Al-Azhar Park is a 30-hectare hilltop park in Islamic Cairo, between the Al-Azhar Mosque and the Citadel. It has gardens, fountains, cafés and some of the best views over the old city. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture created it on top of an old rubbish mound, and it opened in 2005.
Quick facts on tickets and tours: it’s open every day from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm. Tickets are cheap, roughly EGP 40–70 for adults, and cost a little more on Fridays and holidays; check the price at the gate. You don’t need a tour to visit, but it pairs well with a guided day in Islamic Cairo. Plan 1.5 to 3 hours, and come for sunset.
| Where | Salah Salem Road, on the eastern edge of Islamic Cairo |
|---|---|
| Hours | About 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM, longer in Ramadan |
| Entry | A small fee paid at the gate, a little higher on Fridays and holidays |
| Time needed | 1.5 to 2 hours |
| Best time | Late afternoon for the sunset over the minarets |
The park was a project of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), part of the Aga Khan Development Network. The Aga Khan announced it in 1984, after a conference on the future of Cairo, and offered it to the city as a gift.
The landscape design was by the Egyptian firm Sites International, with gardens inspired by traditional Islamic gardens: straight water channels, fountains, terraces and shaded walks.
For about 500 years, the site was the city’s rubbish heap. Debris and waste piled up outside the eastern walls of Cairo until it formed hills up to 45 metres high, known as Darassa.
In the 1990s the AKTC cleared and reshaped the mound. Engineers moved huge amounts of rubble, brought in fresh soil and built three large water tanks for the city into the hill. While they dug, they uncovered about 1.5 km of the 12th-century Ayyubid city wall, which Saladin had built. The wall was restored along the park’s western edge.
The park opened in 2005. The project also restored houses, mosques and schools in the poor neighbourhood of Darb al-Ahmar next door.
Al-Azhar Park is on Salah Salem Road, on the eastern edge of Islamic Cairo. The Al-Azhar Mosque and Khan El Khalili are about 1 km to the west, and the Citadel is about 1.5 km to the south.
The main entrance and the car park are on Salah Salem Road. You can’t walk in directly from Al-Muizz Street or Al-Azhar Street, so most visitors arrive by taxi.
Yes. It’s the calmest place in central Cairo, with clean lawns, fountains and space to breathe. The view at sunset, over the domes and minarets of Islamic Cairo to the Citadel, is one of the best in the city.
It’s also a nice break after sightseeing in Al-Muizz Street or the Sultan Hassan Mosque, and it’s very popular with Cairo families, which gives you a real taste of local life.
The late afternoon is best: come about an hour before sunset, watch the light change over the old city, and stay as the lights come on.
Weekday mornings are the quietest. Fridays and public holidays are very busy with families. October to April is the most pleasant season, because there’s little shade at midday in summer.
Yes. There’s a paid car park at the main entrance on Salah Salem Road, which is easy if you come by car or with a driver.
Smart casual, modest clothes are fine: shoulders and knees covered is a safe choice. Wear comfortable shoes for the slopes and paths, and bring a hat and sunscreen in the warmer months. In winter evenings it can get cool on the hill, so bring a light jacket.
Yes. Al-Azhar Park is one of the safest and best-kept public spaces in Cairo, with security at the gates and staff inside. It’s popular with families and couples until late.
The usual advice applies: keep your phone and bag close in crowds, and use an app or agree the taxi fare when you leave in the evening.
On foot, at a slow pace. Start at the entrance, walk the central avenue to the lake, climb to the hilltop viewpoint for sunset, then walk down along the Ayyubid Wall.
The park makes a perfect end to a day of sightseeing in Islamic Cairo. Our Christian and Islamic Cairo day tour covers the Citadel, the Alabaster Mosque, Sultan Hassan and Khan El Khalili, all close to the park.
Book this experience: see the Citadel, the Alabaster Mosque, Sultan Hassan and Khan El Khalili with a local guide on our Christian and Islamic Cairo day tour, then end the day with sunset at Al-Azhar Park.
1.5 to 2 hours is enough for a walk, the views and a drink. If you want to stay for sunset, have dinner or just relax on the grass, plan 3 hours.
Tickets: buy them at the gate. Adults pay roughly EGP 40–70, children less, and prices are a little higher on Fridays and holidays. Prices change, so check at the ticket window.
Tours: you don’t need a tour or guide to visit the park. Most visitors combine it with a guided day in Islamic Cairo, such as the tour below.
Al-Azhar Park is open every day from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm. Hours can be longer during Ramadan and on holidays.
If you want fresh air, space and the best sunset view over Islamic Cairo, Al-Azhar Park is worth a couple of hours. It’s cheap, safe and easy to combine with the Citadel and Khan El Khalili.
Al-Azhar park: A Guide For New Tourists
For the light, read our guide to the best sunsets in Egypt, which has Al-Azhar Park as its top Cairo pick.
A small fee, paid in cash at the gate. Prices change, so check at the window.
Yes. The terraces face west over the domes and minarets of Islamic Cairo, and the call to prayer often starts as the sun goes down.
Yes. There is a play area, plenty of lawn and paths without traffic.
Yes, it takes about 20 minutes, though most people take a short taxi ride, especially in the heat.
Book this experience: Christian and Islamic Cairo Day Tour from $30.
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Pyramids of Giza | Ibn Tulun Mosque | Mosque Madrassa of Sultan Hassan | Prince Mohamed Ali Palace (Al Manial Palace) | The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization | Mosque of Mohamed Ali | Nile River in Egypt | Sharia Al Muizz Li Din Allah | Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo | The Egyptian Museum in Cairo | Khan Al Khalili | Al Azhar Mosque | Grand Egyptian Museum | Cairo Tower | Al azhar park | Downtown | Zamalek Island
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Explore Islamic Cairo with a local guide on our Cairo day tours.
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