Cairo

My visit to Egypt was kind of an impulsive trip. I literally booked my flight one week prior to departure and confirmed my hotel the day before.  Though not well planned, it was a lovely experience, especially for my first solo trip ever. I stayed in Cairo for about 4 days at the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza with the most amazing view of the Nile River. As expected, Cairo was so rich with culture and history. Simply put, it is a place you must visit for yourself!  

Below is a list of the top ten places I’d recommend visiting.

*Giza Pyramid

*Sphinx

*Mosque of Muhammad Ali

Pyramid of Djoser

Cairo Opera House

Coptic Museum

*Egyptian Museum

Cairo Citadel

Babylon Fortress

Muizz Street

*Khan el Khalili

*Indicates must see attractions.

General Recommendations:

Egypt is a bit traditional so you should be mindful of your attire, speech, etc. For example, I went last year during Ramadan and therefore made it a point to cover my arms, legs, etc. Some places, like the mosques, also require women to wear head covers. I purchased one from the Khan el Khalili one night for about 2 bucks - prepared to negotiate rigorously. 

Use a ride share company for your travels around the city and to the different attractions.  They are both very safe and very cheap. For example, I paid about 12 USD for a trip from my hotel to the Pyramid of Djoser then to the Sphinx ( probably two hours or so in travel time).  Keep in mind that most drivers won’t speak English but you can simply find a security guard outside of the museum or someone at the hotel to assist with directions.

You won’t be able to hail a ride share back from the Pyramid of Djoser so be sure tell your driver that you are taking a roundtrip/ not to cancel the trip while you’re visiting the site. There is also a small fee for cars to drive up to the pyramid’s parking lot, though nominal, its required so be sure you have some of the local currency on hand.

If you’re planning to go to Cairo and can swing it, I’d recommendation going to Greece, Cairo, and then visiting other parts of Egypt by way of a Nile Cruise. The Cruise has set days - the one I was looking into was 4 days/3 nights includes roundtrip air and had a price tag of a little over $650 USD. This cruise has a packed agenda and will take you to several must-see places like Luxor and Aswan.  Since it was my first solo trip, I decided  that I probably shouldn’t push it and travel alone on a cruise but it’s certainly something to keep in mind if you have a travel partner or group.

Have you been to Egypt? Cairo in particular? If so, comment below and tell me all about it. As always, feel free to ask me any questions you may have. Until the next time…

Stay Cool,

Jai