
| Local beer, bar | EGP 80–200 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) ride-hailing car3.1 mi (5 km) ride-hailing car | EGP 60–150 |
| Metro ride | EGP 8–25 by zone |
| Tourist SIM, about a week | EGP 300–600 |
| Museum or major site entry | EGP 300–1,100 (foreigner rate; check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Cairo International Airport (CAI)
- CAI to Zamalek: one ride-hailing car or hotel car, 45–100 minutes depending on traffic — the risk is not the ride but a driver who quotes a new price at the door.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Ramses Station (محطة رمسيس) | Alexandria, the Delta, Upper Egypt (Luxor/Aswan sleeper and day trains) | Car 10–15 min; metro Line 1 or 2 to Mubarak/Ramses station |
| Turgoman bus station (Cairo Gateway) (موقف تحرير الجديد/الترجمان) | Alexandria, the Red Sea coast, Siwa, most long-distance routes (Go Bus, Blue Bus) | Car 10–15 min |
| Almaza bus station | Sinai (Dahab, Sharm El Sheikh), the Suez Canal cities | Car 25–40 min |
Typical fares
- CAI → Zamalek, app car
- EGP 350–600, 45–100 min depending on traffic
- App car across central Cairo
- EGP 60–180
- Metro single ride
- EGP 8–25 by zone
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk inside a cluster, ride-hail between clusters. The metro is cheap and useful for a few specific routes; street taxis need the fare agreed before you move.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Inside Islamic Cairo, Coptic Cairo, Zamalek, Downtown |
| Ride-hail car (Uber/Careem) | EGP 60–180 across the centre; EGP 350–600 to/from Giza | Between clusters, bags, night |
| Metro | EGP 8–25 by number of zones | Sadat/Tahrir, Ramses Station, some Giza-area lines |
| White (metered) taxi | Insist on the meter or agree a fare first | Street hails when apps are slow |
| Microbus | Very cheap | Locals' cross-city minibus network |
| Nile river taxi / water bus | Low fixed fare | A scenic alternative along the river on a few routes |
| Felucca (sailboat) | Agree an hourly rate before boarding, about EGP 150–350 an hour for the boat | A sunset or evening sail, not point-to-point transport |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. Ride-hailing shows the fare first; agree a metered or fixed price before a street taxi moves.
- Late at night
- The metro stops around midnight; ride-hailing runs all night. Cross-city rides are slow at rush hour.
See and do
01Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx at openingأهرامات الجيزة
The last surviving Wonder of the Ancient World; go at the gate's opening to beat the heat and the tour buses.
Hours: best 07:00–10:00 · Price: EGP 800–1,100 · Time: 2–3.5 hHours: best 7:00 AM–10:00 AM · Price: EGP 800–1,100 · Time: 2–3.5 h · 29.9773, 31.1325
02Egyptian Museum, Tahrirالمتحف المصري
Tutankhamun's treasures and the Royal Mummy Room; still worth a morning even as the collection splits with the new Giza museum.
Hours: best 09:00–11:30 · Price: EGP 550–750 · Time: 1.5–2.5 hHours: best 9:00 AM–11:30 AM · Price: EGP 550–750 · Time: 1.5–2.5 h · 30.0478, 31.2336
03Khan el-Khalili bazaarخان الخليلي
Medieval lanes of gold, spice and souvenirs; go once by day to shop, once at night for the lit-up atmosphere.
Hours: best Late afternoon into the evening · Price: Free to browse · Time: 1.5–2.5 h · 30.0478, 31.2622
04Cairo Citadel and the Mosque of Muhammad Aliقلعة صلاح الدين
Saladin's fortress and Muhammad Ali's alabaster mosque, with a view over the whole city.
Hours: best Morning, avoiding Friday midday prayers · Price: EGP 450–600 · Time: 1.5–2 h · 30.0287, 31.2599
05Al-Muizz Streetشارع المعز لدين الله
A run of Fatimid, Mamluk and Ottoman monuments in half a kilometre; the best-kept stretch of the old walled city.
