3 Days in Cairo Itinerary – Places to Visit Including The Pyramids

Cairo is the capital of Egypt and amidst the chaos of the city are the most magnificent gems.  It’s the clashing of the old the new, the frustratingly congested with cars and tourists, and the juxtaposition of dusty alleyways with colossal architecture.  A trip to Egypt just wouldn’t be complete without spending time at least 3 days in Cairo that covers the city that was and is.

Below you’ll find a detailed breakdown of how to plan a 3 day Cairo itinerary for the best mix of activities, sights, restaurants, and where to stay.

3 Day Cairo Itinerary Highlights

3 days is the perfect amount of time to see the city of Cairo.  Here are the best of what you’ll see during your 3 days in Cairo.

1. Bent Pyramid
2. Pyramids of Giza
3. Egyptian Breakfast
4. Egyptian Museum
5. Khan el-Khalili

Table of Contents

Looking for something specific in this 3 day Cairo itinerary?  Jump to what you want to read.

Must-Do’s in a 3 Day Cairo Itinerary

These 3 days in Cairo are an extract of our larger 10 day Egypt itinerary.  With 10 days to work with, there was only enough time to fit in a proper 2 days in Cairo (or 2.5 days if you include our arrival day).

This itinerary is a compilation of our own 2 days in Cairo plus an additional day to fill in some of the main sights that we missed.

As I do with all of my other itineraries, this is a comprehensive guide to how you can plan the Cairo leg of your journey through Egypt.  It’s meant for the sensible traveller that wants to see all the highlights, get a sense of local culture, try some adventure if available, while also saving money along the way.

As you’ll learn soon, we worked closely with Djed Egypt Travel to craft our eventual 10 days in Egypt.  It goes without saying that I highly recommend them and you’ll see why down below.

Day 0 – The Arrival

Start off your itinerary with your arrival in Cairo.  For some, this may mean flying in from an international destination, and others this could be the end of your trip after something like the Nile cruise on a dahabiya or Nile cruise and stay.  Whichever it is, we won’t count this as a full day in Cairo.  Instead, I’ll leave this as a “get situated” day.

Since I’m writing this from personal experience, I’ll share this from the perspective of someone flying into Cairo International Airport.

The introduction to Cairo starts immediately as you descend into the city.  As you make your approach, the plane does a swing around the Pyramids of Giza and this is when you start to get a sense of the scale of these magnificent structures.

TIP: I can’t guarantee this is the same flight path they always take but if it’s anything like ours, make sure you get a window seat on the left side of the plane.

Djed Egypt Travel is the tour operator we chose for this trip and one thing you’ll find with them is that 1) all their trips are private and 2) it’s end-to-end service.  This is immediately apparent when you land in Cairo.  Their guides have special access to wait for passengers before you even get to customs.  This is unusual as I haven’t seen this in any other country but this turned out to be helpful because it’s not obvious how to purchase Egypt’s visa-on-arrival.  All you have to do is hand the $25 USD per person over to the guide and they find the shortest line and get you sorted.  Another benefit is that one your way out of the airport, the sea of people asking if you want a ride, magically part ways as you walk towards to the Djed van.

If you are on your own and need private transfer service to your hotel, you can check this out.

I strongly recommend staying in Giza for your 3 days in Cairo.  Any tour company you work with will most likely recommend the same because the drive to the Giza necropolis from Cairo downtown is insane because of traffic.  Being based at the footsteps of the pyramids is a huge advantage.

Your van and guide will make sure the check-in at the hotel goes smoothly and you’ll receive instructions for where and when to wait for them the next day.

Before your guide leaves, make sure you ask your guide where a recommended place to eat is because they’ll know the spots that are cleaner and safer to eat.  If you’re staying at the Comfort Pyramids Inn like we did, have dinner at the Egyptian restaurant, Abu Shakra.

For the rest of your day, feel free to walk along the main street in Giza, explore your resort, or just hang out on your rooftop while watching the sunset.  This is a nice chill day before the pace picks up dramatically so make sure to take advantage.

