There is no city in the world like Cairo. It has been the largest city in Africa and the Middle East for 750 years and has been attractive to tourists throughout the ages.
This short tour gives you a taste of Egypt's bustling capital city and home to the Pyramids, Sphinx and Egyptian Museum, and is ideal for those short of time or who may have visited other parts of Egypt already.
The tour begins with a guided sightseeing tour to Egypt's most well-known landmark - the Great Pyramids of Giza and the enigmatic Sphinx.
We also visit the unique Step Pyramid at Saqqara to learn about the history and evolution of pyramid building.
Next we take a fully-guided city tour of Cairo to visit the sprawling Egyptian Museum of antiquities, the imposing Citadel, several mosques (or alternatively Coptic Cairo) and the bustling Khan-el-Khalili bazaar.
We also take an evening dinner cruise on the Nile and enjoy some traditional Sufi dancing and exotic Belly dancing.
Accommodation is based on a friendly small 3-star hotel in the up-scale district of Mohandiseen, with plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants within easy walking distance. Upgrades to a range of different 4 or 5 star hotels are also available on request.
You arrive at Cairo airport where we greet and transfer you to your hotel. Our local rep. welcomes you, helps you settle into the hotel, and outlines the plan for the next few days.
After breakfast we have a brief pre-tour briefing before we take you on a tour of Gisa and Saqqara. Gisa was built around 4600 years ago as a necropolis (cemetery) for the pharaoh Khufu (Cheops). The successor of Sneferu, Khufu was known as a tyrant and in his arrogance decided to have built a tomb that was bigger and better than all others. Standing 500 feet high and 750 feet at its base the Pyramid of Khufu is an awesome man-made structure constructed of giant blocks of stone covered in a hard limestone casing. The casing has, over the years, been stripped away to leave exposed the inner block structure. Together with the smaller pyramids of Khafre (Chephern) and Menkaure (Mycerinus), the majestic sight of these enormous structures rising out of the desert is a breathtaking spectacle. Here you have the chance to climb inside one of the pyramids (there are a limited number of tickets available, so we cannot guarantee this), and also to take a camel ride. Close by, the mysterious Sphinx stands guard, as it has done so for thousands of years. You have another guided tour around the sphinx and some free time to walk around and take photos.
From here we take you to Saqqara, which lies 25km to the south of Cairo. Djeser's (Zoser's) Step Pyramid (built 4700 years ago) dominates the skyline and is believed to have been the ancient Egyptians' first attempt at Pyramid building. The entire 7km stretch of desert at Saqqara is a treasure trove of pyramids, temples and tombs, which we will have plenty of time to explore, while we learn about the history of pyramid building in Egypt.
After breakfast we begin our tour of Cairo. Founded in 969 AD by Gohar, a Fatimid army leader, El Kahera (Cairo) soon became the capital of Egypt. Subsequent additions like the El Azhar mosque, the Islamic University, and defensive walls and a citadel, built by Saladin in 1179, have helped Cairo remain Egypt's principal city. The 16-year reign of Ismail (1830-1895) ushered in a new period of expansion and modernisation in Cairo. Areas like Heliopolis, Dokki and Roda were added, while gardens, Opera houses, large hotels and wide, tree lined avenues were built. Further post revolutionary, urban expansion has left Cairo as one of the world's largest cities. Today it is a bustling metropolis of over 20 million people, a strange mix of modern and old, a unique blend of diverse cultures and a gateway to Egypt's past.
Your tour includes a visit to the Egyptian Museum (which houses a vast collection of artefacts from Egypt's past, including the famous King Tutunkhamun display), the Citadel (a collection of mosques and palaces, with a great view over the city), and the Khan al Khalili bazaar (a mazy market that offers a window to the past and a guaranteed souvenir).
Finally, this evening we enjoy a dinner cruise on the River Nile. During the meal, there will be a display by local Sufi and belly dancers.
Your tour ends today and your time is free until we transfer you back to Cairo airport for your flight home. As this is a private tour, we can be as flexible with the itinerary as you wish, and extra nights in Cairo can be added as well as further day trips and tours. For example, you could visit the colonial city of Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast, or head into the deserts near Cairo to visit the World Heritage Site of the Valley of the Whales.
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