Last updated on 01 May, 2019 at 12:45 am
After Jordan, we continue our historical and ancient journey in Egypt, starting with its capital, Cairo.
Our arrival in Cairo
When we got off our plane in Cairo, we wanted to take the bus to get to our hotel in the city center.
After passing the usual taxi horde at the exit of the controlled area of the terminal, we ask our way at the information desk. A gentleman who worked in Zürich explained us in a hesitant German that we shouldn’t take the bus, people are very tight, stinks and it’s not safe. In addition, other taxis do not speak English and cannot communicate with us. We finally give up and take a taxi with him for 210 Egyptian pounds (11.50 CHF or 10.10 €).
According to the manager of our hotel, the price should be more about 150 Egyptian pounds. For sure, we will never take a taxi again from inside the airport…
Our visit of Cairo and of Giza Plateau
We negotiated a organized tour for both of us for all of Egypt via our hotel in Cairo. You will find all the details of the course on our article on Egypt. Coming soon.
We visited Cairo and its surroundings over two days. The first day, we went to see the pyramids of Saqqara and Giza. On the second day, we went to visit the Egyptian Museum in Cairo as well as the Old City of Cairo.
Pyramids of Saqqara
Older and smaller than the pyramids of Giza, having large steps rather than being smooth, the pyramids of Saqqara nevertheless impose respect and admiration.
When we felt bad asking to redo a papyrus, as he made him redo a pyramid!
Indeed, our guide told us that the first pyramid built for the Pharaoh did not please him. So he built another pyramid for his last home.
On site, it is possible to enter in one of the pyramids. It is however forbidden to take pictures, at least in theory. Our guide told us that it’s possible to take pictures by giving a tip of 5 Egyptian pounds (less than 30 cents) to the guy doing the tour with us. The operation was repeated a little later for a tomb.
Pyramids of Giza
“Soldiers, remember that from the heights of these pyramids, 40 centuries look down on you!”
It’s on this quote from Napoleon Bonaparte that we went to Giza, a very high density tourist area.
Our guide took us directly to a shop where they offer camel and horse rides.
We felt almost obliged to take a horse tour...
He first asked us $20 per person for a ride, then $30 for both, still too expensive for us. We told him that we will go on foot. On the way out, he did a final bid at $20 for both with a camel ride for the pictures at the end. Since it is already late in the afternoon, we finally accept this price.
On horseback, it’s way faster, especially to get to the panoramic view of the pyramids.
Splendid! Majestic! Resplendent!
I lack superlatives to describe the greatness of these monuments, especially when you think they were built over 4000 years ago and they always stand proudly in front of us. At this moment we feel the reach of the words of the young Napoleon trying to make his soldiers aware of what was ahead of them.
In Cairo, most tourist sites close at 16h and Giza is one of them. Therefore, impossible for us to enter a pyramid, too bad… Fortunately, they aren’t very insistent to make us going out and we were able to finally stay until 16:45 in the site, ending with the Sphinx.
Sphinx
This Sphinx can be disappointing by its rather small size compared to the pyramids standing behind it. It looks tiny but once you are next to it, it becomes impressive again.
The most demanding photographers will prefer to come in the morning to photograph the Sphinx. For the pyramids, the light of the sunset from the panorama view is magnificent.
When we arrived at our starting point, no more camel to be seen
So we won’t have our camel ride and our pictures… At the end, given the time frame, we don’t regret the horses, we would never have managed to walk though the site before it closes.
Second day at the Pyramids of Giza
On our last day in Cairo, after the rest of our tour, we went back to the pyramids with a driver but without a guide. Except for the panorama view in the desert, the whole site is feasible on foot in about 2 hours. In addition, there are two panorama points, one in the desert and more accessible on horseback/camel and the other accessible by car. This time, our driver took us to this second point so we could take nice pictures.
In summary, unless you go just before closing time, you want to go to the panorama view in the desert or for the experience, it’s not necessary to take a horse/camel.
We also learned during our second visit that the entry to the pyramids has to be bought in addition to the entrance tickets to the site. So we didn’t get in there at the end.
Cairo's Egyptian Museum
This museum is full of so many wonders of ancient Egypt that a visit is compulsory, whether you are a fan of museums or not.