TIP: Plan to withdraw Egyptian Pounds (EGP) on your first day as well since you’ll need some to get you started if you don’t have any.  In Giza, there’s an exchange shop along the main drag called Roxy Exchange.  There are also ATM’s that can exchange USD but we found that these machines were quite finicky in recognizing notes and the rate was a little worse.  Tips on how much to exchange and money matters at in the quick Egypt travel guide below.

Another activity you can consider is the Sound and Light Show at the Pyramids especially if you don’t have rooftop views in Giza.  I’ll be straight up with you that from our rooftop the light show seemed to be quite slow.  I was expecting more laser projections or more changing of colours but it was mostly big flood lights shining up at the pyramids while listening to someone like David Attenborough going through a full episode of Planet Earth.  Mind you, we could barely hear the audio and we couldn’t see what was projected at the base of the Sphinx but that’s what we saw and heard.

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Day 1 – All the Pyramids

Your first full day in Cairo is going to be packed!  It’s going to be exciting, education, but also exhausting, so get ready.

TIP: Start as early as possible even if your guide doesn’t offer this up initially.  The pyramids open at 8AM so ideally you’re one of the first ones there before or as the giant tour busses roll in.  With that, pick up at 7AM or 7:30AM (depending on where your hotel is) is what I’d recommend.  Even though you might be looking at the Sphinx and the south entrance to the pyramids, there’s actually a bit of a drive around Giza to get to the entrance for The Great Pyramid so that time needs to be accounted for.

To see the the pyramids and the whole of the Giza Necropolis for the first time from your rooftop is jaw-dropping but then to be right at its base and see all the huge blocks of granite is something else.

When you get dropped off at the entrance that is closest to The Great Pyramid itself, you’ll first need to wait for your guide to purchase and pick up the tickets and then also pass through the standard x-ray machines.  There are some tidbits about pricing, cameras, tripods, and microphones that are critical need to knows so make sure you read the box below.

Once you’re in, you’ll freeze up just from the awe of what you’re looking at.  I for one was thinking about how I’ve been reading about the pyramids since elementary school and now I was standing on the same sand and stone and looking at all the imperfections of each step that rises to an unbelievable height.  You almost won’t know what to do – do you get closer, do you snap photos, do you take a selfie, or actually listen to what your guide is saying?

You snap back to reality and if you have a great guide like ours, Mohamed, he’ll draw you into by telling you the story of Pharaoh Khufu (also known as Cheops), the building of the pyramids, the choosing of the plateau, its relationship with the Nile, and much more.

While you’ll find that you’ll want to spend a lot of time here, the experience will feel a little rushed.  As the crowds start mounting from the tour busses, you’ll make your way to the literal steps up the pyramid that lead to the now not-so-secret entrance.

Some might tell you that it’s not worth it to go inside but honestly when else are you going to be able to climb into the largest pyramid and get another wave of bewilderment of how the heck they built these structures.

The walk in starts off easy as if walking into a cave but that soon changes as you have to walk down and then back up a narrow shaft that’s not wide enough for the two-way traffic and not tall enough either so you’re side stepping and crouching as you walk.  You finally get to the Grand Gallery where it opens up and what’s truly impressive are size, angle, and layering of the stone.  There’s a bit more air here before you have to duck down into a smaller chamber (connected to an air shaft) and then another that finally puts you in the King’s Chamber.

I’m not going to lie, it’s a tough one because of the intense heat, awkward walking position, two-way squeezes, and being behind people that really shouldn’t be in there.  That said, if you stop and take in the marvel of the engineering and think about what you’re actually in, you can’t help but just say “Wow!”

The King’s Chamber doesn’t have much.  Blackened granite surround all sides, there’s an empty sarcophagus, and a ceiling that consists of the some of the largest slabs of granite that easily weigh up to 80 tonnes.  You also might find people meditating inside the chamber which is a whole other topic.

Emerging from the pyramid, your guide will take you around the corner to see a few of the Queens’ Pyramids (including Queen Hetepheres) where you can also go inside.

Continue around and you’ll learn about the Khufu Sun Boat (also Solar Boat) which was discovered in a sealed pit at the foot of The Great Pyramid.  Right at the site of the discovery is a large enveloping museum that has a fully reconstructed ship that was used in the time of the Old Kingdom.

