Although there are obviously TONS of things to do in Cairo Egypt, it’s a bit of a tough city to crack.
With a massive city of 20 MILLION people, it’s tough to know where to begin in ticking off Cairo bucket list attractions and moving on to more hidden gems. This city is kind of like drinking from a fire hose – it stimulates ALL senses at the same time, at all times. But in that way, it is also incredible.
We spent a week in Cairo at first – then came back for a few days, then came back for 2 weeks, then came back again for another week or so. We used it as our home base for all our Egypt adventures and did the absolute MOST we could to discover the authentic heart of this bustling city.
Below I’ve outlined all of our discoveries for you and more. This is a Cairo travel guide of sorts, a things to do in Cairo post, a list of the most obvious must-sees and a flair of many of our personal favorites.
Getting Around Cairo
The best way to get around Cairo is, hands-down, uber. There are tons of taxis but they WILL rip you off as much as they possibly can. Uber sets a low and fair price and allows you to pay with cash so you don’t have to fumble around with cash and change. If you decide to take a taxi, use the uber price to haggle.
Cairo does have a metro, but we didn’t take it. I believe it’s quite convenient, but can get packed and stuffy in rush hour and wouldn’t be that much cheaper than a shared uber.
Where to Stay in Cairo
Cairo is so MASSIVE that it took me weeks to decide just WHERE I would recommend for visitors to stay. Islamic Cairo surely has the most Cairo attractions around it, but it’s busier and older. Giza has the pyramids – but not much else.
Maadi is the most beautiful, quiet and green suburb, but it’s 30 minutes away from the center. Same goes for Heliopolis – it’s more modern and clean. Downtown truly is central, but it mostly only has restaurants and shops. Garden City is close to everything AND the Nile, so might be a good option but can be pricey.
Now that I have listed the pros and cons of each place, here are a few varied options depending on what YOU like!
Nile-View Splurge: Kempinski Nile Hotel Garden City
If you are only spending a few days in Cairo or are willing to splurge a bit on a nicer, more hotel-y hotel RIGHT on the Nile with a rooftop pool, in-room baths with sunset/Nile views, and cute rooms with old-fashioned touches, check out the Kempinski.
Cozy Green Suburb Boutique Hotel – Villa Belle Epoque – Maadi
If you are willing to sacrifice being in a central location (and let’s face it, it takes a while to get from anywhere to anywhere in Cairo so you won’t be missing much), you should stay in Maadi. Maadi feels the most like a cute neighborhood in Cairo – with leafy streets, amazing food, and lovely estates – one of which is this boutique hotel.
Villa Belle Epoque is one of the most beautiful places to hang out in Maadi, and surely the best hotel. With a renovated 1920’s-meets-today vibe and a lovely restaurant and garden, you can’t go wrong. Check out more things to doin Maadi here – it’s my favorite suburb.
Central Budget Option with Rooftop: Dahab Hostel
If you want something cheap + right in the thick of it, stay at Dahab Hostel in Cairo’s downtown. This hostel is super social, colorful, and spacious despite its very central location. They set you up on tours for great prices, and have a pretty epic rooftop as well.
You can book a dorm bed here for VERY cheap, or they have single, double, and triple private rooms if you’d prefer some privacy for a great price point.
Affordable and EPIC Pyramid View: Jacuzzi By the Pyramids
If you are just SO intrigued by the pyramids and would like to spend more time around them than just a day tour or two, stay here!!! We came back to Giza and stayed at this exact apartment a few weeks after visiting the pyramids and it was incredible. The view is unbelievable! And yes, it’s a spa!
Top Things to Do in Cairo
Here are some must-do’s, coolest things to do, and tours. These are great to consider especially if you don’t have much time in Cairo. Not including the pyramids… keep reading for those.
Felucca Boat on the Nile
This is kind of a must. Felucca boats are the traditional Egyptian boats that sail on the Nile and have a huge sail that they can put up. It’s a classic Cairo activity to jump on one of these boats on the Nile and enjoy Cairo’s bustle from the calm water.
Felucca boats can also turn into a bit of a party with a good group and a boat with speakers after dark. Doing this. forsunset is the best option!
Dinner Cruise on the Nile
If you want to get a full dose of Cairo in a few short hours, a Nile dinner cruise might be for you. This fun experience includes a buffet dinner while cruising the Nile, and some fascinating Arabic performances like belly dancing and tanoora dance.
