Cairo Half Day Layover: Private Tour to Giza Pyramids, Bazaar, and Museum (Review)
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See many of Cairo's most famous sites in only a few hours with a private guided tour. I booked with a private agency to accommodate my flight times, but I think it would have been much easier to book this tour from Viator. It covers all the same stops I made, such as the Pyramids of Giza, Khan Al-Khalili bazaar, and the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. This was the perfect amount of things to do in a day and takes about 6 to 8 hours
Scheduling Your Visit to Cairo
My flight arrived at around 5 am and my departure was at 7 pm, so my layover time was 14 hours. I was exhausted by around 2 pm from the jet lag, so I opted to return to the airport early. However, there is a customs form that you must fill out and you can only get it from the airline gate agent once check in opens, so I was stuck waiting for hours before I could get through security. With this is mind, spend a bit more time exploring rather than getting to the airport too early.
Entering Egypt
Leaving the airport requires a Visa you can purchase on arrival. There was not a long line but it did take a bit of searching and asking to find the correct booth to purchase it at. It is $25 and cash only (US dollars).
Visiting the Pyramids of Giza
Once outside contact your driver to find them, Â so you can head straight to the Pyramids. I made sure to arrive on a Friday to avoid traffic, so take that into account when planning your trip.
Once at the pyramids, your guide will assist you in buying ticket if necessary and dealing with security. There are options on Viator to include the entrance fees or add on visiting the interior of the Pyramids. My guide then proceeded to make sure I got every cheesy pyramid and sphinx picture possible along with some hidden viewpoints.
Museum of Egyptian Antiquities
The museum of Egyptian Antiquities is a bustling tourist destination that everyone should visit while in Cairo. Some things you should be prepared for is that there is no air conditioning, it is packed with people, and don't expect many restrooms or toilet paper.
There are of course many ancient Egyptian artifacts, and they had a King Tut exhibition while I was there as well. If you have visited some of the major museums in New York or London, then I would pass on this museum unless you are truly interested this part of history.
Khan el Khalili Bazaar
Visiting a bazaar is integral in getting a taste of what life is like in Egypt. Although this is a rather touristy one, it'll give you good practice to bargain for any souvenirs that catch your eye. Don't miss taking a pause for a coffee at the famous Naguib Mahfouz cafe.
What to do if you have less time to visit Cairo
While visiting the variety of sites discussed gives a better overview on Egyptian culture past and present, you can opt for a half day tour if you have a shorter layover. This Viator tour offers a private driver to take you to just the Pyramids and the Sphinx. This is a great option to get out for some fresh air and check off that bucket list.
From Cairo I suggest flying to the U.A.E. like I did, to then explore Abu Dhabi or Dubai. I'll be detailing my layover there in my next article.