Next up is the camel experience.  It’s not something for everyone and having done it, I hesitate to recommend it but here’s what to expect.

Getting picked up by the Djed Egypt Travel van near the road that cuts between Khufu and Khafre’s pyramid, we get a ride up and around to a point called Panorama Point.  This spot is 1) great for panoramic views of the pyramids and 2) where all the camels are concentrated.

Our guide made a phone call and there was already a few men waiting for us to get on.  I can’t say that they were really custom-hired but simply we were slotted in the rotation of people herded like sheep through panorama.  The benefit of going through Mohamed was that the prices were all pre-negotiated and since he was there with us, there was no chance of any bait-and-switch.

The ride was lacklustre but it did give us a little bit of riding time along a very specific path in the desert.  For the photos, we just abruptly stopped somewhere and all of our shots had a bunch of other tourists in the background doing the same thing in the area.

The last part of your tour of the Giza plateau is The Great Sphinx at its base.  You’ll be driven down and dropped off at the southern entrance.

One thing I should mention is that at this point you’ll be feeling the heat exhaustion so make sure to take advantage of the time in the van by re-organizing any gear in your bag, dropping unnecessary weight in the van, and chugging water.  Again, the huge benefit of having your own private tour is that there’s more or less an unlimited supply of water and the security of leaving things in the van that’s exclusive to you.

You won’t have too much time here but enough to take a few clean shots at the front, learn from your guide about its purpose and the temples that stand in front of the iconic guardian, and finally you can get up close to the one side of the Sphinx to see the details of the paws, tail, and do your cringe-worthy kiss photo. I won’t judge if you do because Chantelle did it ;)

Okay at this point it should be about noon but it’ll feel like you just spent a full day here.  This should dispel the myth that it only takes 1 to 1.5 hours to see all of the pyramids here.  With what’s been laid out here, you can see that we’ve barely scratched the surface and it was incredibly rushed.

It’s time to bust out of Giza and head on down to the town of Dahshur (also referred to as Dahshur).  It’s about an hour to get down there and along the way you’ll encounter a few security checkpoints which we learned is pretty normal in Egypt.  There’s also a military base right adjacent to the ancient site so you might also see a giant line up of trucks bringing supplies in.

The two main pyramids to visit here are the Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid.  You’re in for a treat here because this archeological site is magnificent and has only 5% of the kind of crowds that Giza gets.  I’m serious.  While we were here, we only saw 10 people.

Timing is everything and another bonus you’ll get coming here is that as of 2019, they’ve opened the Bent Pyramid to the public for the first time since 1965.  Before you could only see the pyramid from the outside but now you can actually get inside to the King’s Chamber.

What’s unique about this pyramid is that it almost seems impossible how they found a way to the chamber.  To get there, you’ll need to crouch/walk down and up a narrow tunnel from a raised entrance, climb a number of flight of stairs, and then walk through more rock carved tunnels to eventually a multi-level chamber where bats have made it their home.  While you’re here, you’ll be lucky to encounter anyone inside.

You have the option of doing the same at the Red Pyramid but if you’re like us, you’ll be too tired to do it all over again.  The van’ll be parked near it so you can snap a few quick photos before moving to the next spot.

What’s different about the two pyramids is that the Bent Pyramid was built by pharaoh Sneferu in 2600 BC and the second of 3 he built.  The Red Pyramid, named for the rusty hues of the red limestone, was Sneferu’s third pyramid and often thought as Egypt’s first successful attempt and construction a true smooth-sided pyramid.

At this point, lunch will be on your mind but the challenge with archeological sites in Egypt are that they all close by 5PM.  We were given the option to eat lunch or power through and we opted to head straight to Saqqara’s sites.

The Step Pyramid or Pyramid of Djoser is where it all began when the pharaoh wanted a mortuary complex and had a mastaba or flat-roofed ancient tomb built.  You’ll learn how his vizier and architect Imhotep had a vision for something grander and it eventually became what you see today.

While you can’t go inside, you’ll walk through a roofed colonnade passageway, giant courtyard, enclosure walls, and temple.