This is a great way to be introduced to Egyptian culture, eat tons of food, and see the city/Nile for one low price.
Cairo Food Tour
If you want to understand and experience traditional Egyptian food in one afternoon, check out a Cairo food tour! You can try all different types of Egyptian food from the national dish koshary to their classic meal of fool (beans), taameya (falafel) and sharawma. You will also sample some classic drinks and tea in the heart of Cairo.
Things to Do in Cairo Downtown Area
To be honest, it’s hard to tell where is the ‘center’ of Cairo as there are so many different areas. The downtown area is centered around Tahrir square and the Egyptian Museum, and most things to do in Cairo are within close reach of here.
Explore Downtown
Downtown Cairo is packed full of shops, local restaurants, and a few more well-known chain restaurants too. You can get a real feel for the city by walking around these busystreets, checking out some restaurants, and wandering through some shops or street markets.
Try Egyptian Food Downtown
While you are exploring downtown, stop at some authentic Egyptian restaurants in the area to get a taste of the local food.
For cheap and fast food, check out Kazaz. For a popular Egyptian restaurant with a great atmosphere, go to Felfela. To try the national dish Koshary (the best in the city) go to Abou Tarek. For a cute sit-down Egyptian meal, check out Fasahet Somaya. For a local coffee shop with wifi and an artsy atmosphere, check out Kunst Gallery and Cafe. And for amazing desserts and pastry, go to El Abd.
Want something familiar? Downtown also has Starbucks, KFC, Cinnabon, Costa Coffee, and more…
Visit the Egyptian Museum
If there’s one museum you visit in Egypt, it has to be this one! The Egyptian Museum contains THOUSANDS of artifacts from all kingdoms, dynasties, and different rule periods of Egypt, from the beginning of the Old Kingdom up to Roman Rule.
You absolutely mustn’t miss the King Tut exhibition, which contains all the artifacts from King Tut’s tomb which was discovered in perfect condition in the 1920’s. You can learn about the culture, under
rstand some different hieroglyphs, marvel at some of the most ancient findings in the world, and more.
You can walk the museum in order through time from the old Kingdom (start on the left) or you can explore freestyle. There aren’t signboards describing each and every object, but you can still learn quite a lot exploring by yourself. If you want to know more, you can hire a guide for only a few dollars more than the museum ticket:
Tahrir Square
This is the main square outside the Egyptian Museum. It’s sort of a big flat open park surrounded by hotels and important buildings. Many tours pick up here and you might hear it referred to a lot in Cairo.
Enjoy a Drink Along the Nile
There are a few cool bars and restaurants on the Nile where you can relax with a drink and take in the views of the longest and most famous river in the world. I loved Bellaila, which is a cute open-air and flower-covered cafe with Nile views. The El Sawy Culture Wheel on Zamalek is also really cool.
Visit Islamic Cairo
Islamic Cairo is pretty much self-explanatory… it’s the Islamic center of the city. All the sites in this section are quite close and technically doable in one day, although you’ll be exhausted!
How to Visit Islamic Cairo
You can visit Islamic Cairo pretty well by yourself by using uber. Start by taking an uber to the citadel and continue from there to the city. It’s a LOT to visit in one day so you might want to consider staying around here to spend a few days ticking off these sights, or taking a day tour that organizes the best of Cairo for you so you don’t have to plan.
This tour below will take you to Coptic Cairo, the Citadel, 4-5 mosques and areas of Islamic Cairo, and then the Khan El Khalili bazaar in one day if you are short on time! It will definitely be rushed (I have no idea how they squeeze so much in one day for cheap), but it’s better to see all of this in one day than to not see it.
Marvel at City Views at the Citadel
The Citadel of Salah Al-Din Al-Ayoubi (known as the citadel of Saladin) is one of the MUST-SEE things to do in Cairo. Put this one at the top of your list! This citadel was built in the 1100’s and functioned as a fortified medieval rulers’ housing for 700 years.
The citadel is home to a LOT of other points of interest, including 3+ museums, 2 mosques, and the BEST VIEWS of Cairo that you can find. There are some open areas at the top of the citadel where you can relax and enjoy views of the Cairo skyline. You can even see the pyramids from up here!
