Get off the beaten track and see the magic of Cairo

Prices: from GBP 70 for 3 days

Detailed Description and Itinerary

Day 1 – CAIRO

Arrive in Cairo and transfer to your hotel.

Cairo
When you arrive in Cairo you are thrown headlong into the hustle and bustle of this wonderful city. As you wander the streets your senses will be assaulted on all levels – an endless cacophony of noise with cars tooting, donkeys braying and the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer; the mix of smells like the aroma from cooking pots bubbling with fuul (a local dish that you will certainly sample); the delicious taste of mint tea as you sit in a shaded café to relax; and the endless river of life that you can watch roll past you – women haggling in the bazaars, men talking whilst enjoying a traditional shisha pipe, cars vying for space on the crowded roads, camels ambling serenely along and children playing in the back streets.

Day 2 – TOUR OF CAIRO

You’ll have a briefing and then begin a full day of exploring the city with your guide. (B)

Cairo City Tour
After breakfast you will meet one of our tour leaders and head off into the backstreets of Cairo to find out more about this amazing city. Along the way your tour leader will brief you about life in Egypt, point out items of interest and describe what you will see over the course of the day. From our hotel we’ll walk to Dokki Square where we’ll hop on the Cairo underground – the only subway system in Africa – all the way to Tahrir Square, one of the most important squares in Cairo. This is the location of the famed Egyptian Museum, the Mogamaa building where all the public government offices are, and the American University, the first foreign university in the country.

Walking toward Talaat Harb Street we pass one of the most famous and oldest restaurants in Cairo, Felfela, which is always a popular choice for dinner. We then continue on towards a coffee shop and stop for a drink and a rest. Talaat Harb was the first founder of the banks in Cairo and his statue is displayed in the square. We will also pass by the synagogue, one of the oldest in Egypt.

From Talaat Harb we pass into a labyrinth of narrow alleys, past small shops where craftsmen make handmade copper and wooden designs. These are where the many souvenirs sold in the Khan El Khalili bazaar are made. Along the way we pass many small mosques, which often have small buildings adjacent to them which are called sapiel. These were used in the olden days as a source of water for passers-by to drink while walking in the street on hot days.

Continuing on towards the Bab Zouiela, one of the oldest gates of Cairo, we visit a watchtower next to a mosque which is also one of the oldest in the city. Heading into the market we reach El Gourieh palace, crossing the green bridge, and on deep into the Khan El Khalili bazaar. We’ll have a traditional Egyptian pancake lunch in the bazaar, and in the afternoon there’s plenty of time to shop and practice your bargaining skills before taxis take us back to the hotel for a well earned rest.

Day 3 – CAIRO

The tour ends after breakfast. (B)

Itinerary Notes

Each City Tour is based on 2 nights stay in tourist class hotels. Published prices are per person on a twin share basis. If you are travelling alone – a single rate applies.

Key: (B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner