Cairo & Lower Egypt

Centered on Cairo and the Giza Pyramids, stretching north to Alexandria and the Nile Delta and east to the Suez Canal; the starting point of most Egypt trips.

This region is defined by whole governorates and includes Greater Cairo (the governorates of Cairo, Giza and Qalyubia), Alexandria and Beheira on the Mediterranean coast, the governorates of the Nile Delta, the three Canal governorates of Port Said, Ismailia and Suez, and the Faiyum Oasis southwest of Cairo.

Highlights: the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, the Step Pyramid of Saqqara and the Bent Pyramid of Dahshur, and the ruins of Memphis; the Grand Egyptian Museum and the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square; Islamic Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque, Saladin's Citadel and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, and the Hanging Church in Coptic Cairo; in Alexandria, the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Qaitbay Citadel, Pompey's Pillar and the catacombs; and in Faiyum, Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley) fossil site (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and Lake Qarun.

Classic itinerary: 3–4 days in Cairo and Giza, plus a one- or two-day trip to Alexandria; then take an overnight train or fly south to Luxor and Aswan, followed by a Red Sea beach stay, making the most common 10–12 day Egypt route.

Getting around: Cairo International Airport is the gateway, and the express train from Cairo to Alexandria takes about 2.5 hours; the metro in the city is cheap, and for taxis a ride-hailing app is recommended. Note: most attraction tickets must be paid by card, and some require an international credit card; women should dress conservatively, and shoulders and knees must be covered to enter mosques.

Destinations

• Alexandria
• Cairo & Giza
• Bahariya Oasis & White Desert

Itineraries

• Cairo In Depth and Alexandria – Stay in Zamalek and take your time with two Egyptian museums and the Islamic old city, then take a train to Alexandria…
• Grand Panorama Loop of Egypt – Cover Cairo, Aswan, Luxor, the Red Sea, and Alexandria, featuring overland temple routes and the historic Mediterranean…
• Cairo, Fayoum and Alexandria – Based in Cairo, with day trips to Saqqara and Dahshur, the Fayoum Desert, and Alexandria.
• Bahariya Oasis & Black and White Desert – Venture into the Western Desert from Cairo by 4x4, spending one night in an oasis and another camping in the White Dese…
• El Alamein, Siwa Oasis & Alexandria – Travel west along the Mediterranean via El Alamein to Siwa, wrapping up in Alexandria on the way back to avoid a long…
• Classic Cairo & Nile River Cruise – Three nights in Cairo plus a four-night cruise from Luxor to Aswan, followed by Abu Simbel—the standard route for first…
• Cairo First-Timer's Classic – The Pyramids and Grand Egyptian Museum, the Citadel and Khan el-Khalili, and Coptic Cairo: three days to see the best o…
• Sleeper Train & Felucca Journey Across the Nile – Two sleeper train journeys and a night on a felucca, covering Cairo, Aswan, and Luxor to save on accommodation while of…
• Strolling the Islamic Old City – Stay in the old city and walk Al-Muizz Street, Bab Zuweila, Ibn Tulun and the City of the Dead, with a Sufi whirling da…
• Pyramids, Pharaonic Treasures and Whale Valley – Stay at the foot of the pyramids, explore the three great pyramid complexes and three museums, then head to the Fayoum…