You can visit the police museum and also the massive Military museum, and learn tons about Egypt while exploring what the Citadel has to offer. The cost of entry to the Citadel is 180EGP.
Mosque of Muhammad Ali
The mosque of Muhammad Ali is the focal point of the Cairo Citadel and even defines Cairo’s skyline from anywhere else in the city. This landmark was only added to the citadel in the 1800’s when Muhammad Ali took over.
You can explore the incredible courtyard of this mosque, constructed with limestone adorned with different materials. The inside is extraordinary, with ornate ceilings and chandeliers hanging all over.
Park Al Azhar
Park Al Azhar might be the greenest space in Cairo! It’s a huge park on a hill with grassy areas, a lake, gardens, and more.
It’s a lovely place to come to relax, walk, picnic, and watch the sunset. It can get very crowded though – it’s another local favorite spot and you will likely find even a dozen brides taking photos there on the weekends.
The park costs 25EGP to get into, but the crazy part is that they won’t let you bring your camera in unless you pay 300EGP for a camera apass. You might have to leave it at the gate!
Al Azhar Mosque
Close by Park Al Azhar is another incredible mosque of the same name. The Al Azhar Mosque will impress you with its intricate details and interior. You don’t have to spend too much time in here, but you can easily stop by between the park and the bazaar.
Visit the Museum of Islamic Art
The museum of Islamic art is also in this area. Here you can see tons of historic Islamic artifacts from through the ages. Islam arrived in Egypt around the 6th century, so there’s a lot of time to unpack different forms of art through 1400 years of history.
Climb Zuwayla Gate
Zuwayla Gate is the last remaining gate of old Cairo, characterized by two minaret-style towers above a gate. It’s one of the quick ad cheap things to do in Cairo to climb up here and see a view over Islamic Cairo.
Khan el Khalili Bazaar
The Khan el Khalili Bazaar is the BIGGEST Bazaar in Cairo… and I mean HUGE. You most likely won’t be able to walk all of it… and you won’t want to after dealing with the people in it after some time!
This place is the Wild West of Egyptian salespeople trying to hassle you to buy their things. It toes the line between extremely stressful and hilariously fun, but just try to remember to thing of everything as lighthearted and funny and not let anyone get to you.
Khan el Khalili would be the perfect place to buy any souvenirs, but just make SURE you aren’t paying triple or quadruple for it. People will hike up prices like crazy – maybe even 5x pr more – to start haggling. I recommend checking prices at multiple places before buying (so you can compare) and buying from the back streets where they don’t try to scam you as much.
Walk around Al-Muizz li-Din Allah past the Sabil-Kuttab and Visit Mosques and More
If you have time, this historic street known as ‘Al-Muizz street’ is incredible. Founded in the 900’s AD, it’s now a UNESCO-protected site with dozens of monuments lining it from the 900’s to 1800’s. It can even be considered an open-air museum of sorts – there are that many historic things to see.
Nilometer
A nilometer used to be how the ancient cultures could measure the water level of the Nile. There’s only one remaining Nilometer in Cairo, located on Rhoda island. You can see this long, deep, well-like tunnel and think that it used to determine the level of taxes that citizens would pay on their farms depending upon how much water they could get to it.
Explore Coptic Cairo, or Old Cairo
Coptic Cairo is the oldest part of Cairo, dating back to the arrival of Christianity in the first few hundred years AD. This is the Christian center of Cairo. It’s actually a walled area that closes at 5pm each day, so make sure to arrive early!
You can feel the age of this area as you walk around the thin and crumbling streets that dart around as if they hadn’t been planned with any rhyme or reason. You’ll find some vendors, but the main thing to visit in here are the churches. There are 6-8 churches inside that date back to the first 6 or 7 centuries. They’re still in use today!
How to Visit Coptic Cairo
You can visit Coptic Cairo on your own or with a tour. We visited on our own by taking an uber there. But to be honest, to make the most of this place I would recommend a tour so you can truly comprehend the gravity of these ancient churches. There are some explanations to read at the Hanging Church and in the museum but that’s about it.
The most jam-packed and affordable tour to Islamic and Coptic Cairo is below if you are short on time.
Coptic Museum
Outside the walls you will find a lovely and ornate Coptic Museum that can teach you all about Egypt’s Christian history from its arrival to the arrival of Islam to now. It’s pretty fascinating to learn about one of the first places Christianity arrived to. They say that Jesus actually visited this area once!