Not far off are satellite pyramids and additional tombs.  The two that you’ll get to hurry through if you have time is the Pyramid of Teti and the Mastaba of Kagemni.  Neither are large but you’ll see plenty of carvings, reliefs, and well-preserved colours whether it be inside the pyramid’s tomb or in the tomb of the 6th Dynasty’s early vizier to King Teti I.

You’ll be ready to collapse at this point from hydration and exhaustion which means it’s perfect time for that lunch/dinner.  Nearby is the Blue Lotus Guesthouse where they also have a special farmhouse lunch.  This buffet-style meal is exactly what you’ll need with plenty of food, tea after  the meal, and a place to wash up as well after such a long day.

On your way back, you’ll have the option of visiting a papyrus shop named Golden Eagle Papyrus.  Again, we knew it was primarily a shopping stop but YOLO right?  Similar to the the alabaster shops in Luxor, you’ll see a demonstration of how papyrus paper is made, receive a free drink, and awkwardly walk around to pretend you’re interested.

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Day 2 – Antiquities Old and New

For your second day of this 3 days in Cairo, things will slow down a bit but only a little bit.

Everything the previous day is all about pyramids but you still haven’t seen Cairo at all so it’s time to dive right in.

After zig-zagging through traffic and all of the crazy honking that comes with it, start your day off having breakfast in an older part of town.  This is the kind of thing that your tour operator will need to help organize because these are hyper-local spots.

Our guide ordered everything and the food just kept piling including traditional dishes like ful, falafel, eggplant, additional dips, and other fried goodness.

For the main event of the day you’ll be spending a good amount of time at the original Museum of Egyptian Antiquities or simply the Egyptian Museum.  This will soon be outdated because a brand new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is opening in 2021 (originally slated in 2020 but now delayed) where all the collections will be moving to but for the time being, this is still the de-facto museum for everything Ancient Egypt.

As with all museums, this one is massive, taking up two floors and packed with hallways, side rooms, special exhibitions, and more artifacts than you can take in.  You’ll be extremely thankful to come here with an egyptologist because Mohamed really showed his worth here by being able to use the 4 hours allocated here to tell a complete story that was easy to digest and not overwhelming.  By all means, we didn’t see every corner of the Egyptian Museum, but we got to see all the important bits.

What you’ll find with the Egyptian Museum is that the collections are incredible.  However, the way they are housed and protected is quite outdated and the overall condition is deteriorating.  That’s why I can’t wait to see what the new GEM will be like when it opens.  Also, if you go between now and GEM’s opening in 2021, you’ll notice that many pieces are missing because they’ve already been transported over.

Get picked up by the Djed Egypt Travel van and you’ll make your way into one of the oldest parts of Cairo.  With your guide, you’ll start off at Bab al-Futuh, one of the three remaining gates in the walls of the Old City of Cairo, built in 1087.

From the gates and down Muizz street, you’ll feel the pulse of Cairo through the streets that act as arteries for all of the bustling activity that you’ll see, hear, and small.  This is your chance to see locals going about their day, shops selling their wares, and the fascinating architecture of mosques and maze of the neighbourhood.

As you delve deeper, you’ll eventually make it to the Khan el-Khalili bazaar with its dazzling array of trinkets, souvenirs, artwork, antiques, and of course, lots of tourists.  Meander through the grid stalls, and make sure you check out the entry-way that is flanked with vibrant lanterns on both sides.

Finish your guided walk at Al-Hussain Mosque and get picked up by your driver to finally have dinner (or late lunch).  If your guide doesn’t recommend it, I’d definitely ask to go to a local spot like Koshary Abou Tarek to try a type of street food dish called koshary.  Something of a Frankenstein college-dorm creation of spaghetti, rice, ditalini pasta, tomato sauce, lots of garlic, fried onions, lentils, and more.  This dish was invented by Abou Tarek which started off as a street cart and eventually became so big that they now have their own restaurants and copy cats all over.

After your meal, take some time to walk the streets of Cairo and get a feel for what it’s like.  From Koshary Abou Tarek, you’re not far from the main shopping street of the city.  Do a little window shopping and people watching before picking up a cup of ice cream at Abdel Rahim Koueider.

