When to go to Cairo?
→ The detailed month-by-month page, with real weather records
Best time: October to March
At a glance
Why go to Cairo?
Few cities pack in as many layers of civilisation as Cairo. On a single bank of the Nile, the pyramids of the Old Kingdom answer the minarets of the Islamic golden age, the Coptic domes and the Paris-inspired khedival avenues. This megacity of more than twenty million people, the most populous in the Arab world and in Africa, is not visited like a museum: you cross it to the rhythm of car horns, muezzins and the constant comings and goings of a river that has nourished it for five thousand years. You come for Giza first, but you leave marked by the raw energy of a city that never sleeps.
Contrast is the watchword. To the west, on the desert plateau, the three great pyramids and the Sphinx stand guard right at the doorstep of apartment blocks. In the historic heart, the medieval maze of Khan el-Khalili and the Mamluk mosques unfold a UNESCO-listed heritage. Along the Nile, the terraces of Zamalek and the feluccas offer a breather from the density. This sometimes disconcerting juxtaposition is what gives Cairo its spice: in a few minutes you go from the silence of the tombs to the uproar of a gridlocked junction.
The recent opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, a stone's throw from the pyramids, has changed the game. The largest archaeological collection ever devoted to a single civilisation now brings together, in one place, the complete treasure of Tutankhamun and tens of thousands of pieces. Add a lively nightlife, generous food and some of the gentlest prices in the Mediterranean, and Cairo stands out as an ideal gateway to Egypt, provided you accept its intensity.
Map of Cairo: what is where?
The map shows the 7 places covered in this guide, to picture the distances and plan your route.
- Pyramids of Giza
- Grand Egyptian Museum
- Khan el-Khalili
- Saladin Citadel
- Hanging Church (Coptic Cairo)
- Saqqara
- Tahrir Square
How much does a trip to Cairo cost?
Cairo is one of the most affordable major capitals in the world, especially since the sharp devaluation of the Egyptian pound. Accommodation, food and transport remain very accessible; the main expenses are site entrance tickets, including that of the Grand Egyptian Museum, and excursions with a driver. Here are rough figures per person per day, excluding international flights.
| Style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | EGP 600-1,000 (about €11-18) | Hostel or simple room, street food (koshari, ful), metro and walking, a few site entrances. |
| Comfort | EGP 2,500-4,500 (about €45-80) | Well-located three- or four-star hotel, quality restaurants, ride-hailing whenever you like, guided excursions to Giza and Saqqara. |
| Luxury | EGP 9,000 and up (about €160 and up) | Palace hotel on the Nile or facing the pyramids, gourmet restaurants, private car with driver, dinner cruise. |
The currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP). Card payments are becoming common in hotels, museums and upmarket restaurants, but cash remains essential for the souks, taxis, tips and small stalls. Withdraw from ATMs, which are plentiful in the city, and always keep small change for baksheesh, which is widely practised.
Is Cairo safe?
Cairo is a generally safe city for visitors, as violent crime is rare, but it calls for the ordinary vigilance of any big metropolis. The main annoyances are the persistent hustling around tourist sites, fake guides and baksheesh scams: staying polite but firm is usually enough. Traffic is the real danger, as crossing an avenue can be a hazardous exercise; it is best to follow the locals. Cover your shoulders and knees to visit mosques and churches, keep your belongings close in the crowded souks, and check official travel advice before you leave.
What to see and do in Cairo
- the pyramids and the Sphinx of Giza
- the Grand Egyptian Museum
- the Khan el-Khalili bazaar
- Saladin Citadel
- Islamic Cairo
The pyramids and the Sphinx of Giza
On the Giza plateau stand the three pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, the only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world still standing. The Great Pyramid, built around 2560 BC, once rose to a hundred and forty-six metres and remained the tallest human-made structure for nearly four millennia. Below it keeps watch the Sphinx, a colossus with a lion's body and a pharaoh's head carved from a single bed of limestone. You can enter some of the burial chambers, admire the solar boat or ride off on a camel to take in the panorama of the three aligned summits. Best to arrive at opening time to beat the heat, the crowds and the touts, who are numerous around the site.
The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)
Opened right beside the pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum is the largest archaeological museum in the world devoted to a single civilisation. Its atrium houses the colossus of Ramesses II, while a grand staircase lined with royal statues leads to the chronological galleries. The big novelty is that the entire treasure of Tutankhamun is displayed together for the first time, more than five thousand objects including the famous gold mask. You can also admire Khufu's solar boat, restored and shown in its own pavilion. The bright, modern spaces are a far cry from the old museum on Tahrir Square. Allow at least half a day, so dense are the collections.