Hanging Church
Also outside the walls, you. can visit the fortress of Babylon and the Hanging Church. It’s called that because it was literally built on top of the fortress, hanging over the walls and alleys.
You can enter this incredible ancient church and look down at least 10m from the windows and floor! The inside has been preserved very well and is worth a visit.
Visit ALL The Pyramids Outside Cairo
That’s right, there’s more than just Giza! Trust me, it’s worth making time to visit ALL the pyramids. I recommend visiting the pyramids of Dahshur, Saqqara, and Memphis (the capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt) on the first day, and then leaving a whole day for Giza.
Most tours do it all in one day and I think that’s too much. We got a private guide for 2 days to do this. His name is Rashid and his TripAdvisor is below if you would like to book him too!
Saqqara Step Pyramid and Necropolis
Saqqara is the step-pyramid; it’s the pyramid that has step sides rather than straight sides. It’s believed to date back to the 2600’s BC. The belief in Egyptology today is that Saqqara is the OLDEST pyramid built for the Pharoah Djoser… they even say it’s the oldest stone building in the world (although I’m not sure how they define ‘building.’
This pyramid is surrounded by a rectangular necropolis and temple that you can also explore.This one is commonly referred to as the first real ‘try’ at building pyramids – Djoser’s son, grandson, great grandson, and great great grandson built the next 2 pyramids at Dahshur as 3 at Giza (or should I say, had it built for them)!
The cost for entrance here is 180 Egyptian pounds (and it is not possible to go inside). There is however also a museum dedicated to the architect, Imhotep. Check out my video of visiting these pyramids that went viral on tiktok.
Explore + Go Inside the Pyramids of Dahshur – Red, White, and Black
The red and white pyramids of Dahshur date bar to the generation after Djoser, in the time of his son King Sneferu. It’s believed that the white pyramid (also known as the bent pyramid) was built first, and the angle of the sides was miscalculated, leading them to change halfway through making the sides bent.
The Red Pyramid was built at a more suitable angle the whole way. You can go inside both of these pyramids with your entrance fee of only 60 EGP. But don’t go if you are claustrophobic! Both have a quite narrow pathway down with steps along a slanted walkway that opens up into a central chamber in both pyramids. The bent pyramid seems a bit more random, and the Red Pyramid is more symmetrical, airtight, and organized (in my opinion). It seems that they really learned from one to the next!
The Black Pyramid is kind of like the ugly stepsister of the other two. It’s over a thousand years YOUNGER than the other two (from the Middle Kingdom) but is in much worse condition. They made pyramids from mud-brick in these times and it didn’t stand the test of time.
Visit Memphis, the Capital of the Old Kingdom
After checking out the pyramids, top off your first pyramid day by visiting the UNESCO site of Memphis, the capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. This site costs 80LE to go into and is essentially a collection of artifacts, statues, sarcophaguses, and hieroglyphics that were found in the area.
You can go around and read descriptions about lots of ancient, 4000-5000+ year old items that have interesting stories.
Spend a Day Inside the Pyramids of Giza
It goes without saying that one of the most important things to do in Cairo – perhaps THE most important thing to do in Cairo – is visiting the Pyramids of Giza.
The last remaining ancient wonder of the world stands just outside the city, and is an absolute marvel to witness. Entrance is 200EGP, and if you want to go inside the great pyramids, it’s an extra 400.
It’s nice to go with a guide so you can get explanations for what Egyptologists currently think about the mysteries of the pyramids. All you need is a half-day tour and then the guide can go home and you can spend the rest of the day exploring on your own (and uber home).
Renting a camel is also a good idea to get around and have the true Egyptian experience, but just make sure not to get scammed – the official price is 350LE for an hour.
Get some Amazing Views of the Pyramids
Make sure to walk around all the pyramids for great views, and visit the panoramic viewpoints in the desert surrounding them. There are also some restaurants and hotels with great views too. Check out my article for the best views and photo spots of the pyramids.
Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum
This one just opened and I haven’t had a chance to go, but this museum that just opened near the pyramids of Giza is apparently one of the biggest in the WORLD. Don’t miss checking out this new archaeological wonder and amazing museum.