If you’re lucky like we were with our local guide at Djed Egypt Travel, you can ask to hang out at a local street bar for fresh juice, mint tea, and/or shisha.

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Day 3 – Mosques, Churches, and Synagogues

For your last day in Cairo, you’ll get to see much of the city’s religious diversity that you’ve passed by so far.  You’ll also be able to see much more of the architectural gems alongside the street life of the city.

You’ll start your morning with breakfast at Kazaz Restaurant and then you’ll dive into the historic Coptic churches of Old Cairo.

Before jumping in, it’s probably worth understanding the word “Coptic” which will come up quite a bit during your trip through Egypt.  Being “Coptic” refers to a denomination of Christians.  Copts as people in Egypt form the largest Christian population in the Middle East and North Africa.  This branch of Christianity is known as Egyptian Orthodox.  Historically, Copts speak the Coptic language and are actually the closest descendants of Ancient Egyptians.

The most famous church is called the Hanging Church (Al Moallaqa).  It has an incredibly ornate entry way with impressive mosaics depicting religious scenes.  This is the official residence of the Coptic Pope and thus an important site to visit.  While the name implies something hanging, there actually isn’t anything suspended.  The moniker comes from the fact that it’s built on top of the gates of an old Roman fortress.

From here, make your way over to the Church of St. Barbara which is considered one of Egypt’s largest and most magnificent churches.  It’s located on the eastern part of the Babylon Fortress (where Coptic Cairo sits today) and dates back to the 5th or6th century AD.  Come here to see a perfect example of ancient Coptic architecture.

There were many important artifacts that were housed in this church but they’ve since been moved to the nearby Coptic Museum.  Founded in 1908, this museum houses the most examples of Coptic art inside a beautiful building.  This is a fascinating look at early Christian art including frescoes, icons, pharaonic works, and manuscripts.

Located just behind the Hanging Church is the Ben Ezra Synagogue.  This is where it is said Moses was found when he was washed ashore.  You won’t be spending a tremendous amount of time here but you’ll get to take a look inside.

For lunch, grab a quick bite at the nearby Old Cairo Restaurant & Cafe.

In the afternoon, you’ll be exploring the Islamic part of Old Cairo.

The first mosque you’ll visit is the massive Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan.  This early piece of Mamluk architecture was built between 1356 and 1363 by Sultan Hassan.  With its striking rcessed entrance and dark passageway that leads into a courtyard surrounded by vaulted hauls that each represent the four main schools of Sunni Islam.

While you’re here, your guide will tell you the story of the sultan who took the throne at age 13, how one of the minarets (towers) collapsed and was interpreted as a bad omen, and how he was eventually assassinated before the mosque was complete.

Another brilliant example of Islamic architecture of the Mosque of Ibn Tulun.  It is the oldest mosque in Egypt and Africa that is still in its original form.  Contrasting to the Mosque of Sultan Hassan, this is the largest mosque in Cairo in terms of land area and as a result, a sprawling open space to walk through with its stucco arcades and elegant spiral minaret.

Make sure to climb the minaret for amazing views of the city.

Your final sight today will be the magnificent Cairo Citadel.  There are so many stories to tell from the sprawling grunds of the city’s eastern edge.  It started off as a fortification against the Crusaders by Saladin in 1176 and evolved into a collection of 3 mosques and several palaces, and terraces with aerial-like views of Cairo.

After the Saladin’s Ayyubid dynasty was overthrown, the Mumuluks expanded the Citadel to include more palaces and harems.  When the Ottomans came, a new gate was added.  There was a period of French rule before Mohammed Ali rose to power and built a dominating feature in the skyline, the Ottoman-style mosque named the Mohammed Ali Mosque.

You’ll come here to see a medieval fortress blended with palaces, and mosques.

For dinner, make your way to Heliopolis to eat at the quirky restaurant, Zooba.  They’re a highly rated cheap-eats restaurant that’s recommended by Business Insider.  It’s known for their refreshing takes on Egyptian street food classics.  It was founded by an Egyptian-American, Chris Khalifa, and has done so well that they have a branch in NYC as well.

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If You Have More Time

3 days is barely enough to cover everything in Cairo so I’ve put together a list of a few other sights that you can consider adding or replacing with what is already here.

