Cairo Tower: A Guide For New Visitors

The Cairo Tower is a 187 m concrete tower on Gezira Island in the Nile, and its viewing deck has the best panoramic view of Cairo. It was completed in 1961, and its lattice design, inspired by a lotus plant, has been on the city’s skyline ever since.

Quick facts: it’s open every day from about 9:00 am until around midnight or 1:00 am. Tickets for foreign adults cost roughly EGP 200–350; prices change, so check at the desk. Plan 45 minutes to an hour, and come at sunset. On clear days you can see the pyramids from the top.

President Gamal Abdel Nasser’s government built the tower between 1956 and 1961, a few years after the 1952 revolution. It was meant to show a modern, independent Egypt.

A popular story says it was paid for with money that the United States offered Nasser to win his support, and that he used it to build a tower the whole city could see instead. The story is often repeated in Cairo, but it’s hard to prove. Either way, for many years it was the tallest structure in Egypt and Africa.

It’s Cairo’s best-known modern landmark and the easiest way to see the whole city at once. From the top you can follow the Nile through the centre, pick out the minarets of Islamic Cairo and the Citadel, and on a good day see the pyramids on the horizon.

It also appears in countless Egyptian films, photos and postcards as a symbol of the city.

• Height: 187 m (614 ft).
• Built: 1956–1961.
• Architect: Naoum Shebib, an Egyptian architect and engineer.
• Design: a hollow concrete shell covered in a lattice pattern that recalls a lotus plant, a symbol of ancient Egypt.
• At the top: an open viewing deck and a café-restaurant just below it.

The tower stands on the southern part of Gezira Island, next to the Cairo Opera House and the Gezira Sporting Club. The northern part of the island is Zamalek.

It’s about 1.5 km from Tahrir Square and Downtown Cairo, just across the Qasr al-Nil Bridge.

Yes, on a clear day. The Pyramids of Giza are about 15 km to the south-west, so they look small, and Cairo’s haze often hides them. Your best chance is in the winter months, especially after wind or rain has cleared the air, and in the morning or late afternoon.

If seeing the pyramids is your main reason to go, check the weather and visibility that day before you buy a ticket.

Yes, for most visitors. It’s a quick, easy visit and gives you a real sense of how big Cairo is. It’s best at sunset, when the city lights come on.

It’s less worth it on a very hazy day, or if you’re short on time and have already seen the city from the Citadel or Al-Azhar Park.

• The Nile: the river, its bridges and the feluccas sailing below.
• Downtown and Tahrir: the Egyptian Museum and the old city centre to the east.
• Islamic Cairo: minarets and domes in the distance, with the Citadel and the Muhammad Ali Mosque on the hill.
• Zamalek: the green northern half of the island right below you.
• Giza: the pyramids on the horizon on clear days.

Come about 30–45 minutes before sunset. You’ll see the city in daylight, watch the sun go down over Giza, and then see Cairo light up.

Sunset is also the busiest time, and there can be a queue for the lift, especially on Thursday and Friday evenings. If you prefer it quiet, go in the morning.

The tower’s concrete shell is covered with a lattice of interwoven lines, and its top opens out like a flower. The design draws on the lotus, a plant tied to ancient Egyptian art, which links the 20th-century tower to Egypt’s ancient past.

• Taxi or Uber: ask for “Borg el-Qahira” (Cairo Tower). It’s 10–15 minutes from Downtown.
• On foot: from Tahrir Square, walk across Qasr al-Nil Bridge in about 20 minutes.
• Metro: Opera station (Line 2) is about a 10-minute walk away.

There’s no dress code. Smart casual clothes are fine, and it’s best to keep shoulders and knees covered, as in the rest of Cairo. Bring a light jacket in winter, because it’s windy on the open deck.

Yes. The tower has a security check at the entrance and staff on the deck, and the area around it is calm. The deck is enclosed by a safety fence. The usual city advice applies: watch your phone in crowds and agree taxi prices in advance or use an app.