Khan el-Khalili bazaar
Founded in the fourteenth century, Khan el-Khalili is Cairo's great historic souk and one of the oldest markets in the Arab world. Its covered alleys are organised by trade: hammered copper, spices, perfumes, brass lamps, textiles and silver jewellery. Haggling is a must, over a mint tea or an iced karkadé. El Fishawy café, open without interruption for more than two centuries, remains the neighbourhood's legendary address, once frequented by the writer Naguib Mahfouz. All around stand the al-Hussein Mosque and the great medieval gates of the Fatimid city. In the evening the bustle doubles and the stalls light up.
Saladin Citadel and the Alabaster Mosque
Perched on a rocky spur, Saladin Citadel was built at the end of the twelfth century to protect the city from the Crusaders, then served as the seat of Egyptian power for seven hundred years. It is dominated by the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, known as the Alabaster Mosque for the pale cladding of its walls, completed in the nineteenth century in an Ottoman style with stacked domes and two slender minarets. From the terraces, the view takes in the whole of Cairo as far as the pyramids on a clear day. The enclosure also houses several museums and other historic mosques. Wear covering clothes and remove your shoes before entering the prayer hall.
Coptic Cairo and Old Cairo
In the south of the city, the Coptic quarter occupies the site of the ancient Roman fortress of Babylon. Here you find the Hanging Church, so called because its nave rests on the towers of the Roman gate, one of the oldest churches in Egypt. Nearby, the Church of St Sergius marks, according to tradition, one of the stops of the Holy Family's flight into Egypt. The quarter also includes the Ben Ezra Synagogue and the Coptic Museum, rich in icons and manuscripts. The cobbled lanes, quiet and shady, offer a striking contrast with the bustle of the centre. This concentration of Christian, Jewish and Roman memory recalls the deep multi-faith history of Cairo.
A felucca on the Nile
Nothing tells the story of Cairo better than the river that gave birth to it. Hiring a felucca, the traditional boat with a large lateen sail, lets you escape the urban din for a while. You board in the late afternoon, around Garden City or Zamalek island, to drift with the current as the sun sinks behind the towers. The evening breeze, the silhouettes of the lit-up bridges and the other passing boats make a soothing picture. The trip usually lasts one to two hours and is negotiated at the landing stage. For more comfort, you can also opt for a dinner cruise on a larger boat.
Saqqara and Memphis
Some thirty kilometres south of Cairo lies the necropolis of Saqqara, dominated by the Step Pyramid of the pharaoh Djoser. Built around 2650 BC by the architect Imhotep, it is considered the oldest large stone monument in the world and the ancestor of the pyramids of Giza. The site also holds superb tombs decorated with coloured reliefs and the Serapeum, a vast underground gallery where the sacred bulls were laid to rest. Close by, ancient Memphis, the first capital of unified Egypt, preserves a recumbent colossus of Ramesses II and a great alabaster sphinx. The two are easily combined in half a day, often paired with a visit to Giza.
How many days, and which itinerary?
Three full days are a good format for Cairo: one day for Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum, one for Islamic and Coptic Cairo, and one for Saqqara and Memphis. With only two days, focus on the pyramids, the museum and Khan el-Khalili. Four days or more leave time to stroll around Zamalek, see more mosques and add a trip to Alexandria or the Fayoum.
🗺️ Day-by-day itinerary · 📓 Free printable Cairo guide (PDF) · 🌍 All of Egypt
2 days
Day 1: an early start for the pyramids and the Sphinx of Giza, then the nearby Grand Egyptian Museum in the afternoon. Day 2: Saladin Citadel and the Alabaster Mosque in the morning, the Khan el-Khalili souk and tea at El Fishawy café late in the day, and a felucca on the Nile at sunset.
3 days
The first two days as above, followed on the third morning by Coptic Cairo (Hanging Church, Coptic Museum), then an excursion to Saqqara and Memphis in the afternoon. Finish with a walk through the khedival centre around Tahrir Square.
4 days
Add a fourth day trip: either Alexandria and the Mediterranean by fast train, or the Fayoum and its desert landscapes. The extra day also lets you return at leisure to the Grand Egyptian Museum, where a single visit is rarely enough.
