Cairo

Quick Facts

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Coordinates

• Latitude: 30.0571
• Longitude: 31.2272

On Travellerspoint

• 2 Cairo Guesthouses
• 35 Cairo Hostels
• 28 Cairo Hotels

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Introduction

Cairo

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Cairo is an amazing city full of life and movement, and it is that way almost 24 hours every day, with the noisy honking of horns, children playing in the streets and merchants selling their wares and services. And here, the Egyptians are most at home in this powerful, modern and ancient city.

Neighbourhoods

Sights and Activities

• The Pyramids of Giza are three enormous structures (plus the mysterious Sphinx) that remain emblems of Egypt's grand past and one of the best known places in the world.
• The Cairo Museum, hosting many fascinating ancient artefacts including those taken from the tomb of Tutenkhamen.
• Khan el-Khalil Souk is a major traditional shopping area in the old city of Cairo.
• The Coptic District, including many interesting and ancient churches and the 'Fortress of Babylon'.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Cairo has an arid climate with little rain throughout the year, averaging only around 30mm a year. Temperatures are warm to hot. From May to October, maximum temperatures are between 30 and 36 degrees Celsius on average during the day, dropping to around 20 degrees at night. Hot winds from the southern Sahara desert can make temperatures rise to 47 degrees Celsius though, especially in May and June. December to March is wintertime, with pleasantly warm conditions of between 18 and 23 degrees Celsius during the day and slightly over 10 degrees at night.

Getting There

By Plane

Egypt Air is the national airline of Egypte and flies from Cairo International Airport (CAI). It has international scheduled flights to and from Abu Dhabi, Accra, Addis Ababa, Aleppo, Alexandria, Algiers, Amman, Amsterdam, Asmara, Assiut, Aswan, Athens, Bahrain, Bangkok, Barcelona, Beijing, Beirut, Benghazi, Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Casablanca, Damascus, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Düsseldorf, Entebbe, Frankfurt, Geneva, Guangzhou, Hurghada, Istanbul, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Kano, Khartoum, Kuala Lampur, Kuwait, Lagos, Larnaca, Lisbon, London, Luxor, Kuwait, Madrid, Madina, Milan, [[Montréal], Moscow, Mumbai, Munich, Muscat, Nairobi, New York-JFK, Osaka, Paphos, Paris, Riyadh, Rome, Sanaa, Sharjah, Tokyo, Tripoli, Tunis and Vienna.

Egypt Air also operates domestic flights between Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Sharm El Sheikh, Assiut and Hurghada and most cities are served at least daily.

By Train

Egyptian National Railways has trains between Cairo north to Alexandria and south Luxor and Aswan, with a few branches to Port Said and Suez.
There are also several luxury air-conditioned day and night trains with sleeping and restaurant cars from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan. If travelling overnight, you can reserve at the Abela Egypt website.

By Car

By Bus

There is a reliable bus system in place in Egypt. You will usually get what you pay for. This might not be the best place to try and save money.

By Boat

The Nile has been used for transportation in Egypt for thousands of years, and it still is.

Getting Around

By Public Transport

Taxis are cheap and easy - make sure you check/agree on the price first. There is little regulation in the taxi industry here, so the quality can change quit a bit too. It is not uncommon for the taxi to have a gerry-can full of petrol in the trunk. So if the smell gives you headaches, always wait for a newer/cleaner looking cab.

The Metro is also a good option. But the stops are not written in English, so you will need to plan it out before hand, and then count stops on the way. If you get on when they are very busy, be prepared to have a crash course in having no personal space.
There are also women only cars. If you are traveling co-ed you will have to make a judgment call about splitting up or not.

There are also "meecro busses" which are small Volkswagen vans that go around on their routes stopping to pick people up. The cost is LE0.75 (75 piaster) per person regardless of how long you ride. Just pass your money up to the driver or a person sitting in front of you after you get in. White people never ride these, so it won't stop for a white person usually. You will get a lot of stares if you ride as a noticeable foreigner.

By Car

Don't drive in Cairo. Hire a car or a driver. You should be fine in the rest of the country, just don't drive yourself around here.

By Foot

In many parts of Cairo there is no real sidewalks. Some businesses may have one and then their neighbor won't. There are also quite often tree stumps and re bar protruding from the sidewalks. It is easier to just walk on the roads and pay attention to traffic. Do not walk on the sidewalks if it is too dark to see your feet very well, or you WILL trip.

There are also not many crosswalks, or walkways. When crossing the roads in groups, line up next to each other and walk out together. Sometimes you will need to cross multiple lanes. If you wait until all the lanes are clear, you will never cross, so also be prepared to cross lane by lane, frogger style. This is VERY frightening and depending on the duration of your stay, you may never get used to it.

By Bike

Eat

You can eat and be full in Cairo for as little as LE 2 a day. As long as you like talmaya, fuul, and kosherie (sp?).

There is an abundance of chain resturants and fast food places such as: Chilis, Pizza hut, Dominoes, Hardys, Mcdonalds, etc.

There is also a new trend toward "cafes". These can range hugely in price, quality and atmosphere. But there are more than a few gems where you can get excellent food for a reasonable price from a waiter that speaks English. It is also not uncommon for the owner to come shake your hand if your white and take 20% off an already fair bill or buy you desert if you promise to come back for breakfast. This is especially common in newer cafes that are starting out and are trying to attract a younger and trendier crowd. You can expect to pay LE 30-40 per person (at least) at these establishments for a meal, beverage and desert. Not including Sheesha.

Drink

This is a Muslim country, so the majority of places do not serve alcohol. Of the ones that do, they generally do not have a menu or signs, so it si difficult to know which ones do serve it.

The local beers are actually not that bad. There are unconfirmed rumors that European brewmasters have been brought in.

The hard alcohol is very expensive. Common international brands are rare. Local brands have an edge to them that hints that industrial use would be a better choice for it.

European coffees are becoming more common, popular and accessible. Some cafes are selling their own blends and you can find a barrista that knows how to use a cappuccino machine.

Sheesha

Sheesha is a large water pipe used to smoke tobacco blends in Egypt. It consists of a large bowl, a water filled base and a hose. It is the same principle as a bong or a hookah. Many will also have wind covers and ashtrays attached. There are many different types of designs, features, decorations and sizes.

Generally when you order a sheesha at a restaurant you will be provided with a disposable hose, or a disposable tip for the hose. Insist on one if you are not. Pay attention that it came from a sealed package opened in front of you. The staff should tend the charcoal that is used to keep it burning. If it dies down you can just make eye contact with the staff and indicate your sheesha and whoever tends the sheesha will probably be quick in coming.

If you'll be going to the same place repeatedly for sheesha, it is a good idea to tip the sheesha tender directly when he collects your empty sheesha after you have finished. 1-2 LE is sufficient and you will notice how much better your sheesha is tended compared to most other patrons.

The tobacco you smoke is blended with molasses and various fruits. Many restaurants have a sheesha section on their menu. The fruitier blends actually smell like candy.

It is a very unique way of smoking, the flavor of the fruit is very strong, and it will often last an hour or longer. A worthwhile experience for smokers and non-smokers alike. Ask your server for a Ta-ool (Backgammon) while you smoke and try a very old and traditional Egyptian past time.

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Work

Learn

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

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