Top Tips To Know Before Travelling To Cairo

From Pharaonic eras to Coptic, Islamic and contemporary times, Cairo has long been a city rich in cultural heritage. To discover the secrets of the city without running into trouble, you’ve got to know at least some of the basics. Below are the top tips you need to know before visiting Cairo.

Make the most of your Cairo experience by joining Culture Trip’s specially curated 10-day Egypt adventure, which includes a visit to the historic centre as well as the Sphinx and Giza Pyramids.

Know what you want out of the trip

How long are you planning to spend in Cairo? The answer is key when deciding how you’re going to spend your time here. Whether it’s discovering the secrets of ancient Egypt, exploring Islamic Egypt or perhaps sampling local food, time management is of the utmost importance. To get the best out of your trip, consider carefully what you want from your time – especially if you’re not staying for long.

Plan you time carefully when visiting Cairo, there’s plenty to see and do

If this is your first time in Cairo and you don’t know much about the area, get yourself a tour guide. Or you can use Showaround, a website that links you with locals who can help you move around the city and visit the best places. This will save you much time and effort.

Not sure what to see in Cairo? Get a tour guide to show you round

Know what to wear

Egypt is a nation where many traditions and beliefs dominate daily life. For ladies, wearing revealing clothes is often not recommended. You’ll probably end up walking a lot, too, which requires comfy clothes and shoes. This is especially the case in desert and sandy terrains such as those around the Pyramids of Giza. In the end, it all depends on where you’re going, so ask your guide or learn more about the place you’re visiting beforehand.

If you’re heading to the Pyramids of Giza, make sure you wear appropriate shoes

Know the different means to get around the city

Getting around Cairo isn’t too tough — you just need to know which transport to use, which all depends on your budget and where you’re going. There’s a large network of roads and a wide variety of public transportation systems; select from metro, bus, and private options including Uber, Careem and Nile Taxi.

Try the local food

An important part of any visit to Cairo, Egyptian cuisine includes everything from street food — think foul, kebda (liver) and kushari — to traditional options, such as feteer (pie) and mulukheya.

Kushari is a pasta, rice and lentil dish typical of Egyptian cuisine

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.