Exploring the Wonders of Chaotic Cairo: A 3-Day Adventure in the Capital of Egypt

Cairo marks the very first time that I step foot into Africa, and this was atypical trip for me because the primary reason why I went on this adventure was to see one of the top techno DJs perform in front of the Pyramids of Giza (Carl Cox, you legend). Nonetheless, I made sure to allocate 3 full days to explore the city.

The name Cairo is derived from Al-Qāhirah in Arabic, which means "The Victorious". Most historians have agreed that the Cairo we know today was founded in 969 CE by the Fatimid Dynasty. However, as you know, the area is enriched with history, with iconic tombs and ancient Egyptian pyramids spread out across the city. Now, it is one of the most populated cities in Africa, with a population of ~22 million people as of 2023. I witnessed firsthand just how chaotic Cairo is when I flagged an Uber from the airport and the backseats did not have any seatbelts, so I already knew I was in for an adventure.

First, the infrastructure was not built to accommodate the increasing number of the cars on the road. The city is notoriously known for congested traffic and people's affection to honk their horns every second. This, along with the street vendors and the general hustle and bustle, is what creates a cacophony throughout the whole day that may drive (pun intended) people crazy. Furthermore, combined with nonfunctional pedestrian lights and a free for all on the road, it makes commuting around the city challenging and time-consuming.

Nevertheless, I had an amazing time in Cairo; I actually embraced how chaotic it was. I'm a fast walker myself so I do like how I can zoom through and not wait for any crosswalk signs (but I don't recommend this... I'm just an adrenaline junkie). In this post, I will detail out a 3-day itinerary for you followed by my general tips and recommendations for traveling to Cairo!

Day 0: Before your trip to Cairo

Proper documentation

Before we begin, it is important to know that you will need to meet the Egypt entry requirements, which means unless you are a member of 10 countries, you will need to apply for a travel visa. Check out this website for the full details

Egypt visa-free countries

• Bahrain

• Hong Kong

• Israel*

• Kuwait

• Lebanon*

• Macao

• Oman

• Saudi Arabia

• United Arab Emirates

• Malaysia (14 days)

Citizens from a number of countries can fill out an online application and take care of the paperwork before you arrive in Egypt. Otherwise, you can get a visa upon arrival and pay the payment in cash.

What to Wear in Cairo

Generally speaking, Cairo is more modern and loose compared to other Muslim places, so I would recommend packing clothes that are under the "modern conservative" category as a matter of courtesy. I do like comfort, but personally I try not to stand out too much when I travel, and certainly do not want to offend the locals. Even though I knew it was going to be hot in Cairo, I still packed a few long sleeve shirts and pants.

For the ladies...

• Pack airy clothes that will cover the shoulders. Maxi dresses, loose linen button-up shirts, and sneakers are perfectly fine. Shorts are okay, but may garner some unwanted attention.

• Head scarf and long pants will be needed if you would like to visit the mosques

• Sneakers or comfortable flats

• Hat and sunglasses are musts to battle the sun

For the gentlemen...

• Linen shirts, collared shirts, and long-sleeve button downs

• Shorts are acceptable in most places

• Stay away from any tank tops if you're not going to the pool

• Jeans are okay during the night, but linen or a linen/cotton blend bottoms work best during the day.

• Hat and sunglasses are musts to battle the sun

Lodging Accomodations

I usually travel on a budget, and prefer to find the best hostels wherever I go so I can spend more on food and experiences. I will go through the three tiers of lodging accommodations here and provide a few places I came across on my search. My friend and I picked a budget hotel in downtown Cairo, but afterwards we both said that we would not have minded if we had splurged on a 4/5 star hotel on our last night.

Your luxury hotel options in Cairo...

On average, expect to pay at least €180 ($200 USD) a night for a 4/5 star hotel depending on when you go. There are a few decent options on the island of Zamalek, or you can look into any of the following:

InterContinental Cairo Semiramis

Kempinkski Nile Hotel

Nile RItz-Carlton

These are close to the Nile River.

