Cairo and Giza

Egypt's capital region: the Giza pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, medieval Islamic Cairo and the Coptic quarter, all within an hour of each other.

About the region

Greater Cairo is home to more than 20 million people and is where almost every trip to Egypt begins. It is loud and crowded, with a great deal to see. On the west bank, Giza holds the three great pyramids and the Sphinx, part of the Memphis and its Necropolis World Heritage Site, which also takes in Saqqara, Dahshur and the remains of Memphis to the south.

Beside the plateau, the Grand Egyptian Museum opened fully on 1 November 2025 and now displays the complete Tutankhamun collection together for the first time. Across the river, Historic Cairo has mosques, madrasas and city gates from more than a thousand years of Islamic rule into the streets around Al-Muizz Street and Khan El Khalili, while Coptic Cairo has some of Egypt’s oldest churches and the Ben Ezra Synagogue. The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat holds the royal mummies.

Allow at least three full days. Traffic is heavy, so group sights by area and use the metro, ride-hailing apps or a driver. The region also includes the New Administrative Capital, 45 km east and now linked to the city by the East Nile Monorail, and Banha on the edge of the Delta.

Highlights

Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx
Grand Egyptian Museum and the full Tutankhamun collection
Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara and Dahshur's pyramids
Al-Muizz Street, Khan El Khalili and the Citadel
Coptic Cairo's Hanging Church and Ben Ezra Synagogue
Royal mummies at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
A felucca sail on the Nile at sunset

Plan your visit

Best time: October to April is the most comfortable, with daytime highs of about 20–28°C; June to August regularly passes 35°C, so visit outdoor sites early in the morning.

Getting there: Cairo International Airport is the main gateway, and Sphinx International Airport west of Giza handles a growing number of European and Gulf flights and is closer to the pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum. Ramses Station in central Cairo is the hub for trains to Alexandria (about 2.5 hours) and overnight sleepers to Luxor and Aswan.

Trip ideas: