4 days in Cairo

Day by day

1. Day 1: Pyramids of Giza and Great Sphinx

   Pyramids of Giza, Great Sphinx and Grand Egyptian Museum, then Khan el-Khalili in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Pyramids of Giza

      Allow 3–4 hours (mid-priced). Arrive at opening to beat the heat and the tour buses, and agree the price, route and length of any camel or horse ride before you get on.

   2. Late morning

      Great Sphinx

      The terrace beside Khafre's Valley Temple, built of massive granite blocks, gives the classic view with a pyramid behind.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Koshari

      Koshari restaurants across the city; Abou Tarek on Champollion Street Downtown is the best known.

   4. Afternoon

      Grand Egyptian Museum

      Allow 4–5 hours (expensive). Allow at least half a day, head to the Tutankhamun galleries before they fill, and pair the museum with the pyramids on the same side of the city.

   5. Evening

      Khan el-Khalili

      Come in the late afternoon and stay into the evening, when the lanes and the square by Al-Hussein Mosque are at their liveliest; bargain firmly but politely.

2. Day 2: National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and Al-Azhar Mosque

   National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Al-Azhar Mosque and Al-Muizz Street, then Tanoura show at Wekalet El Ghouri in the evening.

   1. Morning

      National Museum of Egyptian Civilization

      Beside the Ain el-Sira lake in Fustat, NMEC tells Egypt's story from prehistory to the present, and its dimly lit Royal Mummies Hall holds the mummies of rulers such as Ramesses II and Hatshepsut, moved here in a televised parade in 2021.

   2. Late morning

      Al-Azhar Mosque

      Allow 45 minutes (free). Remove your shoes at the entrance; women should cover their hair, and scarves are often provided.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Ful medames

      Street carts and ful shops in every neighbourhood, busiest early in the morning.

   4. Afternoon

      Al-Muizz Street

      The main street of the medieval Fatimid city runs from Bab al-Futuh south to Bab Zuweila, lined with some of the finest Islamic architecture anywhere: the Qalawun complex with its hospital and mausoleum, the madrasa of Barquq, ornate sabil-kuttab fountains and the Ottoman merchant's house of Bayt al-Suhaymi.

   5. Evening

      Tanoura show at Wekalet El Ghouri

      Arrive early for a good seat and check the current schedule locally, as it can change.

3. Day 3: Al-Azhar Park and Bab Zuweila

   Al-Azhar Park, Bab Zuweila and Citadel of Saladin and Muhammad Ali Mosque, then Felucca ride on the Nile in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Al-Azhar Park

      Allow 2 hours (low cost). Come in the late afternoon for sunset, when families picnic and the minarets glow, and stay for dinner at one of the park restaurants.

   2. Late morning

      Bab Zuweila

      Just south, the covered Street of the Tentmakers sells hand-stitched appliqué textiles.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Ta'ameya

      Ful and ta'ameya shops and breakfast carts all over the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Citadel of Saladin and Muhammad Ali Mosque

      Allow 2 hours (mid-priced). Visit in the morning, take a taxi up, then walk down to the Sultan Hassan and Al-Rifa'i mosques below.

   5. Evening

      Felucca ride on the Nile

      Agree the price for the boat and the length of the trip before boarding, and bring your own drinks and snacks.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Saqqara

   About 1 hour by car each way. Getting there: Car with driver or tour.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Saqqara

      About 1 hour by car (Car with driver or tour); about 30 km.

   2. Day

      Saqqara

      The vast necropolis of ancient Memphis holds the Step Pyramid of Djoser, built about 4,700 years ago and the oldest large stone building in Egypt, along with richly decorated Old Kingdom tombs and the huge granite sarcophagi of the Serapeum. It is much quieter than Giza.

   3. Evening

      Back in Cairo

      Dinner: try Molokhia.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Pyramids of Giza and Grand Egyptian Museum before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 nights, Downtown keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Zamalek ($$$) suits couples, first-timers, food lovers, families and nightlife. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 22–26 hours of visiting over 4 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.2 hours in December to 14.1 hours in June.

More or fewer days

• One day in Cairo
• 2 days in Cairo
• 3 days in Cairo
• 5 days in Cairo
• 7 days in Cairo

Questions travellers ask