Your budget hotel options in Cairo...

On average, expect to pay €40/$45 a night. This category actually had the most variance in terms of reviews, and it was rather difficult to find the one that suited our needs (individual beds, A/C, central to Cairo/Nile River).

We stayed at the Azar Hotel (€38 / $42 a night), which did its job. The receptionists were nice, we had A/C in the room, and it was walking distance to the Nile River. However, it was in a busy area so the car honking was a bit too much at night. The other option we looked at was Jewel Zamalek Hotel, which was €67/$75) a night.

Here is a screenshot of your budget hotel options to give you an idea.

Your hostel options in Cairo...

If you are traveling solo or do not mind hostels, then this will be your most cost-effective option. Dorms start at €10 a night and private rooms are around €30/$33 a night. I looked into the following hostels as they all had high reviews on Hostelworld

Australia Hostel

Dahab Hostel

Egyptian Night Hostel

Day 1: Immerse yourself in the culture of Cairo

*Let me first disclose the fact that due to unforeseen circumstances, I unfortunately did not make it to the first two mosques I describe in the following paragraph. However, I did my research during my trip planning process and they should definitely belong in any itinerary for Cairo.

Mosque of Ibn Tulun

Day 1 consists of visiting several beautiful mosques in the southeastern part of the city, and I recommend eating a bigger breakfast since you may not get the chance to have lunch until much later in the afternoon if you follow my plan. After breakfast, take an Uber to the Mosque of Ibn Tulun. Built by Ahmed Ibn Tulun between 876 - 879 AD, the mosque is renowned for its unique architectural features and is considered one of the oldest in Egypt. It is also recognized as the largest mosque in Cairo in terms of land size. It was designated as an UNESCO Heritage site in 1979. The mosque features a large courtyard, a minaret, a prayer hall, a fountain, and an external enclosure wall. I would recommend spending 1 hour walking around the mosque, followed by another 1 hour if you would like to visit the Gayer Anderson Museum adjacent to the mosque. The museum was named after Major Robert Grenville Gayer-Anderson, an English officer who had previously studied to be a surgeon in London and was later deployed in Egypt in 1907. During his time in Cairo, he amassed a significant collection of pharaonic, Islamic, and Asiatic antiquities, which he made an agreement to leave the collection with the Egyptian government when he leaves the country. Ticket price for foreigners is EGP60/$2 for adults.

Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hasan

After Ibn Tulun, take a 15-minute walk to the second item on the itinerary: Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hasan. It is renowned for its grand architectural design and impressive dimensions, featuring a massive prayer hall with a high ceiling supported by intricately carved columns.

For more information, visit the Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hasan page on the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities website, where you can read more about this mosque. Ticket price for foreigners is EGP120/$4 for adults, but this price also includes entry into the Al-Rifa'i Mosque. I would also recommend spending at least 1.5 hours here.

Citadel of Cairo

Next, order an Uber and go to the crown jewel of today's adventure: Citadel of Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi (Saladin). The Citadel was completed in 1207 but has gone through several major redesigns, led by first the Mamluks in the 1300s and then by Mohamed Ali in the 1800s. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1976 and it is now considered one of the most iconic and important monuments in Islamic Cairo.

Ticket price for foreigners is EGP300/$10 for adults, and it gives you access to the Muhammad Ali Mosque, Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque, and the National Police Museum. As you make your ascent, you will first approach the museum, which you can skip if pressed for time. Continue your walk for 150 meters and you will see the entrance to the Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque to your right. The mosque was first built in the early 1300s and was restored in 1948 since the mosque was used as a prison and storage during the British occupation in late 1880s.