The new Egyptian museum in Cairo will open in 2022
In Cairo, a new museum is under construction next to the pyramids. It will be the museum with the most pieces in the world. Some parts have already been transferred from one to the other.
Because of delays in the construction, it will open only in 2022. At the beginning, they wanted to make a partial opening in 2019 then total in 2022, but in the end, to maximize the impact of advertising to tourists, they will open the museum all at once.
The centerpiece of the exhibition, Tutankhamun’s mask, is still in the Egyptian museum downtown. From what we have heard, it will stay there until the opening of the new museum but it is always smart to inquire first once you are there.
Our visit of the museum
We were at the museum on October 6th, an important date in Egypt since it commemorates the beginning of the war with Israel. As a result, we were able to listen to a brass band playing the trumpets of Jericho in front of the museum entrance.
In order to take pictures inside the museum, you have to buy an additional ticket for 50 Egyptian pounds (2.80 CHF or 2.40 €). Note: no one can take pictures in the room where is located the Tutankhamun’s mask… but no one tells you this before…
Visit of old Cairo
After the museum, our driver took us to the Old Cairo district.
We focused on the Citadel of the old Cairo district. Protected by fortified walls and elevated compared to the rest of the city, the view of the city is magnificent, including on the Sultan Hassan Mosque and the Al-Rifa’i Mosque, located side by side below. In the middle of the citadel stands the mosque built in the time of Mohamed Ali (the sultan, not the boxer).
Coptic district
The Coptic district of the city is under good police protection. We visited the hollow church (yes, hollow, not holly), where the Holy Family would have stayed during its Egyptian exile.
We also visited the hanging church, church resting on a tower remnants of the Roman fortress.
What's next for us?
After our visit of Cairo, we took a night train to Aswan where we started our Nile cruise and visits to the most famous temples in the region.
Practical advices to visit Cairo
You fill find here below, all our tips to visit Cairo. For all our advices on Egypt in general, read our dedicated article.
Transportation
For taxis, take the white cars with a black checkerboard on the sides. These should normally work with a meter. Require them to turn on their counter and check that the meter is not overcharding. Sometimes they make it turn faster to inflate the final bill.
To get around the city of Cairo, we use the Uber app without trouble. Note, however, that depending on the time of day, traffic can easily double your scheduled travel time.
The subway is also a way to travel to Cairo city to avoid traffic.
As usual, you have to be careful with taxis. Many people call themselves “taxi” but don’t use a meter and set the rates at their will. The official taxis, are white cars with a black checkerboard on the sides. These should normally work with a meter.
Where to sleep in Cairo? Accommodations
We stayed at the Azar hotel, near the Azbakeya garden and the Opera car park.
The hotel has very good value for money ratio. If the entrance is hard to find, the hotel is new and the rooms comfortable and clean. Only downside, you can smoke at the lobby of the hotel but it didn’t bother us more than that because we didn’t feel anything in the rooms. Breakfast is a bit repetitive. Tea and coffee is available for free at all times. The manager welcomes you in a hospitable and professional way.
Where to eat in Cairo? The restaurants
We went to GAD, a popular Egyptian restaurants chain. The food is as simple as cheap.
We also went for pastries at Abdel Rahim Koueider. Communication is difficult because they aren’t used to tourists. You usually take at least 250 grams of pastries, so they mocked us a little when we wanted to taste everything but in very small portions. Recommended by an Egyptian friend, we tried Basboosa, Konafa bil ishta and kol wa ishor in addition to another pastry that they made us try. Pastries have a very good taste (and calories!) Honey is the main ingredient of each.
On our last day we went to El Tahrir Koshary, a specialty chain as its name suggests in Koshary, a typical dish of pasta, noodles, lentils and tomato sauce. This is the only dish they serve. We can just choose the size. Celine took the small portion and me the medium size, which was good for both of us. The final bill was also quite nice since we paid for two 45 Egyptian pounds (2.50 CHF or 2.20 €), drinks included!
How much are the entrances fees of monuments in Cairo?
You will find all entrance fees to the different monuments on our article dedicated to Egypt. Coming soon.
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