Cairo

October through April is the comfortable window — November to February is ideal at 15–22°C. March and October are warmer but still very manageable. May through September is hot and demanding: 35–42°C with sun that makes outdoor archaeology exhausting by 10 AM. If you must visit summer, plan Pyramids and Saqqara before 8 AM and everything else underground or indoors.

Cairo is generally safe for tourists. The major risks are persistent touts and unofficial guides at the Pyramids and Khan el-Khalili, and petty theft in crowded areas. Political stability has improved significantly since 2014. Women traveling solo report more unwanted attention in crowded areas than men — modest dress and confident body language help. The main tourist districts and sites have visible security. Avoid political demonstrations, which occasionally occur around Tahrir Square.

Book an advance sunrise ticket online (the site opens at 7 AM) and arrive at opening. The first 45–60 minutes are transformatively different from midday — fewer people, cooler temperatures, and the morning light on the limestone. Solar boat ticket (for the Solar Boat Museum) and the Chamber entry tickets can now be pre-booked. Avoid the main tour-group window of 10 AM–3 PM for your own sanity.

Koshari is the national dish — rice, lentils, pasta, chickpeas, crispy onions, and tomato sauce for LE 40–60 at any koshary shop. Ful medames (fava beans with olive oil, lemon, and cumin) for breakfast. Ta'ameya (Egyptian falafel, made with fava beans not chickpeas) in sandwich form. Kofta (spiced ground beef) and kebab from grills in Islamic Cairo. Umm Ali (Egyptian bread pudding with nuts and cream) for dessert.

Entry to the Giza Plateau: LE 450 (approx $9–15 at current exchange rates). Entry to the Great Pyramid interior: LE 600 additional. The Solar Boat Museum near Khufu's pyramid: LE 250 additional. Camel or horse rides on the plateau are negotiated separately (LE 200–500 for a short ride is realistic if you bargain; ignore the first quoted price). Total cost for a comprehensive Giza visit with interior chamber: LE 900–1200 per person, plus transport.

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) near Giza is one of the largest museums in the world, opened in phases since 2023. It houses the complete Tutankhamun collection (over 5,000 objects), the Royal Mummies Hall, and massive statuary galleries with pieces too large for the old Egyptian Museum downtown. The building itself — a stone-clad structure designed with the Pyramids as a backdrop — is architecturally impressive. The entry price has been in flux; book online and check current pricing before visiting.

Not strictly necessary for the Pyramids (signage exists) but a good licensed Egyptologist guide transforms the experience — they provide context that converts impressive stones into a comprehensible story. Book through your hotel or a licensed agency (not touts at the gate). For Islamic Cairo, a guided walk with a local historian is money very well spent for a half-day. The Egyptian Museum downtown is confusing without guidance or an audio guide.

Budget half a day minimum: 3–4 hours for the full Giza Plateau (three pyramids, the Sphinx, the Solar Boat Museum, and the interior chamber if you've booked it). Add 1–2 hours for the Grand Egyptian Museum nearby if visiting same day. Most travelers combine with the Valley Temple of Khafre, which is adjacent. Rushing the Giza Plateau in 90 minutes misses the point — these things reward time.

One of the cheapest significant tourist cities in the world. Street food costs $1–2.50. Decent budget hotels near downtown or Islamic Cairo run $30–50/night. The metro costs cents. Your main expenses will be the archaeological site entry fees, which have risen substantially with recent government tourism initiatives (still cheap by international standards) and accommodation. A thoughtful budget traveler can cover Cairo's main sites for $35–50/day total.

The Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square is the old institution (1902) — enormous, slightly chaotic, with nearly 170,000 objects crammed into a building designed for a fraction of them. The Grand Egyptian Museum near Giza is the new facility with modern curation, climate-controlled galleries, and the complete Tutankhamun collection properly displayed. Both are worth visiting: the old museum for its atmosphere and specific collections; the GEM for the Tutankhamun gallery and the sheer scale.

