Two thousand years of Cairo in one day. You start in Coptic Cairo with the Hanging Church and the Church of St Sergius, then drive up to the Citadel of Saladin and the Muhammad Ali Mosque, visit the great Mamluk Mosque of Sultan Hassan and the Al-Rifai Mosque, and end in Khan El Khalili.
Your guide picks you up anywhere in Cairo or Giza in a private air-conditioned car, and entry tickets and lunch at a local restaurant are included.
Visit the Hanging Church and the Church of St Sergius, in the old Roman fortress of Babylon. About 2 hours.
Drive up to the Citadel of Saladin and visit the Alabaster Mosque, with views across Cairo. About 2 hours.
Visit the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan and the Al-Rifai Mosque opposite it. About 1.5 hours.
Lunch at a local restaurant, then time in the old bazaar of Khan El Khalili.
Your driver takes you back to your hotel in Cairo or Giza.
From the Roman fortress of Babylon to the Citadel and the bazaar.
Most visitors come to Cairo for the pyramids, but the city itself has some of the finest churches and mosques in the Middle East. This day follows its history from the Roman fortress to the Ottoman Citadel. Here is what you will see.
Coptic Cairo grew inside the Roman fortress of Babylon, whose towers still stand. The Hanging Church is built on top of one of its gates, which is how it got its name, and is famous for its carved wooden ceiling and screens. Nearby, the Church of St Sergius is built over a crypt where, by tradition, the Holy Family rested during their flight into Egypt.
Saladin began the Citadel in the 12th century, and it was the seat of Egypt’s rulers for about 700 years. Its skyline is crowned by the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, built between 1830 and 1848 in the Ottoman style and covered in alabaster. From its terrace you see across the whole city, and on a clear day as far as the pyramids.
Below the Citadel stand two giants side by side. The Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan, built from 1356, is one of the largest and most beautiful Mamluk buildings in the world. Opposite it, the Al-Rifai Mosque was completed in 1912 to match it and holds the tombs of the family of Muhammad Ali and of the last Shah of Iran.
The day ends in Khan El Khalili, the old bazaar of Islamic Cairo, with its lamps, spices, silver and copper. Stop for tea at one of the old cafés before heading back.
Price per person in US dollars. Car and driver is the vehicle only; each option adds more. For 7 or more people, ask us on WhatsApp for a group price.
| 1 person | 2 people | 3 people | 6 people | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car and driver | $60 | $30 | $20 | $15 |
| Car and guide | $115 | $60 | $40 | $25 |
| Car, guide and tickets | $135 | $80 | $60 | $45 |
| All inclusive: guide, tickets, lunch and Wi-Fi | $155 | $95 | $75 | $60 |
Prices start from $30 per person for 2 people with a car and driver. With a guide, entry tickets, lunch and Wi-Fi it is $95 per person. See the full price table on this page.
Yes. We change the order of visits around the Friday prayers.
Clothes that cover shoulders and knees. Women should bring a scarf for the mosques.
Yes, but the day becomes long. Ask us to plan it or to add it on another day.
Yes. The walking is easy, and the Citadel and the bazaar are popular with families.
Local guides and hotel pickup on every tour.
