The very best day journeys from Cairo – Lonely Planet

The capital of Egypt has greater than sufficient charms to fill a traveler’s itinerary, and much more fascinating websites stretch far out from Cairo in all instructions.

Large-hitter cities like Luxor and Aswan are farther away and require extra time, however a handful of must-see locations could be finished on a day journey from Cairo.

Pick your favourite pyramid in Giza and Saqqara

Journey time: 45 minutes from Cairo to Giza, 45 minutes from Giza to Saqqara

As the one remaining marvel of the traditional world, the Pyramids of Giza often get essentially the most face time from guests, however Egypt’s oldest pyramid is definitely just a bit farther south from the capital. If you wish to fill a complete day with simply pharaonic burial grounds, begin out with the Giza Necropolis after breakfast to hike across the pyramids of Menkaure, Khafre, and the Great Pyramid of Khufu. Test on the ticket workplace which pyramids have interior chambers open to the general public, because it adjustments each day and even hourly. Surprisingly, the interior chamber of the smallest pyramid, Menkaure, is the most important and most fascinating, with three totally different ranges. It’s also possible to head out into the desert from there to hunt for an iconic picture op with all three pyramids.

Exit the plateau previous the Sphinx into the hustle of Giza to discover a taxi (or choose up an Uber). In the event you forgot to pack water or a sandwich for lunch, now’s the time to select one thing up at one of many many outlets outdoors the partitions of the positioning earlier than beginning the 25km (15.5-mile) drive to Saqqara, which has no good meals choices. As soon as in Saqqara, head to the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest pyramid in Egypt and one that gives a singular aesthetic distinction to the smoother Giza pyramids. Constructed as a kind of architectural experiment through the reign of Djoser (2670 BC), the primary pharaoh of the Third Dynasty, the Step Pyramid was the primary burial chamber to be constructed from limestone as an alternative of bricks of clay and at 62m (203ft) was the tallest construction on the time.

get to Giza and Saqqara from Cairo: The simplest technique to go to Giza and Saqqara is to hitch an organized tour or rent your personal non-public information and driver or taxi for the day. You should use Uber to get to Giza however not Saqqara, which is farther away.

Try little-visited pyramids and an historic capital at Dahshur and Memphis

Journey time: 1 hour, quarter-hour from Cairo to Dahshur, 20 minutes from Dahshur to Memphis

South of Saqqara, you may go to the lesser-known Red Pyramid and Bent Pyramid, each named after their most original traits, earlier than heading to Memphis to see Egypt’s former capital through the Previous Kingdom. For historical past buffs, the title “Memphis” is synonymous with pharaonic Egypt, and most pyramids constructed round Cairo have been raised whereas Memphis was the seat of energy. Whereas little stays of the traditional metropolis, there’s a worthwhile open-air museum and a sphinx.

get to Dahshur and Memphis from Cairo: Becoming a member of an organized tour that features Dahshur and Memphis or hiring your personal non-public information and driver or taxi for the day is the easiest way to go to.

Discover Alexandria, Egypt’s second metropolis

Journey time: 2.5 hours

Cairo could be the capital, however within the minds of poets, students and artists of the Sixties and ’70s, Alexandria and its crashing waves will all the time comprise the stressed soul of Egypt. Because the setting of Nobel Prize–successful creator Naguib Mahfouz’s novel Miramar, the town is its personal character, and visiting even in the present day it’s straightforward to see the way it charmed not solely Egyptians however the artists and students of Europe as properly.

Head to the  Alexandria National Museum,  a formidable colonial construction housing a fastidiously curated choice of artifacts that inform the town’s tumultuous historical past by means of the Pharaonic, Roman, Coptic and Islamic eras. Take a 20-minute stroll towards the water to the town’s middle of tradition and studying, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. With its distinctive sloping disk form and exterior partitions adorned with dozens of various scripts, it’s an architectural marvel. Try the principle studying corridor and take a tour.

From there, you may take a leisurely stroll alongside the Corniche, stopping at one of many many cafes or eating places to benefit from the waterfront earlier than arriving at Fort Qaitbay, a superbly maintained harbor citadel and widespread hangout spot. Decide one of many metropolis’s top-rated fish eating places, like Kadoura or Fish Market, for dinner earlier than heading again to Cairo.

get to Alexandria from Cairo: Many lodging and tour operators run day journeys to Alexandria. To go to independently, hop on a prepare from Ramses Station in Cairo.

Uncover a desert mirage at Al Fayoum

Journey time: 2 hours

The favored oasis vacation spot of Al Fayoum, 100km (62 miles) south of Cairo, rightfully deserves no less than two days of exploration, however if you happen to’re pressed for time, you may nonetheless absorb quite a lot of the world’s pure wonders throughout daytime. Go away Cairo early sufficient to beat morning visitors, and first cease at Karanis, 25km (15.5 miles) north of Fayoum metropolis middle. After admiring the traditional ruins, which embrace two Graeco-Roman temples, transfer on to the pure wonders of Al Fayoum, together with the Wadi Rayyan Protected Area with its waterfalls, rowboat excursions to the center of the lake and wildlife within the surrounding nationwide park. Birdwatchers ought to be looking out for eagles, falcons and migrant birds. The guests middle on the lakefront may help with any questions.

Afterwards, head to the pottery school in Tunis village to mingle with native artists, and cease within the many pottery studios to select up a present. The pottery middle is an efficient level from which to discover the huge Lake Qarun, the place throughout fall and winter months you may spot flamingoes and different birds resting earlier than heading farther south.

get to Al Fayoum from Cairo: Many motels in Cairo may help you set up a day tour, or you may negotiate a day charge with a taxi.

Soak within the surf in Ain El Sokhna

Journey time: 2 hours

Beachfront Sokhna has develop into such a popular Red Sea beach weekend getaway that well-heeled Egyptians now name-drop the place into conversations any likelihood they get, their eyes virtually glazing over on the considered their subsequent seaside escape.

As a watersports vacation spot with pristine seashores and year-round sunshine, Ain El Sokhna (which means “scorching spring”) caters to each lazy solar worshippers and journey junkies, with loads of snorkeling, diving, crusing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and boat excursions. As a comparatively new Purple Sea growth, the cleaner seashores listed below are much less crowded than at Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada, each of which could be crowded with beach-goers in peak season, making Sokhna a scorching vacation spot for tranquility-seeking Egyptians.

After a dip within the calm turquoise waters, take a look at one of many seaside resorts like Stella di Mare for lunch or hop on a Sunmarine vessel for a 90-minute boat tour with lunch and views of sea life. The beachfront resorts are filled with bar choices to spherical off the day’s actions with a sundowner earlier than heading again to Cairo.

get to Ain El Sokhna from Cairo: Negotiate a day charge with a taxi driver in Cairo, or if you happen to can courageous the visitors in Cairo, rent a car for a road trip to the coast.