Cairo - Highlights
Giza's colossal pyramids are awe inspiring but easily matched by Khan-el-Khalili's chaotic market streets and King Tut's gold in the National Museum.
Head for the serene Sphinx guarding the Giza pyramids and their darkened tombs. Check out royal mummies and Tutankhamen's gold in the National Museum and wander down to waterfront for a peaceful ride on a felucca (narrow sailing boat) down the Nile.
Bargain hard at medieval Khan-el-Khalili, crammed with fragrant oils, spices and chaos, or watch locals spend at Birqash's spirited camel market. Climb the spiral staircase up the minaret in the gracious Ibn Tulun's Mosque and look out onto the daunting Citadel, or take in a panoramic view from the modern Cairo Tower on Gezira Island. To the south are Coptic Cairo's museum and charming churches with frescoes and ancient scripts.
Accepting a friendly local who tags along may result in large amounts of baksheesh to pay him off, so if you want to wander alone, be firm. Watch your valuables in Khan-el-Khalili (known colloquially as ‘the Khan'). Try to beat the crowds to the National Museum by getting there soon after opening, and watch for persistent carpet sellers loitering outside. Opening hours vary during the fasting month of Ramadan around October.
