5 Things You Must Do in Cairo

1. Felucca

 

 

A felucca ride is a beautiful experience and I highly recommend doing it during your stay in Cairo. Be sure to seek out a reputable company and boat captain beforehand. I recommend booking a ride through your hotel or hostel. That way you know what price you’ll be paying ahead of time and that the company is a legitimate one. If you don’t want to book through your hotel, be sure to agree on a price before you get on the boat. Bring cash. On a warm day a felucca ride at sunset is the best.

 

2. Khan el Khalili

 

The “Khalili” as it is sometimes called is an amazing sprawling marketplace with everything from grilled corn to silver and gold. This bazaar truly showcases the culture of Egypt. The best time to go is at night when the soft lights cast a golden glow on the streets. You can hear the haggling over goods in Egyptian Arabic while sipping tea or having some hookah at a café. You can see the beautiful colors of the woven tapestries and dresses. You can smell the wide range of bulk spices. Although it is certainly something to be experienced, you should know 3 things. 1) Keep your money and belongings close to your body (we never had an issue but locals can spot a tourist easily) 2) Know what you’re willing to pay for an item and be ready to haggle the price down. 3) Don’t stray too far from the main area especially if you’re alone.

 

3. El-Fishawy

 

 

The oldest coffee shop in Cairo (over two centuries old). It is an open air café in the Khan el Khalili. I must say that most people stumble upon this place by sheer dumb luck while getting lost in the maze that is the bazaar. But, boy is it worth it. A beautiful epicenter of laughter, tin lanterns and tea. Definitely try some mint tea and apricot hookah while you’re there for the “complete experience”.

 

4. Camel ride

 

 

Obviously if you’re going to Cairo you will be seeing the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. Surprisingly the two are not right next to each other. Most people drive or go on their tour bus from the Pyramids to the Sphinx. However, I recommend that instead you take a camel ride from the Pyramids to the Sphinx. Here’s why: 1) you can ride a camel anywhere but can you do it with the Pyramids of Giza in the background? Probably not. 2) It’s not very expensive. It was about 15 US dollars per person. 3) You will get the best photos OF YOUR LIFE. I’m serious. You always get someone to guide you down to the Sphinx (in our case it was a ten-year-old boy). He took the best photo of me that I’ve ever seen. There are few places where you can get multiple pyramids in one shot and this particular camel ride allows you to do that. If you’re a photo obsessed traveler like me, this is a MUST.

 

5. Cairo Tower

 

 

Labelled as one of the tallest buildings in North Africa, Cairo Tower is one of the best places to get a view of the city. I highly recommend to go up just before sunset and get some photos. While waiting for the sun to go down head inside to the restaurant for a snack. Try the strawberry milkshake (seriously I don’t know what it is but Egypt has the BEST dairy). Take in the view from a window seat. As night falls, head back outside to experience a completely different view of Cairo. The hustle and bustle of Cairo continues through the night so this is the perfect spot to see the vibrant colorful lights and hear the chaotic brilliance of the city.

10 Things You Should Know Before Going to Egypt

1. Guides and drivers get a commission from wherever they take you. Some of them are up front about it and don’t try to hide this fact while others not so much. Wages in Egypt are poor and workers are just trying to provide for their families.
2. Most people speak English.
3. Two of the top tourist destinations are The Giza Pyramids (Cairo) and the Valley of the Kings (Luxor). These two places are 7 hours apart by car. You can also take an overnight train from Cairo to Luxor or hop on a one-hour flight.
4. Practice your haggling skills. You will haggle for everything in Egypt.
5. Although I still recommend that women dress on the more conservative side, it is not necessary to cover yourself up so much so that you are uncomfortable. On a particularly warm day a man that I had met asked me why I would wear long pants and long sleeves on a day like today.
6. It’s worth it to spend the money to ensure your safety. Stay at a nice hotel. Hire a driver or a guide to go with you wherever you want to go. They know the ins and outs of the cities and can often tell you if you’re receiving a good deal for something or not. It may seem like a lot of money at the time but as of right now 1 Egyptian pound is equal to almost 9 US dollars.
7. Don’t drink the tap water. Only drink sealed bottled water particularly from trusted sources (hotels, restaurants, etc)
8. Stick to recommendations from sources like Trip Advisor, Yelp, friends, etc for food choices. If you are determined to go off the beaten path be aware that you may get sick from the food. Everyone’s stomach is equipped to handle different kinds of food differently and the food of Egypt may upset yours. I recommend bringing some Imodium on your trip regardless.
9. During Ramadan, nobody expects you to abstain from food and drink. It is nice to try to be respectful of one’s religious customs but it is not absolutely necessary. If you need to grab a bite to eat, grab a bite to eat. If you’re thirsty, drink. You should always carry water on you to avoid dehydration. Believe me, it’s better to drink water in public than to get heat stroke on a camel in the middle of the desert (not that that happened to me…)
10. Egypt is not the unstable, dangerous environment that the media makes it out to be. Very rarely did I feel unsafe in Egypt. People are friendly, the food is good… what is there to complain about.