Experience Egypt: 7 Worthwhile Things to Do in Cairo

Egypt is a place with a rich history and intrigue that extends far beyond the ancient Pyramids of Giza. I spent two days and nights exploring Cairo with my mom in July of 2015, and I’m glad I went despite the controversy over safety for tourists at the time.

It partially took me so long to sit down and write about the experience because my feelings on Egypt were a bit complex after my visit.

Egypt has always fascinated me as the cradle of civilization, and as a kid, I dreamt of standing amongst the pyramids, touching papyrus, and studying hieroglyphs.

Safety in Cairo

So when I arrived in Cairo a week or so after a terrorist attack on the Italian Consulate, I felt surprisingly safe. Following the ISIS claimed car bombing, the U.S. Department of State issued a warning against Americans traveling in Egypt. The U.S. embassy also highly recommended security details for all U.S. citizens traveling to tourist attractions near Cairo (we politely declined this option, since I think it would have drawn much more attention to us).

This isn’t the first time I had visited a country or region with threats placed on U.S. tourists, and it certainly won’t be the last.

I am of the opinion, that you should not let fear deter you from traveling, and that extends to terrorism. I don’t want to give terror more power than it deserves, by succumbing to the fear that these groups are everywhere, all the time. Not only do I think the news paints a dramatic and exaggerated picture of terrorism, but I have lived safely in places that the U.S. deems unsafe for tourists. The reality is that yes, terrorism exists, but the risk is far less than you may think.

However, I do think it’s worth mentioning that it is important to be smart and that means dressing conservatively, not wandering around aimlessly alone after dark, and avoiding large crowds when possible. Finally, it’s not a bad idea to pretend to be Canadian if you are American…it makes you less of a target in the eyes of some that might wish Americans harm.

Is Camel Riding Ethical or not?

I worried about the ethics of riding camels and at the time of my trip, I couldn’t find any solid information about this. I’m still not sure how I feel about this, and I admit that I selfishly did it for the photo opportunity despite being uncertain. I cannot confirm if the camel tours I did were run ethically, since the camels I rode did not look like they were starving or beaten, but I noticed that they had missing patches of fur, and some scarring. It remains unclear whether it was from abuse or natural causes.

That all being said, I am constantly trying to see every angle of tourism that involves animals. I am always torn because there is a fine line between exploiting animals, and providing jobs for locals while funding the care of these now domesticated creatures. It’s hard to determine when the fees you pay to ride animals are helping or hurting. In this case, the camels seemed well-fed and relatively well taken care of, but you never know what is happening when you aren’t there.

There is now a sufficient amount of information around the ethics of riding camels for tourism. The bottomline is PETA says its abuse, Born Free (another animal welfare organization) says it depends on the individual operator and their practices surrounding animal welfare. There is a lot of evidence that short camel rides in touristy areas are bad for the camels, because there is no regulation on how many “short trips” that camel will have to endure in a day and or the temperatures and other conditions they have to work in. There is also a lot of footage of camels being beaten in Egypt, and I personally would not ride them again for a short trip like I did around the pyramids. So do your own research before hopping on an animal tour, read reviews, talk to the animal operators and ask questions.

Accommodation

I highly recommend Pyramids View Inn for a safe and comfortable experience. I paid $50/night for a double ensuite balcony room with a view of the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, and I did not regret it! I also booked my tours which were incredible through the bed and breakfast. The staff was extremely accommodating, protective of our safety, and thankful for our business.

Highly Recommended Tour Guide

Amina with Egypt Queen Private Day Tours was such a breath of fresh air. It was so empowering to have a female tour guide in what felt like a largely male-dominated industry in the region. She was knowledgeable, friendly, and patient. She went above and beyond to make sure we enjoyed the typical tourist spots and shared some valuable insight into what it was like to be in Cairo during the Arab Spring Revolution in 2011.

Despite lingering controversy about tourism in Egypt, here are 7 activities I recommend to make a visit to Cairo worthwhile:

1. Visit the Great Pyramids and Sphinx of Giza

2. Visit the Sakkara pyramids in Memphis

3. Eat a traditional Egyptian meal

Egyptian cuisine typically contains Koushari (Lentils, Macaroni, Rice, and Chickpeas).

4. Enjoy the sunset and light show on the Pyramids of Giza

Every night after an enchanting sunset, you can witness a sound and light show echoing off the pyramids of Giza. The theatrics were unexpected but mesmerizing.

5. Glimpse behind the scenes of Egyptian artistry

Visiting a rug and Papyrus shop was such a highlight, as we got to watch and learn the process of how to make the ancient paper and traditional rugs.

6. Relax on a dinner cruise and show on the Nile River

This sunset dinner cruise was such a cool way to soak up Egyptian culture through traditional dance and music.

7. People & animal watching on the streets of Cairo

Cairo is a place full of oddities compared to western city standards. The streets and canals are lined with trash, stray dogs, camel and horse poop, and have a generally dirty feel. But the genuine generosity of the locals, more than cleaned up the aura of the city in my eyes.

The pyramids themselves felt unreal, and floating on the Nile in the fertile crescent was a dream come true.

I look back on my whirlwind Egypt experience fondly. The things that stand out the most are the taxi driver who bought us grapes from a passing car while we were stuck in traffic, the wisdom of our female tour guide and her perspective on politics, and how grateful our hosts were that two females would travel to Egypt in a time when the regional tourism industry was struggling.

Cairo was not necessarily the mystical place I imagined it would be, but it ended up being much more in a way.

Logistical Tips for Booking Your Trip

Booking Flights I typically use Skyscanner to book my flights because it allows you to search through websites and airlines worldwide all in one convenient search engine. You can also get price alerts for flights you’re interested in.

Booking Accommodation I always book my hostels through Hostelworld. If I’m not staying in a hostel, then I often book an AirBnB.

Using a VPN for Online Bookings I also use a VPN (a powerful virtual tool that provides you with a private, anonymous, and secure internet connection) when searching for flights, accommodation, and rental cars. Since websites track your online activity and location, then use these factors to make the rates you are given dramatically higher than their true value, a VPN ensures that you get the best rates, by eliminating artificially high prices based on your country and internet search history. I recommend an affordable VPN like Surfshark to make sure you are getting the best travel deals online!

Travel Insurance I always travel with insurance, because I know all too well how many things can go wrong while traveling (and sometimes even beforehand). Travel insurance can protect you against certain cancellations, theft, lost luggage, trip interruptions, medical emergencies, and more. I use and highly recommend InsureMyTrip to find, compare and buy the plan that makes the most sense for each trip.

Other Travel Resources Check out my Travel Resources Page to see the best companies, apps, jobs and other resources I use when traveling on a tight budget.