Hours: best Late afternoon, cooler and pedestrianised · Price: Free to walk · Time: 1.5–2 h · 30.0505, 31.2620
06Hanging Church and Coptic Cairoالكنيسة المعلقة
Roman fortress walls, the Hanging Church, the old synagogue and Amr ibn al-As mosque, all inside one small quarter.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free · Time: 1.5–2 h · 30.0056, 31.2306
07Al-Azhar Park at sunsetحديقة الأزهر
The best skyline view of the Citadel and Islamic Cairo, from a landscaped park built on an old rubbish dump.
Hours: best 16:30–18:30 · Price: EGP 50–100 · Time: 1–1.5 hHours: best 4:30 PM–6:30 PM · Price: EGP 50–100 · Time: 1–1.5 h · 30.0333, 31.2621
08Grand Egyptian Museum
The new flagship museum by the pyramids, with the full Tutankhamun collection shown together for the first time.
Hours: best Morning, on a separate day from the plateau · Price: EGP 1,000–1,700 · Time: 2.5–4 h
09Tea and sheesha at El Fishawy
A 200-year-old coffeehouse in the heart of the Khan; sit, people-watch, order a second tea.
Hours: best Any time, atmospheric after dark · Price: EGP 40–120 · Time: 30–60 min · 30.0477, 31.2625
10Nile felucca sunset sail
A silent, engine-free hour on the river; the calmest part of a Cairo day.
Hours: best Around sunset · Price: EGP 150–350 for the boat · Time: About 1 h
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koshari Abou Tarek (Downtown) | Koshari (rice, lentils, pasta, fried onion, spiced tomato sauce) · Downtown | EGP 40–90 | Budget |
| Ta'meya (Egyptian falafel) stand | Fava-bean falafel in bread with salad and tahini · Any neighbourhood | EGP 15–35 | Budget |
| Ful medames cart | Slow-cooked fava beans, oil, lemon, cumin · Any neighbourhood, mornings | EGP 20–40 | Budget |
| El Fishawy café (Khan el-Khalili) | Tea, coffee, sheesha · Khan el-Khalili | EGP 40–120 with a sheesha | Budget |
| Abou Shakra (kebab and kofta grill) | Kofta and kebab grill · Garden City | EGP 350–600 | Mid-range |
| Felfela (ful, ta'meya and Egyptian classics) | Egyptian classics: ful, ta'meya, mahshi, molokhia · Downtown | EGP 250–450 | Mid-range |
| Molokhia and rabbit or chicken | Jute-leaf stew over rice, a home-style favourite · Local restaurants citywide | EGP 250–450 | Mid-range |
| Nile-view restaurant, northern Zamalek | Seafood and grills with a river view · Zamalek | EGP 400–700 | Mid-range |
| Nile dinner cruise with a show | Set menu, live band, belly-dancing or tanoura show · Corniche departure points | EGP 900–1,800 | Splurge |
| Five-star hotel restaurants (Nile-view towers) | International and modern Egyptian menus · Corniche hotels, Giza-view hotels | EGP 1,200–2,500 | Splurge |
| Rooftop restaurants with pyramid or Nile views | Grills, seafood, international · Giza and Zamalek | EGP 1,000–2,000 | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate. Prices and addresses change: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | EGP 500–1,000 dorm bed · EGP 900–1,800 double | Downtown | Hostels, budget hotels |
| mid | EGP 2,500–5,500 | Zamalek, Giza plateau | 3–4 star hotels, boutique properties |
| splurge | EGP 8,000–25,000+ | Nile-corniche towers, Giza-plateau resorts | International chains, resort-style hotels |
Per room per night in Egyptian pounds, 2026 estimate; winter (Dec–Feb) and Eid add 20–60%.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | أهلاًahlan |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much is this? | بكام ده؟bikam da |
| Too expensive | غالي أويghaali awi |
| No sugar, please | من غير سكرmin gheir sukkar |
| The bill, please | الحساب لو سمحتel-hesab law samaht |
| Please take me to this address | من فضلك وديني هناmin fadlak wadeeni hena |
| No, thank you (declining a tout) | لا شكراًla shukran |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Mosques: Shoulders, arms and legs covered for everyone; women cover their hair with a scarf and a robe is sometimes provided at the door; shoes off before the prayer carpet.
