4 Days in Cairo: A Complete Itinerary

Four days covers the Pyramids of Giza, Cairo's best museum, and its historic bazaar without rushing through any of them.

Day 1: Giza

Start as early as the site opens for the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx, both to beat the heat and the crowds. Politely decline camel and photo-op touts unless you specifically want the service, and agree on any price before, not after, it's rendered.

Day 2: The Grand Egyptian Museum

Spend the day at the Grand Egyptian Museum near Giza, allowing several hours given the size of the collection, including Tutankhamun's treasures.

Day 3: Khan el-Khalili and Islamic Cairo

Spend the morning wandering Khan el-Khalili's lanes of spice stalls and lantern shops, then continue into surrounding Islamic Cairo to see its historic mosques and madrasas.

Day 4: The Nile and Zamalek

Take a felucca sail on the Nile, ideally timed for sunset, and spend the rest of the day in Zamalek or downtown Cairo for a more relaxed, less touristic pace.

Getting around

A driver or ride-hailing app is the most practical way to cover Cairo's major sights given the traffic; the Metro is a fast, air-conditioned alternative for longer, more predictable routes.

What to pack

Modest clothing and sun protection matter in any season — see our Cairo travel guide for the fuller packing breakdown and more on choosing where to stay.