Great Pyramid of Giza
The largest of the Giza pyramids, built around 4,500 years ago as a tomb for the pharaoh Khufu. It is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world still standing, and visitors can go inside.
Cairo and Giza
Islamic Cairo, the Khan el-Khalili bazaar and the Grand Egyptian Museum are in the capital, alongside the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx.
Attractive locations
The Great Sphinx
Huge limestone figure with a lion's body and a human head, carved from the bedrock beside the pyramids. It guards the approach to the Giza plateau and is one of Egypt's best-known images.
Grand Egyptian Museum
Huge museum beside the Giza plateau, showing statues, coffins and objects from ancient Egypt. Its galleries on Tutankhamun and the great staircase of royal statues are the main draws.
Egyptian Museum
Pink-fronted museum on Tahrir Square, opened in 1902, with a huge collection of pharaonic antiquities. Statues, coffins and small objects fill its busy halls.
Khan el-Khalili
Medieval bazaar in Islamic Cairo, a maze of lanes lined with shops selling spices, lanterns, jewellery and souvenirs. Old coffeehouses offer a place to rest, with tea and a shisha pipe.
Cairo Citadel
Medieval hilltop fortress begun by Saladin in the 12th century. Inside stands the Muhammad Ali Mosque with its large domes, and the terrace gives views across the city. Modest dress is expected.
Mosque of Ibn Tulun
Vast 9th-century mosque with a huge open courtyard and an unusual spiral minaret. Its plain, calm lines make it one of Cairo's most peaceful historic sites. Visitors should dress modestly.
Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan
Enormous 14th-century mosque and school in Islamic Cairo, with a towering stone portal and a high-ceilinged courtyard. Visitors should dress modestly and remove shoes before entering the prayer areas.
Hanging Church
Coptic Orthodox church in Old Cairo, built above the gate of an old Roman fortress, which gives it its name. Inside are wooden ceilings and icons, and it remains an active place of worship.
Pyramid of Djoser
Step pyramid at Saqqara, south of the city, built around 2,600 BC as a tomb for the pharaoh Djoser. It is among the oldest large stone structures in the world.
Al-Azhar Mosque
Mosque in Islamic Cairo dating from the tenth century and long a centre of Islamic learning. Visitors can see its courtyard and minarets, and lanes nearby lead toward the old markets.
Pyramid of Khafre
Second-tallest pyramid at Giza, which looks the tallest from some angles because it stands on higher ground. A band of its original smooth casing still caps the peak.
Airports
Cairo International Airport CAI
It is about 17 km in a straight line from Cairo and Giza.
Sphinx International Airport SPX
It is about 33 km in a straight line from Cairo and Giza.
Capital International Airport CCE
It is about 58 km in a straight line from Cairo and Giza.
Getting around
From Cairo International Airport
On its site, Cairo International Airport describes pre-arranged limousines as the most convenient choice, collecting passengers curbside in front of the terminals at fares fixed by destination and car category. City and intercity buses depart only from the bus station in the parking area in front of Terminal 1. Inside the airport grounds, a free automated people mover connects the terminals, the Air Mall and the car park.
- Source: Cairo International Airport: Move from / to the airport (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: Cairo International Airport: Automated People Mover (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Cairo Metro lines
Two lines, a first and a second, are listed on the Cairo Metro operator's website, with Al-Shohadaa described as the station for transferring between them. A news item on the site also mentions a third line running from Attaba to Adly Mansour. A free official app is offered in Arabic and English. For the current network and station list, check the operator's site.
- Source: Cairo Metro: official website (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: Cairo Metro: passengers (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Cairo Metro cash wallet card
Sold at its metro stations, the cash wallet described by the Cairo Metro operator holds single-ride tickets on a contactless card. The card is not registered to a name, so anyone can use it, it has no fixed validity period, and it can be recharged more than once as long as it is undamaged. Named smart subscription cards are a separate product, obtained from the operator's subscription offices with an application form. Check the operator's site for current prices and zones.
- Source: Cairo Metro: cash wallet (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: Cairo Metro: frequently asked questions (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Scams and safe taxis
Metered and unmetered taxis
Old black-and-white taxis usually have no meter, so agree the price before the journey, while white taxis have meters and most are new and air-conditioned, according to the airport's site. UK advice says women travelling alone should take care in taxis, especially at night, and should send the driver's details and live location to someone they trust.
- Source: Cairo International Airport: Move from / to the airport (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: UK FCDO travel advice: Egypt, safety and security (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Arrivals hall taxi offers
Free taxi drivers in the arrivals hall often target tourists, says the airport's own passenger guide. As alternatives it points to limousines with fares fixed by destination and car category, and to white metered taxis. UK advice adds that scammers and touts sometimes target foreign nationals in tourist areas.
- Source: Cairo International Airport: Move from / to the airport (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: UK FCDO travel advice: Egypt, safety and security (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan12.1 °C8 mm
- Feb13.7 °C7 mm
- Mar17.1 °C7 mm
- Apr20.9 °C9 mm
- May25.3 °C0 mm
- Jun28.5 °C0 mm
- Jul30.0 °C0 mm
- Aug29.9 °C0 mm
- Sep27.5 °C0 mm
- Oct23.7 °C5 mm
- Nov18.7 °C17 mm
- Dec14.0 °C7 mm
Driest months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep. Wettest months: Jan, Apr, Nov.
Costs
Prices here are about 15% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Festivals and events
culture
Cairo International Film Festival
No film festival in the Arab world is older.
culture
Cairo International Film Festival
No film festival in the Arab world is older.
Who can help
Emergency
Police 122. Ambulance 123. Fire 180. Tourist police 126.
local government
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities visitor hotline 19654
Helps with: Egypt's tourism ministry hotline. It answers tourists' questions during their stay, such as site opening hours, and takes complaints and suggestions. The page says 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily, in Arabic and English.
Who qualifies: Tourists in Egypt with questions, complaints or suggestions. The page is undated, so check the number is still in service.
Phone: 19654
ngo
Egyptian Red Crescent Society
Helps with: Egypt's national Red Crescent society, the local member of the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement. Contact its head office in Cairo for its humanitarian services.
Who qualifies: People in Egypt who need its humanitarian services; contact the head office.
Phone: +20 2 25985555
Address: Abd El Razak El Sanhouri St., Nasr City, Cairo, 11371, Egypt
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Egypt
Helps with: The UN migration agency, present in Egypt since 1991. Its work includes migration and border management, crisis response, services for migrants and a migrants assistance hotline.
Who qualifies: Migrants in Egypt, including people fleeing conflict, and government partners. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +20227365140
Address: 47C Abu El-Feda Street, Zamalek, Cairo, Egypt 11211
local government
Police emergency number 122
Helps with: Reaches the police in Egypt. The number comes from UK government travel advice, which also lists 126 for the tourist police.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 122
local government
Ambulance emergency number 123
Helps with: Reaches the ambulance service in Egypt. The number comes from UK government travel advice.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 123
local government
Fire emergency number 180
Helps with: Reaches the fire service in Egypt. The number comes from UK government travel advice.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 180