As you enter the mosque, you will be greeted by a gentleman, who will ask you to kindly remove your shoes. You can either carry your shoes around, or leave them at the entrance, but do know that as with any other mosques, leaving your shoes in their shoe cubicle may lead to a tip or donation request. Regardless of your decision, slowly walk on the red carpet and enjoy the stunning architecture, starting with the ceiling decorated with beautiful geometric shapes. There are plenty of opportunities to take photos here as well, starting with the open courtyard and the arches in the backdrop. I recommend spending ~30 minutes here.

The Muhammad Ali Mosque is perched at the very top of the hill, and everything about this area was just simply stunning. The outdoor space is extremely popular for weddings as I saw people prepare for a wedding and a few other groups take wedding group photos outside.. If you look at the photo to the left, the white archways make up an extremely pretty corridor for a good shot. It also overlooks all of Cairo, and on a clear sunny day you can see quite a lot of the city's hustle and bustle.

I would argue, however, that the interior is what makes this mosque truly special.

I sat inside for at least 20 minutes staring up at the mesmerizing lights while other folks around me do the same. For some, this was a place for respite while for others, it was walking directly in the middle of the floor to soak in the 360 degree view. If you're like me, I snapped all the photos I wanted before finding my own spot on the floor to sit. Again, take your shoes off when you enter the mosque!

Al-Azhar Park

This concludes the mosque adventure for the day, but there is one more attraction worth exploring in the area, which is the Al-Azhar Park. You will have to take a 12 minute Uber from the Citadel to the park. Ticket price is EGP35 / $1 for adults. This is a place where you can relax a bit and replenish your body with food. I normally don't recommend restaurants at attractions as they are prone to be overpriced, but given that it has been a long day since breakfast, I do recommend you explore any of the three restaurants situated within the park.

This 72-acre urban oasis has a bit of everything for everyone, from a children's play area to a pleasant walk to another viewpoint overlooking the city. Funny enough, the same two wedding groups I saw at the Muhammad Ali mosque also came here after for more wedding photos, so you know these are also really good photo op spots, but I already knew that :D. This also leads to funny story #2, where the ticket scanner guy actually wanted me to pay more because he saw my camera and thought I was a professional photographer. I insisted that I was not there to take any photos to profit, and he kept telling me to go back to buy a photographer pass even though I proposed that I keep my camera inside my bag. After a few rounds of conversation and an empty-threat request to refund my ticket on my end, we agreed to keep my camera inside my bag throughout my time inside the park.

Given the flow of the day, I think it would a fantastic to end the night with a nice dinner and some cocktails either before or after dinner. I would suggest you check out Bab El-Sharq restaurant located inside the RItz-Carlton Hotel on the Nile River. It is an outdoor restaurant with traditional Arabian dishes and they had several live-performance shows the night I went. The restaurant was not full when I went, but I still recommend you make a reservation in advance just in case. Hotel restaurants are usually not what I look for, but the food was reasonably priced and it was delicious. Shisha (or hookah) is also available at the restaurant if that is of interest. From here, it is entirely up to you on how you would like to spend the rest of the night; if you want to explore a rooftop bar, then you can walk a little bit south along the Nile to the Kempinski Nile Hotel Garden City Cairo. The bar provides a panoramic view of the river and I actually had dinner there as well, but it was on the pricier side and went there more for the views and drinks.

Day 2: Visit the Pyramids of Giza, Saqqara, and Memphis

The second day is where you will venture out of Cairo proper to go visit what every one does when they go to Cairo. When I was doing my research, a lot of the AirBnB experiences and group tours combined the Pyramids of Giza with Saqqara and Memphis. The pyramids was a no-brainer, but I was intrigued by the last two since I did not know much about it. With that said, I suggest you spend a full day visiting these sites and learn more about the Egyptian history along the way.

My friend and I signed up for an AirBnB experience (1,500 EGP per person or $50) hosted by a tour guide named Mohamed. It ended up being only the two of us so it became a private tour to the three sites, which was nice. The price was slightly higher than other tours I saw on GetYourGuide.com, but it ended up working out because Mohamed was very knowledgeable throughout the whole tour and even snapped some cool photos for us.