Uber from the airport to Downtown or Zamalek costs LE 200–400 ($6–13) and takes 35–60 minutes depending on traffic. Taxis from official airport taxi stands charge fixed prices (LE 400–500 to Downtown); avoid unmarked private taxis. The Airport Metro link (Line 3 extension to Cairo Airport) opened in recent years and connects to the downtown network for LE 15–20 — functional but with luggage it's less comfortable. Uber is the easiest option.

Yes, and many do — but Cairo requires more management than most cities. Dress modestly in neighborhoods outside hotel and tourist zones (cover shoulders and knees; a headscarf is not required but reduces attention in traditional areas). Verbal harassment is more common than in European cities but rarely escalates physically. Use Uber rather than street taxis. Stick to the main tourist districts for evening walks. Female-only metro carriages (the front car) exist and are reliably enforced.

Egyptian Pounds (EGP/LE). The pound has experienced significant devaluation; check the current exchange rate before you go, as the real-world value of your budget has likely changed since any guidebook you're reading was written. ATMs inside bank branches (Banque Misr, CIB, HSBC) give reliable rates and accept most foreign debit cards. Avoid exchanging at the airport if possible — the rates are poor. US dollars and euros are accepted at some tourist sites and hotels but at unfavorable rates.

The classic Nile cruise runs from Aswan to Luxor (or reverse) — 4 nights covering Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Philae Temple, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Abu Simbel. You don't cruise from Cairo; you fly to Aswan (1.5 hours, LE 1500–3000 one-way) and return from Luxor, or vice versa. It's one of the most distinctive travel experiences in the world and pairs naturally with 4–5 nights in Cairo. The itinerary — Cairo first, Nile cruise second — works best.

Islamic Cairo is the medieval city that grew up around Al-Azhar Mosque after the Fatimid conquest in 969 AD. It contains the Khan el-Khalili market, dozens of medieval mosques and madrasas, the Citadel, and streets that largely predate Columbus. It's the most historically dense urban district in Africa and among the most fascinating in the world. Allow a full day: morning in the Khan, afternoon at Al-Azhar and the Citadel, and evening tea at El Fishawy café.

Ramadan transforms Cairo — the city comes alive after dark with street food stalls (atayef pancakes, konafa, mango juice), local families in public spaces, and a festive atmosphere that continues until 3–4 AM. Daytime is quieter and some restaurants close during fasting hours. Tourists can eat and drink (discreetly, away from fasting Egyptians) throughout the day. The Ramadan atmosphere is actually a wonderful time to experience the city's social texture — just don't expect midday restaurant access.

The Great Sphinx of Giza is directly adjacent to the Pyramid of Khafre on the Giza Plateau — about a 10-minute walk from the base of the Great Pyramid of Khufu. Both are within the same ticketed Giza Plateau site. The Sphinx is best viewed from the panoramic area east of the Valley Temple, where you can see the full profile. From the front, it's smaller than most people expect; the 73m length is better appreciated from the side.

The Khan el-Khalili's tentmakers' district (Sharia al-Khayamiyya) sells handmade appliqué textiles — decorative panels and tablecloths using traditional Fatimid geometric patterns. These are the best-quality authentic souvenirs in Cairo. Papyrus paintings: buy only from shops that explain the full papyrus-making process (cheap banana-leaf 'papyrus' is the tourist trap). Egyptian cotton products. Spices from the souk. Blue Nile alabaster from Luxor sellers who set up in Khan el-Khalili.

Uber covers the vast majority of tourist routes reliably, cheaply, and with fixed pricing that removes negotiation. The Cairo Metro covers downtown to Giza and Old Cairo well. Walking suits Islamic Cairo and the Khan. An organized driver for the full day (Pyramids + Saqqara + Memphis as a circuit) makes sense — negotiate LE 1000–1500 for the day through your hotel, or use a Uber-contracted tour driver. You don't need a private driver for the full trip — Uber handles the point-to-point routing.