Getting there and getting around
Cairo sprawls over a huge area and its traffic is notoriously heavy, with frequent jams and edgy driving. The metro, clean and cheap, is the most reliable way to cross the city without getting stuck: three lines serve, among other places, Tahrir Square, the Coptic quarter at Mar Girgis and the centre. The front carriages of each train are reserved for women. Otherwise, ride-hailing apps have become the simplest and most transparent option, as the fare is set in advance and you avoid any haggling.
The classic white taxis run on the meter in theory, but it is best to agree the fare before getting in if the driver refuses to switch it on. For Giza, Saqqara and Memphis, which lie away from the centre, go for a car with a driver for half a day or an organised tour, more convenient than public transport. Baksheesh, the customary small tip, comes with many services, from the car park attendant to the doorman. It is wise to carry small change and to avoid driving yourself, as local traffic takes some getting used to.
Where to stay in Cairo?
Your choice of neighbourhood shapes your stay. Zamalek, on Gezira island in the middle of the Nile, appeals with its tree-lined avenues, embassies, galleries and good restaurants: it is one of the most pleasant and quietest areas to stay. The khedival centre, around Tahrir Square, puts the old museum, the historic cafés and the metro lines within walking distance. Garden City, on the riverbank, offers hotels with Nile views in a residential atmosphere.
Many travellers now choose to stay on the Giza side, facing the pyramids, where plenty of hotels and guesthouses have terraces looking out over the plateau: waking up at the foot of the monuments is unforgettable, even if it puts you further from the historic centre. The range is very wide, from budget hostels to international palace hotels. With prices staying moderate, you can often afford a step up in comfort for the same budget. Booking a place with good reviews for cleanliness and safety is still advisable in such a vast city.
Our places to stay, stop by stop, at three budgets →
What to eat in Cairo?
Cairene cuisine is generous, spicy and cheap. The emblematic dish is koshari, a hearty mix of rice, pasta, lentils and chickpeas topped with a spicy tomato sauce and fried onions, served in popular eateries at all hours. You also enjoy ful (slow-cooked fava beans) and ta'ameya, the Egyptian take on falafel made with fava beans, breakfast essentials. Grilled meats, stuffed pigeon and spit-roast chicken round off a meal nicely.
For something sweet, oriental pastries abound: baklava, kunafa and basbousa are enjoyed with a sweet tea or a cardamom coffee. The street remains the best culinary playground, but choose busy stalls and stick to sealed bottled water. For a more refined experience, Zamalek and the big hotels along the Nile offer international restaurants and dinner cruises. Freshly pressed sugar cane juice and karkadé, an iced hibiscus infusion, are perfect on hot days.
Entry requirements
Visa on arrival or an e-visa, needed by EU, UK, US, Canadian and Australian passports: buying the e-visa online before you fly saves the airport queue.
Rules change: check your own government's travel advice before you go.
Frequently asked questions about Cairo
When is the best time to visit Cairo?
The ideal season runs from October to April, with mild temperatures suited to visiting open-air sites. Summer, from June to August, is crushingly hot, often above thirty-five degrees, which makes long days at Giza gruelling. Spring can bring the khamsin, a dust-laden sandstorm wind.
How much time should I allow for the Grand Egyptian Museum?
Allow at least half a day, and a full day if you are passionate about it. The museum is immense, bringing together tens of thousands of pieces and the entire treasure of Tutankhamun. Arriving at opening time helps you avoid the crowds, and booking your ticket online in advance is strongly recommended.
Can you go inside the pyramids?
Yes, with an extra ticket specific to each pyramid, available in limited numbers each day. Reaching the burial chambers means stooping through narrow, hot passages, not recommended for claustrophobic or frail visitors. The interior is bare; the real interest lies in setting foot in the heart of an ancient monument.
Should I haggle at Khan el-Khalili?
Haggling is an integral part of souk culture and the seller expects it. You usually offer a third to half of the first price, then chat good-humouredly until you reach a deal. Staying cheerful, comparing several stalls and being ready to walk away are your best weapons for getting a fair price.
How do I get from the airport to the city centre?
Cairo International Airport lies north-east of the city, about twenty kilometres from the centre. The simplest option is to order a ride through an app, which fixes the price in advance and avoids any haggling. Depending on the traffic, which is often heavy, the journey takes from forty minutes to over an hour and a half.
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