Egypt, Africa’s most visited country with 2 faces.
Egypt, the land of the pharaohs and ancient wonders.
As the most visited country in Africa, this country is on the travel list of many travelers. With good reason, because this country has so much to offer! From the only ancient wonder of the world that is still standing with thousands of ancient pyramids and temples, to luxurious resorts on the Red Sea. We can't tell you anything about the luxury resorts, that's not our thing, but we can tell you about Cairo and its surroundings!
Why Egypt Should Be On Your Travel List:
The Pyramids, temples, mythical stories about the Pharaohs, the impressive Nile but also the Red Sea with its beautiful coral do not really need an introduction. The imagination of these buildings is so impressive that you really have to see them once! But even beyond the well-known Egyptian buildings, there is something else that makes Egypt so special. The people and life there. They make this country just that little bit more unique when it comes to a real travel experience 🙂 Because even if you are coming outside Western countries for the first time or you are already a more seasoned traveler, in terms of travel experience you will come far here!
Cairo, Giza and surroundings, Egypt in a nutshell.
Our trip to Egypt brought us to Cairo and surroundings from a transit from beautiful Jordan. Despite the fact that we were only in Egypt for 1 week, I still got a good impression of this country. Not so strange because you also happen to find several of the most famous highlights of Egypt here.
A brief introduction, Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the Nile flows through the city. The longest river in the world that has provided Egypt with life for centuries. The water of the Nile has made it possible for centuries to build life in the otherwise dry Sahara desert. This river has allowed several Pharaohs to build their empire. The history of Egypt is therefore enormous. Too much to describe here, but this gives Egypt one of the most iconic buildings in the world.
Cairo and Giza have now grown into one big urban jungle. In total, about 24 million people live here, making this area one of the largest metropolises in the world. Combine this with the rather chaotic and busy lifestyle of the Egyptians and you have a gigantic chaos that you also have in India, for example. It is precisely this chaos that makes Cairo an incredibly interesting city! The highlights of the city are of course very well-known, but it happens on the streets! So definitely dive into the streets instead of just hanging around the museums and tourist highlights!
Our tips for your ultimate city trip to Cairo!
Cairo, there is no doubt that this is a unique city for your city trip! Because here you will find ancient pyramids that go hand in hand in an urban chaos that will amaze you just as much. How can you best explore the Egyptian capital? We are happy to give you our tips!
First of all, Cairo is only the capital east of the river Nile. Giza is the big city west of it where you will also find the famous Pyramids of Giza! We stayed in the quiet neighborhood Pyramids garden in the hotel Desert Moon Cairo for Egyptian standards. Personally, I would avoid this hotel with a wide arc because the stay was disastrous! My tip is therefore not to save too much on your stay but to book a good hotel, for example from a chain or a well-rated hotel where you can really relax from your action-packed days in Cairo. Around the Nile on the peninsula of the Opera you will find several well-rated hotels here! Book a really good stay, because this can really break your total trip through Cairo otherwise….
From Cairo International Airport it is about a 1.5 to 2 hour drive to Giza depending on traffic. Book a ride in advance via Uber or your hotel to avoid scam taxi drivers. Also take an eSIM to avoid being scammed at the SIM card shops at the airport. The airport is a nightmare with a lot of corrupt customs officers and security staff so prepare yourself for a not so relaxing airport experience. Welcome to Egypt!
Pyramid hunting in Cairo!
In Giza you will find one of the absolute highlights of Egypt! Namely the Pyramids of Giza which are the only physical ancient wonders of the world! You can see them quickly from the highway, and they are impressive! Take a day to visit the enormous complex of the pyramids of Giza! Save yourself a lot of trouble and take a pre-booked guide, not only to get some more background information about the complex. But also to not be bothered all day long by pushy guides. The Pyramid of Chephren is the highest structure, and it is very impressive to be so close to a structure that is thousands of years old! You can climb the first few stones, albeit illegally, and that gives you an idea of how complex this structure must have been to build! Take your time to enjoy the incredibly cool setting where you are!
If there is another impressive Egyptian building, it is the Sphinx of Giza! Known from every shawarma shop, this lying building makes you think of a cat that is lying down! And that with the well-known pyramids in the background make this the picture of Egypt!
Another good tip is to go to one of the panorama points where you can see the big pyramids together with the small pyramids nicely in a row. There are scammers everywhere who force you to sit on a camel. Don't do this because this is pure animal abuse! Stick to a photo of you standing in the sand 🙂 You can also choose to go into the big Pyramid of Chefren. Keep in mind that there are long waiting times and that you actually see very little inside and the whole thing feels very claustrophobic! Unfortunately, your entrance ticket for the complex is only valid for 1 entry, and therefore not the whole day. So having lunch elsewhere in between is not an option unless you have to buy an extra ticket! There is no point in trying because the Egyptians are not very hospitable in that regard...
Dive into old and chaotic Cairo!