• Check the visibility before you go; haze can spoil the view.
• Bring cash for the ticket, just in case cards aren’t accepted.
• Expect a short wait for the lift at sunset.
• Bring a zoom lens or use your phone’s zoom for the pyramids.
• Have a drink at the café near the top, but don’t expect a fine-dining meal.
• Combine the tower with a walk in Zamalek or a felucca ride.

Go up at sunset, walk slowly around the whole deck, and then take a felucca ride on the Nile below. Seeing the tower lit up from the water is just as good as seeing the city from the top.

45 minutes to an hour is enough for the lift, the deck and photos. Add half an hour if you stop at the café, and longer if there’s a queue at sunset.

Foreign adults pay roughly EGP 200–350; Egyptians pay less. The ticket is sold at the entrance and covers the lift and the viewing deck. The tower is privately run and changes its prices from time to time, so check the current price at the desk.

The Cairo Tower is open every day, from about 9:00 am until around midnight, and often until 1:00 am. Hours can change on holidays, and the deck may close in very bad weather.

If you want to see the size of Cairo in one look, the Cairo Tower is worth an hour. Go at sunset on a clear day, then spend the evening in Zamalek or on the Nile. If you’re staying nearby, see our guide to where to stay in Cairo.

How tall is the Cairo Tower?
It is 187 m (614 ft) high, and it was completed in 1961.

Can you see the pyramids from the Cairo Tower?
Yes, on a clear day. They are about 15 km away, so they look small, and haze often hides them. Winter mornings and late afternoons are your best chance.

Is there a restaurant or café at the top?
There is an open viewing deck with a café-restaurant just below it. Have a drink there, but don’t expect fine dining.

What is the best time to go?
About 30 to 45 minutes before sunset. Sunset is also the busiest time, especially on Thursday and Friday evenings.

How much is the ticket?
Foreign adults pay roughly EGP 200–350, and prices change, so check at the desk.

Cairo Tower: A Guide For New Visitors

CAIRO: Read our article Top 10 Best Things to Do in Cairo We also have a 3 day Cairo Itinerary and how to take a day trip Saqqara.

LUXOR: Get on overview on what to do in our article Top 10 Things to do in Luxor , Why you should visit Luxor and We also have detailed guides to take A Day Trip to Luxor from Cairo

ASWAN: Read our articles about the top attractions in Aswan and When to visit Aswan and we also have detailed A Comprehensive Travel Guide to Aswan

ALEXANDRIA: Read our article about The top attractions in Alexandria and when you should visit Alexandria and we also have a detailed guide to Alexandria and how to take a day trip from Cairo to Alexandria

Dahab: Read our article about the best things to do in Dahab and when you should visit Dahab and we also have an article about the top attractions in Dahab and how to spend a day in Dahab.

Bahariya Oasis: Read our article about The Best Things to Do in Bahariya Oasis and when you should visit Bahariya Oasis and we also have a detailed guide about how to take 2 Days Trip to Bahariya Oasis from Cairo:

EGYPT ITINERARY: With 8 days in Egypt, visit Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel.

TRAVEL ADVICE: Here is list of important things to know before visit Egypt. the best time to visit Egypt, Advice for first-time travelers in Egypt, and Top 5 Safety Tips for Traveling to Egypt in 2024 – 2025

–Reasons why you should visit Cairo
–Discover Cairo’s Top Attractions: A Comprehensive Guide to Cairo
–Cairo and Beyond: Exploring the Highlights of Egypt on a Guided Tour
–Exploring the Great Pyramids: Wonders of Ancient Egypt
–Cairo’s Culinary Delights: A 3-Day Food Tour
–Discovering Saqqara on a Day Trip from Cairo
–Top 10 Places to Visit in Cairo in 3 Days
–Exploring Cairo in 3 Days
–Where to eat in Cairo?

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