• Garbage City – Made famous by the documentary Garbage Dreams
• Gayer-Anderson Museum – Art museum adjacent to the Mosque of Ibn Tulun.
• Cave Church – Located in Garbage City, this is a church carved right into the rock.
• Pyramid of Senusret II in El Lahun – Pyramid complex constructed for the pharaoh Senusret II in the Twelfth Dynasty
• Meidum Pyramid – This pyramid is thought to be just the second pyramid built after Djoser’s Step Pyramid.
• Hawwarat Al Maqta Pyramid in Hawara – Pyramid of the 12th Dynasty Pharaoh Amenemhat III.
• Memphis – One of the capitals of Ancient Egypt.  Its ruins are located near the town of Mit Rahina, 20 km south of Giza.
• Traditional Egyptian Sufi dance – Egyptian folk dance steeped in the tradition of Sufism involving intense spinning.

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Quick Egypt Travel Guide

This is a condensed version of the full guide that you’ll find in the Comprehensive Egypt Trip Planning Guide which includes topics like trip to Egypt cost, common scams, “is Egypt safe?” and more.  Here are basic topics and questions that I want to cover.

Money – This is perhaps the most underserved topic when it comes to planning for a trip to Egypt.  Let me break this down into a few things:

• Do not exchange for Egyptian Pounds (EGP) in your home country.  It’s not a common currency and our guides told us beforehand to do this locally in Cairo instead.
• There are money changers all over the main cities and they are regulated by the government so there is not much deviation in the rate.
• Some ATMs are capable of exchanging as well but the rate is a tad worse.  It is still fine to use in a pinch.
• If you’re on a guided tour, you’ll need to factor in spending money (extra admission costs, meals, market, and tipping), and tour tips.
• Spending money is mostly all cash in EGP except for the bigger restaurants where credit card is accepted.
• Tipping for your tour operator can be paid in any currency but suggested amounts are given in EUR or USD.  To make sure you have enough cash on your trip, make your life easier by calculating all of this beforehand based on your operator’s guideline on tipping whether it be for the city guide, Egyptologist, Dahabiya crew etc.  Paying by USD for this part is better because you don’t have to worry as much about over-exchanging or needing a last minute exchange.

When is the best time? – Essentially the rule of thumb for Egypt is anytime that isn’t summer.  July to September are the hottest months in the country and should be avoided with temperatures hitting 40-50 C (104-122 F).  As a result, the best time to come are in the Fall to Spring.  The height of the season is around Christmas time so try to avoid that if you can.  This means that the best time is going to be around late Fall (October – November) or early Spring (March – April) before the searing heat picks up again.

Getting here – The primary international airport for Egypt is in Cairo (CAI) and depending on where you live you’ll either be able to fly directly here or transfer through somewhere in Africa, Europe, or the Middle East most likely.

How do I get around? – When it comes to travel within Egypt, I highly recommend going through a local operator like Djed Egypt Tour because this isn’t the type of country where you can just rent a car and explore on your own.  We discovered quite quickly that you need a local on the ground to make sure you’re kept safe, to know the local rules, scams to look out for, and to be able to get through all the security checkpoints without issue.  Within Cairo, taking the taxi is your best bet and for the stress-free option use Uber which does operate.

Where should I stay? – I’ve listed all of the recommended accommodations above but in general when it comes to where to stay in Egypt, Booking.com is going to be your best bet to find not only the main players but also the smaller mom & pop inns and B&Bs with the benefit of a great cancellation policy and also Genius level discounts whether for Cairo, Luxor, or Aswan.  As an alternative, there’s also Expedia.

Do I need travel insurance? – As always, travel insurance is highly recommended.  My philosophy is that you want to make sure you’re covered in case the unknown happens.  With the amount of travel that we do, we always get basic travel insurance that’s good for multiple trips and lasts the full year.  World Nomads is always worth getting a quote. Make sure to read our full review of why and a breakdown of how they work. For a more broader look at travel insurance, make sure to read this.

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Do you have questions about planning your own 3 days in Cairo?  Let me help by simply dropping a comment down below!