Zamalek Island
Zamalek island is widely regarded as one of the more affluent parts of Cairo. It’s a big island in the middle of the Nile, right next to downtown Cairo. Here you can find a lot of foreign embassies, parks, restaurants, and bars that are high quality. We loved going to Zamalek for dinner or for some cafe time.
Climb the Cairo Tower
One of the best things to do in Cairo (or any city) is to make your way to the best viewpoint right when you arrive so that you can get a feel for the city. The best place to do this in Cairo is from the Cairo tower!
THere’s actually a revolving restaurant at the top if you want a really unique and luxe experience, but you can also pay $$$ to go up for the view. They handle bookings on their facebook page.
Cairo’s Trash City
For a bit of a dystopian-tourism activity that is actually incredible inspiring, you can visit Cairo’s Mokattan community, better known as Garbage City. This is the home of people known as the Zabbaleen, and these people recycle the garbage of Cairo BY HAND.
Garbage City is a 90% Christian community near the Mokattam mountain, which has all the aspects of a functioning city but most people are employed sorting garbage. They sort it into different materials and a lot of is is recycled and repurposed on the spot Check out my article for more information!
Mokattam Cave Church
Next to garbage city, you’ll find some incredible cave churches carved into caves in the cliffs of Mokattam mountain. Legend has it that St Simon moved this mountain to its current position when there was threat of a Muslim attack.
You can enter at least 4-5 cave churches here and marvel at the architecture and carvings in these spacious places of worship – actually the largest in the middle east! Learn more here.
Check Out the Green Leafy Suburb of Maadi
Maadi is my favorite suburb of Cairo. It’s about 20 minutes south of the center, perfectly removed from too much Cairo craziness. This is one of the most concentrated areas of Cairo for expats.
It’s an amazingly green neighborhood that FEELS like a cute neighborhood. It’s got homes with gardens, parks in the middle of the streets, apartment buildings, happy dogs and cats, and more that you would expect from a suburb. The Main Street is full of cute coffee shops and restaurants with terraces.
Wadi Degla
Wadi Degla is an incredible protectorate just outside of Maadi. It’s a massive desert canyon with rocks dating back 34 million years to when the area was an ocean . You can still find remains of shells as you explore!
When you are inside, it’s hard to believe you have only driven 10 minutes from Maadi. From the canter, you can’t even see a speck of the city anymore and feel you’re in a remote desert! It would be best to have a car to explore Wadi Degla properly.
Things to Do in Cairo Egypt at Night
Cairo’s nightlife scene is pretty epic. From huge dj shows to tiny dingy nightclubs, you can definitely find something to do in Cairo when the sun goes down. Remember- the weekends here tend to be Thursday and Friday night!
Cairo Jazz Club
One of the most popular clubs in Cairo is called Cairo Jazz Club, which contrary to its name, plays much more than jazz. The inaugural edition of this nightclub has a nondescript little entrance on a side street in Agouza – across the bridge from Zamalek.
They actually play different types of music on different nights, from live music to jazz to latin to electronic. We visited for a melodic house/techno night on a Thursday, and it was a great time.
There’s a bigger Cairo jazz club in the suburb of 6th of October that hosts bigger shows. Check out events at both clubs on their site.
Bar Hopping in Cairo
Yes, it’s actually possible to go bar hopping in Cairo! If you know the right spots, downtown can be a fun place for a Cairo night out. Explore shisha patios and dive bars in the authentic grungy downtown area.
You can even take a pub crawl in Cairo that will show you the best bars and places to get alcohol in Cairo (as not everywhere sells it). Check it out below.
Maadi Corniche
The Maadi corniche, or the boardwalk/area along the Nile, gets pretty bumping on a weekend night. There are some open-air restaurants along the water and also big riverboats that turn into clubs on the weekend and host music and shows.
Passionate, full-time travel blogger with over 230k on social media and 150kMPV blog. Extraordinary photographer with two DSLR's + a drone with a love for capturing candid moments, epic drone shots, and magical compositions. I'm a natural-born content creator originally from California, but I've been on the road for 9 years living, working, traveling, blogging, and photographing my way around the world. I recommend the most amazingly adventurous and unique + boutique travel experiences/stays and helpful products to my audience and write comprehensive guides on my website that have helped millions of travelers so far. I love to inspire people to plan their dream trips, and many readers have given feedback as such. The reach on my platforms continues to soar, especially when combining cutting-edge social content with optimized articles on my high-authority website.