20 Tips for Traveling to Egypt With a Baby or a Toddler

Egypt is a destination for millions of tourists and visitors every year. It is a country rich with history, entertainment, and cultural attractions. However you need to make sure it is safe to go to Egypt and to follow safety guidelines before you make a decision to travel to there. This is even more important if you are going with family especially families with young kids or babies. We have been flying with babies and young kids for years and will put ll our learnt lessons here. You can also read more here about the recommended safety guidelines when planning to visit Egypt.

Flying over Cairo - Egypt — Flying Over Cairo – Egypt

I have learned a lot from my travels with family and I have made some mistakes that I can share with you here. First, here are the top tips to take into consideration when planning to travel with babies or toddlers:

Relax, enjoy your time, and don’t be over concerned
Make sure your baby or toddler is healthy and up to date with vaccinations before travelling. Premature babies and babies born with heart or serious health conditions are not ready to travel.
Ask others politely not to kiss or hug babies or toddlers
Do not breastfeed in public in Egypt if you don’t want too much attention or stares.
Avoid direct sun exposure and long walks with a baby or toddler
Use Uber or air-conditioned transportation to avoid long exposure to heat
When in Cairo, pick a quiet room in your hotel to help your baby sleep. Cairo is a noisy city
It is better to go between October and April to avoid extreme heat season
Consult your doctor or pediatrician before traveling and take recommended medications that you may need
Plan your itinerary so it is not too exhausting to your baby or toddler
Avoid Extreme adventures such as desert 4X4 long rides and camping or diving sea trips
Consult pharmacists in Egypt when needed. They can speak English and are usually very helpful
Consult your doctor for what powder and creams to take to protect your baby from the heat
Take some baby food and jars with you (but not too much). You can buy more locally.
Take a good quality lightweight foldable stroller and baby cot or buy it locally. You can donate before you leave if you do not want to travel with it.
Always carry some dry food, snacks, and water with you wherever you go.
Do not use baby harness. It is not culturally acceptable in Egypt
Check with your hotel to see if they have babysitting service for toddlers.
Your baby needs a birth certificate and a passport: Just saying if you don’t know already.
Be careful about mosquitos in Egypt. Get a mosquito net for your stroller, carrycot, or wherever your baby sleeps.

Is It Safe to Travel with a Baby or Toddler to Egypt?

The Quick answer is: Yes. Egypt is a family and child friendly country. Egyptians are welcoming in general, but even more welcoming for families and children. Newborns usually require between 1 to 3 months to fully develop their immune system, so it is a good idea to check with a pediatrician if your baby is less than 3 months old.

The Flight to Egypt

Check with your airline or travel agent if your baby is less than 10 days old as some airlines may not allow newborns that young to fly. Try to book the shortest route if you can. Switching several planes and airports can be exhausting for babies and toddlers.

You may be on a 10+ hours flight to Egypt or you may be on a 5 or less hours away. In all cases it is a good idea to reserve the seat with more leg room to be able to handle a baby or move relatively easy with a toddler. Get a chair for your child if you can afford it as it a lot safer. It is also a good idea to take a pillow for a comfortable sleep for your toddler.

Try to book your flight to sync with your child sleeping hours. This is not easy, but can be a big relief if available. Prepare your toddler to the trip by talking about planes, Egypt, and fun time to expect. Read stories about airplanes and Egypt. Let your toddler participate in preparing their bag.

Keeping your child occupied especially during take off and landing times.

During Takeoff or landing, give you baby a pacifier, milk bottle, or breast feed your baby. Give your toddler something to chew or drink. This is to protect the ears and relief ear pain. Make sure you have additional set of clothes for you and your baby or toddlers as accidents happen and you may need to change. Take baby wipes and liquid bottles onboard. You will need those.

Check with your agent or airline on allowed baby strollers and carrycot or bassinet. Traveling with your spouse or friends will make life easier as they can help moving the luggage while you focus on your baby or toddler.

I use noise cancelling headphones sometimes in airports and airplanes as sometimes announcements and other voices are relatively loud. Use baby carrier if possible at airports to free your hands for security checks, passport handling, and taking care of carry on luggage. Try to board as early as possible and ask on the plane if you can be seated next to an empty chair. You will be surprised that it is very much possible sometimes.

Baby bassinet can be booked in advance with many airlines

Comparison of infant travel policies between different airlines

Airline	Policy
Delta	An adult can carry one infant. If traveling with 2 infants then a seat must be purchased for the second one. Infants under 7 days old cannot travel without a letter from physician. Up to two years children can travel in lap with 10% of ticket cost or in a separate seat but a child seat need to be brought in for safety to be attached to plane seat.
American Airlines	Under 7 days old infants need a from to be approved by physician to travel. If child will have a separate seat, a safety seat must accompany the child and be secured in child seat. Infants must be accompanied by an adult or parent. One stroller is allowed per ticket. Traveling with one parent requires consent from the other parent. A percentage of ticket fees will be paid for in lap infants (you need to call to get the rate). Aircraft lavatories will usually have changing table (check with airline for the specific plane you will travel on). Bassinets may be requested but not guaranteed.
Air Canada	Child or infant must be at least 7 days old. One adult can take only one infant at a time under any circumstances. Children under 2 years old on a separate seat must have safety seat attached and secured to aircraft seat. Ticket fare for in lap is about 10% of ticket cost and for a separate seat a child ticket rate applies (contact AirCanada for exact cost). Bassinets may be requested but not guaranteed. One stroller per passenger ticket is allowed. Larger stroller may not be allowed on aircraft, so smaller lighter ones are recommended.
Egypt Air	You need to request a bulkhead seat in advance and a carrycot (you may need to bring your own). Children must be held tight in lap during takeoff and landing. Infant must be at least 7 days old or older. For Premature babies or babies less than 7 days old a physician approval is needed and a physician or certified nurse need to accompany babies requiring medical attention. An adult can travel with two infants, but second infant or child must have a seat. Parents with 2 infants must be allocated cross aisle seats. For babies travelling inside incubators, contact Egyptair for arrangements. Children car seats are allowed, but require advance arrangement with EGYPTAIR. These policies apply to children up to 2 years old.
British Airways	Infants travelling in lap pay 10% of adult ticket fare. Infants in seat pay 75% of adult ticket fare. Fuel surcharge (YQ) will not be applied to infant fares. Car seats can be used up to 3 years old children. It must be forward facing and must be attachable to plane seat. All Airbus A330 planes are equipped with bassinets for babies from 9 to 12 months old. Bassinets must be requested in advance. Infants younger than 7 days or premature infants are not allowed to fly with a formal physician approval or a medical escort.
Qantas	Infants less than 7 days old require medical clearance to travel. Infants are children up to 2 years old. Australian airports will have strollers available after you check in your personal stroller. One adult is limited to one accompanied infant, but you can contact Qantas to discuss accompanying more than one infant. Bassinets must be booked in advance. Car seats are allowed but require approval at least 7 days before flight.
Cathy Pacific	Infant must be 7 years old or more. Infant can set in lap of guardian or adult (up to 24 months) and may also have a separate seat. One adult can accompany yup to two infants with one of them at least 6 months old and to have a car seat secured in a separate plane seat. Bassinets are available on most aircrafts but need to be requested during reservation. Car seats are allowed, but you may need to confirm model and suitability to your specific journey aircraft with Cathy Pacific.
Turkish airlines	Infants must 7 days or older or otherwise will need medical clearance. Children up to 2 years old can travel in lap with a discounted rate, but they can also have their own seat at a special seat discount for children. Strollers are usually allowed up to aircraft gate. You can request infant food when booking and you can bring your own too. If travelling with more than one infant, the second one will have a separate seat ticket and must have a car seat attached to plane seat.
Lufthansa	Most aircrafts will have changing tables and drinking water suitable for babies. Reserve bassinets at least 52 hours before flight. Children under 2 years old can sit in lap (for 10% of adult ticket fare) but can also have their own seat child rate. Strollers and car seats will be taken onboard when possible (some airports do not allow that so check with airline)
AirFrance	Traveling with infants younger than 7 days is not recommended. Traveling with up to two infants is allowed but requires arrangement with Air France. Child in lap fare is 10% of adult ticket fare. Foldable stroller and a car seat are allowed with no extra charge. Stroller must be packed in a carrying bag or case.
KLM	Children up to one year old can travel in lap. Each adult can accompany up to 2 infants but one of them must be in a seat. Older children require their own seats. Carrycots can be reserved in advance and car seats are allowed onboard for no extra fees.

The above is a sample comparison between different airlines for infant flying conditions and facilities. In general, most airlines will have the following conditions and terms for infants and young children travel:

-Infants and babies are allowed in lap up to two years old (except KLM – 1year old).

-Strollers are allowed but it is recommended to have light foldable ones.

-Car seats are generally allowed if you have a separate seat for your baby. It needs to be compatible with plane seats. Some airlines will allow a car seat on board even for in lap infants.

Most airplanes are equipped wit c hanging trays

-Most airlines will allow two infants with one adult but will require a separate seat for the second baby.

-Bring your baby’s food and water onboard.

-Most airlines will seat families together.

-Most airlines will charge 10% of adult ticket fare for in lap infants. For a spate seat, you will pay child rate. Second child must be secured in seat with a car or child seat.

Airplane - Trip to Egypt — Airplane – Trip to Egypt

-Bassinets and carrycots are usually available if requested with booking.

The packing list

My biggest advice here is: Don’t overpack. Make sure you take with you all the essential items, but do not over do this step. You can buy almost anything you need from Egypt and usually at a reasonable price. It is a balancing game. Here is a list of items I recommend

Your baby or toddler’s favorite toy or doll
Baby Carrier for walks with baby. I love the Ergobaby Carrier with Cool Air Mesh that is flexible, light, and suitable for the weather in Egypt.
Diapers, wipes, change pad, and change bag: You may not find change tables easily in public places across Egypt. Keep some diapers handy or on top of you packed stuff.
Noise Control headphones: Whether for airplanes or maybe some other places in Egypt. You will find that noise is very common across Egypt.
Diaper cream
First aid kit
Bibs
Breast pump, bottles for milk water, and liquids as needed
Bottle brushes, utensils. Also a sterilizer to make sure you have clean bottles. Always use bottled water for your baby’s supplies.
Shoes and socks: Look for light weight comfortable simple shoes with not too much bells and whistles. Lace free shoes are easier. Take at least two shoes. For newborns, I wouldn’t really care about taking shoes at all.
Does your baby need some white noise to sleep? You can use any of those from YouTube or download some audio on your mobile. However some Egyptian hotels do not have good internet, so you can buy a white noise machine as an alternative.
Baby blanket (you may need it during flight)
Hats and caps. A compact pocket blanket can be useful anywhere. I always take one of those
Power adapters to operate your devices in Egypt. Egypt power outlets are usually 220 volts and 60Hz (North America devices is usually 110 volts and 50Hz). This converter can be handy.
A kettle can be very useful especially that some hotels do not have any option to heat water. This fordable kettle can work on both 110 or 220 volts.
A cooling bag can be really useful to keep your bottles and food at reasonable temperature as long as possible. You can buy some cooling gel or pads locally and keep it in the cooling bag.
Clothes for your baby and toddler: How much to take? Depends on how long you will be staying in Egypt and how frequent you will be able to wash clothes or send it to laundry. You can also buy more if needed from Egyptian markets and shopping malls especially if you are visiting Cairo.
Sunscreen: Ge a suitable cream for baby or toddler’s age. Not recommended for less than 6 moths.

At the Hotel

If you are staying at a hotel or a rented apartment plan for how you are going to warm your baby liquid or food bottles. Check with the hotel. Also ask about baby cribs at the hotel. If provided with one, inspect it carefully for safety.

Expect your baby or toddler to have jetlag just like you. You may need couple of days to get your child used to new time zone. One way I do this is keeping my baby awake as long as possible to start syncing with local time and to get him tired enough to sleep longer hours.

Check with your hotel or landlord about the nearest hospital, clinics, or emergency numbers. You don’t want to be researching that when emergency happens.

Check for available laundry service. Take a tide spot removing stick or something similar for quick cleaning. Take a backup washing string and some laundry hanging pegs. I always use this washing bag in my travels whenever a washing machine is not close by or reachable. Check if your hotel has elevators and stroller friendly ramps (yes not every hotel in Egypt has those).

Going places with your baby or toddler in Egypt

Use Baby Carrier at airports or during city walks to free your hands

If going to Egypt with toddler or a newborn, the biggest concern here would be the hot weather in Egypt. You need to carefully decide if the weather is suitable for an outdoor tour. Avoid mid-day hot hours.

I know it may sound obvious, but never, ever leave your baby or toddler in a car not even for one minute!

Passport and IDs are Required for Infants and Toddlers

Always monitor your kid’s skin temperature. A daily cool bath for your baby or toddler maybe a good idea to make up for the heat exposure. Be careful about changing temperatures between indoors and outdoors though.

Always check where washrooms are located in every place you go to. Keep toilet papers with you as it may not be available in some washrooms. Monitor your toddler or baby for dehydrations, heat stroke, or itchy skin (Prickly Heat). Always add or remove layers of clothes according to current weather and temperature.

Always stay close to your toddler when in swimming pools. Carefully check cribs or play areas in hotels to make sure it is safe. Felucca Nile rides may not be suitable for babies or toddlers. A Nile cruise is okay though.

Keep your baby or toddler close by all time while travelling

I would not recommend Going inside the pyramids with a baby or a toddler. Be careful at the pyramids area with all the traffic, horses and camels. Going to Egypt with a toddler can be a good unforgettable experience, but you need to be alert and to pay attention to your toddler’s whereabouts all the time.

Top 14 Egyptian Pharaohs Clothing: What They Mean as Halloween Costumes

Ancient Egyptian Clothes

Halloween costumes is maybe how many people get introduced to Ancient Egypt civilization nowadays, but how did Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs dress up back then? And how was clothing different from the commons? Ancient Egypt goes back more than 5000 years since first Hieroglyphics were discovered and maybe more than 7000 years even before writing started.

Clothes in Ancient Egypt have gone through more than 3500 years of evolution. What Pharaohs wore in 3000 BC for example was considered ancient for those Pharaohs who lived in 100 BC. Today Ancient Egyptian clothes inspire many of the modern fashion designs, Cosplay and Halloween costumes. So how did it all start? What did real Pharaohs wear? And what does those Ancient Egyptian costumes for sale today really mean?

