Susan Serven

I’ve been to Egypt twice so far, and have been fortunate enough to experience the wonders of her ancient, majestic (current, there have been several over the eons) capital, Cairo two times, but there is so much to do you could spend a month and not see all of Cairo’s fascinating places to visit.

So this is just a sampling.

The first time we went to Egypt we went with Viking on their fabulous Pharoahs and Pyramids Nile cruise (see an earlier post, here http://bit.ly/46XkLVO ).

It was so absolutely wonderful we went again 15 months later on a private tour lead by Egyptologist Fouad Berto, with our two daughters (so saw some things again and some new sites as well).

You can fly direct to Cairo in about 10 hours from several airports on the east coast of the U.S. (and many places in Europe, only about a 4 to 5 hour flight from there), but you’ll have at least one stop from others areas in the U.S.

Once you land, probably early morning or mid-day if you’ve had stops, the best thing you can do (if you’re not on an expedition or cruise) is to hire an experienced Egyptologist and guide through a licensed, reputable tour operator or other (contact me for details ??).

(Full disclosure – after our second trip to Egypt I was so blown away by it all I started journaling about it and later turned it into a blog, Explore Egypt, https://exploreegypt.blog/ 

You can Subscribe at the link shown and follow on Instagram at Explore.Egypt.blog)

Your first full day you’ll visit The Egyptian Museum: this beautiful pink stone museum, built in 1902, was the original home to many treasures including the burial items of Tutankhamun, until his burial items were moved to the new, GEM (Grand Egyptian Museum) in Giza, outside of Cairo. You’ll see ancient art, artefacts, and the building itself has incredible symbolism in its exterior carvings, it’s definitely a must for your first stop.

The Citadel: Formally named The Citadel of Sultan Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi (Saladin), the Citadel consists of several structures built over the centuries and is one of the most iconic monuments in Islamic Cairo. Here’s a link: https://exploreegypt.blog/2025/05/15/cairo-citadel-even-if-you-think-you-dont-like-to-visit-fortresses/Ancient Mosques:

Visit the beautiful Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hasan and Al-Rifa’i Mosque, walk through their ornate rooms, and be sure to look up. The fretwork on the arabesque screens, domed ceilings decorated with Arabic phrases, the history behind these majestic places of worship in Old Cairo, are incredible to see in person. A direct link is here: https://exploreegypt.blog/2025/05/18/cairo-the-city-of-a-thousand-minarets/

That evening, take a ride to the famous Khan El-Khalili bazaar where you can (should!) start with a strong cup of Egyptian or Turkish coffee to fuel the rest of your day. Your guide will describe the buildings, provide context and history, and let you know which shops to visit. https://exploreegypt.blog/2025/05/29/khan-el-khalili-bazaar/

If you’re lucky and have had a reservation booked ahead, you’ll be treated to a traditional Egyptian dinner at the Khan El Khalili Restaurant & Naguib Mahfouz Café right in Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, in an authentically Old Cairo building with rooms that feel like you are hidden away in a mysterious labyrinth.

Your second full day you’ll likely take a ride to Saqqara, about 25 miles (40km) southwest of Cairo, first, before the pyramids, Sphinx or any other archeological sites. This makes sense since you’ll be seeing very ancient tombs, mastabas and step pyramids, detailed below, which will provide background and context for your visit to the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza on day three.

Links for more details are here The Tomb of King Unas: https://exploreegypt.blog/2025/06/03/journey-to-the-sky-saqqara-king-unas-and-the-pyramid-texts/

The Step Pyramid of King Djoser: https://exploreegypt.blog/2025/06/10/saqqara-the-step-pyramid-of-djoser/

The Red Pyramid: https://exploreegypt.blog/2025/06/27/the-mystery-of-the-red-pyramid-at-dahshur/

The Bent Pyramid of King Snefaru: https://exploreegypt.blog/2025/07/23/the-bent-pyramid-of-sneferu/

The Tomb of the Sacred Apis Bulls: https://exploreegypt.blog/2025/06/20/the-serapeum-of-saqqara-tomb-of-the-sacred-apis-bulls/

Your third day you will visit Giza to see the astounding Great Pyramid, its two smaller pyramids, and the Sphynx, as well as the fabulous new Grand Egyptian Museum (known as the GEM), now the largest archaeological museum in the world.

If you have additional time you may be able to squeeze in a visit to Memphis, http://bit.ly/47rUUp4 the ancient capital of Aneb-Hetch, the first nome (district) of Lower Egypt and possibly also one of my favorite museums, the New Egyptian Museum of Civilization, right in Cairo, with its royal mummies and exhibitions you won’t see anywhere else.

There’s so much to see in all of Egypt, but if you have just a few days in Cairo these tips should hopefully help get you started on your way!