- Churches (Coptic Cairo): Modest dress; some ask women to cover their heads — carry a scarf just in case.
- Ramadan: Do not eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours even if you are not fasting; it is illegal, not just impolite.
- Right hand: Eat, pay and hand things over with the right hand or both hands; the left is considered unclean by tradition.
- Photos: Ask before photographing people, especially women; never photograph police, military sites, bridges or government buildings.
- Tipping (baksheesh): Small tips are expected widely — for a bag carried, a toilet attendant, a site guard who points something out. It is a normal part of daily transactions, not begging.
- Bargaining: Expected in bazaars, not in shops with printed prices. Stay friendly; raised voices or visible frustration make the price worse, not better.
Red lines
- Do not photograph military sites, police, bridges or government buildings.
- Cover shoulders and knees, and cover your head to enter a mosque as a woman; remove shoes at the door.
- Ask before photographing people; expect to be asked for a tip.
Scams and watch-outs
- Papyrus shops selling banana-leaf 'papyrus' as the real reed-paper product at a high price: buy only where a museum or a known dealer can show the plant strip method, and expect to pay accordingly.
- Perfume and essence-oil shops with a 'free' tour that ends in high-pressure selling; a taxi or guide who insists on taking you there earns a commission.
- At the Giza plateau, unofficial 'guides' claim the ticket office is closed or that you need a guide to enter; buy your ticket only at the official window.
- Camel and horse rides quoted per photo or per short distance, then re-billed for a longer ride or a return fee to get off the animal: agree the total price, the route and the drop-off point before you mount, in writing if possible.
- A friendly stranger who is suddenly a tour guide, a student, or 'just wants to practise English' and steers you toward a shop or a papyrus 'museum' that is a shop.
- Fake or resold tickets outside museums and sites: buy only at the official gate or the official online portal.
One and two days
1 day
A stopover or a single day between other Egypt legs. Skip: Islamic Cairo's mosques and Coptic Cairo: both need their own half-day.
- 07:007:00 AMPyramids and the Sphinx at opening
- 10:3010:30 AMLunch at the plateau edge
- 12:3012:30 PMCar to Downtown, indoors for the heat
- 16:004:00 PMKhan el-Khalili and tea at El Fishawy
2 days
The usual short Cairo stopover. Skip: Coptic Cairo and a day trip: both are a third day.
Day 1 — pyramids, museum
- 07:007:00 AMGiza plateau at opening
- 10:3010:30 AMLunch near the plateau
- 13:001:00 PMRest indoors through the heat
- 16:004:00 PMEgyptian Museum, Tahrir
Day 2 — Islamic Cairo, the Khan
- 09:009:00 AMCitadel and the alabaster mosque
- 11:3011:30 AMAl-Muizz Street on foot
- 13:001:00 PMIndoors or AC through the worst heat
- 16:304:30 PMAl-Azhar Park at sunset
- 18:306:30 PMKhan el-Khalili and dinner
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- UK FCDO foreign travel advice: Egypt: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt
- Egypt e-visa portal (official): visa2egypt.gov.eg/
- Wikivoyage — Cairo: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Cairo
- Wikitravel — Cairo: wikitravel.org/en/Cairo
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Cairoالقاهرة
من فضلك وديني هنا
Please take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- أهرامات الجيزةPyramids of Giza and the Sphinx
- المتحف المصريEgyptian Museum, Tahrir
- خان الخليليKhan el-Khalili
- قلعة صلاح الدينCairo Citadel and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali
- شارع المعز لدين اللهAl-Muizz Street (Islamic Cairo's old spine)
- الكنيسة المعلقةHanging Church and Coptic Cairo
Most embassies are in Garden City and Zamalek (US and UK: Garden City). Write your own embassy's line below.
Show the address in Arabic if you have it; drivers and apps work best from a pinned map location, not a spoken address.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/cairo). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.