Take at least 2 full days to explore the old city of Cairo! From the chaotic bazaars to the tranquility of the many religious complexes. And the energy of the Egyptians! Cairo is a unique capital because of the enormous amount of history and the unique vibe that hangs here on the streets. Be prepared for a lot of action because Cairo is not a relaxed travel city!
Explore the vibrant markets around Khan El-Khalili!
Khan El-Khalili, the old bazaar of Cairo, was one of our absolute highlights! The enormously chaotic setting of a bazaar as you would expect in Egypt. But also the daily life of the residents that takes place here makes it all a lively whole! Start at the Al Ghuri Dome and walk from here into the many winding streets that literally offer action everywhere! Enjoy the many interactions here with the locals, and stand firm in your shoes to not constantly fall into tourist traps. This district is located in the oldest part of Cairo and you can taste the history here! Look past the market stalls and you will see centuries-old buildings and mosques that make it seem as if time has always stood still here!
At the Al Ghuri Dome you can walk south to get more among the real locals. However, walk north towards the Mosque of al-Hakim and you will come to the slightly more touristy side of Khan El-Khalili. This side does not disappoint either because you will also find beautiful centuries-old buildings and a lot of souvenir shops and all kinds of different hidden gems of courtyards! Take your time for all this because wandering is gold here!
Explore Cairo's Christian quarter, the Coptic quarter!
From the extremely chaotic Khan El-Khalili to the surprisingly relaxed Coptic Christian quarter of Cairo was very pleasant! Due to the ancient history of Egypt, there is also a part of the population in Egypt that is Christian. Around the hanging church, a whole district has developed where the complex of the hanging church is the center. This large complex is very interesting to visit! In addition to the beautiful church, there is also the St. George's church that is very beautiful to visit from the inside! The impressive cemeteries around it also make the complex very worth going to! The locals who are here are also noticeably different, and we found them very sweet!
Take a cheesy party boat down the Nile!
My visit to Cairo was exactly during my 25th birthday. A quarter century must be celebrated and so we decided to book a bad Nile cruise! Near the Cairo Tower you will find several large party boats that will take you on the Nile for 1-2 hours. Characterized by thick audio equipment on board and the most bad lighting it is worth the experience! Enjoy the setting while you sail on the Nile for a while and see the metropolis of Cairo along the water! Perfect to do in the dark!
Speaking of Cairo Tower, there was a long line and you can’t even take water up! Decide for yourself if the high entrance fee is worth it! Near Cairo Tower you have a big restaurant boat called NileTaxi – Le Pasha 1901 that has several lovely restaurants! A bit more expensive, but good quality!
Take a trip to the Pyramid of Djoser!
We thought this was a really fun trip to the Pyramid of Djoser! This pyramid is namely the oldest known, still existing, building in human history! As one of the oldest Pyramids in this area, this is a place with a high level of history! Near this complex you will also find various temple complexes where you can also see authentic hieroglyphs! We thought it was really cool to see this writing, and it is very easy to guess which story is depicted! The ride there is also very interesting, you leave the busy metropolis of Cairo and quickly end up in the rural life of Egypt along the Nile! You quickly get the confirmation that you are really in Africa!
Egypt, the country of 2 faces.
Egypt is such a country that you, as a bit of a travel enthusiast, have to visit at least once! Admittedly, we have only been around Cairo. And there is so much more to discover, such as Hurghada, Luxor, Aswan and Alexandria… Yet, there are currently many other countries on my list that attract me first! If you read between the lines in our blog, you will notice that little is easy here. Serious clashes with pushy locals, corrupt government employees at airports or on the street. And aggressive scammers ensure that Egypt, despite the beautiful highlights, is still at the bottom of our favorite countries where we have been. And there are quite a few for us!
Nevertheless, I would go there again, and I recommend you to go to Egypt if you like to travel! Because whoever can look through the chaos of scams, sees a unique street life and a culture that is unique in our world! Solo travel here is a challenge, and whoever is strong in their shoes can also enjoy it here! Also as a woman, but then with a high dose of self-confidence!
Practical tips for Egypt:
- Egypt is definitely suitable for the solo traveller, public transport works and much can be arranged locally.
- For those who don't want any stress in this country where everyone wants something from you, book an organized trip! This doesn't have to be in a massive tourist bus, but can also be just for your own travel group with organizations such as riksjatravel.nl
- Arrange all your practical matters such as an Esim, local transport for Taxis with Uber digitally. The less you have to negotiate on the spot, the less chance of paying too much
- Egyptians love to haggle, walk away when you shout a price when buying something and you will see magic happen to the price. Think of it as a game.
- Most people are very conservative, take into account appropriate clothing for both men and women and do not behave too flamboyantly.
- Only drink water from sealed bottles.
- Be aware that you are in a desert country, avoid direct sunlight and provide plenty of water!
- Try not to get too annoyed by the goings-on with ripping off tourists. It's just the culture here.... No matter how annoying.
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