Cairo Travel Forum

Hi i dont know much about what to do in Cairo, i am going this week on a tour of Egypt, but as i am going the day before, i was wondering if someone could give me any tips on what i should see/do while i am there, and what is safe for a young female.
any help will be greatly appreciated

Hi,

Can you tell us if your tour will be visiting any of the sights in Cairo? If we know where your tour will take you, we can suggest some different places to spend your extra day.

;@p

if you want make shopping you can go to talat harb mall there is lot of shops in this area lot of shoe shops... i have allways my private driver he can very good english and he pick me up at the airport and you can have him all the day and it is very cheap and he know lot of places where you can go....
he drive very safety and he is very kind person.

he takes 500 egp for all day 15 hours.
it will be better and more safety then you have different taxis all time in cairo. and the car is very bad normally in cairo(taxi's)
and also it is good you can leave your luggage in his car all time and you dont need to be worrie about anything.

if you are intrested to have him i can send his nr and you can send sms to him and he can arrange all with you.
or i can help you with that if you want that as you like.

Chances are your tour will include the Pyramids and Museum and that is it. Possibly Khan al-Khalili at a push. Personally, I would use your spare day to check out Coptic Cairo, and then to investigate the Muizz li-Din Allah area of Khan al-Khalili - loads of wonderfully restored Islamic monuments, and a great walk all the way from the North gate down to the south. The NileGuide website (www.nileguide.com/destination/cairo) has some great ideas on how to spend your time in Cairo, including sample trips that you could do.

Private drivers are usually more reliable than a taxi from the street (though not necessarily), though if you did want a driver for the day, your hotel will be able to sort one out. To be honest, you can travel easily to Coptic Cairo by metro (go to mar girgis station) and easily pick up a taxi from there to the khan.

As a young female you will be fine - Egypt is very safe - though low grade sexual harrassment is common. You can help to minimise this by dressing conservatively, not being overly friendly to men, and acting as confident as possible at all times.

Relax, and you will have a fantastic time.

(incidentally, many tourists on tours arrive early - scout around your hotel lobby and bar and you may find fellow travellers)

Cairo is perfectly safe for a lone female.
As has been said, chances are your tour in Cairo will be the same collection of artificial, Disneyland-like areas as for 98% of the tours : Giza pyramids-Citadel and its fake mosque-museum-Saqqarah-Coptic Cairo-touristy Khan Al Khalili during the hours when it's the most crowded.
Would advise you to go and spend the day walking in islamic Cairo, it visit the fabulous monuments around (Ibn Tulun mosque, Al Azhar gardens uphill, Al Azhar mosque, Beit Suleymani houses, Bab Zuweila fortified towers and door) and have a peek at what Cairo really is - meaning the city Egyptians and expats know, rather than the limited sight offered by tour operators.