Egyptian Temple of Nefertari in Abu Simbel

Ancient Egyptian Clothing Facts

So, what did pharaohs wear? Clothes in Egypt reflected two main things: Desert climate and social status. Egyptian Society was divided into classes. Deity and Royals were the top class followed by the wealthy and highly ranked officials, then common people and farmers or workers, and finally slaves. Different pieces of clothes addressed these classes showing power, status, fashion, or wealth while also taking the hot weather into considerations. Here is a list of most popular Ancient Egypt clothing pieces:

Kalasiris (or Calasiris)
Shendyt (Egyptian kilt), or Schenti
Pschent
Egyptian Tunic
Egyptian loincloth
Uraeus
Headdress: Deshret,
Headdress: Khepresh,
Headdress: Royal Vulture,
Headdress: Nemes,
Headdress: Modius,
Headdress: Khat
The Crook and Flail
Kyphi

Egytian God Anubis in Egyptian Costume

Pick a Costume for and Event or for Halloween

You can find here some of the best recommendations from Amazon for Ancient Egyptian costumes, but first if you would like to learn more abut what these costumes mean keep reading..

Kalasiris (or Calasiris)

Kalasiris (or calasiris as Herodotus called it in his book about Egypt) is a long dress worn by Egyptian women since Old Kingdom. It lasted all the way until the end of New Kingdom. It spanned from the ankles up to the torso or the breasts and had straps over the shoulder to hold it in place. It evolved over time to cover the breasts. Klarisis was the most common garment for Egyptian women. The most common color was white, but Egyptian women also wore in in different bright colors. It also evolved to be decorated with beads and patterns by the time of the New Kingdom. It was made of linen, but the quality varied between cheap and expensive version. Some expensive versions were so thin and soft they were almost transparent.

Shendyt (Egyptian kilt), or Schenti

This is the Ancient Egyptian Kilt. It was worn by men and sometimes women since Old Kingdom. It was usually made of Linen in white color. It extended from the waist line to knee level.

Egyptian Postiche

Most Egyptians actually shaved their hair including facial hair. They wore fake beards called postiche. These beards were mostly worn by Pharaohs as a symbol of power, masculinity, and closeness to gods or being gods themselves. These fake beards were usually made of goat hair and looked to be relatively narrow and long. They were even depicted on dead Pharaohs coffins and statues.

Egyptian Tunic

This is long rectangular piece of fabric that was wrapped around the body and extended to waist line. Sometimes is was sewn at the side with a whole at the top for the head. Egyptians had also added wide sleeves to the tunic usually starched. It sometimes extended below the waist line and it was also worn with the Egyptian Kilt. It was tied in the front or held in place with a belt.

Egyptian Loincloth

This is a poorer version of the Shendyt or Schenti (sometimes all these names are used interchangeably) or and underwear for some Ancient Egyptians. It was mainly worn by worker class. It was a rectangular or triangular piece of linen wrapped around the hips and gentiles.

What did Pharaohs Wear on Their Heads?

Many Egyptians men and women (but not all) shaved their heads and wore wigs for the looks and social status. Wigs evolved over time to eventually be decorated with plant based stripes, jewellery and Egyptian perfume cones.

The Pharaohs wore different types of crowns and Egyptians also had specific types of crowns too.

Uraeus

This is an upright form of an Egyptian cobra (spitting cobra or asp). It is a symbol of royalty, divine authority, or deity in Ancient Egypt. It shows power of the Pharaoh over his or her enemies.

Deshret

The red crown called Deshret represented Lower Egypt and white crown or Hedjet Crown represented upper or southern Egypt. The combination of both represented united Egypt and is called Pschent(or Pshent ) Crown.

Ancient Egypt Pschent (or Pshent ) King Crown

The Khepresh Crown

The Khepresh Crown was worn by Pharaohs in wore and had a Uraeus (a standing cobra) in the front symbolizing the power of the Pharaoh against the enemies and his protection by the gods.

Blue Crown Khepresh Worn by Pharaoh Ramesses II While Being Blessed by a God - Abydos - Egypt — Blue Crown Khepresh Worn by Pharaoh Ramesses II While Being Blessed by a God – Abydos – Egypt

Royal Vulture or Eagle Crown

A Royal Vulture or Eagle Crown was worn to show protection and had wings covering the sides. Seshed crown had a Uraeus attached to a metal headband.

The Nemes

The Nemes is striped head cloth worn by the pharaohs with decorative flap. It wa usually also decorated by a standing cobra (Uraeus).

The Modius Crown

The Modius was cylindrical crown with a flat top and was worn by goddesses or queens.

Egyptian Queen Nefertiti in Modius Crown

Khat (Headdress)

Khat or Afnet was made from from material like a kerchief. The Cap Crown had uraeus and decorated with circles and lines. With no pleats or stripes it was simpler than Nemes and was open on the back.

Crowns of Egyptian Gods

Egyptian Gods also had their crown. The The Shuti Crown is worn by the god Heryshaf and had ram horns and falcon feathers. Another version was worn by the god Amun and is called Double Plumed Crown. A four feathered crown is worn by the god Anhur.

Egyptian God Amun Wearing Double Plumed Crown

Egyptian God Onuris (or Anhur, An-Her, Anhuret, Han-Her, Inhert.)

The Hemhem Crown was worn by Heka the god of magic and had ram horns, ostrich feathers, and a disc representing the sun. The cow horns crown was worn by the goddesses Hathor and Isis.

The Crook and Flail

The Flail is a symbol of fertility of the land. The crook (of shepherd) is a symbol of kingship. They were used as symbols by Pharaohs early on, but came together second dynasty of the Old Kingdom.

Kyphi

Kyphi (or Kapet in Egyptian Language) is Egyptian perfume. Ingredients are not exactly known. Some ingredients included: Honey,Frankincense (antiu), Mastic, Genen (Sweet Flag), Pine Kernels, Cyperus Grass, Camel Grass, Inuktun, Cinnamon, Raisins, Wine, Honey, Mint. Some recipes were never found, but there are 2 or 3 recipes that have been discovered.

Evolution of Egyptian Clothes Through 3000 Years

Ancient Egypt history is usually divided into three eras: Old kingdom (2700 to 2200 BC), Middle Kingdom (2050 to 1550), and new kingdom(1550 to 1070). Before the Old Kingdom there were early dynasties and before that the periods before Egypt was united as one country. After the New Kingdom, came the Ptolemaic and Roman eras. Real Egyptian Pharaonic clothing really evolved during the three eras I mentioned above.

Ancient Egyptian Priest

Egypt Old Kingdom Clothes and Fashion

The Old Kingdom is famous for the grand pyramid structures including the Ancient World wonder that is still standing: The Giza Pyramids. You can read more about these grand monuments here. Both men and women wore kilts that called Shendyt. This is a knee or above knee high kind of dress strapped around the waist with a belt made of cloth, rope, or some other materials like papyrus.

Upper class and royalty wore the same clothes but with added ornamentation and jewelleries. However upper class women wore body long fitting dress with straps around the neck and shoulders. Lower class women wore skirts from the waist to above the knees,

King Narmer Palette - 3200 BC Showing Early Clothing Style — King Narmer Palette – 3200 BC Showing Early Clothing Style

Clothes made of linen evolved during this era, but before that people also uses animal hides or papyrus bases clothes. Workers, farmers, and slaves worked completely naked. Women hair was usually cut at ears level.

Egypt Middle Kingdom Clothes and Fashion

People continued to wear the Shendyt or kilt, but upper class men wore pleated kilts. Cotton made clothes became more popular among upper class. Triangular apron or kilt also became the norm among officials and government employees. It was starched and decorated.

Women hair was usually to the shoulders or even longer and started having different hair styles. Women wore form fitting long dresses with a necklace around the neck. A belt held it together at the waist for this one piece of cloth dress. Women also wore dress that covered the area from the ankles to the waist and wrapped around the shoulders with straps.

Egypt New Kingdom Clothes and Fashion

Ancient Egyptian Woman With Jewelry from New Kingdom (1300-1100 B.C.) of a

When Pharaoh Ahmose kicked out the Hyksos out of Egypt and reunited Egypt under one government, this triggered the beginning of the New Kingdom with long prosperous era. Clothes became more elaborate and Egypt’s interaction with other culture contributed to evolution in Egyptian fashions.

Decorated gowns with embroidery, beads, and jewellery became common among upper class. Wigs with jewels and beads also became popular. A caplet (a shawl) made of linen that was decorated and folded in different ways, was worn on top of calasiris (or kalasiris) was new addition in this era to the Egyptian clothing fashions.

Woman Clothing from Ancient Egypt New Kingdom

The Shendyt or Egyptian kilt was still the norm among lower class but now women usually covered their upper body half. Servants wore pleated kilts or tunics and loincloth.

Underwear was sewn to waist size and made with higher quality and tied on the back. It was worn by upper-class and noble men under loincloth and a long shirt the extended to the knee level. They also wore necklaces and sandals.

Stone Carving with Elegant Women Fashion

Wigs were used by both men and women who in many cases shaved their heads to avoid hair maintenance and lice. Upper class women wore a cape or gown that is decorated or ornamented in addition to jewellery.

Priests wore white color robes as a symbol or purity. Soldiers, farmers and workers wore Shendyt or kilts. Egyptians wore wool jackets in cold weather, but these were not allowed in temples and sacred places as these animal based clothes were seen as impure throughout all Egyptian kingdoms.

Why are Egyptian Clothing Styles and Fashion Still Inspiring?

The Egyptian clothing style and fashion lived through the Ptolemaic era that came after the fall of the new kingdom. The Ptolemaic ‘Pharaohs’ embraced many of the Egyptian cultural heritage including clothing and fashion.

Egyptian clothing evolved across Ancient Egyptian Kingdoms, but it has maintained a concept over thousands of years: It was always practical, simple and elegant at the same time. It is still inspiring fashion designers today.

Many world famous fashion designers have used inspirations from Ancient Egyptian clothing including John Galliano, Christian Dior Haute Couture, and Fausto Puglisi, Elie Saab, and many others. Many Egyptian motifs and iconography are used in modern designs according to ION Magazine.

Beauty Concept -Ancient Egyptians - Three Girls and a lotus flower — Beauty Concept -Ancient Egyptians – Three Girls and a lotus flower

Many movies and Hollywood productions depicted Ancient Egypt inspired stories such as THE Egyptian. You can find a long list on IMDB.

What Did Ancient Egyptian Farmers, Servants and Slaves Wear?

Farmers and their animals in Ancient Egypt

In the old Kingdom all servants wore Loincloth, Shendyt or Schenti for both men and women. This evolved into longer dresses made of linen in the Middle Kingdom for women and later on they had even decorated dresses. Men had the kilt above the knees across all kingdoms.

Egyptian slaves, workers, and farmers wore kilts or in most cases worked naked during Old Kingdom and Middle Kingdom. By the new Kingdom time, naked servants were not common anymore, and most men wore Shendyt or kilts.

Ancient Egypt Carving on stone showing slaves

Why Did Ancient Egypt Wear Makeup

Egyptian eyeliner appliance for making mascara or Kohl

Ancient Egyptians wore makeup for different reasons including protection from gods, healing powers, and logically for the good looks.

Egyptians actually invented Kohl which is eye makeup called Kohl. It was made by mixing lead and soot creating a black ointment. They also had green eye makeup by combining galena with malachite. Kohl was thought to protect the eyes from the sun and to repel flies. Egyptian high class painted their nails usually in red or black. Other colors were allowed for lower class.

Does Modern Egypt Celebrate Halloween?

Generally speaking the answer is ‘No’. However in some areas such as areas where more oriented towards tourists such as some areas in Cairo, Hurghada, and Sharm El Sheikh you may see some signs of Halloween. Some newer upper-class residential areas may also have some sort of celebrations.

Some international schools allow one day where students can go with costumes and have a party. Don’t expect a celebration similar to what happens in the western world though.

Ancient Egypt Halloween Costumes

Ancient Egyptian inspired costumes are all over the world and are very popular during Halloween season. Here are some online shopping selections from Amazon. Here is also some selections that I recommend:

King of Egypt Costumes

Pharaoh or King of Egypt costumes come in different shapes and styles:

Adult Size – King Tut Style:

Adult Size – King of Egypt Pharaoh Style:

Adult Size – Ramses at War Style

Plus Size – Pharaoh

Kids Size – King Tut

Pharaoh – Kids Size

Egyptian Queen Costume Ideas

Egyptian Queen

Nefertari – Egyptian Queen

Egyptian Queen

Girls Size – Egyptian Queen

Cleopatra Costumes

Although Cleopatra is a Ptolemaic era queen (actually queens as many of the queens in this era were named Cleopatra). The most famous one is the last one who committed suicide after dramatic relation with Mark Antony and Roman Caesar Cleopatra VII. Roman historians depicted Cleopatra as seductive woman who used sex to lure Roman leaders, but it seems that she was far more than that. She was able to speak 7 languages and she was very talented and skilled politician and leader. She was the only ptolemaic leader to actually learn Egyptian Language.

Cleopatra

Queen of The Nile

Cleopatra – Girl Size

Egyptian Princess Costume

Egyptian Costume Accessories

Egyptian Queen Necklace & Belt

Cleopatra Costume Accessory Kit

Egyptian Goddess Mask

Egyptian Motif Classic Scarab Wearable Art Cuff Bracelet

Ellie Shoes Women’s 015-Cairo Flat

Ancient Egyptian Charm Bracelet

Halloween Makeup

Egyptian Gods and Goddesses Costumes

Anubis Adult Size

Horus

Anubis Kids Size

Egyptian Goddess Costumes

Egyptian Goddess Bastet

Isis Wings Costume

Goddess Bastet Plus Size

Egyptian Halloween Costumes for Couples

Facts about Top 15 Pyramids and Advice on Visiting Pyramids in Egypt

Facts and Advice on Visiting Egyptian Pyramids

As some of the last standing wonders of the world, the Pyramids of Giza have always been a must see item on my bucket list. I learned that there are around 118 Pyramids in Egypt and I was also wondering about the other pyramids: Should I visit the other pyramids too? Can I find advice online about what other pyramids are there and how to visit them? Will I enjoy my visit to the Giza Pyramids? What can I do there? Here is what I have learnt.

My Advice on Visiting the Pyramids is: Visiting the Giza Pyramids is definitely worth it and I also enjoyed going to some of the other pyramids. Always Check government advisories before traveling and do your due diligence, but cease the opportunity to visit these magnificent monuments when you can. You can find the oldest pyramids in the world in Egypt. I did not go to all of them in one visit though, but over the years, I have visited quite a few of them. I will point out the significance of each and things to do when visiting. Here is a list of the most important pyramids in Egypt:

Khufu (Cheops)
Khafra (Chephren)
Menkaure (Mycerinus)
Djoser
Sneferu
Djedefre
Teti
Amenemhat III
Userkaf
Lahun
Hawara
Ahmos
Red Pyramid
Meidum
Unas

Where in Egypt are the Pyramids?

Most popular pyramids are in Giza or close to Giza Plateau. Other pyramids are distributed across Egypt with some as far as Nubia (or Nubah) in the south and other are actually located beyond Egyptian borders in Sudan. Top advice I have for you is: Take the time if you can to visit these structural ancient wonders, check the weather before going, and take water and snacks with you.

