Itineraries for Your Trip to Cairo
1 Day in Cairo for First Timers
Cairo is one of those cities that you feel you never quite get the measure of. While it’s often daunting to newbies, Egypt’s capital will lure you on to the next sight and the next despite often infuriatingly busy roads and the sheer number of attractions dangled in front of you. The fact is that seeing the best of Cairo in limited time requires serious planning. Without careful prepping and some strategic prebooking of tours and tickets, the clock can easily run down before you’ve covered what you want. Here are my suggestions for ensuring you enjoy Cairo’s don’t-miss sights and experiences in a day.
Whatever the season, bring a lightweight scarf to help keep Cairo’s sandy and dusty air from your hair and face.
If you only have time for one thing, make it the astonishing and ageless Giza Pyramids.
This morning is prime for checking off Cairo’s blockbusters: the Giza Pyramids and Egyptian Museum. Book a tour to see them in one outing without the distractions of arranging cabs, tickets, or on-site guides. Most excursions are private half- or full-day affairs that include door-to-door transport and an Egyptologist driver-guide who’ll give the lowdown on these incredible UNESCO–listed tombs and the Sphinx, so you can better appreciate their age and majesty. Many tours include a short Giza camel ride before continuing to the Egyptian Museum, whose must-sees are Tutankhamun’s treasures—the boy king’s 3,300-year old death mask being the highlight.
If you haven’t booked a full-day tour that covers Old Cairo (Misr Al-Qadima) after the pyramids, use this afternoon to dive into the city’s historical core, which offers a maze of medieval mosques, churches, and narrow lanes. Most visitors take private tours with driver-guides to tackle the labyrinthine mass of sights, viewing Coptic Cairo treasures like the 7th-century Hanging Church (Al-Muallaqa) and the landmarks of Islamic Cairo, such as vibrant Al-Moez Street and the ethereal Cairo Citadel (Citadel of Saladin) with its Alabaster Mosque (Mosque of Muhammad Ali). Finish your forays with a scout around the Khan El-Khalili bazaar: Its jewelry, perfume, silverware, and rug shops make for perfect souvenir-hunting territory.
After freshening up at your hotel, finish your evening in Cairo in style with an evening dinner cruise along the Nile River. Cruises offer views of the city's skyline from the river, and many cruise options come with the choice of set menus or a la carte choices, most with plenty of vegetarian options. Cruises generally also feature live performances with traditional folk music, tanoura dance performances (similar to whirling dervishes found in Turkey), belly dancing, or some combination of the three.