With that said, however, if you are an adventurous traveler or just simply on a strict budget, you can visit all three sites without joining a tour. Ubers are extremely cheap (a 20 minute drive cost me on average 35EGP/ $1 per person and doing this without a tour allows you to move at your own pace. In addition, the AirBnB experience excludes the price of admission for all of the sites, so we had to pay for the admission for the three sites anyways. I justified my choice to the fact that I was traveling with a friend, and having a local guide drive us removed an extra layer of stress for us. When you figure out your options, make sure to plan out whether a paying for a tour is worth the premium for you or your group.

Expect today's adventures to take up the full day (think 8:30am - 5/6pm).

Pyramids of Giza - the last surviving wonder of the ancient world

According to a few individuals, the pyramids of Giza were built by aliens. However, most historians and Egyptologists agree that they were built over 4,000 years ago during the fourth dynasty. The three main ones are:

1. The Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops): the largest and oldest pyramid at Giza. Built during the reign of Pharaoh Khufu circa 2550 BCE.

2. The Pyramid of Khafre (Chephren): Built during the reign of Khufu's son, Khafre, circa 2520 BCE.

3. The Pyramid of Menkaure (Mycerinus): the smallest of the three. Constructed by Pharaoh Menkaure, who ruled from around 2532 to 2503 BCE.

Til this day, there are still hypotheses as to how these pyramids were built. What is known, however, was that the constructions involved massive amounts of labor and engineering precision. Mohamed, our tour guide, mentioned that the majority of the limestones were transported down the Nile River (I say "down" because the Nile flows from South to North due to higher elevations in the southern terrain of Africa). The pyramids were built as monumental tombs for the pharaohs, who were considered divine rulers in ancient Egyptian society. These structures were designed to protect and preserve the pharaoh's body after death and provide a pathway to the afterlife. The pyramids were part of a complex funerary landscape that included causeways, mortuary temples, smaller subsidiary pyramids, and mastabas (smaller Egyptian tombs) for members of the royal family and high-ranking officials.

Entry to the Pyramids cost 360 EGP / $12 and I had to buy a parking pass for my tour guide's car (again, this is where doing this without a tour guide can save you some money). You have the opportunity to buy some add-ons too, such access to inside the Great Pyramid for 440 EGP /$14 or access to the smaller pyramids for a cheaper price. However, Mohamed and a few other folks on the internet have mentioned that it is not worth it because you don't really see anything inside. If you are claustrophobic or do not like to bend and climb all the time, then this may not be an add-on for you because the path gets narrower and narrower as you go further in.

Once you enter the Pyramids of Giza complex, you are more than welcome to roam around the pyramids, but I do admit it was nice to have Mohamed there to quickly drive us to the next checkpoint, which was the area where you have the option to pay for a camel ride or horse carriage to the best viewpoint of the three pyramids.

This part of the tour was arguably the biggest tourist trap at the pyramids, although I understand that everything is a business. We were presented two options to get to the viewpoint:

1) ride the camel or

2) sit in horse-drawn wagons

Both cost 500 EGP /$15 per person. I asked Mohamed if this was mandatory since I would have preferred to walk to the viewpoint since I did not really care for a camel ride across the desert here. However, he didn't answer the question directly other than saying the viewpoint is too far away and we need to pick an option (afterwards, I estimated the viewpoint to be less than a mile away). It appears that a lot of these guides do try to funnel business towards their colleagues working the transports, so I do understand that they are assisting each other. If you have never been on a camel before and treat this as a memorable experience, then I would recommend you to pay for camel ride. However, if you prefer not to due to personal beliefs or prefer to save some money, please know that despite what the tour guides insist upon, you have the option to simply walk to the viewpoint. I would have preferred to walk around myself if that option was made clear to me. I advise against the horse drawn wagon because some of the horses looked like they were struggling to pull the wagon in the sand, making the journey less enjoyable. Furthermore, expect to tip the person helping you with the camel as he will guide you throughout the whole time and will help take photos for you. Again, I brought my own camera and didn't feel comfortable letting random people use it so I didn't particularly feel the need to pay for transport when it would have been more enjoyable for me to walk to the viewpoint.