Egyptian Pyramids Facts

Pyramids of Giza

These are the three famous pyramids of Giza and they are located in Greater Cairo near a neighborhood called “Al Haram” or “EL Haram” in Egyptian Arabic or the “The Pyramid”. GIZA is actually a governorate where the Giza Pyramids are located, but it is right next to Cairo governorate on the map and when moving between the two governorates it just feels like one huge city.

The Biggest of the three great pyramids is the Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops Pyramid) and it is listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The middle one is the Pyramid of Khafre (Chephren Pyramid), and the smallest of the three is the Pyramid of Menkaure (Mycerinus Pyramid) . The Great Sphinx is nearby at the same location.

The Other Pyramids: Which Pyramid is the Oldest Pyramid on Earth?

In fact, there are more than 118 counted Pyramids in Egypt including the well-known three Giza pyramids. In 1842 an archaeologist (Karl Richard) wrote the first Pyramids list and counted 67 pyramids then later on more pyramids were discovered till the count reached 118 pyramids in 2008.

All Egyptian pyramids are located on the west bank of the river Nile except the small dynasty pyramid located in the east side. The earliest pyramids were found at the site of “Saqqara” northwest of “Memphis” and the earliest of them is the Pyramid of Djoser (Step Pyramid of Djoser) during the age of the 3^rd dynasty 2610 BC (4600+ years old). An important advice on visiting the pyramids here: Visit Saqqara Pyramids if you are in Egypt.

This group of pyramids (Djoser pyramid and the surrounding ones) were designed by the oldest famous Engineer ever known in history called “Imhotep” which means ‘He Who Come in Peace’. Imhotep was considered a god of god of science, medicine, and architecture by Egyptians. He was the chief architect of the Djoser Pyramids. He decided to try something which had never been attempted by anyone else before him: He decided to build a pyramid using only stones instead of the small tomb pharaohs used use to build of mud-bricks called “Mastaba” or “Mastabah” so, he first started building “Mastaba” tomb with lime stone blocks then he placed another Mastaba over the first one. It is a little smaller than the one at the base and repeated this process until it became the first pyramid in Egypt of 6 steps..

Djoser pyramid is called the “Step Pyramid”. It is 62 meters high and it was built of six levels of stones (six steps). After finishing it, this “Imhotep” pyramid design became the standard method for building pyramids.

Top Egyptian Pyramids to Visit

Here is a list of the most important and oldest Egyptian pyramids:

Pyramid	Site	Age	Dynasty	Facts and History
Khufu (Cheops)	Giza	3800	4^th	The largest pyramid and one of the seven wonders still standing
Khafra (Chephren)	Giza	3400	4^th	The second largest pyramid after Khufu (Cheops)’s
Menkaure (Mycerinus)	Giza	unknown	4^th	The third largest pyramid after Khafra
Djoser	Saqqara	3900	3^rd	Also called “step pyramid of Djoser” and the oldest pyramid on earth
Sneferu	Dahshur	3760	4^th	Also called “Bent Pyramid”
Djedefre	Abu Rawash	unknown	4^th
Teti	Saqqara	2900	6^th
Amenemhat III	Dahshur	unknown	12^th	Also called “Black Pyramid”
Userkaf	Saqqara	2400	5^th
Lahun	Al Fayoum	Unknown	12^th	This pyramid was made for king Senusret
Hawara	Al Fayoum	1850	12^th	The pyramid was made for king Amenemhet III
Ahmos	Abydos	Unknown	18^th	This pyramid was built to honor the king not to be his tomb like other pyramids were built for
Red Pyramid	Dahshur	3740	4^th	This pyramid was built by king Sneferu
Meidum	Maydum	3800	4^th	Built by king Djoser and finished during the time of king Sneferu
Unas	Saqqara	2400	5^th	This was the first pyramid with texts on the inside walls

Detailed Facts about Egyptian Pyramids

Khufu (Cheops)

Egyptian Great Pyramid of Giza (Khufu or Cheops): It is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids

The great pyramid of Khufu is the oldest and largest one of the three pyramids of Giza complex and also it’s the oldest of the seven wonders of the ancient world and the last one that is still standing. The ancient name:

Khufu (Cheops) Ancient Name in Hieroglyphs

Based on the writings on the walls found inside, it is believed that this pyramid was built more than 3800 years ago during the period of the fourth dynasty and it took 20 years’ to finish building it and it was meant to be the tomb of the Pharaoh Khufu. It was built from Limestone and granite at the height of 147 meters on a square base 230 meters’ length (the four sides of the base point to the four compass points). It is estimated to weigh 5.9 million tons.

Originally the Khufu pyramid outer surface was smooth, shiny, and covered with lime stones but, what we see today is the underlying core structure layer and the stones once covered the surface can be seen scattered around the pyramid base. There is a set of buildings related to the great pyramid (two temples in honor of the king, three little pyramids of the king’s wives and a small “Mastaba” tombs for the nobles around the pyramid.

Stones of the Great Pyramid in Giza (Khufu)

In 2013 papyrus rolls were discovered (Diary of Merer) which were the logbooks recording his daily transportation of stones from Tura ( or Torah) limestone quarry to Giza during the period of the Great Pyramid construction. However until today, no one knows the method and the process of the building this pyramid except some theories written by archaeologists (it’s the mystery of the Pyramids).

Egyptian Great Pyramid of Giza (Khufu) at Night

King Khufu is supposed to be buried in the great pyramid but his mummified remains were never found and assumed to be stolen by tomb robbers. There is still a theory that it might be hidden inside the mysterious design and many Egyptologists hope that one day the pyramid will reveal the greatest secret of the real resting place of the great Pharaoh.

Khafra (or Khafre (Chephren):

The Egyptian second largest pyramid: Pyramid of Khafre or Khafra (Pyramid of Chephren)

The second largest pyramid in the Giza site and was built 40 years after the great pyramid of Khufu was built (3400 years old). It was built during the period of the 4th dynasty for the third pharaoh Khafre (the son of Khufu and the grandson of Sneferu) who was the same king who ordered to build the great sphinx to serve as a guardian of the ground at Giza. The ancient name is:

Khafre Ancient Name in hieroglyphs — Khafre Ancient Name in Hieroglyphs

Khafre pyramid was build 143 meters high on a base 215 meters’ length, it was built with the same materials of the great pyramid and for the same purpose (to be the tomb of the king). Pyramid of Khafre was robbed during the period of the 19th dynasty. The original entrance of the pyramid was found in 1818 by Italian archaeologist on the north side of the pyramid but, when he went inside hoping to see the king’s mommy he found the sarcophagus open and empty.

Khafre view Giza from Cairo city — Khafre view Giza from Cairo City

Pyramid design was nearly the same as the great pyramid except that the stones of the base are larger than the ones put in higher levels and the bottom stones cover was made of pink granite.

Menkaure (Mycerinus):

Egyptian Pyramid Menkaure is the Smallest Pyramid of the 3 Famous Pyramids of Giza

The third and the smallest pyramid in the Giza site, it was built to be the tomb of the 4th dynasty pharaoh Menkaure. Its 65 meters high and the length of the base is 104 meters, built of lime stone, red granite and white limestone as the casing. It’s believed to be an unfinished construction because part of the granite was left rough not smooth like the other two older pyramids.

Egyptian Pyramid of Menkaure with the three Queens pyramids in Giza

Menkaure pyramid was built later during the 4th dynasty but date is unknown because the pharaoh Menkaure period was not defined accurately. The ancient name of it is:

Menkaure (Mycerinus) Ancient Name in Hieroglyphs

In 1837 a British archaeologist discovered human bones in a wooden coffin inside this pyramid which were believed to be the remains of the king Menkaure. This is because the coffin had the name of the pharaoh written on but, after examining the bones with the radiocarbon dating method it was determined to be less than 2000 years’ old. This means it may have been brought from somewhere else to replace the real remains of the king but, anyway these remains are now kept at a museum in England since that time.

Giza Pyramids Tour Part 1

Giza Pyramids Tour Part 2

Djoser (also Djoser or Zoser)

Egyptian Pyramid of Djoser (Zoser) or Step Pyramid at the Complex/ Necropolis of Saqqara in Egypt (Near Cairo)

The earliest stone building in ancient Egypt located at Saqqara site northwest of the city of Memphis, it’s a 6 leveled pyramid designed like steps (this is why it’s called the step pyramid) 62 meters high, base length is 121 meters.

Step Pyramid of Djoser Walking Tour

It’s believed to be the oldest pyramid ever known and was built during the 3rd dynasty (4700 years old).

Funerary complex of Djoser (Zoser) next to Step Pyramid in Saqqara

This pyramid was built by “Imhotep” who was the king’s highest official (Vizier) to be the tomb of the pharaoh Djoser who was the first king of the 3rd dynasty and ruled the old kingdom for nearly 38 years.

Djoser Statue viewed through the offering Hole at Saqqara in Egypt

While at Saqqara, you may want to pay a visit to the Serapeum of Saqqara. This is an incredible “not to miss” location. You will see there some of the strangest granite boxes ever built. Some say it is for the burial of the Apis sacred bulls, but others say that these boxes predate Ancient Egypt and were built by an alien lost civilization. Watch this video on Egyptian Planet YouTube Chanel. Please also subscribe to the channel to receive great videos about Egypt.

This pyramid became the prototype pyramid which then all later pyramids were built the same way and using nearly the same design even the great pyramid of Khufu. This pyramid also was robbed and king remains were never found.

Userkaf Pyramid

Built for the pharaoh Userkaf the founder of the 5th dynasty and located in Saqqara site on the north-east of the step pyramid (Djoser Pyramid), 49 meters high, 73 meters’ base length. It was discovered by an Italian Egyptologist in 1831 but no one entered the pyramid till 1927 when archeologists opened the entrance made by pyramids rubbers and found the temple of the king which was proven because they found a red granite head that belongs to the king Userkaf.

Unas Pyramid

The last king “Unas” of the 5th dynasty built this pyramid and wrote on the walls for the first time which later became a tradition till the middle kingdom pharaohs started to write on the coffins.

Hieroglyphs Texts in Unas Pyramid in Egypt

According to the book of dead (it’s a collection of papyrus with funerary texts) Egyptologists differentiated between the periods of writing on the walls which started by king Unas and later periods when writing became a tradition on coffins.

Unas Sarcophagus in Egyptian Pyramid of Unas at Saqqara

Unas pyramid is located in Saqqara site and was entered first in 1881 and text was discovered for the first time.

Teti Pyramid

The smooth sided Teti pyramid is located in Saqqara site It is the second pyramid contains texts. It was built 52 meters high, 78 meters’ base length and it was first opened by an Italian Egyptologist in 1882 and discovered the complex of Teti which contained two pyramids of queens and a funerary temple (the temple where pharaohs prepared the mummies for burial in arrangements inherited from the funerary complex of Abusir.

Tomb of vizier of King Teti: Kagemni, 2330 BC) (Mastaba Design)

Funerary temples are built to be dedicated to Anubis (Anubis is the ancient name of god of death and afterlife and usually referred to in the old drawings by a picture of a man with canine head). Chambers inside the pyramid were found intact and king’s remains found even including the viscera (the group of tissues and organs inside the body) and were contained in a jar. Death mask (a mask created with the look of the king’s face and put on his face when he was first put to rest) was found inside.

Bent Pyramid of Sneferu

This was the second pyramid build by the pharaoh Sneferu, it was also called “the southern shining pyramid” and located in “Dahshur” 40 kilometers south of Cairo, its 104 meters high, 189 meters’ base length.

The pyramid was built rising from the bottom at 54-degree inclination and 43 degrees at the top section which gave it the “bent” appearance. In 2019 the Egyptian government decided to open the Bent pyramid for tourism for the first time.

Red Pyramid

One of the largest pyramids in Dahshur (also called North Pyramid) site 105 meters high, 220 meters’ base length which makes it the third largest pyramid in Egypt after the Khufu and Khafre pyramids, it was built during the age of king Sneferu of the 4th dynasty.

Red Pyramid is the third largest pyramid in Egypt after the Khufu and Khafre pyramids

It was all covered by a white layer limestone which later was removed partially exposing the red core of the pyramid’s limestone. Red Pyramid was closed to tourists for a long time but, now it’s open for visitors even to go inside and explore the chambers.

Amenemhat III (Black Pyramid)

Egyptian Black Pyramid of Amenemhat III ( in Dahshur) Attribution: Tekisch [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]

The Black Pyramid is in Dahshur site. Originally there were 11 pyramids at the Dahshur site and now there are only 5 pyramids remaining and the black pyramid is one of them (Amenemhat Pyramid). It was named Black Pyramid because of its black appearance due to the mud bricks used to build it, it is 75 meters high, 105 meters’ base length and was built during the age of the middle kingdom “12th dynasty”. This pyramid was built with mud bricks instead of limestone and low elevation of the building led to entire pyramid to sink into ground and crack down due to instability caused by the groundwater from the Nile.

Djedefre Pyramid

The mostly damaged (or unfinished) pyramid of Djedefre who was the son of king Khufu is located in Abu Rawash site. It was 67 meters high, 106 meters’ base length and built during the 4th dynasty. It’s believed that it was about the size of the third smallest pyramid of Giza (Menkaure Pyramid) but it was the most beautiful of all three pyramids due to its exterior imported granite and it was crowned by a large pyramidion (the cap stone of the pyramid).

It is also believed that Djedefre Pyramid was destroyed by the Roman Empire during the occupation of Egypt to build their own pyramid. This pyramid was different in design as the chambers were under the pyramid not inside like other pyramids designs.

Lahun (Kahun) or Pyramid of Senusret II ( Sesostris II )

El Lahun is a village in Al Fayoum governorate and it is the location of the pyramid of pharaoh Senusret and this is why they call the pyramid by the name of the village not the king. It was built during the age of the 12th dynasty and made of mud bricks.

Near this pyramid a village was discovered (800 meters from the pyramid) in 1888 which is believed to be the workers village (the village was known as Kahun) who built the pyramid and then served the funerary procedures of the king.

Hawara (or Amenemhet III) Pyramid

Egyptian Pyramid of Hawara of king Amenemhet of the 12th dynasty

Pyramid of Hawara was made for king Amenemhet of the 12th dynasty, it is located in Al Fayoum site and it was built out of stones and covered by limestone at a height of 58 meters and 100 meters’ base length.

King Amenemhet III was a powerful king and managed to occupy more lands than what his father left him (his father was king Sesostris) and also developed his kingdom economy and increased the kingdom’s planted lands near the Qarun Lake. This great king was known also by his development in the temple of the goddess “Hathour or Hat-hour” in Sinai.

