Short on Time? Do These 8 Easy Cairo Experiences

While deciding on what to do when you visit a city for the first time and do not have more time to spare, the location and distance plays a role. Like preferring activities within the same area to cover more. For day trips or other destinations in Egypt, check out Places Beyond Cairo. When I was planning on visiting Cairo, Egypt with my sister, the only thing in my mind was, well “The Pyramids”. But learnt that the city offers more than Pyramids. So here is a list of things to do in Cairo that are easily doable when you are paying a short visit.

Pyramids

If you are doing a stop over for only a day or have a few days to spare, it is a no brainer, Pyramids are a must visit. There are a number of pyramids within Cairo but the most famous one or the most visited one is the Great Pyramid of Giza. There are 2 more pyramids located closer to the Great Pyramid. A guided tour helps with learning more about the Pyramid of Giza and the surrounding ones.
You are allowed to go closer to the structure. Be blown away by the grandeur of it. One may not realize how big each stone is until you see it with your own eyes.

Inside the Pyramid: You also have an option to go inside the pyramid, which I did not, but my sister did. The option is available for the Great Pyramid of Giza. There is a separate entry ticket to enter inside the pyramid. Tickets are available at the entrance. There is a considerable portion that one will have to bend and walk through the stair when ascending and descending and it will lead you to an open area which consists of the tomb. You can take a breather and stretch in this area after the climb. The climb can be considered moderate for normal people and easy for highly active and enthusiastic folks. Have some time to spare, it would be one of the unique experiences of what inside a pyramid feels like.

Museum

The Egyptian museum has abundant information on different artifacts and statues including real mummies unwrapped. Taking a guided private tour gave us so much so much context and knowledge about the artifacts inside the museum.
Did I mention unwrapped? Yes you read it right. It was a different experience to see the remains of human bodies still intact after being mummified. Viewing this artifact was my highlight of the visit, although it was the pyramids for my sister. Now that the new Grand Museum is open, definitely recommend visiting it.

Mall

Who doesn’t love shopping even if it is strolling by to see the vibrant colors and artifacts the city has to offer. Even with limited time, consider the shopping experiences on historic city centers to modern malls. The First Mall in Giza, the Egypt and Arabian mall in 6th of October (yes 6th of October is the name of the town) for a traditional mall experience. The Walk of Cairo for an outdoorsy kind of mall to the Oum el Dounia Gallery mall that offers handicrafts on a streetside shop. Khan el-Khalili could be a category of its own. But made a decision to mention it here for what it offers but it just has a different interesting vibe altogether. If you are photo crazy(in other words, patient when it comes to taking pictures), this place has more to offer.

Night Cruise

You want a break from all the history and ancient artifacts but still want to explore their culture in terms of food and entertainment? Go for a dinner cruise on the Nile. Belly dance to Karaoke, with a buffet of traditional food is served on the cruise.

Land Marks

When driving from old city to Giza you might have come across several buildings or land marks like the Saladin Citadel. If you chose the guided tour for the pyramids, you learn on what happened with the “skin” that was supposed to be covering the pyramids. Clue: Saladin Citadel. Similarly there are other places that you can choose and decide which ones to visit like the Cairo Tower or one of the historical mosques (make sure you dress appropriately if you plan on visiting any of them).

Parks

Whether you are travelling only as an adult group or have kids in your travel party, parks offer solace to explore at your own pace. You want a place to have your kids exert that energy off try the Play Time park. Just want to walk in peace there are several parks you can choose from. Safari or International park serves both needs which is vast enough to explore as an adult and at the same time, caters to kids needs. Pharaonic Village offers a garden atmosphere while still showcasing the country’s ancient artifacts around the place. Always explore with caution in terms of safety when it comes to adventure exploration like the dragon island park.

Food

Food plays a vital role in getting to know or experience the culture locally. Do not miss out in trying out local food either through a food tour or even on your own. Don’t forget to try their local coffee or their Karkadai(Hibiscus) tea.

Camel Ride

Camel ride is one of the unique and easier experiences to explore if you have time when viewing the pyramids. You can book camel ride tour in advance along with your pyramid tour. Do keep your allergies in mind when choosing this experience.
Traveling with kids? Try this camel ride tour. It is discounted for kids under 12 and free for kids under 5. They are very considerate of children.

When exploring a new place or having a new experience we often get immersed, that we forget to become vary of our surroundings. Please be careful and Beware of the scammers, regardless of how safe a place is.