I’m not easily overwhelmed by places. I lived in midtown Manhattan for six years and walked through Times Square twice a day to get to work and back. I’ve spent time in New Delhi, Mumbai, Seoul, Hong Kong and Ho Chin Minh City. Cairo feels like the most chaotic of them all.
More than 22 million people live in greater Cairo, the largest urban center in Africa. The city of Cairo alone is home to more than 10 million people. Cairo has a useful underground metro system, but good luck finding a functioning crosswalk above ground in a city where the traffic is always intense.
Looking out on the desert across the pyramids of Giza makes the challenge worth it. Here’s your guide to an unforgettable 48 hours in Cairo.
Things to Know
- Currency: The local currency is the Egyptian pound. Check xe.com for current exchange rates. More places take credit cards in Cairo nowadays, but this is one place where you will want to take out some cash. Some sites and businesses only accept cash, and there’s a serious tipping culture here.
- Ridesharing: Uber operates in Cairo, but Lyft does not. A local ridesharing app, Careem, is also available in Egypt. Egyptian license plates include Arabic letters, so be sure to double-check your driver’s license plates.
- Car rentals: The streets of Cairo or chaotic at best and nearly lawless at worst. There is no way I would ever consider renting a car in Cairo. Try hiring a car and driver for the day instead.
- Local laws to note: Alcohol consumption is only allowed inside licensed restaurants and bars. The government takes a zero-tolerance approach to drugs, which are illegal in Egypt, and drones are not allowed without explicit permission from the Egyptian Ministry of Defense.
- Cultural Norms: People dress conservatively in Egypt. Skip the tank tops and shorts and aim for outfits that cover your shoulders and knees. I opted for lightweight maxi dresses and capri pants.
Where to Stay
If you’re going to splurge for a 5-star hotel, Cairo is a good place to do it. This is a city where there’s a big spread between a 3-star hotel and a 5-star hotel, and the benefits of spending a little more money can be worth it. I found a deal on the Kempinski Nile Cairo for around $200 a night and jumped on it.
The Kempinski Nile is situated on the east bank of the Nile River. The area isn’t walkable, but it’s about a five-minute drive to downtown Cairo and about a 40-minute drive to the pyramids.
After 20 hours of flying and an eight-hour croissant and coffee stop in Paris, I was thrilled to fall into the comfortable bed in my standard guest room at the Kempinski. I booked a massage shortly after arriving, and it’s one of the best I’ve had anywhere in the world.
The room decor feels a little dated, but the rooms are plush and comfortable. The hotel has two restaurants—Turkish and Italian—and a casual cafe located under the most gorgeous skylight I’ve ever seen. There’s a rooftop pool you’ll want to visit for the sunset view and a top floor and a stylish jazz and cigar bar.
My favorite thing about this hotel might be its concierge service. I asked the concierge for help booking a guide for a private tour of the pyramids. He found me a great guide and affordable transportation within about an hour. I declined the limo and asked for a guide who wouldn’t take me on an unwanted souvenir-shopping adventure.
If your goal is to wake up to the pyramids, opt for the Marriott Mena House. I decided not to drop the $600 a night I would need to stay there, and didn’t have enough Marriott Bonvoy points for a stay. But the rooms are nice, the service is top-notch and there’s no better place to wake up to the pyramids—or at least enjoy breakfast with a pyramid view.
What to Do
If you do only one thing in Cairo, go to the Giza pyramid complex. This is where you’ll find the Great Pyramid, one of the original seven wonders of the ancient world, and the Great Sphinx as well as several other pyramids.
Being a New Yorker, I had planned to explore this area, also known as the Giza Necropolis, on foot, but I ultimately ended up on a camel named Michael Jackson. I’m not mad about it.
The camel seemed well cared for, so on the advice of my guide, I hopped on and enjoyed my ride across the Egyptian desert. My camel driver knew all the best photo spots and viewpoints and took me to them. Seeing the Great Sphinx and the Great Pyramid felt like walking through a history book. It’s one of those “pinch me, is this real?” moments I took a few extra moments to savor.
I spent about four hours at the pyramids, and that was enough for me. Of the pyramids, there’s only one visitors can enter, the Great Pyramid. There is a pedestrian walkway but not much else inside. Access to the pedestrian passageways closes for lunch around noon each day.
While you’re in Giza, visit the Grand Egyptian Museum. The museum is the largest in the world devoted to archeology and has a collection of more than 100,000 items, including King Tut’s entire collection of treasures.
Back in Cairo, stop at Tahrir Square, ground zero for the Arab Revolution, and head to the Khan el-Khalili souk for shopping. Prepare yourself for enthusiastic vendors, many of whom are fans of Shah Rukh Khan based on the number of times vendors shouted the actor’s name at me.
If you’re interested in visiting a mosque, go to the Mosque of Muhammad Ali at the Cairo Citadel. In a City of Minarets, this mosque stands out for its unusually high minarets—about 270 feet—and its spectacular alabaster interiors, which include 136 stained glass windows and a sparkling dome.
What to Eat
For an authentic Egyptian meal, try Koshary. Also spelled koshari, this warm bowl of lentils, rice and chickpeas served in a spicy tomato sauce with crispy onions on top, is the Egyptian comfort fast food. The best place to try koshary is Koshary Abou Tarek on Champollion Road in downtown Cairo.