Ahmos (or Ahmose) Pyramid

Pyramid of Ahmose in Abydos Egypt Attribution: Wannabe Egyptologist [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]

Pyramid of Ahmos (or Ahmose) was a royal pyramid built at the Abydos site not to be the tomb of the king but only to honor him and a pyramid built for that purpose was called “Cenotaph”. This pyramid was 40 meters high but we can only see 10 meters’ today and 52 meters’ base length. We don’t have much information about this pyramid but Egyptologists found no chambers for burial but only discovered a small pyramid near which was believed to be built to honor the king’s grandmother “Tetisheri”.

Meidum (or Maydum)

The first straight sided pyramid but it partially collapsed, it is not only a pyramid but also few “Mastaba” made of mud bricks around with 65 meters high and 144 meters’ base length.

It is believed to be built during the 4th dynasty by the king Djoser and completed by Sneferu located 100 Km south of Cairo in an Area named “Maydum”.

Visiting the Pyramids

The most famous Pyramids: Pyramids of Giza (at the Giza Necropolis)

Giza Necropolis or complex is located south-west of Cairo. It includes the three famous pyramids and the Great Sphinx of Giza

Giza Necropolis in Giza is a complex (south-west of Cairo). Giza complex includes the three famous pyramids and the great sphinx of Giza which were all built during the time of the old kingdom of ancient Egypt and also the site includes cemeteries and remains of the old Egyptian worker’s village (thousands of pharaohs workers built each pyramid in different time periods). The three Giza Pyramids are Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren), and Menkaure (Mycerinus).

You can also find here the tomb of queen Khentkaus which is located in the center of the complex which includes the queen’s pyramid, boat pit, pyramid town and valley temple.

Are the pyramids in the desert?

The three famous pyramids were royal tombs in Giza plateau at the edge of “Sahara Desert” but, we will talk later about the actual number of the pyramids in Egypt. Pyramids exist down the Nile river valley.

In the time they were built they were centers of temple complex and the same shape was also used later by the Greeks and Romans. Pyramids also are found south of Egypt in the Nubian kingdom of “Meroe”, south America and China.

The Nubian Pyramids of Meroe Located in Sudan

What to do at the Pyramids of Giza

Vising the Pyramids: Have Fun and choose the right time and weather

The first time I visited the Giza location and went through the gates, I felt the strong presence of these great monuments. Take the first look at the pyramids once you reach there let the feeling sink in for a few minutes in silence and enjoy this mysterious feeling and moments.

Horseback Riding at The Egyptian Pyramids in Giza

Being there at the scene is different from watching a video or images of pyramids. This is the message coming from those people who lived here thousands of years ago. Until today, we are still trying to uncover the secrets of these great structures.

Camel Riding at the Giza Pyramids in Egypt

Take lots of pictures and videos where allowed, try riding camels or horses, visit the other monuments ate the complex, and maybe go inside the largest pyramid.

Can you go inside a pyramid in Egypt?

The simple answer is: Yes, you can. You can reach to the largest Giza pyramid entrance and walk inside along the narrow tunnel. I wouldn’t recommend for you to go there in the summer unless you can make it there early in the morning, the tunnel is 1 meter high and 1-meter-wide with about 20 people walking inside the same time and some of them were very slow.

It was quite and effort and it became very hot while it was cold outside! Once you get into the grand gallery you finally can stand strait after the 100 meters walk in the tunnel then you get to see the tomb chamber where you can watch the empty granite sarcophagus as it once would have contained Khufu’s mummy.

The Entrance of Menkaure Pyramid in Giza Egypt

Can you take pictures inside the pyramids?

Simply, No. It’s forbidden to shoot pictures inside the Pyramid. The great pyramid (Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops)) is not just a block of stones shaped structure which is the famous look we see in pictures, it’s a huge 140M height building with squared base with length of 230M (this height is equal to 40 floors height building) and weighing nearly 6 million tons, it’s the oldest seven wonders of the ancient world.

What is Inside the Pyramids?

Before I visited the great pyramid I thought there is nothing inside to see, but what is really inside the great pyramid of Giza? The below figure shows a simple drawing for inside design of the great pyramid.

Internal Chambers and Tunnels design of the Pyramid

I learned later that the method and the process of how the pharaohs built the pyramids is still a mystery and no one knows for sure how did they do it! They are all made of “Lime Stone and Marble” and it was built in 20 years’ period with 120,000 workers to be a tomb and there are three known chambers inside (king, queen and subterranean chamber).

Pyramid of Khufu Al Mammun ( The Khaliff) Entrance

With four air shafts and narrow entrance, and all these places are connected to each other by very narrow corridors and passageways and part of these places are under the ground of the pyramid.

Take a Tour Around the Giza Complex

Exhibit of the Solar Ship near Pyramid of Khufu

The great pyramid is surrounded by several buildings “Pyramids Complex” which you should be aware of when you are taking your tour and moving around privately or with a guide (the below figure shows the most important monuments you should notice).

At the foot of this Pyramid, there are pits that used to host boats of Khufu that were buried with him. Only two of these boats were found. One of them was re-assembled and exhibited is a specially built museum at the location of the pit. Later on it was moved to the Grand Egyptian Museum. Here is a video that explains more about the mysterious boats:

Secrets of Khufu Boats

Location where Solar Boat of king Khufu was found near Khufu's Pyramid — One of the pits that are believed to be once used to store Khufu’s boats

In my hand drawing figure below I tried to cover the important things in my opinion and I counted 14 buildings which I think everyone should see and take time shoot some photos:

Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) (the great pyramid)
Western cemetery of workers
Tomb of Hemon (the prime minister of Khufu (Cheops))
Queen Hetepheres tombs
Eastern cemetery of workers
Pyramid of Khafra (or Khafra (Chephren)) (the middle size pyramid)
Temple of Khafra
Great Sphinx (famous statue of lion body and human head)
Subsidary pyramid of Khafra’s
Tomb of queen Khentkawes
Pyramid of Menkaure (Mycerinus) (the 3^rd and smaller pyramid of the three famous pyramids)
Temple of Menkaure (Mycerinus)
Queen Pyramids (three pyramids aside)
Valley temple of Menkaure (Mycerinus)

Take a walk (with a guiding map) around the pyramids complex and you can reach the Great Sphinx near the car parking lot. You can ask your guide to pick a horse or camel for you to ride. Enjoy your ride in the pyramids desert. Make it in the early morning or closer to sunset to avoid the hot sun.

I was in a group there and each had his or her own camel with a guide walking in front to lead the camels and we took nice pictures.

Enjoy Camel rides in Giza, but be careful and hold on tight. — Enjoy Camel rides in Giza, but be careful and hold on tight (to the Camel).

You really have to hold on as the camel gets up after you mount and when you get off¦. Other than that it’s a smooth ride and much easier that riding a horse. After riding around the pyramids we rode back toward the Sphinx, the whole trip was about a 45-minute ride

Evening Sights and Sounds Show at Giza Pyramids Complex

You can have night trip to show at the Pyramids of Giza called “Pyramids Sound and Light show” in the open air at a location of the complex where a light show and sound tracks are played almost every day.

You can enjoy setting by the sphinx and watching the show which is all about history of the pharaohs and ancient Egypt and how history has progressed until modern times.

Can You Climb the Pyramids?

If by climbing you mean to the top, then the answer is: No. Climbing the pyramids is illegal. Climbing may also not be safe and many accidents have happened before for people falling down the great pyramid which can be fatal.

Climbing few levels of the Great Giza Pyramid to reach the gate is allowed

You can still climb up a few blocks to take photos and have fun but don’t go too far. The height of Khufu (Cheops) pyramid is around 140M (this is the height of a nearly 40 floors building). There are some steps close to the entrance and you can get reasonably high enough to snap some great selfies, but you need to be careful as you can easily fall off 20 or 30 meters.

How Much does it Cost to Visit the Pyramids?

You can plan to visit the Pyramids by hiring a private local guide to show you around and give you a historical overview and tour, or you can buy a detailed map for the area and take your own private free tour.

Price lists are hanging everywhere once you enter the pyramids complex area, the following table shows that (Please note that prices may change from time to time):

Place	Adult Price	Student Price
Pyramids Complex Area	EGP 120	EGP 60
Inside the Great Pyramid	EGP 300	EGP 150
Inside Khafre (Chephren) Pyramid	EGP 60	EGP 30
Inside Menkaure (Mycerinus) Pyramid	EGP 50	EGP 25
Meres Ankh Tomb	EGP 50	EGP 25
Boat Museum of Cheops	EGP 80	EGP 40

A friend of mine told me that he went there with his wife and they hired a private guide who handled all the entrance fees and did a fantastic historical overview, he took them to 9 pyramids, the whole day including lunch, private driver, guide and tour with entrances for two persons and paid $100. My friend told me that it worth every penny!

Where to stay in Egypt to see pyramids?

View of Giza Pyramids from a Hotel in Giza

Depending on the purpose of the trip and how long it will take you can decide where to stay and places you’d love to be near to, this really defines a big part of your trip. Luckily, Cairo has different types of places to suit all purposes and tastes, when it comes to a touristic trip or a family vacation where you would like to stay close to the pyramids and maybe get a view on the Pyramids, you will need to look for a room in the “Haram” neighborhood which is a translation for the word “Pyramids” area.

A Hotel Pool with View of the Giza Pyramids

The pyramids area is located in Giza – Cairo, where it features both luxurious and budget friendly hotels that can be found everywhere near the Giza plateau. If you managed to reserve a room at that area, many other ancient views will be near like Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur.

View of Giza Pyramids from the Mena House Hotel

Booking your stay at a hotel before arriving to Cairo will be better than looking after arriving in Cairo which is doable but usually for a higher price. There are many hotels you can select from online like: sphinx golden gate, pyramids guest house, pyramids valley hotel and Marriott Mena House Hotel.

Is visiting the Pyramids Safe? Is it Safe to Travel to Egypt Pyramids?

Yes, it is safe to travel alone or in groups, many people are probably thinking that Egypt is a middle eastern country that’s not safe for tourists. Well, it is not less safe than Europe nowadays in my opinion. I advise you not to listen to media too much, but please check the article about safety in Egypt here

Tourism Police is very active in tourist Areas in Egypt

A friend of mine from Germany told me once that she traveled alone to Egypt “solo girl” and had a feeling of safety more than hometown in Germany. I see women travelling solo to Egypt all the time myself.

Many Egyptians have amazing hospitality but, you might face the same issue of catcalls or some harassment as in many countries as a single girl but, you could solve it by a small trick of wearing a marriage ring and ignoring men staring at you but in all cases don’t worry this will not exceed words and you should be okay talking to people. Egypt is one of the most welcoming counties in the world in my opinion.

Conclusion

If you have a dream to see the world one day, your dream will not be fulfilled without including Egypt and the Pyramids in your plan. Always check advisories and the weather before travelling to Egypt, but don’t hold your dreams on fake or exaggerated media. Dig deeper into facts, and look into reliable and authoritative sources to make your decision. The usual case is: It is safe, fun, and worth the money to make the trip to Egypt and the pyramids. Go with the knowledge and background information a=bout the pyramids so you can appreciate the significance of standing in front of these magnificent structured that will take you back to where human civilization began.

Khufu Mortuary Temple in Giza Complex near the Great Pyramid of Khufu

Egyptian Food Facts for Travelers

What Food to Try in Egypt

Many Travelers to Egypt wonder about what type of Egyptian Food they should Try. Egyptian food is as diverse and rich as its history. The most obvious fact is that Egypt is a country with a history that extends to thousands of years. Egypt is located in international crossroads and the fact is that Egyptian food has been influenced by several cultures and civilizations over the centuries. This resulted in a unique and rich Egyptian cuisine with a long list of popular ancient and modern mix of dishes and beverages that have evolved to be Egyptian.

If you are planning to visit Egypt, you need to try some of its popular foods and drinks during your travel or you would be missing a unique experience. You can find here a paragraph or two of information and facts about each of the most popular Egyptian foods. We also added links to some videos on Egyptian Planet YouTube channel that will show you how to make some of these dishes yourself. Here is a list of popular foods and dishes in Egypt.

Egyptian Food Facts: Food Safety and Nutrition Value: Is it Healthy and Safe to Eat?

Look for popular reputable Restaurants when visiting Egypt

The answer here depends on what you mean by healthy or safe. If by safe we are talking about not getting sick, then you need to stay away from street foods, and pick only reputable restaurants and you will be okay. Egyptian food is so diverse that you can find different types of ‘healthy’: Organic, vegan, made of fresh ingredients, or made with certain ingredients that you consider suitable for your diet. You need to be informed about the main ingredients of each dish and how it is made. I give you this information here. In some cases ‘safe’ can be very specific to your case if you do not have reasonable level of tolerance for some foods or food ingredients such as fat, eggs, beans, etc.

For more information about health guidelines when visiting Egypt, you can read the article on this subject here. For information about general safety in Egypt, you can read the article here.

The listing below give you some facts not only about the type of foods, but also whether these food are common in breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I also mention when a food is more common in certain events, celebrations, or social activities.

Egyptian Breakfast Foods

Falafel (Tamiya or Taamiya) (Fried Fava Beans or Chickpeas)
Shakshuka (or Shakshouka) (Eggs with Tomato Sauce)
Ful Medames (Slow Cooked Fava Beans)
Pastirma (Air Dried Meat)
Halawa Tahiniya
Rumi Cheese
Egyptian White Cheese
Fatayer
Egyptian Omelet Igga
Egyptian Mish (old cheese) with tomatoes and hot oil

Egyptian Breads

Egyptian Bread (Baladi)
Egyptian Feteer Meshaltet
Egyptian Folk Bread with Sesame (Simit)
Arabic Pita Bread
Bataw or Battaw (Farmers’ bread)
Fino Bread (Egyptian Baguette)

Egyptian Snacks, Appetizers, Soups, and Salads

Yogurt with Cucumber with Garlic
Sambosa (or Samosa)
Egyptian Torshi (Pickles)
Lentil Soup
Baba Ghanouj
Tahina (Tahini)
Pickled Eggplants

Egyptian Lunch and Dinner Foods

Rice and Pasta Dishes

Kushari (or Koshary)
Egyptian Fattah (or Fettah)
Bashamel Macaroni with Meat
Rice with Green Peas
Pasta with Sausages
Rice with Vermicelli and Green Peas
Kabsah

Stuffed Vegetables and Vegetable Dishes

Mahshi or Dolma (Stuffed Vegetables)
Waraq Inab (Stuffed Vine Leaves)
Molokhya, Mulukhiyah, or Molokhia
Fried Eggplant
Mombar (Rice-Stuffed Sausages)
Maqloobah or Maqluba
Yellow lentil and Rice
Baked Spicy Chickpeas
Moussaka or Mosakkaa
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Besara (or Bisara)
Egyptian Bamia or Bamya (Okra)

Freekah Dishes

Chicken with Freekeh
Freek (or Freekah) with Vegetables
Roasted Meat with Green Peas and Rice or Freekah
Roast Chicken with Vegetables and Freekah

Meats and Poultry

Shawarma (Chicken, Beef, or Lamb)
Hawawshi (Baked Meat in Bread)
Musahab (Pulled Chicken)
Kabab (or Kebab) an Kofta
Alexandrian Liver Sandwich
Egyptian Sausage
Hamam Mahshi (Stuffed Pigeons)
Kofta in the Oven
Daoud Bacha Kafta and Rice Kofta
Grilled Whole Lamb
Grilled Pigeons
Shish Tawook
Egyptian Kamounia
Egyptian Kaware

Local Egyptian Food to Try

The above list is an exhaustive list of most popular Egyptian foods that you can pick from if you want to eat like a local Egyptian. Some of these foods and drinks go way back to the time of the Pharaohs and Ancient Egypt such as Fesikh and Battaw Bread and others have been adopted by Egyptians as a result of interactions with other cultures over the centuries like Kabab or Kabsah.