Mohamed took us to the Great Sphinx next, which was the last stop of the Giza Necropolis adventure. Most historians have concluded that the Great Sphinx was built during the same time as the second pyramid under King Khafre's reign. It was carved out from a single block of limestone, and now you can see that part of the nose is missing. There are two main viewpoints: directly head on in front of the entrance of the Sphinx Temple and to the left of the Sphinx as seen in the photo here. I can cross taking silly photos with the Great Sphinx off my bucket list.

We went to a restaurant called "Valley of the Kings" for lunch. Upon arrival, we were greeted with several musicians and samples of ice cream. It is a really cute place and I think the venue is used for weddings. I saw that a lot of the tourists were also brought here for food, so it's likely another partnership between the guides and the restaurant. The restaurant is along the way to our next two stops, so it makes sense that a lot of guides take their guests here. The food was pretty delicious; you get to order one entree (chicken, lamb, or veggie option) and you get unlimited sides. It was 600 EGP /$20 per person so price point was not terribly high. I would have welcomed any type of food after a few hours walking around the Giza Necropolis and this did not disappoint. Now comes the second half of the day.

Saqqara

Located roughly 16km (10 miles) south of Giza, the Saqqara archaeological site is worth exploring in itself. It is home to the oldest pyramid in Egypt, the Step Pyramid of Djoser. Many of the kings and individuals from the very first two dynasties were buried here, and till this day the Egyptian excavation teams have worked extremely hard in uncovering new discoveries. In fact, Mohamed mentioned that they had uncovered new tombs only a few weeks before we were there.

The Step Pyramid of Djoser is a six-tiered structure with a height of approximately 61 meters (200 feet) built during the 27th century BCE. Egyptologists credit Imhotep as the person who designed this pyramid. It served as the burial tomb for Pharaoh Djoser and was part of a larger complex known as the Saqqara Necropolis. There are a few other monuments worth exploring here such as the "Southern To", "Tomb of Horemheb", and "New Kingdom Cemetery." Furthermore, besides the Step Pyramid of Djoser, Saqqara is home to several other pyramid complexes, including the Pyramid of Teti, Pyramid of Unas, and Pyramid of Pepi I. Even though the Pyramid of Djoser is only 200 feet tall, it paved the way to the evolution of pyramid construction and architectural techniques in ancient Egypt. If you were to compare my pyramid photos in this post, you can clearly see the transformation from the Step Pyramid over to the Giza Pyramids.

If you decide to go here on your own and have time for the full experience, then you can pay 600 EGP / $20 for full access to the Saqqara site; this inclusive ticket allows entry into the site, Imhotep Museum, Nobles Tombs, New Kingdom Tombs, Serapeum, Tomb of Mereruka, Tomb of Mehu. Otherwise, if you're with a tour, chances are you will pay the 300 EGP, which is what we did. We spent ~45 minutes here and listened to Mohamed's informational facts about the site.

Memphis

Memphis is another 6.5km (4 miles) south of Saqqara, and the smallest/ most affordable site of the three. Memphis was the first capital of ancient Egypt, which helps explain why there are so many important ruins and ancient statues, such as the enormous statue of Ramses II. The Egyptian folks built a whole house to protect this statue because in the past they had offered it to other museums, but it would have costly to ship this colossal of a statue abroad.

One of the most interesting takeaways I learned from Mohamed was that most Egyptian statues have their left foot forward, whether they are standing or sitting. He explained that was a symbolic gesture such that the left foot is closer to the heart, which symbolizes power and health. Therefore, by placing the left foot forward, the statues may have been seen as invoking these positive qualities.

