What to See in Cairo in 5 Days: The Complete Itinerary
A relaxed but complete 5-day plan: Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum, Islamic and Coptic Cairo, the older pyramids of Saqqara and Dahshur, and a day trip to Alexandria.
Five days is enough to see Cairo properly — the headline sights without rushing, plus the older pyramids and a full day on the Mediterranean coast. This itinerary is built for a first visit and combines every key block: Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo, Coptic Cairo, the older pyramids of Saqqara and Dahshur, and a day trip to Alexandria.
Want this tailored to your own interests and pace? Build a custom version with our free Cairo trip planner — pick what you want to see and it lays out the days for you.
Before you start
- Where to stay: Downtown, Garden City or Zamalek are the most practical bases. If the Pyramids are your priority, spend the first or last night in Giza.
- Getting around: Uber and Careem work perfectly across the city. Skip random street taxis.
- Money: carry Egyptian pounds in cash for tickets, tips and small expenses.
- Dress: cover shoulders and knees at mosques, churches and religious sites.
- Book ahead: reserve the Grand Egyptian Museum online — entry is capacity-controlled.
Day 1 — Pyramids of Giza & the Grand Egyptian Museum
The most spectacular day. Start early.
08:00 — Arrive at the Pyramids when they open. Begin at the panorama point in the desert (10 minutes by car from the entrance), then walk to the Great Pyramid of Khufu. If you want to go inside one, do it here or at Khafre.
11:00 — Visit the Great Sphinx, with Khafre's pyramid rising behind it for the classic photo.
13:00 — Lunch at one of the Giza rooftops with a Pyramid view.
14:30 — Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), a few minutes away. Three hours covers the essentials: the complete Tutankhamun collection and the grand staircase.
19:00 — Back to the hotel and a relaxed dinner.
Day 2 — Islamic Cairo, the Citadel & Khan el-Khalili
The medieval heart of the city.
09:00 — Start at the Citadel of Saladin: the alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali and one of the best panoramas over Cairo.
11:30 — Make your way to Al-Muizz Street, the main avenue of medieval Cairo, lined with mosques, madrasas and Mamluk palaces.
13:00 — Reach Khan el-Khalili, the great bazaar. Lunch at the legendary El Fishawy café, serving since 1773.
15:00 — Afternoon of shopping and bargaining: spices, copperware, lamps and perfumes.
18:00 — Optional: stay for tea and shisha as the lanes light up, or head back for dinner.
Day 3 — Egyptian Museum (Tahrir) & Coptic Cairo
A gentler, history-rich day in the centre.
09:00 — The classic Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square. Much of the collection has moved to the GEM (and the royal mummies to the NMEC), but the building and the Narmer Palette are still unmissable. Two to three hours is plenty.
12:30 — Lunch near the Nile, then a short ride south to Old Cairo.
14:00 — Coptic Cairo: the Hanging Church, the Church of Saint Sergius, the Ben Ezra Synagogue and the Coptic Museum, all within a few walkable streets.
18:00 — Dinner in Zamalek, or a relaxed sunset felucca (traditional sailing boat) on the Nile.
Day 4 — Saqqara, Dahshur & Memphis
The older pyramids, and far fewer crowds than Giza.
08:30 — Drive to Saqqara (about 40 minutes). Visit the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest pyramid in Egypt, plus the decorated tombs and funerary complex.
11:30 — Continue to Dahshur (20 minutes) for the Red Pyramid — which you can usually enter — and the strange Bent Pyramid.
13:30 — Stop at Memphis, the ancient capital, to see the giant reclining colossus of Ramesses II and the alabaster sphinx.
15:30 — Back to Cairo for a slow afternoon and dinner.
Day 5 — Day trip to Alexandria
Trade the desert for the Mediterranean.
07:00 — Early start for Alexandria (about 2.5–3 hours by car or train each way).
10:30 — The modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa, Pompey's Pillar and the seafront Qaitbay Citadel, built where the ancient Lighthouse once stood.
14:00 — Seafood lunch on the Corniche.
16:00 — Stroll the waterfront before the drive back to Cairo.
Prefer a calmer day 5? Swap Alexandria for a relaxed morning in Maadi or Zamalek, last-minute shopping at Khan el-Khalili, and a farewell felucca at sunset.
Add-on: the Nile cruise
If you have more than five days, the natural extension is a 3–4 day Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan (a short flight from Cairo). It pairs perfectly with this itinerary — Cairo for the pyramids and museums, the south for the great temples and the Valley of the Kings.
Mistakes to avoid
- Not booking the GEM: capacity is limited; no ticket means no entry.
- Arriving late at Giza: by midday the heat and the crowds drain the magic.
- Underestimating traffic: leave a 20–30 minute buffer between activities.
- No midday break: in summer, a short hotel rest between 14:00 and 16:00 is the difference between enjoying the city and burning out.
- Doing Alexandria and Saqqara back to back: both are long days — keep a lighter day between them.
About the author
Cairo Stay Finder editorial team
An independent, bilingual team that has travelled Cairo many times, speaks Arabic, and visits every place before recommending it. We write each guide ourselves — no machine translation, no AI filler — and update it as the city changes.
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