Some foods have evolved locally for certain events such as Halawiyat El Moulid (sweets of the birthday) that were made for celebrating the birthday of the prophet of Islam. They are still considered seasonal sweets for that event. Other foods were part of political Egyptian history such as MoloKhia.

Here are some paragraphs about Egyptian foods so you can pick which food you may want to try while visiting Egypt.

Egyptian Breakfast Food Facts

Falafel (Tamiya or Taamiya) طعمية

Falafel or Tamiya is a fried round disc shaped or ball shaped crispy vegetarian dough. It is made in Egypt of fava beans, but sometimes it is made of Chickpeas (or of a mix of both) which is more a Lebanese or Syrian style. It is a popular food in the Middle East and around the world.

In Egypt, Falafel is usually served in breakfast with Ful Medammis (or Medames). The only problem with these two foods is that it may not be a good choice for those allergic to beans that come from certain plant family, so you may need to check with your doctor if you have allergy to fava beans. In some cases it is not made with fava beans but rather with chickpeas which should not be an issue. You can always ask what it is made of if you suspect you may have any allergy.

The deep frying of Falafel in Egypt and the added spices gives a unique and crispy taste. It is always best eaten hot coming out of the frying pan, as after it cools down, it may lose its crispiness. It can be eaten with Tahini, Hummus, Baba Ganouj, pickles, or other salads in a Sandwich or just by themselves.

Shakshuka (or Shakshouka) شكشوكة

Egyptian Shakshuka is one of the many variations of this dish that is popular across the Middle East. In Egypt it is made out of eggs mixed in tomato and tomato sauce and maybe garlic and peppers with spices on top.

A deep frying pan is used to mix spices, tomato, and tomato. Eggs are then fried on top of this thick sauce. The taste and energy in this cozy dish makes it a great candidate for breakfast. It is usually eaten with Egyptian flat bread or Baladi bread.

Ful Medames (Slow Cooked Fava Beans) فول مدمس

Fava Beans (Egypt's Breakfast) — Fava Beans (Egypt’s Breakfast)

This dish of slow cooked fava beans goes back to Ancient Egypt times. It is usually served with olive oil or vegetable oil and with many variations of add-ons including herbs, fried or boiled eggs, tomatoes, tahini, hummus, and many other variations that sometimes may include sausage! In its simplest form it is salted and soaked in vegetable oil.

For many Egyptians Ful Medames (or Medammis) is breakfast. It is deeply rooted in the Egyptian breakfast culture. It is served in a plate to be eaten with Egyptian bread especially Baladi bread or in sandwiches that may sometimes have Falafel added to the sandwich. Restaurants and cooks are always innovating new ideas around this staple food in Egypt.

Hera is a video of how to make this delicious dish yourself:

How to make Ful Medames (Egyptian Fava Beans) yourself

The video takes you through a step by step how to make this dish in different versions.

Pastirma (or Bastirma in Egyptian dialect): The air dried meat

Originally adopted from Turkish cuisine, this delicious dried spiced meat is a favorite staple of Egyptian breakfast and supper meals. It may be close to Pastrami, but it is different in how it is made and how it tastes.

It is made of beef in Egypt, but in some areas it is also made of lamb or even camel meat. The meat is usually salted and hanged to dry in air for a while and then pressed and left to dry again. It is coated with edible paste with lots of garlic. This process takes about a month and maybe this why it is relatively expensive.

The taste is delicious and it is usually mixed with scrambled eggs or omelets, and can also be eaten separately. It can be eaten without cooking, but many health advisors have recommended cooking it first (by frying separately or with eggs for example) as this will kill germs that may grow as a result of improper storage that can cause inappropriate levels of moisture.

I would definitely recommend this for you to try if you are visiting Egypt. You can buy it in grocery stores or you may find it in the breakfast menu of many restaurants.

Halawa Tahiniya

These are made of sesame seed paste or butter mixed with sugar that is usually shaped into blocks. It can be mixed with pistachios, chocolate, or other types of nuts. In Egypt, it is made into sandwiches or eaten as a desert after a meal.

Try it in a sandwich after breakfast if you are looking to get more some energy for the day. Some Egyptians mix it with Kishta (paste of heavy milk cream). I personally felt it was too heavy for me. When I tried it though, I felt I could run a marathon or something.

Rumi Cheese (also Roumy or Romy)

The name is derived from ‘Roman’ as it may have been historically imported from Roman Empire and has evolved in Egypt. This hard cheese is another staple in Egyptian cuisine. It is made of a mix of cow and buffalo milk with black pepper and is fermented for 3 to 6 months giving it a sharp pungent and unique taste. The best type is the aged one (sometimes up to 12 years aging) and it is the most expensive. It is relatively an expensive cheese as production process take a long time.

It is usually eaten in sandwiches or as a favourite food on breakfast table. It is stuffed into melted cheese sandwiches. You need to be careful with this cheese if you are trying to control your cholesterol though as it is made of fatty dairy. One or two slices wouldn’t heart.. Well, this is what I told myself when I enjoyed this cheese during my last visit to Egypt.

Egyptian White Cheese

This cheese goes back to Ancient Egypt time too, and it is considered one of the oldest types of cheese. It is made in different flavors and versions but it is white and creamy in all cases. The ‘Gibna Bidaa’ or ‘White cheese’ is popular food on breakfast and supper meals.

One version is lower in salt and called ‘Tallaga’ or ‘fridge style’. Another is even creamier and called ‘double cream’. The Baramili (made in barrels) is more salty and has the flavour of hot red or green pepper. Domiati was first made in the city of Damietta and is salty and also has the green pepper taste. For a more healthy choice you can try the law salt white cheese or the most ancient known type: the Areesh (no salt) type.

It is eaten with olives, cucumber, tomatoes, or even mixed with Ful Medames in breakfast dishes. The white cheese, olive oil, mint, and tomato mix is a popular dish. It is also used as a spread cheese in sandwiches.

Fatayer

These pastries are made out of dough stuffed or topped with cheese, vegetables, beef, chicken, spinach, zaater (thyme), and more. They come in all shapes and sizes. It is used as a breakfast food, an appetizer, or as finger food in different events. Many of these versions may have come from Syria and Lebanon, and over the years they became Egyptian favorites.

Some Fatayer are made flat in pizza style with mix of toppings, and some are stuffed with different types of stuffing. Restaurants that offer Fatayer are abundant in Cairo and across Egypt. Check the ones with high ratings and go for the experience.

Here are links to how to videos if you would like to try making some Fatayer yourself:

Fatayer DIY Part 1

Fatayer DIY Part 2

The videos will take you through a step by step on how to make the dough and different types of stuffings and toppings. Enjoy!

Egyptian Omelet Igga (or Egga)

This delicious frittata that is made of eggs is mixed with browned onions (or just onions), vegetables, some flour, and herbs and parsley. The greener the color, the more authentic it is. It is started on stove and finished in oven. It can be made mild, or spicy as needed. Most people will eat it hot or at room temperature, but it can also be eaten cold out of the fridge.

This dish can be served as a full breakfast with your choice of juice or coffee (or both).

Egyptian Mish (Old Fermented Cheese)

Do you want to try something strange when visiting Egypt? Try Mish! This cheese is made of fermented old cheese such as white salty Egyptian cheese and Rumi cheese or usually a mix of both. It can be fermented for years. It was found in Ancient Egyptian tombs!

Its taste is sharp and pungent. Make sure you get it from a trusted source or from a licensed producer (usually in grocery stores), as wrong methods of fermenting can lead to a toxic product.

Egyptian Food Facts: Egyptian Breads

Egyptian Bread (Baladi)

This bread is an iconic Egyptian foods. It has been around for over 5000 years and it is deeply rooted in Egyptian culture. Named ‘Aish Baladi’ or ‘locally made living’ or ‘country’s living’ as per literal translation as it reflects the importance of this bread for the daily living of locals both rich and poor. It tastes different from other types of bread and is usually found with most Egyptian meals. It is best eaten with breakfast foods such as Falafel, Ful, eggs, and cheese. It is also eaten with many of lunch and dinner foods.

The Aish Baladi is made of whole wheat flour, bran, salt, and yeast. It tastes great especially when fresh from the oven. It can also be made by mixing the above ingredients with white flour and would look lighter in color. Today it is baked in modern commercial ovens, but in countryside and rural areas it is still baked in stone or mud built farmers’ ovens.

Egyptian Baladi Bread and Egyptian White Cheese are close companions!

If you want to really enjoy this bread try to get it fresh out of the oven or as close as possible to that.

Egyptian Baladi Bread Can be kept in freezer and reheated before eating

Egyptian Feteer Meshaltet

Egyptian Layered Flat Pastry: Fiteer Mishaltit

This is one of the oldest Egyptian foods that goes back thousands of years and was found in some Pharaonic tombs. It is simply a layered pastry made out of dough and ghee or butter and baked in high temperature ovens. The authentic version is made at countryside farms where you can find the best ghee and flour quality. Some historians say it is the original version of croissant as it has established the thin layers concept in pastry.

It is usually made plain where it can be used as bread with other foods. Some versions include fillings that can be savory or sweet. Examples of fillings include ground beef, cheese, vegetables, chocolate, honey, and other type of fillings.

When Egyptians offer you Feteer Meshaltet it is a sign they are really welcoming you. The original version (the plain one with no fillings) is usually served with white cheese, Mish, Honey, and Ful.

Some Egyptian restaurants are famous for this type of pastry and if you have the time I would recommend you stop by one of these restaurants and have a Feteer Meshaltet experience.

Egyptian Folk Bread with Sesame (Simit)

This is Egyptian style pretzels. This crispy pastry is made of flour, sugar, salt, butter, milk, and yeast. It has the distinguished pretzel shape and sesame is usually sprinkled on the surface. In some areas it is sold as street food, but you can also find in many bakeries.

Simit (or Simeet) is usually served with boiled eggs, cheese, honey, and special egyptian spice mix called Dokka (or Doaa). It is a staple in a specific Egyptian event called ‘Sham El Nessim’ which celebrates the beginning of spring season every year. It is an ancient feast that goes back to Ancient Egypt.

Arabic Pita bread

This is the famous flat bread that may have originated in Lebanon or Syria, but has become a staple in Egyptian cuisine. It is most popular with many of the sandwiches made by restaurants including the famous Shawarma sandwiches, Falafel sandwiches, Kebab or Kofta wraps, and many others.

It can be made with white flour or whole wheat flour (or a mix of both). Its thin layered dough makes it a favorite container that tastes great while not being too much in your mouth. This leaves enough space to savor the sandwich filling.

The only problem with this bread is that it gets old and starts losing the great taste in few days. This is why I like to keep it in the freezer and only heat the ones I am eating.

Bataw or Battaw (Farmers Bread)

Egyptian Battaw ( or
bataw) Bread — Courtesy of :Reem Al-Kashif [CC BY-A4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by sa/4.0)]

Bataw bread is mostly popular at countryside in Egypt and usually made by farmers. It can be made by corn flour, wheat flour, or barley flour.

It is usually baked in farmers’ ovens and starts as inflated ball like shape that is later flattened with a special wooden ladle. It has a crusty taste.

It is usually served with white cheese, honey, eggs, and other breakfast staples.

Fino Bread (Egyptian Baguette)

Eish Fino or Fino bread is one of the most commonly consumed breads in Egypt. This is a long shaped baguette style bread made of white flour and used for sandwiches in most cases. It tastes soft and smooth and has a filling that many people like to remove before making a sandwich.

Egyptian Food Facts: Snacks, Appetizers, Soups, and Salads

Yogurt with cucumber (+mint and garlic)

This dish is served as salad or as a dip. It is yogurt mixed with chopped or minced cucumbers and garlic. Dill and mint are added in some versions. It is popular as a side dish with grilled beef, kabab and Shawarma.

Egyptian Yogurt with Cucumber and Garlic

Sambosa (or Samosa)

It is famous around the world as Samosa, but in Egypt it is usually called Sambosa. These triangle shaped pastries may have originally started in India and the thin version are more famous as a Lebanese appetizer. In Egypt it is popular especially in the fasting month of Ramadan as a fast breaking starter.

Relatively Thin Samosa is more Common in Egypt than Thick ones

Sambosa pastries are stuffed with different types of stuffings such as beef, chicken, vegetables, and cheese. My favorite one is the white cheese stuffed ones. In Egypt it is made crispy usually not too thin and not too thick.

Egyptian Torshi (Pickles)

Torshi is the Egyptian pickles and it is known with the same name across many Arabic speaking Middle East countries.

It is made with many types of vegetables but especially cucumbers, carrots, onions, garlic, cauliflower, red peppers, lemons. It comes in mild and spicy (sometimes really hot spicy) flavors.

Try Egyptian Pickles when Visiting Egypt

Lentil soup

This cozy time soup is full of intimacy feelings and the perfect companion in a cold winter night or as a lunch or dinner starter. Egyptians make it with yellow or red lentils or a mix of both.

Egyptian Lentil Soup comes in different versions and flavors

It is a vegetarian soup where lentils are mixed with olive oil, diced carrots, diced onions, garlic, celery, potato, garlic, common, turmeric, and other spices. It can be made mild or spicy by adding hot peppers, paprika, or chillies.

Egyptian Yellow and Brown mix Lentil Soup

Baba Ghanouj (or Baba Ganoush)

This is a favorite dip and side dish in Egypt. It is made of roasted eggplant chopped and mixed garlic, lemon, tahini, olive oil, and spices. This dish may have originated in Lebanon or Turkey, but it has become famous across the world and a staple in many Middle Eastern countries including Egypt

It can be served with breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is served as a dip with Arabic or Baladi bread, as a side dish with Kabab, Ful and Falafel, or Shawarma.

