How to Vacation in Cairo, Egypt
As the largest city in the continent of Africa and Egypt’s capital, Cairo is the most visited city of the country. You may find it exotic and beautiful, but also chaotic and dusty. Before you get on the plane for your Egyptian vacation you’ll want to know what time of year is best to go, where to shop, where to stay and what places are not to be missed.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Vacationing in the summer months is the norm for many of us. However, you won’t want to plan your trip to Egypt during their sweltering summertime. The most comfortable months are between November and March.
-
2
Locating an inexpensive motel is not so difficult as many can be found in central Cairo. However, there are many places to stay that offer varying prices at most locations. It’s best to work out a travel plan, deciding where the best central location would be for you, whether it is near the pyramids, near the airport or in a quieter location such as Zamaleck.
-
-
3
Getting around Cairo is probably best done on foot, but take a map with you, as it is not always easy to find your way around. As the day wears on and your legs grow weary, you’ll find an abundance of black and white taxis that can be hailed from every street corner. Busses are available to get around the city, but can be difficult unless you can speak and read Arabic.
-
4
Visiting the oldest part of the city, Coptic Cairo (Masr al-Qadima), is a good place to learn of the ancient history of 2000 years ago. You’ll find most of Cairo’s churches in this location. Don’t miss seeing the Hanging Church and the Ben Ezra synagogue, which is the oldest one in Egypt.
-
5
Exploring Islamic (Medieval) Cairo will bring you to the sight of many mosques and bazaars (souqs). Don’t miss the Al-Khalili bazaar where you can pick up camel shoes, veils, perfumes, carpets and much more. It will feel that nothing has changed in the last hundred years. You most likely are not in the market for a new camel, but you will want to stop by and see the camel bazaar (souq al-gamal) in the west part of the city. The oldest university is on site at the Al-Azhar mosque (970 AD) and largest mosque in the world is the Ibn Tulun.
-
6
Examine the ancient artifacts of Egypt at the museums. Most Egyptian tombs are empty, with history literally stolen from her by looters. What is left of the mummies and sarcophagi will be found in these museums. Visit Luxor to see what is touted as the largest outdoor museum, temples and monuments. If time is limited, visit the Luxor Temple at the town center. Although magnificent, it can be toured in an hour. The second choice, is the Mummification Museum for everything mummified, including birds and reptiles. The Luxor Museum will give you a view of a time gone-by with collections of artifacts.
-
7
Shoot lots of pictures of the pyramids for your vacation album. It’s not likely you can go to Cairo and not plan to see the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Sphinx. The three pyramids in Giza, the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops), the Pyramid of Kafhre and the smaller one, Pyramid of Menkaura are all tombs of Egyptian kings. Exploring the outside of the pyramids can be done by foot, ride a horse and buggy or take a camel. It is no longer allowable to climb up the outside of the pyramids as it once was. Going inside them requires you have good strong legs as the climb down and back up again is quite steep and narrow.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
When first getting into a Cairo taxi, agree on a price for the trip: don’t count on their meters working properly. Egyptian etiquette calls for men to sit in the front seat and women in the back. And don’t be surprised if additional passengers are picked up on the way to your destination.
If you decide to take a camel ride around the pyramids, bargain a good price before getting on. And don’t take any pictures of the camel unless you are ready to pay the owner: they will charge you.
Get in line for the pyramid tickets early as they only allow 300 per day.
Resources
- Photo Credit ancama_99 at Flickr
