Cairo Essentials
Four days, every must-see, and a rooftop with the pyramids in it
The short version of Egypt done properly: the pyramids inside and out, the museum, both old Cairos, the bazaar at night, dinner on the Nile and a morning at Saqqara. You sleep at our guest house, ten minutes from the Sphinx.
Day by day
The route
Every day below can be moved or swapped. Tell us what matters to you.
- Day 1 · Giza & the Pyramids
Arrival in Cairo
- Pickup at Cairo airport and transfer to the guest house or your hotel
- Welcome drink at a local café: coffee, tea or iced lemon, shisha if you like, and a chat about the days ahead
- Day 2 · Giza & the Pyramids
The pyramids, and the show at night
- The Sphinx and the three pyramids, with a camel or horse ride around them
- Inside the third pyramid, the Queen’s pyramid and two tombs of the pyramid engineers
- The Giza dunes for the panoramic view of all nine pyramids
- Lunch with the family
- Sound and light show from the guest-house rooftop, or a seated ticket if you prefer
- Day 3 · Cairo
Two Cairos and the Nile
- The Egyptian Museum
- Coptic Cairo: the Church in the Cave (St Simeon), the Coptic Museum and the Hanging Church
- Islamic Cairo: Amr ibn al-As, Al-Azhar, Muhammad Ali Mosque at the Citadel and Al-Hussein
- Khan el-Khalili bazaar after dark
- Nile dinner cruise with an open buffet and belly dancing
- Day 4 · Saqqara, Dahshur & Memphis
Saqqara, then home
- Dahshur: the Red Pyramid (you can go inside) and Sneferu’s Bent Pyramid
- Saqqara: the Step Pyramid of Djoser and the tombs
- The open-air museum at Memphis, the old capital
- Transfer to the airport
Included
- Accommodation in a 3-star hotel or at our guest house
- Entrance tickets and fees for every activity
- Breakfast and lunch every day
- All tips at the sites, so nobody asks you for money
- All ground transport, private
- Domestic flights where the itinerary lists them
Not included
- Egyptian entry visa (on arrival, about $25)
- Dinner, except the dinners named in the itinerary
- International flights
- Drinks
- Tips for the tour team
Where you sleep
Where you sleep
In Cairo you stay at Pyramids Temple Guest House unless you prefer a hotel. Elsewhere, 3-star hotels we have used for years, or as listed.
Prices
per person, USD
| Adult | Student | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 6 travellers | $850 | $575 |
Children: Under 5: 50% off · Over 5: 25% off
Accommodation in a 3-star hotel or at our guest house. Entrance tickets and fees for every activity.
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