Tahina (Tahini)

This sesame seeds paste is now popular across the world, but is has its special role in Egyptian cuisine. It is called Tehina in Egypt and it is mixed with lemon and salt and usually served as starter or a side dish and a dip with Kabab, Kofta, added to Shawarma sandwiches, Falafel and Ful sandwiches and plates.

Pickled Eggplants

These delicious pickles are made from finger type eggplants or as they are called ‘Bitingan’ in Egyptian Arabic. Pickled eggplants is called ‘Bitingan Mikhallil’ in Egyptian Arabic.

It is pickled by cutting it open or into slices and stuffing with garlic paste, cumin, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and lemon. Chilli or hot peppers are added for a spicy taste. It is a welcome side dish at lunch or dinner. A good dish that goes with it is the yogurt with cucumber. It balances that tangy sharp taste from the pickled eggplants.

Egyptian Food Facts: Lunch and dinner Dishes

Rice and Pasta Dishes

Kushari (or Koshari, or Koshary)

This vegetarian dish is the most famous Egyptian dish. The core ingredients are macaroni, spaghetti (optional), vermicelli (optional), rice, brown lentils, and chickpeas (sprinkled on top).

Koshai Toppings and Tomato Sauce — Koshai Toppings (Lentil and Fried Onions) and Tomato Sauce

There are two types of sauces that are added to this dish. The first one is specially made tomato sauce and the second one is a spicy sauce with black peppers, chillies or hot peppers, vinegar, garlic, cumin. It can range from mild to extremely spicy according to your preference. Both types of sauces are added on top of the core ingredients but only at serving time. The final ingredient on top of all that are browned crispy onion slices.

The dish has always been considered an inexpensive meal for those who cannot afford to buy dishes with beef or meat, but over the years it became popular among all Egyptians regardless of financial status.

Fried browned Crispy Onion SLices is used as Kushari Topping

I am not sure why, but a desert of rice pudding or custard is a custom after eating Kothari. Maybe it is to cool down the spicy taste? I like it anyway.

Egyptian Fattah (or Fetta)

This dish is famous across the Middle East with each country having its own version of Fattah. It has nothing to do with Feta cheese as the name Fattah is Egyptian Arabic name. In Egypt it is also attached to the yearly celebration called Eid Kibeer (The big feast) where meat (usually lamb) is stewed and the broth is used to cook the Fattah.

Ingredients include rice, roasted crispy balady or flat bread broken into small pieces, tomato sauce, and beef or chicken broth. It can also be made with Kaware (Cow Cartilage) which is a popular version of Fattah in Egypt. A special topping sauce is added at the end after a quick stir frying: Garlic, salt, vinegar, and, tomato paste. This topping is called ‘Taqliya’ or ‘Taaliya’ and it is maybe the most important flavoring ingredient in making Fattah.

Here is a video that shows you how to make Fattah:

Egyptian Fattah DIY

Bechamel Macaroni with Meat

This is an oven baked dish with the bechamel being the unique ingredient. Bechamel is a white sauce that is made from milk, butter (or ghee), flour, chicken broth (optional), salt and spices. Egyptians call it Macaroni in the Oven or Oven Macaroni.

Bechamel Macaroni (or Macaroni with Bechamel) is made of macaroni usually penne type that is layered with minced beef meat and then covered with bechamel and then baked in oven. Bechamel is made first though.

Egyptian Bechamel Macaroni stuffed with ground with Meat

An egg or two are cracked on the top to be baked Bechamel giving the brown color to this dish. It tastes great in my opinion and it is one of my favourite Egyptian dishes that everyone needs to try when visiting Egypt.

Egyptian Bechamel Macaroni in Pottery Tajin

Rice with Green Peas and Rice with Vermicelli

Rice is a significant ingredient and main dish in many Egyptian dishes and meals. The Rice with Peas is done in multiple ways. The rice is cooked with green peas. It can be mixes with vermicelli.

It is simple yet delicious Egyptian meal. Another way to do it is to cook the rice separately, cook the green peas with tomato sauce and herbs and then mix them together when served. Carrots can be added to the green peas as an additional flavor.

This is a relatively inexpensive dish that is common in Egyptian homes. It can serve as dinner or lunch, but usually served with chicken or beef to add protein.

Kabsah

Although this dish is originally from the gulf area especially Saudi Arabia, it has become an Egyptian favorite over the years.

It is made of mix of rice, herbs, and spice. Rice used is usually Indian type or Basmati rice. It is also served with grilled or stewed beef or chicken. It is a common dish in parties. It is sometimes made in large serving trays with whole grilled lamb put on top. You can see this version in Bedouin areas and villages.

Egyptian Stuffed Vegetables and Vegetable Dishes

Mahshi or dolma (stuffed vegetables)

This is another Egyptian favorite that is popular across the Middle East. It is known as Mahshi or in some countries as Dolma. The origins of this dish maybe Arabic or Turkish.

Some selected types of vegetables are usually stuffed with rice that is pre-mixed with some greens and herbs. These vegetables includes green peppers (filfil), tomatoes (tamatim), zucchini (called Koosa in Egyptian Arabic), finger eggplants (bitingan ot bidingan)

The rice stuffing is usually made of rice with tomato paste, salt, pepper, dill, parsley, and cilantro. In some versions it is also mixed with minced beef which is the non-vegan version

Waraq (or Warak) Inab ( or Enab) (Stuffed Vine Leaves)

This is another type of Mahshi (Stuffed) vegetables. Vine (Enab) Leaves (Warak) are stuffed (or rolled ) with a specially prepared rice with herbs recipe. This type of Mahshi is popular across the Middle East. In some other countries it is served as a cold salad or side dish. The amount of rice stuffing can also be different from one country to another. The Egyptian version has more rice stuffing and is usually served warm or hot.

The rice stuffing can be mixed with minced beef in some versions and chicken or beef broth is used in the cooking process. If you’re looking for a vegan dish, you need to ask if minced beef or non- vegan broth is used. The flavor of the added herbs, lemon, and mint gives it a unique taste. Some like to put potatoes or garlic at the bottom of the pot to avoid burning the vine leaves. I liked eating that too!

Molokhya, Mulukhiyah, or Molokhia

This dish is based on cooked leaves of the plant Corchorus olitorius. It is known since Ancient Egypt time. Around the 10^th century the governor of Egypt decided to forbid it as he thought it is was luring women into committing adultery. The name Molokhia comes from an Arabic word that means: royal.

Egyptian Molokhya, Mulukhiyah, or Molokhia is simply the leaves of the plant Corchorus olitorius

To cook Molokhia, these leaves are chopped or minced and then cooked in chicken broth. Sometimes it is cooked in other types of broth such as beef, rabbit, or even shrimp or seafood. Some famous restaurants have their own secret recipe of broth mix.

Egyptian Molokhya, Mulukhiyah, or Molokhia is served with Egyptian Rice

In Egypt the leaves are removed from the stems, left to dry for a short while before chopping or mincing unlike in some other countries where the leaves are left to completely dry. After the cooking process a special fried mix of coriander and garlic is mixed with the cooked Molokhia. This mix is called Taaliya and is the essential ingredient that gives flavor and very distinguished smell to the Molokhia.

Egyptian Molokhya, Mulukhiyah, or Molokhia is finished at serving table in some restaurants

Molokhia is usually served with rice, Baladi bread or other type of bread. It is considered as a soup or stew that can be mixed with rice or as a dip with bread. It is also usually served with protein dishes such as chicken, beef, or in sometimes especially in coastal cities like Alexandria with shrimp or fish.

This is another dish that is considered as a national dish by Egyptians. When visiting Egypt, you need to try if you want to understand the Egyptian food culture. Some restaurants will make the last step of frying the Taaliya and adding it to the Moulokhiya and pouring the Molokhiya into serving bowl as a show at the serving table. It is usually a great show to watch and involves a lot of aroma experience from the Taaliya.

Qulqas (Taro Roots) – Or “Ol-aas”

Taro or Colocasia esculenta is well known in many areas around the world. It has existed in Europe since Greek and Roman time especially around eastern Mediterranean areas. It is also popular food in many Asian, African, and Oceanic countries.

Taro or Colocasia esculenta is a tropical plant that is grown mainly for its edible corms.. It is known in Egypt as Kolkas or Qulqas (in local dialect: Ol-aas).

It has many health benefits. Together with other ingredients in this dish like chards, garlic, and other ingredients you have a nutritious dish. Here is a list of some of these benefits:

It has the daily recommended intake of manganese
It has twice as much fiber as potatoes
It has called “resistant starch” that can help control blood sugar
It has high levels of potassium that can promote heart health
It has antioxidants especially Quercetin that can protect from cancer
The chard ingredient also adds vitamins A, K, and lots of vitamin C. Chard is also a good source of calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, sodium, phosphorus, and vitamin E.

Egyptians cultivated and ate Kolkas since antiquity. Before Kolkas they used to eat the roots of the lotus flower but they gradually switched to Kolkas as the lotus became scarce.

Here is a video on how to make this delicious dish:

Fried Eggplant

This dish can be a main dish for lunch or dinner or can be a side dish with other Egyptian dishes. It is a vegan dish where eggplants are cut into slices and fried in oil. The eggplants are sometimes accompanied with fried green peppers and maybe sliced tomatoes.

Many Egyptian cooks soak the eggplant in water and squeeze it before frying to remove any bitter taste and add salt and spices. Others just sprinkle salt on sliced eggplants and leave for some time to bring the water and bitterness out and to reduce its ability to soak in too much oil when fried. It you are looking for a vegan gluten free dish this is it.

Green salad and yogurt with garlic is usually served with this dish to balance the tangy or sharp taste from the fried eggplants. It can be eaten with Egyptian breads, rice, or with fried potatoes.

Mombar (Rice-Stuffed Sausages)

Mombar is a dish that is very popular in Egypt. Like in case of hot dogs or sausages where meat is encased in animal intestines, Mombar is just that but meat is replaced with a mix of rice and spices.

The stuffing is similar to the one used in other types of Mahshi dishes but with some additional herbs and spices. Mahshi means stuffing and Egyptian Arabic and this is why Mombar is also called Mahshi Mombar. It is thoroughly cooked in a pot first and then quickly fried in oil to give it some brown color and crispy taste. This is a dish that you should eat only from a trusted source or a highly reputed source. Many Egyptians eat it only if it is homemade as some restaurants will make it from bad quality or even plastic based encasings.

Maqloobah or Maqluba

Makluba (as long as you get the sound as close as possible to the Egyptian Arabic name, the spelling doesn’t really matter) is cooked in a pot and then flipped upside down into serving plate and this is where the name comes from: ‘The upside down one’. Layers of ingredients are put into a pot and cooked with added herbs and spices. This dish may have originated in Palestine, Lebanon, or Syria, but it has become and Egyptian staple too.

Maqluba is usually made of Egyptian rice (sometimes with Indian or Basmati rice), eggplant or cauliflower (or both) put in layers. Usually chicken slices are added as a layer, but some versions it can be beef. You can also have a vegan version by eliminating the meat.

In some versions, a variety of other vegetables are added such as green peppers, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, and maybe other vegetables. The eggplant slices are usually put as the bottom layer in the pot then rice is layered above it, then the other ingredients. This helps layered ingredients to maintain the pot shape when it is flipped into serving plate. It is usually kept to cool down for a while after cooking.

Whether it maintains the box or pot shape or falls apart after flipping, it is a tasty dish that I strongly recommend you try when in Egypt. Salads and Yogurt with cucumber are popular side dishes with Maqlubah. And by the way, Egyptians pronounce the ‘k’ or ‘q’ as ‘a’ so it is actually pronounced ‘Maaloobah’. Who cares? It is delicious regardless of the name.

Egyptian Yellow Kushari: lentil and rice

This dish is usually homemade and it is difficult to find it in restaurants. It is considered as a version of Koshari but with mainly rice and yellow lentils instead of the brown lentils in traditional Koshari. It does not have any pasta in the ingredients like in traditional Kushari.

Yellow lentils are soaked in water and then cooked or simmered with rice. Onions, olive oil, and tomato paste is also added to the mix. It tastes smooth and delicious and it is totally vegan. Some versions may have green peas added and maybe chilli or hot peppers and other spices.

Baked Spicy (or mild) Chickpeas

This is a fairly simple dish that can be served as a meal or as a salad or side dish. Chickpeas are soaked in water to soften it and then simmered in water with diced tomato or tomato paste, garlic, Chilli or hot spice (optional), paprika, black peppers, and salt. It can be used as topping for Kushari or Ful Medames.

Moussaka or Mosakkaa

This is a main dish that is served with rice or rice with vermicelli. It can also be eaten with bread. It is another eggplant based dish. Eggplants are grilled or roasted first and mixed with roasted garlic and put in layers into a pot. Olive oil, onions, thyme, oregano, and other herbs are added to the mix. Beef or chicken broth is also used. Beef cubes or sometimes chicken slices are also added to the mix.

Melted mozzarella or Bechamel can be used as topping in some versions. Ground beef can also be used in place of beef cubes or chicken. Egyptian cooks take pride in how their Moussakaa version is better than other versions, and sometimes come up with their own secret ingredients. It is generally a homemade dish, but you can now find it in many restaurants around Egypt. This is also a must try when visiting Egypt.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

This dish turns a cabbage vegetable into a delicious Mahshi. Cabbage leaves are stuffed with rice mix similar to other types of Mahshi. Stuffing is made out of rice mixed with tomato paste, cilantro, garlic, garlic, dill, and other herbs and spices. Ground beef can be added to the mix.

Each cabbage leave is cut into reasonable size and rolled or wrapped around some of the stuffing rice mix to look like a finger as done with the grape vine Mahshi. The head of the cabbage or some other edible filling is placed at the bottom of the pot to avoid burning the bottom layer of the stuffed cabbage rolls.

I f you get a chance to try Stuffed Cabbage rolls (or Mahshi Kroumb in Egyptian Arabic) don’t miss it.

Besara (or Bisara)

Besara, Bisara, or Busara is a popular Egyptian dish. It is an inexpensive vegan dish, nutritious. It is another dish based on fava bean like Falafel.

Bessara is made of: fava beans, herbs, garlic, onions, parsley green coriander, and mint. These ingredients give Bessara its distinctive green color.

Bessara is a dip food eaten usually with Baladi or flat bread. Those who are on a budget or looking for a vegan meal can eat it for lunch or dinner. It is also served for breakfast. Chillies or hot peppers, lemon juice, and onions are optional additions. Onions are also chopped into slices, browned by frying and used as topping.

Freekah Dishes

Freekeh is simply roasted green wheat. It is also comes cracked and broken to smaller pieces. It has nutritious value including fiber and protein. It is common in many Egyptian dishes. I have already listed Hamam Mahshi (Stuffed Pigeons) earlier in this post. It is usually cooked by boiling or simmering in water or broth.

