Cairo is home to one of the tallest manufactured structures ( Great Pyramid of Giza), one of the oldest universities ( Al- Azhar University) in the world, and one of the most famous bazaars (Khan el- Khalili) in the world. It’s the capital of Egypt and more than likely if traveling to Egypt your first destination will be Cairo. Make sure to also check out my blog post 15 HELPFUL TIPS FOR VISITING EGYPT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
Arriving in Cairo
Cairo International Airport is the main international airport serving Egypt. If arriving in Egypt from the United States make sure to have $25 to purchase an Egyptian visa. Americans must have a visa to enter the country, the visa is for 30 days and is renewable. You can purchase a visa in advance online but I did not do this and don’t feel comfortable speaking of an experience that I have not had.
Where to stay in Cairo
If visiting Cairo with the intention of visiting the tourist sites I recommend staying in Giza. Giza is the second-largest city in Egypt after Cairo and sits on the West Bank of the Nile River. There are dozens of hotels from every price point in Giza. I stayed at The Great Pyramid Inn, a simple but nice 3-star 40-room hotel. The Great Pyramid Inn offers in-room free WiFi, rooms with views of the Pyramids, and breakfast on the rooftop with Pyramid views for a nominal view.
I booked the Double Room with Balcony and Pyramids view. I arrived in Cairo after dark and was blown away by the view of the Pyramids from my balcony the next morning. The room was a basic but clean room that included a small refrigerator that came in handy for bottled water. The Great Pyramid Inn ranges from $30- 50 USD a night. If looking for a more upscale hotel with more accommodations I recommend the Marriot Mena House which also offers pyramid views, a golf course, a pool, and a spa.
Things to do In Cairo
Most will recommend 3 days in Cairo but due to time restrictions, I was only able to spend 2. I recommend you start your day early not only to avoid the crowds but to avoid the afternoon heat. Be ready for lots of walking in gravel/ dust so I recommend closed-toe comfortable shoes and packing water in an insulated water bottle.
1. The Great Pyramid ($9 admission) is the oldest and largest pyramid in the complex of Giza pyramids. It’s 479 feet tall with a base of 754 feet. The Great Pyramid is the oldest of the ancient 7 Wonders of the World and the last to remain fairly intact. I remember learning about the Great Pyramid in grade school but to see it in person was magical. I sat down in front of it in awe and thought to myself that one moment made the 24-hour trip to Egypt worth it.
2. Great Sphinx of Giza ($9 admission) was built to represent Pharoah Khafre, the builder of the second pyramid at Giza. It was built around 2500 B.C. out of limestone and is one of the oldest monumental structures. Looking at the Sphinx, you’ll notice the nose is missing. There are two tales 1. The nose was blown off by cannon balls fired by Napolean’s soldiers. 2. Erosion. I’m going with the second tale.
3. Saqqara ($9 USD for admission) is an archealogical site that houses numerous pyramids including the famous Step Pyramid and multiple tombs of the nobles. Make sure you go into the tombs to admire the limestone walls with images of wildlife, people hunting, farming, and insects. It’s mind blowing to think that these intricate images were done by hand over 4,700 years ago.
Once the heat starts to rise mid-afternoon I recommend going souvenir shopping or if your hotel has a pool going for a swim. I am not a huge souvenir person but I did want to purchase a papyrus scroll. Papyrus is a writing material made from the stem of a papyrus plant That originates from ancient Egypt. I purchased my papyrus scroll from Key of Life- Papyrus Shop. At this shop, the employees will show you step by step how papyrus is made, explain the history of common papyrus scrolls, and offer you freshly made hibiscuses tea. The papyrus scrolls at this shop are more expensive than the street vendors but are real (come with certificate) and the employees are not pushy. They will even offer to write your name on the scroll in hieroglyphics. Just a friendly reminder remember to negotiate progress. You can also go to Egyptian cotton shops.
My opinion on Cairo….
Cairo is a city full of history and culture but along with that comes sensory overload. I found it to be an extremely busy non-stop city with an insane amount of traffic, lots of pushy vendors, and men that like to catcall. It reminded me of Marrakech, Morocco in a lot of ways. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed Cairo and met some lovely people but it quickly became overwhelming to me.
Would I go back to Cairo?
I do plan to visit Cairo again in the future as I missed some of the well-known tourist attractions like the Khan el- Khalili bazaar, The Egyptian Museum, and Coptic Cairo. I also would like to try koshary an Egyptian dish made of rice, lentils, Chickpeas, macaroni noodles, and tomato sauce.
If you’ve visited Cairo, what was your favorite part? Or what are you looking forward to the most when visiting Egypt?
Krista says
I would love to visit Cairo! I loved learning about Egyptian history so it’s been on my list for a while. Great tip about starting the day early!
Ashlee Fechino says
Visiting Egypt is high on our bucket list! Thanks for the ideas!
Cosette says
Oh, jealous that you got to visit Cairo! And that view from your balcony. Egypt is still on my bucket list.
Michaela says
I can’t even imagine waking up and seeing that view for the first time in Giza! Must have been an unreal moment. Such good info! I hope others use this and support Egyptian tourism in the future. They need it post COVID!