The Egyptian Museum in Cairo

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo is one of the first stops on most people's itineraries when traveling to Egypt. With over 120,000 artifacts, the museum houses an incredible display depicting ancient Egypt's glorious reign. You can enjoy mummies, sarcophagi, pottery, jewelry and of course King Tutankhamen's treasures. King Tut's goodies include his socks, underwear and the boy-king's death-mask made of solid gold, described as the most beautiful object ever made. The displays are not all labeled very well and it's a little haphazard but you'll enjoy it nevertheless.

Top 10 Picks for Hotels in Cairo

My top 10 picks for best hotels in Cairo (Egypt) include luxury, mid-range and budget options. This list of Cairo's best hotels have been chosen based on their value, location and style. You'll find Cairo's best boutique hotels as well as those offering the cleanest dorms. The most expensive hotels start at the top of the list.Budget hotels can be found further down. The cheaper the hotel, the more likely you'll be asked to join a tour. But that's a good idea in Cairo.Cairo hotel rates fluctuate (per season and exchange rate) so please check with the hotel directly, or a booking engine for the most current price.

High tourist season in Egypt runs from mid October to May

High tourist season in Egypt runs from mid October to May, and thisis the best time to visit. How can
view, the tourist season is in winter and spring, but this is too high season, and prices go up at this time of years. Some hotels may actually be expensive, and for that, I would prevention advice for all bookings accommodation before you come, and the budget hotels.

CAIRO

From May to October, temperatures are quite high, especially Luxor and the southern part of country, but the summer offers a time to see Egypt in relative peace and quiet. This is a huge advantage of being able to see the tourist sites without problems by school children, or from the crowds of tourists. Imagine, piece and quiet to take photographs without obscuring the view of strangers.

Cairo, khan el Khalili, dealing

Khan al Khalili may seem another tourist trap, but it is not. It is a bazaar full of life, where locals go to buy what they need. You will, of course, see many tourists here, because it is one of the city's main tourist attractions. But you will also find many locals.

As in other Arab markets, sellers will try to sell you everything they can. The words you will hear more often are: "where are your from?" (or "where you from?") and "how much?". Even if you didn't want to buy anything, most probably you will be seduced.

Cairo, khan el Khalili, juices

The first thing you need to know is how to get from the airport to your hotel. The best option is to arrange a pick up service with your hotel. If you have not booked a hotel room, you can try to take a taxi to the city center, but you have to know this is the worst way to start your travel in Egypt. Taxi drivers will try to charge you as much as they can, and will try to take you to one of their "recommended" hotels. If you need to negotiate with a taxi driver at the airport make clear you are talking about Egyptian pounds, because most of the times when you try to pay them, they will say they were talking about US dollars (that's 3 times the price in Egyptian pounds!). Fortunately taxi divers in the city of Cairoare much more friendlier.

The second thing you need to know is how to move around Cairo. Traffic is so chaotic in this city, that renting a car is an option I cannot recommend. You better use public transports. I knew buses were not recommended either, but I wanted to experience a bus ride. Now I am sure: you shouldn't take local buses. They are dirty and it is almost impossible to know where they are going. If you don't want to waste your time, don't take a bus.

I can only recommend taxis and the underground. Underground is usually overcrowded, but it is easy to use and cheap. The name of the stations is written in English. The only inconveniences are the heat and the crowds.

welcome to Cairo (Egypt)

Hello, welcome to Cairo, Egypt! Cairo is not only the capital of Egypt, but the biggest city in Africa, with more than 16 million inhabitants. Although it is a huge and chaotic metropolis, it is also a lovely destination.

If you stay with me I will show you why this city is so fascinating. I will share my experiences in this overcrowded city with you. You will learn how to get around, what to see, when to go, where and what to eat, how to deal with locals, some street scams and everything else you need to know before visiting this city. I will also give you some information about its history, culture and traditions. I hope you will enjoy this Photographic Tour.

In the photo you can see the reaction of some tourists in front of the magnificentTutankhamun mask. i am sure you have seen this mask several thousand times. If you complete the tour you will have the chance to see it one more time.

By the way on this tour I will not show a single photo of the pyramids, they impressed me so much that I have dedicated a Photographic Tour to them. If you want to see the pyramids before (virtually) visiting Cairo.

Now it is time to visit Cairo's main bazaar: Khan al Khalili

5 Quirky Things to do in Cairo

When in Cairo, you’ll be tempted to limit yourself to doing typically tourist activities. But Cairo, being the huge city it is, offers much, much more than typical tourist activities.  When I travel, I like to actually do things that aren’t always offered on tour operators’ itineraries.  Here are my top 5 things to do in Cairo that are a little on the quirky side!

1. Sit and enjoy shisha at Kahwa El Borsa

The Middle East is known for many things, and shisha is definitely one of them.  Known as a narghila in countries in the Levant region, shisha is the Egyptian word for this strange device.  Basically this concoction is a water pipe where flavored molasses covered tobacco is smoked.  This may not be for everyone, but for those who are interested in trying it, Kahwa El Borsa is definitely the place to go!  While Cairo is teeming with these cafés, El Borsa is a really authentic and interesting place to go.  Located in the Stock Exchange area of Cairo, the café offers an interesting ambience with both indoor and outdoor seating.  If you want calm, head indoors.  For a really authentic atmosphere, sit outside and watch the crowds go by and patrons compete in backgammon, while enjoying the great flavors of the shisha.  The best thing is, lots of expats enjoy this café as well, so you won’t feel so out of place!