Chicken with Freekeh

Freekeh need to be thoroughly washed before cooking and cleaned by hand of any pebbles or dirt.

As mentioned above, Freekah is cooked in water or with beef or chicken broth. Herbs, salt, pepper, and spices are added. Cooked Freekah tastes delicious, nutty, and chewy.

Chicken is sliced, cooked by boiling or frying and then served with Freekah. Fried onion slices are used for toppings.

Roast Chicken with Vegetables and Freekah

In Freekah Stuffed Chicken, Freekah is stuffed into a whole chicken with onions, other vegetables (optional), herbs, and spices. These ingredients are then roasted in oven

Egyptian Freek cooked on the side and served with Roasted Chicken

Another way to do this is to roast the chicken with any vegetables, cook and serve the Freekah on the side. You can use different toppings including cooked liver.

This method is used for other birds like turkey or pigeons. It can be served with appetizers, salads, and soup. This is a very popular Egyptian dish and it is usually a homemade dish, but you can find it in some restaurants.

Freek (or Freekah or Freekeh) with vegetables

This version is a vegan version of Freekeh. Freekeh (Freekah) or ‘Freek’ as most Egyptians call it can be served plain similar to rice or pasta. It can also be cooked with vegetables like green peas, carrots, and other vegetables.

Roasted meat with green peas and rice or Freekah

In this dish, Freek is cooked separately, while lamb or beef is stewed and green peas are cooked by itself. The three main ingredients are then layered in a serving plate. Another way to do this is to cook all together in a pressure pot to le the Freekah cook in lamb or beef broth.

Egyptian Bamia or Bamya (Okra) Dishes

Bamia in Arabic Egyptian is simply ‘Okra’. It contributes to some of the most popular dishes in Egypt. Although the Okra vegetable is low in calories, the way it is cooked can make a big difference in the resulting total calories for a Bamia dish.

Bamia van be cooked with water, herbs, and spice to make it completely vegan. In most cases Egyptians cook it with ghee, butter or vegetable oil, chicken or beef broth and add meet (lamb or beef) in a clay pot or as Egyptians call it Tagin or Tajin.

Every cook may have their own version with some fine tunings added to the original recipe: adding tomatoes, onions, herbs, and spices. It can be made spicy or mild. Although homemade versions are the best, many restaurants have mastered this dish and even call it homemade style Bamia.

Egyptian Food Fact: Bamia (or Bamya) is an Egyptian staple food

Bamia is usually served with Egyptian Baladi bread, or other bread. It is also be served with rice. A squeezed small lemon is also expected at serving time to add to the flavor. This is a very Egyptian dish that you should not miss when visiting Egypt.

Egyptian Food Facts: Meats and Poultry

Shawarma (Chicken, Beef, or lamb)

This is a meat (usually lamb, beef, or chicken) that is cooked on a vertical spit or rotisserie. It is one of the most famous street foods in the world and in Egypt it is almost around every other corner. However, you need to try it from reputable restaurants when visiting Egypt as not all Shawarmas are made with the same quality.

Shawarma Wrap (Chicken, Beef, or lamb) in Egypt

Meat is first marinated in special mix of oil, herbs, and spice. Each restaurant may add its own secret ingredients. Meat cuts are are then layered vertically on the famous Shawarma skewer after adding all the spices. The skewer is put on a rotating motor that exposes the meat to heat source to slowly cook it. External layers are done firs and are shaved away gradually to expose the next vertical layer to the heat source and so on until the whole cone is shave away.

Shawarma Plate (Chicken, Beef, or lamb) in Egypt

It is then put into buns or wrapped in flat bread with tahini, lettuce, pickles, and sometimes French fries. What makes a high quality Shawarma sandwich is not just the meat and the cooking, but also the type of bun used, how fresh it is, or the flat bread wrap and how good it tastes. The amount of Tahini and other fillings also makes a big difference.

Shawarma (or Shawirma as per local Egyptian dialect) can also be served as a plate with rice, tahini or hummus, garlic paste, pickles, and sometimes French fries. It can sometimes be made at home but it usually does not taste as good as the one made on the vertical skewer. You may familiar with Shawarma in your country, but I would recommend trying it from one of the famous Shawarma restaurant in Egypt.

Hawawshi (baked meat in bread)

This is known to have been invented by an Egyptian butcher named Ahmed Al-Hawash back in the 1970s and it is named after him. It is now popular everywhere in Egypt and offered in many restaurants and has even spread into other Middle Eastern countries.

In the beginning, butchers used to mix the leftovers from their daily meat cutting and then stuff it into flat bread or into specially made dough and bake it in oven. They added spices, herbs, and onion to the mix.

In today’s homemade or restaurant made versions it is usually made of high quality beef or lamb and stuffed into flat bread especially Egyptian Baladi bread.

Musahab (pulled chicken)

This is ussually a whole chicken with bones removed and cut to be put flat on the grill. It is marinated in spices and herbs and then grilled on coal or propane grills.

IT is usually available at the same restaurants that offer Kabab and is considered a type of Kabab. Some restaurant are specialise in Musahab (or Mosahhab) and offer a grilled chicks or small size chicken called Farrooj. This type of grilled chicken is very popular in Egypt and is offered by some local fast food chains. This is a delicious way to eat a grilled chicken in Egypt in my experience.

Kabab (or Kebab) an Kofta

This is offered as individual plates or mixed plate of grilled steak , ribs, Chicken Kabab, Beef Kafta and Kabab (beef or lamb chops grilled on coal or propane grills)

In Egypt Kabab referes to cuts of meat (lamb or beeg) marinated or seasoned and grilled on coal grills or propane grills. Koftah (or Kofta) is gound beeg (or lamb) that is marinated and mixed with minced onions, fat, and maybe other herbs and spices and then put skewers and grilled.

Some cooks like to have the ground beef salted and put on skewers without any other additions to make it more authentic. To make even more authentic, they mix beef and lamb meats together. This is the best type of Kofta I have ever tasted.

Kofta is known as Kebab in some other countries, but as mentioned above Kebab (or more accurately Kabab in Egyptian Arabic dialect) is chopped meat not the ground meat fingers.

Kabab and Kofta dish is one of the most famous dishes in Egypt, but also one of the most expensive ones. Some grill houses add chicken pieces (called Shish Tawook), grilled lamb testicles (Makhasi), Tarb (Kofta wrapped in lamb belly), Nifa (grilled goat meat).

Alexandrian Liver Sandwich

Liver dishes are considered relatively inexpensive in Egypt and this is one of the reasons it is popular among both rich and poor. The most famous form of liver cooking is what is called Alexandrian liver sandwich which is believed to have originated in Alexandria.

Lamb or beef liver is chopped into small slices marinated and mixed with herbs and spices. It is fried usually with green bell peppers, onions, and chillies. In some versions chopped tomatoes are added to the mix. It is served in Egyptian Fino bread, sandwich buns, or sometimes in flat bread or Baladi bread.

It is usually served with salads and French fries. This is another one you should not miss when traveling to Egypt.

Here is a video to show you a version of Kibdah dish: A mix of Liver, heart, and kidney which is very popular in Egypt and across the Middle East:

Kibdah mix: Liver, Heart, and Kidney with vegetables dish (DIY)

Egyptian Sausage

Egyptian Sausage or ‘Sogou’ is a popular street food, but it is also served in many upscale restaurants. There are several ways for cooking Egyptian Sausage or Sogou. The most famous ones are the Baladi or regular and the Alexandrian version.

It is made of ground beef that is mixed with garlic, chillies, black peeper, salts, common, coriander, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, paprika, and maybe some other spices. It is encased in sausage casing and served cooked with onions, tomatoes, and herbs.

It is usually served in sandwiches, but can also be served as the meat element in a meal. It can be made spicy or mild. I preferred the spicy version when I tried it in Egypt.

Hamam Mahshi (Stuffed Pigeons)

Pigeons are consumed in Egypt just like chicken, but pigeon dishes are considered relatively expensive. Pigeons are usually served as stuffed baked dish or as grilled dish.

Pigeon growers use conical shaped towers to raise pigeons and these towers can be seen everywhere on the countryside across Egypt. Squabs (called zaghalil in Egypt) are selected for eating as they are at the best size and age for cooking.

Stuffing can made of rice similar to other types of Mahshi, but it can also be made of Freek or Freekah or Freekeh (which is a sort of green wheat cracked and toasted). Freek (or Freekah) is common as stuffing in many Egyptian dishes or can also be eaten as a standalone dish like rice or pasta. Bulgur (Burghol) can also be used for stuffing but it is not common in Egypt. Bulgur is a sort of cracked parboiled groats of wheat.

Stuffing is prepared with herbs and spices, stuffed into pigeons and pigeons or sewed to keep the stuffing in. It is then cooked in boiling water with onions, cardamom, and other spices. It is then brown by quickly frying it to get a crispy skin.

It is considered by Egyptians as a dish for occasions or celebrations but you can also order it at many restaurants across Egypt.

Grilled Pigeons

Pigeons can also be grilled without the stuffing which another popular method to eat pigeons in Egypt. They are marinated an grilled on charcoal or on propane grills and served with rice or Freekah.

Egyptian Meatballs (and Fingers)

Kofta in the Oven

This Kofta is similar to Kabab Kofta, but it is made in the oven. It is made of minced beef or lamb that should have some fat, herbs, onions, spices, and garlic. Meat can also be chicken.

Kofta discs or fingers are put to a try and baked in oven. It is served with rice or pasta and usually some cooked vegetables (or sautéed vegetables) or French fries.

Daoud Bacha meat balls Kafta (or Kofta) and Rice Kofta

This is meat balls cooked in tomato sauce. It is made with ground beef, herbs and spices and cooked in tomato sauce. The better version is made of a mix of ground beef and lamb. It is sometimes served with pine nuts as topping.

The rice Kofta is similar to Daoud Bacha Kofta but with rice added to the mix and all ingredients blended together.

In both cases Kofta is usually served with rice or pasta. It is generally a homemade dish and may be available in some restaurants.

Grilled Whole Lamb

This is a party food. A whole lamb is seasoned and put on the grill and cooked slowly while rotating to create juicy and crisp taste. In some occasions it is served with steamed and seasoned rice called Kabsah.

Another way to do this is to bake lamb thigh (leg) or shoulder in the oven which can be easier to do at home. It is also a good option for small gatherings. It can be accompanied by Fattah or Kabsah.

Here is a video that shows you a step by step how to make the roasted lamb leg in oven:

Roast Lamb The Egyptian Way (DIY)

Egyptian Kamounia

Kamounia is a delicious dish that is made in Egypt and in other countries across the Middle East. It is made of tomato sauces, and beef stew with cumin.

Kamounia is a delicious because of the cumin flavor. May not be offered in restaurants, but you can easily prepare it if you have a kitchen while staying in Egypt.

Egyptian Kaware

Kaware are simply cow feet or trotters. This food is also know in Asian, African, and French cuisine. Caware is mainly cartilage and this is why it is actually nutritious and good for bones and skin.

Kawre can be boiled, seasoned and served as soup or eaten with rice. It can also be used as an ingredient for making Fattah in place of beef or chicken. Kaware Fattah isa famous dish that you can find in many restaurant in Egypt.

Kaware may not be for everyone,but for me it was an exciting adventure and I really liked the Kaware Fattah. If you are open to exotice ideas, try this dish when in Egypt.

Conclusion

I tried to give you here a tour through most popular Egyptian foods. My intention here it to give you heads up about Egyptian food facts and how it is made, served, and the main ingredients of each recipe. It is a rich cuisine that has over the centuries blended many ideas, flavors, dishes from around the world to create this unique cuisine. Now you can pick what is most interesting to you to try when you visit Egypt.

Pigeon Lofts or Towers where Egyptians Grow Pigeons

What to Wear in Egypt in December, Other Seasons for Men and Women? What to Wear to the Pyramids?

What you can wear: Weather and Culture Elements:

What to wear when traveling to Egypt in December, January and other months? What to wear to the Pyramids? How conservative do you need to be especially women? These are some common questions by travellers to Egypt especially first timers.

Egypt has different regions where the weather and local culture can be different. Both these factors can impact your decision on what to pack or wear. Going to certain areas like the pyramids, the desert, mosquito infested areas, or the beaches may also require some preparation to be ready for that environment.

Dress Code in Egypt

In general, there are no conditions on what you can or cannot wear in Egypt (except for nudity maybe), but being relatively conservative in a conservative country can save you undesired stares or sometimes verbal harassment or catcalls for women. This is not very common, but it does happen in Egypt. You can still wear leggings, capris, or sleeveless tops. You just need to know where and when.

Dress forvthe aether and Culture in Egypt

Overall, southern parts of Egypt are warmer. The coastal areas are milder but windier in many times, but Egypt is relatively hot in summer and mildly cold in winter except in some areas where it can drop down below freezing degrees in winter especially in the night.

So.. What to wear in Egypt?

Wear breathable fabric clothes especially in summer when visiting Egypt

In general wear modestly in crowded places, and cover your body with loose cotton or light fabrics clothes especially in summer. Take a windbreaker jacket for windy days in all seasons other than summer months. If you’re going in the winter take wool or leather jacket for the colder nights and days.

You can wear relatively what you like in resorts or hotels, but if you do not want to attract too much attention outside these areas especially for women, then do not expose too much skin. People are generally used to tourists, but you won’t be able to avoid stares or catcalls in some occasions (if it bothers you).

On the cultural side, Egypt is a conservative country with Islam being the majority’s religion and Christianity as a minority’s religion. All Egyptians are generally conservative, but it becomes more obvious in rural and farm areas. In big cities people are more accustomed to tourists and visitors.

What to wear in Egypt for different seasons

Clothing needs can be different in different regions of Egypt

Egypt is mainly a desert with a desert climate. The Nile river extends from south to north in the middle of this desert and the northern and eastern sides are bordered by sea. This gives the regions around the Nile river and across sea sides their own unique climate.

You need to be ready for an extremely hot season in the summer and warm season in winter with some cold periods especially at night. This however can differ based on where you’re going in Egypt. I listed below a more detailed explanation by region and month that also takes local culture and customs into consideration.

What to wear Egypt if you go in winter

So.. What to wear in Egypt in December, January, or February? This is the peak season for tourists coming from the western countries as it is the relatively worm in contrast to the extremely hot summer. You can expect some cold days and nights especially if you go on desert excursions or stay on a seaside resort.