In addition, you will also see the statues typically hold scrolls in their hands. Scrolls were associated with knowledge, wisdom, and authority. Holding a scroll in their hand was a way for the statues to convey the importance and status of the depicted individual, as it symbolized their role as scribes, scholars, or high-ranking officials who possessed intellectual and administrative power.

Entry fee to the site was 100 EGP/$3 and you can anticipate spending 20-30 minutes here.

This concludes an exciting but long day out in the desert.

To summarize, here are the prices of the main tickets :

360 EGP per person for Giza

600 EGP to get into the Great Pyramid (optional)

300 EGP per person for Saqqara

100 EGP per person for Memphis

90 EGP total parking

This comes out to 1450 EGP /$47 before you factor in the AirBnb experience, which was more or less the same amount, so expect to pay at least 2,900 EGP / $100 for the day. However, this excludes the potential camel ride and tip, so please consider this when you decide whether you would like to rely on a tour guide or do it on your own.

Day 3: Museum and Adventures on the Nile

In the last day of the itinerary, you will stay within Cairo proper and experience first-hand just how busy the city streets are. I recommend you start the day over at Al Moez Ldin Allah Al Fatmi Street (al-Muizz Street for short), then make your way over to the Egyptian Museum and the Nile River before wrapping up the night over in Zamalek, an island on the Nile that has some nice restaurants and bars to explore.

Al Muizz Ldin Allah Al Fatmi Street and Bab Zuweila

Al-Muizz Street is one of the most famous historical streets in Cairo. It holds significant cultural and historical value due to the diverse array of architectural style it showcases. The street stretches ~ 1.6km (1 mile), starting from the Bab Al- Futuh gates in the north and Bab Zuweila gates in the south. You can find traditional bazaars offering a variety of goods, so it is a great place to experience the bustling atmosphere of the city's vibrant market culture. However, I do not recommend you buy anything from here because the prices are overinflated. I will discuss this later in the section on where to best buy souvenirs and gifts. Nevertheless, it is a street enriched with history and there are some mosques worth walking into to admire some of the views from the towers.

One of the shop owners recommended us to check out the views from the top of the Al-Ghuri mosque. To be honest, I still ask myself if he was really trying to be genuine or trying to scam us by sending us over to the mosque, but I took the bait and decided to follow his recommendation as the street was becoming more crowded and I wanted to get away and view the street from a higher view. Upon entering, the man met us at the entrance and provided a brief tour to us inside before taking us to the very top where you can see all of Cairo. The next two photos show the northern and southern strip of Al-Muizz street taken at the top of the mosque.

For the sake of where the day's direction is headed, I recommend you to explore this area first. However, a visit to Al-Muizz Street during the evening is also a magical experience since the monuments and structures are beautifully illuminated.

If you end up heading south on Al-Muizz street, I would suggest you visit Bab Zuweila as well. It is one of the remaining gates in old Cairo. The entrance fee is 60 EGP/$2, so slightly more than what I donated at the Al-Ghuri Mosque, but still a reasonable price to climb up the minarets for another nice viewpoint. Lastly, the famous Khan Al-Khalili bazaar is also located in the area. You should walk around and check out all of the shops here, but I would not buy anything here as the trinkets are more expensive and may not even be made in Egypt.

Egyptian Museum and the Government Bazaar

One can argue that the Egyptian Museum is one of the most important museums in the world.

Located in Tahrir Square alongside the Nile River, the museum is the oldest archaeological museum in the Middle East and It houses the largest collection of Pharaonic artifacts in the world. One interesting fact about this museum was that it was designed specifically with the intention of housing a large collection of Egyptian artifacts. The exhibits on the ground floor are displayed chronologically so you will get the chance to see numerous sarcophagus, relics, and statues across different periods. Remember when I mentioned how many figures are constructed with their left feet in front and scrolls in hand? You will see a lot of those here. However, the main attraction has to be collection of King Tutankhamun's treasures and his sarcophagus. This is the only exhibit where you're not allowed to take any photos whatsoever.

