Egypt Stopover Guide: How To Spend 24 Hours in Cairo
- Robynne Trueman
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
On a recent trip to East Africa, I had the opportunity to spend a long layover (19 hours) in Cairo, Egypt, and decided to make the most of it by checking a few things, like visiting the Pyramids of Giza and doing a Nile River dinner cruise, off my bucket list. Egypt is one of those destinations that you grow up hearing about, form expectations of, and dream of one day visiting, so it felt surreal to finally touch down in Cairo and see the endless desert from my window seat in Egyptair's Business Class this past July.
With only a full day to explore Cairo, I decided to book a tour guide via Egypt Tours Portal to maximize my time. This company was well reviewed and recommended, easy to book with, and after spending a day with our lovely guide Hanna, I would also highly recommend using them for your trip to Cairo. Egypt Tours Portal met us at the airport when we got off the plane, fast tracked us through customs, and got us right to our air-conditioned vehicle that shuttled us around to all our stops throughout the day. They also securely stored our luggage in the vehicle all day which was very helpful since we didn't have a hotel for this one-day stop in Cairo. You can book similar tours of Cairo through GetYourGuide.
Touring the Pyramids of Giza
The first stop on our whirlwind tour of Cairo was the main reason I was there in the first place: seeing the Pyramids of Giza. This required us to drive about 45 minutes from the airport, although I've read accounts of it taking much longer during rush hour traffic. However, at eight o'clock in the morning, the roads were clear, and the sun was not yet at its warmest, making it the perfect time to explore the pyramids.
Entrance to the Giza Plateau is 700 EGP per person (around $19 CAD). The ticket cost for entering the pyramids' complex was included in our tour with Egypt Tours Portal; this cost just grants you entrance to the area, not to physically go inside the pyramids. That is an extra cost, which we opted out of, but you can spend more time here exploring if you want to go inside the ancient structures.
Once inside the plateau area, there is a museum-esque display explaining the theory behind how the pyramids were constructed. Our guide told us that there are many differing theories about how they were actually built and that the suggested methods on display at the pyramids don't make sense based on where the stones came from, their weight, etc.
Then we walked to the first viewpoint and saw the three pyramids (Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure) from a distance – I thought it was interesting that there are a lot of gift shops and cafes located behind the viewpoint, something you never see in people's photos or vlogs of visiting the area. There are also many dogs that work with the guards to patrol the pyramids; they were all tagged, meaning they are vaccinated, and were snoozing in the spots of shade they could find.
There is a hop-on-hop-off bus that transports you between viewpoints at the pyramids and eventually also takes you to the Sphinx. You can easily spend a couple of hours exploring, taking photos, and learning about the history behind these infamous sites from your guide.
I suggest visiting the pyramids with a guide, not only for the benefit of the additional information you receive, but also to reduce the amount of harassment you'll experience from vendors who are trying to sell trinkets or camel rides to tourists. I had read a lot of terrible accounts of people feeling extremely overwhelmed by these vendors before my trip, but I was pleased to find that only a couple of people approached us to sell their items and were respectful of us saying no. I think this was largely because we had a tour guide, so I highly recommend booking a guide even if just for this part of your day.
As well, keep in mind that the camels are not always treated well by the vendors who are selling camel rides at the pyramids. We opted not to engage in this kind of animal tourism – always do your research and think critically about how animals being used for tourism when on a tour of the pyramids and sphinx in Cairo.
Lunch at a Local Restaurant in Cairo
As the sun rose higher in the sky and the midday heat became a little too much for me to handle, we fortunately got back in our air-conditioned van and drove over to Royal Lotus Restaurant, a buffet restaurant serving Mediterranean and Egyptian cuisine in a lovely, modern setting. This was a restaurant selected by our tour operator, so I'm sure you can find much more authentic options in Cairo if exploring independently. But as a meal included in our day tour, it was a welcoming environment with many delicious dishes, offering us a taste of Egyptian cuisine. In particular, we loved the moussaka and the fresh mango juice!
History At The Grand Egyptian Museum
After lunch, it was time for a tour of The Grand Egyptian Museum. The Grand Egyptian Museum is a national archaeological museum in Giza, Egypt. The impressive structure was designed by architect Róisín Heneghan and is dedicated to Ancient Egypt and its culture, society and artifacts. It is a fairly new addition to Cairo, opening in 2025; the Grand Egpytian Museum is the largest museum in the world for a single civilization.
Walking inside the museum for the first time is jaw dropping – the architecture is truly impressive with high ceilings, clean lines, and massive statues. There is a children's centre, an arts and crafts centre, a shopping area, cafes, and more. Tickets are 1,500 EGP per foreign adult (around $40 CAD) and include access to the Tutankhamun Galleries, Main Galleries, Grand Hall, Grand Stairs, Khufu’s Boats Museum, commercial area and exterior gardens.
The highlight for us was the Tutankhamun Galleries exhibit, which features more than 5,000 artefacts of King Tut's, from his sarcophagus to the Golden Burial Mask (an 11-kilogram mask made of solid gold, lapis lazuli, and turquoise). We spent hours at the museum and gained a deeper appreciation for Egyptian culture and heritage during our tour. Our Egypt Tours Portal guide, Hanna, accompanied us through the museum, providing additional insight, which again, was very valuable. If you can, I recommend having a tour guide or at the very least, an audio guide so you can learn more about each exhibit beyond the information provided on the plaques in the museum. The museum is also air-conditioned, making it the perfect place to escape the afternoon heat while exploring Cairo.
Dinner On The Nile River
Following our tour of the Grand Egyptian Museum, it was time for one last stop before returning the airport to continue our onward journey. A trip to Egypt wouldn't be complete without seeing the Nile River, so we booked a Nile River dinner cruise, which included a delicious buffet dinner and entertainment. Our guide dropped us off at the port where we boarded our boat for the evening. The cruise took us up and down the river with views of downtown Cairo at sunset while we enjoyed an incredible buffet, drinks, and live entertainment, including belly dancing. This was our chance to try the infamous Egyptian dish called Koshari, which combines rice, macaroni or spaghetti noodles, and toasted vermicelli noodles with brown lentils and chickpeas, topped with crispy caramelized fried onions. It was one of our favourite items at the buffet, so we helped ourselves to seconds and also got another taste of moussaka.
It was the perfect way to cap off a 24-hour tour of Cairo and as the sun set on our time in Cairo, we were in awe of the warm hospitality we experienced throughout our day in the city. If you are planning to visit Cairo as part of a larger Egypt trip or simply as a stopover on Egyptair like I did, I highly recommend hitting these highlights of Cairo and booking a tour with Egypt Tours Portal for a seamless, relaxing journey.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and book your tour through it, I may receive a small commission. Thank you!
Comments