I recommend you to visit the Egyptian Museum in the afternoon because the museum is packed with tour groups and school children during the mornings. According to one local, the mornings are actually reserved for these groups, although I was unable to verify if this was really the case. Entrance fee is 300 EGP and I would say you can do the whole museum in less than 2 hours by yourself. The one thing I didn't like about this museum was that it didn't seem like there was much crowd control. Combined with the fact that it was a hot day and the building didn't have A/C inside made it somewhat unpleasant walking around inside. However, there is a new Egyptian Museum that is suppose to open up in November 2023 and it will be located in Giza.

Once you are done with the Egyptian Museum, cross the Meret Basha road and visit the Government Gift Shop Bazaar. During my trip, not one but two locals had walked up to me to strike up a conversation, and both highly recommended to buy our souvenirs here. The shop is small and has two levels, and contains items such as essential oils, magnets, real papyrus paintings, and necklaces. At a government bazaar shop, you can buy Egyptian made souvenirs at a fixed price; you do not have to waste time to haggle. Furthermore, you will notice that the souvenirs are at least 1/4 the price than the ones at Khan Al-Khalili.

Here is a firsthand example: The price of a magnet at Khan Al-Khalili starts at 300 EGP. I haggled my way down to 150 EGP after a few rounds before I walked away since I still felt it was still too expensive. At the government gift shop, a magnet cost 35-50 EGP. I ended up buying few magnets and a beautiful papyrus painting of the Pyramids of Giza while my friend bought some essential oils.

Boat Tour and Drinks along the Nile

There are different price points and types of boat tours you can select from depending on the type of experience you're willing to pay for. For 300 EGP per person, you can hop on a small boat with your friends and enjoy a 1-hour ride up and down the Nile. For this option, I recommend you bring your own snacks and drinks. On the other side of the spectrum, you can pay 2,000 EGP /$60 for a 2-hour dinner cruise. We opted for the former only because we wanted to relax in the late afternoon after lunch, but if we had an extra night to spare, an evening cruise on the Nile that includes dinner and live entertainment sounds like an amazing time. Whatever you decide, end your last night over in the island called Zamelek.

Zamelek is one of the more affluent and posh neighborhoods in Cairo, but it also has a vibrant restaurant and bar scene. Many restaurants boast beautiful rooftop settings, allowing diners to enjoy their meals with stunning views of the Nile River or the city skyline. We opted to splurge a little bit and went to Pier88 for drinks after dinner. It is an upscale Italian/Mediterranean restaurant but they have a nice bar section in the middle of the restaurant.

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Tips for Traveling to Cairo

• I mentioned this right at the beginning but when you travel, always make sure whether visas are required for your destination. Check if you can apply for the visa online.

• Bring Egyptian currency. Cairo is a cash-based society and many places do not accept credit cards. People will expect tips for their services. Some places even prefer USD or EUR because it is much more stable than the EGP.

• Expect to haggle everywhere you go, and expect people to try and sell you anything

• Forget public transit. Feel free to take Ubers as they are extremely affordable

• The best times to visit Cairo is from March-early May and October-November because there are fewer tourists, cooler temperatures during the day, and cheaper hotel rates.

• Bring ear plugs. You will need them to get through the night if you don't want to hear car honks all night.

There are plenty of mosques, pyramids, and history embedded in my 3-day itinerary, and I hope that this post gives you a a good sense of what to expect in a short trip to Cairo. If you're able to spend more time in Egypt, then I also highly recommend you go further south to Luxor, Valley of the Kings, and Aswan.

What do you think? Please leave a comment and do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have questions. Excited to hear about your own experience in Cairo!

-Chris