What to wear in Egypt in December, January, and February

Temperatures and rain days in December:

Region in Egypt	Min (°C)	Max (°C)	Min (°F)	Max (°F)	Rain Days
Alexandria and The North Coast	11	20	52	68	10
Cairo and Giza	10	20	50	68	2.8
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	8	24	46	75	1
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	15	23	59	73	0.3

Temperatures and rain days in January:

Region in Egypt	Min (°C)	Max (°C)	Min (°F)	Max (°F)	Rain Days
Alexandria and The North Coast	9	18	48	64	11
Cairo and Giza	9	19	48	66	3.5
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	6	23	43	73	0.2
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	13	22	55	72	0.3

Temperatures and rain days in February:

Region in Egypt	Min (°C)	Max (°C)	Min (°F)	Max (°F)	Rain days
Alexandria and The North Coast	9	19	48	66	9
Cairo and Giza	10	20	50	68	2.7
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	7	25	45	77	0.1
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	14	22	57	72	0.1

What to Wear in Egypt for Winter

Wear properly for colder days and nights but be ready to take off layers as it can get warmer in middle of the day

Region in Egypt	What to wear in November, December, or January
Alexandria and The North Coast	Light coat or jacket in for the day and a coat for the night time. Be prepared to add layers when needed. Jeans and leggings are good to go in most days. Not the right time for shorts, tank tops, sleeveless tops
Cairo and Giza	Nights and early mornings can be chilly so take a coat or medium jacket. Add layers based on weather forecast for the day. Midday can be ‘too warm’ sometimes so wear something that you can take off when needed such as light jacket with removable sleeves if available.
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	This region is warmer than other regions in Egypt. You can expect to be able to wear light clothes even in winter months. However you need to keep a jacket handy as it can get colder especially in early mornings and at nights. If you go on trips to historical sires, take a pair of gloves just in case. Keep the sunscreen and a nice hat also close by as sunshine can be intense even in winter months. It can get cloudy on many days, and can rain few days during the winter.
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	This is the time when it is warm enough but not hot time of the year. It can be warm in this regions but it can also get chilly occasionally. In a recent year there was even snow for few days. Desert excursions, and hiking trip will require layering and a good jacket in especially in early morning and over night. Most of the time you can go for a splash in your hotel or resort pool and get some tanning. Always take your summer clothes and be ready with some winter jackets, additional layers when needed.
In All regions	Winter Pyjamas is a good idea. Some hotels may not have proper heating at night. A nice hat and sunscreen is sometimes needed with the sunshine strongly even in winter months. A scarf can always be useful for women in open areas or historical locations. It can protect you from the sun or wind. Some days are rainy in this season especially in northern and Cairo areas. Take a light rain coat.

What to wear Egypt in if you go in Spring

This is a mild weather season with temperature increasing gradually. Early mornings and nights can be relatively cold.

What to wear in Egypt in March, April, and May

Temperatures and rain days in March:

Region in Egypt	Min (°C)	Max (°C)	Min (°F)	Max (°F)	Rain Days
Alexandria and The North Coast	11	21	52	70	6
Cairo and Giza	12	24	54	75	1.9
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	11	29	52	84	0.1
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	16	25	61	77	0.5

Temperatures and rain days in April:

Region in Egypt	Min (°C)	Max (°C)	Min (°F)	Max (°F)	Rain Days
Alexandria and The North Coast	13	24	55	75	2
Cairo and Giza	15	28	59	82	0.9
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	16	35	61	95	0.1
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	20	30	68	86	0.1

Temperatures and rain days in May:

Region in Egypt	Min (°C)	Max (°C)	Min (°F)	Max (°F)	Rain Days
Alexandria and The North Coast	17	27	63	81	1
Cairo and Giza	18	32	64	90	0.5
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	20	39	68	102	0.1
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	24	34	75	93	0

What to Wear in Egypt for Spring

In spring you can wear lighter clothes but take a light jacket just in case. Expect sand storms in Cairo region.

Region in Egypt	What to wear in March, April, or May
Alexandria and The North Coast	Mild weather is expected during this period. Expect some breezes at night. Bring some jackets and long pants for the night
Cairo and Giza	Khamasin sand storms are expected in this time. Otherwise the weather is mild and you can wear light clothes
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	Warmer than winter but still nice weather
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	War weather with some breezy weather from these and maybe winds in the mornings. Be prepared with some windbreaker jackets and long pants at night. Otherwise, wear light and enjoy bathing in pools.
In All regions	Overall weather is mild in Egypt in Spring months except for sand storms in some regions. Be ready with light jackets and long pants for some nights and early mornings.

What to wear Egypt in if you go in Summer

Extreme heat all over Egypt and extreme humidity in some coastal areas.

What to wear in Egypt in June, July, or August

Temperatures and rain days in June:

Region in Egypt	Min (°C)	Max (°C)	Min (°F)	Max (°F)	Rain Days
Alexandria and The North Coast	20	29	68	84	0
Cairo and Giza	20	34	68	93	0.1
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	23	41	73	106	0
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	27	37	81	99	0

Temperatures and rain days in July:

Region in Egypt	Min (°C)	Max (°C)	Min (°F)	Max (°F)	Rain Days
Alexandria and The North Coast	23	30	73	86	0
Cairo and Giza	22	35	72	95	0
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	24	41	75	106	0
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	27	38	81	100	0

Temperatures and rain days in August:

Region in Egypt	Min (°C)	Max (°C)	Min (°F)	Max (°F)	Rain Days
Alexandria and The North Coast	23	30	73	86	0
Cairo and Giza	22	34	72	93	0
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	24	41	75	106	0
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	28	38	82	100	0

What to Wear in Egypt for Summer

Get ready for extremely hot summer when going to Egypt

Region in Egypt	What to wear in June, July, or August
Alexandria and The North Coast	The most mild weather in Egypt can be expected in this region but it is still hot anyway. Take light clothes and breathable fabrics. Most Egyptian go to the north in summer as it is school break time so expect it to be crowded.
Cairo and Giza	It is hot and city pollution makes it even more difficult especially in crowded places. Visiting Egyptian historical site that include tunnels or underground rooms can be extremely humid. Take some towel with you and lots of water.
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	Extremely hot. Avoid outdoors midday as much as possible. If you have to, wear breathable hat use sunscreen, cover skin to avoid sun burns with light breathable fabrics. Do not stay in sun for long times.
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	Use lots of sunscreen. You can bathe or swim in pools and you can make use of Arabian head cover to cover head and face. Use light breathable fabrics and long soft fabric pants. You can wear jeans but expect it to be rough on skin.
In All regions	Extremely hot overall. Wear light breathable fabrics. Cover skin to protect it from sunburns. Use breathable hats or Arabian head covers (for men or women)

What to wear Egypt in if you go in Fall

You need to dress for a mild weather trending down from extremely hot to mildly warm in fall months.

What to wear in Egypt in September, October, or November

Temperatures and rain days in September:

Region in Egypt	Min (°C)	Max (°C)	Min (°F)	Max (°F)	Rain Days
Alexandria and The North Coast	21	30	70	86	0
Cairo and Giza	21	33	70	91	0
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	22	39	72	102	0
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	27	35	81	95	0.1

Temperatures and rain days in October:

Region in Egypt	Min (°C)	Max (°C)	Min (°F)	Max (°F)	Rain Days
Alexandria and The North Coast	18	28	64	82	3
Cairo and Giza	17	29	63	84	0.5
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	18	35	64	95	0.3
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	23	32	73	90	0.4

Temperatures and rain days in November:

Region in Egypt	Min (°C)	Max (°C)	Min (°F)	Max (°F)	Rain Days
Alexandria and The North Coast	14	24	57	75	5
Cairo and Giza	14	25	57	77	1.3
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	12	29	54	84	0
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	19	27	66	81	0.4

What to Wear in Egypt in Autumn

Dress for hot weather when fall begins in Egypt, but it will start cooling down towards end of October

Region in Egypt	What to wear in September, October, or November
Alexandria and The North Coast	Weather starts trending down from hot to warm to little cold especially at night. Wear light breathable Fabric. Take a light jacket with you
Cairo and Giza	Still hot especially in September and October. Some cold in the early mornings and overnight. Take light breathable fabric clothes, jeans, and a light jacket
Luxor, Aswan and Southern Regions	Still relatively hot. Protect your skin from the sun. Use light clothes.
Sharm El Sheikh, Southern Sinai, and Northern Red Sea Region	Still relatively hot and trends down to warm. Expect windy days.
In All regions	You still need sun protection. Cover skin, had and face when in direct sun light. Relatively warm but not too hot anymore especially in November.

About local culture: What to wear at different places or events in Egypt

Take local culture into consideration when selecting your clothing style for different regions in Egypt. Sometimes local clothing customs are the best for the weather and environment

Egyptians are mostly conservatives and although nothing will stop you from wearing what you want (nudity excluded) you are better off not showing too much skin especially women.

However there are no rules and if you don’t mind some stares or catcalls you can wear what you want. I wouldn’t recommend hot shorts, tank tops, or tops that are too revealing or bottoms that are above the knees.

If you visit mosques or churches I would advise women to cover hair and for everyone to wear pants and decent tops. This shows respect at these places. You do not have to agree with local cultural values or beliefs but it is advisable to show respect especially at holy places.

Wearing for safety

Do not wear valuable jewelry or watches if you are going to the market or to crowded areas. Wear cross bag to make it harder to snatch. If in winter you may have more protection by wearing a jacket over the bag. Do not keep your wallet exposed or in back pocket, but rather make sure it is well protected.

I recommend an anti-theft backpack for long walks, historical location visits, and market (souk) walks. More on safety can be found in the article: ‘Travelling to Egypt: Going Without Vaccinations and Food and Drinking Water Safety‘

Best Shoes to Wear in Egypt

A pair of runners or light sneakers is the best choice if you walking in any sandy or stony area such as excursions in Sinai, Sharm El Sheikh, or at the Giza Pyramids.

If you are walking around crowded streets of Cairo, use closed shoes and socks. Using sandals will give you undesirable experience with dirt, stones, and sandy mud on those streets. In areas around shopping malls or more elegant sidewalks sandals can be a good choice. You will need need a shower every day as the humidity, heat, dust, and sand are unavoidable.

Wear light sneakers for long walks in Egypt

Expect a lot of sweating in most seasons and a foot deodorizer can be a good idea. You can still use sandals if you plan to walk in upscale areas or in and around resorts. At coastal area take beach shoes for the stony beaches as not all beaches will come with smooth sands. Take flip flop for you bathroom and at least one classic or leather shoes night out events.

For ladies long skirts is a good idea except when you are planning to ride a camel or a horse. The same goes for men wearing shorts. It can be suitable especially in hot weather, just make sure you plan your activities to align with what you’re wearing.

Wear relaxed pants and tops when in Egypt

Some Common Questions

Can I wear Leggings in Egypt

It is totally fine to wear leggings in Egypt. I would advise wearing a relatively long top that covers your behind though. Many Egyptian women wear leggings anyway. Try not to be ‘too sexy’ to avoid undesired attention.

What about skinny jeans or tight pants

These are very common in urban areas like Cairo or Alexandria. They are even more common in touristic areas such as Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh.

Many Egyptians wear skinny or stretch jeans. You need to to judge by yourself based on you own body shape and where exactly in Egypt are you planning to go and the level of attention you don’t (or do) like.

Can I as a women wear sleeveless tops?

Bare shoulders will draw too much attention when in crowded markets (Souks) or in streets. Too much cleavage is not desirable too especially in these areas. You can be more relaxed in resorts or around hotels.

Half sleeves, three quarters length, or full sleeves are more common and more acceptable.

Do I have to Cover my Hair

You do not have to cover your hair in Egypt. However you can cover your hair if you visit a mosque or church out of respect. Sometimes you can also cover your hair to protect yourself from the extremely hot sun. A scarf or sometimes a proper hat can do the job.

I met some tourist ladies who decided to cover their hair all the time, but this is definitely not required. It is up to you though.

What Should I wear When I go to the Pyramids?

Wear light tops and runner shoes for Pyramids visits in Egypt

Pyramids are located in a desert area around Cairo. Depending on season (as mentioned above in this article) your needs may be different. If you go in winter you may need a jacket and maybe a scarf or hat.

Always take sunglasses. Wear light shows that can withstand stones and sand. Loose pants are better than jeans especially in the summer, but jeans or skinny jeans are also acceptable. No shorts or long skirts if you are planning to ride a camel or horse.

Can I wear Capris in Egypt?

The answer is simply yes, many Egyptian women do especially in Cairo and urban areas. Maybe pick colors other than white as it can get dirty very quickly. Only bottom clothes above the knees will attract undesired attention in Egypt

Recommended Packing List

My recommendations here are from personal experience after several years of travel with family, friends, and solo. You can decide how many pieces you need based on how long you are staying andon how frequent you like to change or wash clothes.

The advice I have for you here, is to take into consideration that Egypt is generally hot in summer, and relatively warm across year and you may need to change more frequently that you are used to especially with increased humidity and dust in some areas.

Form Men

TShirts

Underwear

Jeans

Shorts

Jacket (in winter)

Shirts

Long pants or trousers

Hats and caps

Tank Tops

Backpack

For Women

Shorts below the knees or Capris

Tank Top

Hats and caps

T-Shirt

Dresses

Skirts

Tunic Tops

Jeans

Leggings

Bras

Scarves

Jacket (for winters)

Tops

Cross Bag

Anti-Theft Back Pack

Walking or running Shoes

Beach shoes and flip flops

Leather or closed shoes

Conclusion

Apart from December and January, Egypt is hot! Whether you are looking for what to wear in Egypt in December or July, take breathable fabric clothes and light jackets. Leggings with tall tops are okay. Use sneakers or light sports shoes or runners.

Take some good breathable hats and sunglasses. Use sunscreen creams as needed. Cover your hair (for women) when visiting mosques or churches as this shows respect although not required by the law.

I do not recommend tank tops, hot shorts, or sleeveless tops or above knee bottoms for women. In resorts or hotels you can be more relaxed when it comes to clothing. Protect your handbags and jewelry when visiting crowded areas or markets.

Best Places in Cairo for Families: Top Outings, Activities, and Attractions

Cairo is located along the Nile less than 150 miles from the Mediterranean Sea, Cairo has long been the center of trade, culture, and government for the Egyptian people. It is a huge city, noisy, and polluted in many neighborhoods, but it is also fascinating and full of fun things to do.

Cairo is abundant with places, attractions, and outings. While most cities can boast several centuries or even a millennium of existence, Cairo’s and Egypt’s history can be traced back as far as 5,000 years. In that time, they have experienced the influence of 5 major world religions, 8 major dynastic houses (the ancient reigns of the Pharaohs’), and invasions by the Persians, Greeks, Romans, and the Ottomans.

Shopping and entertainment in Cairo. — Shopping centers are abundant in Cairo Area

Whether you are a resident or visiting Egypt and looking for top tourist attractions and some non touristy things to do in Cairo. Here is a list of top family friendly outings and attractions in Cairo if you are looking for some fun and adventure as a couple or with the kids:

Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx
Sites and Sounds show at the Giza pyramids (evening show)
Saqqara and Dahshur pyramids
The Pharaonic Village
Sail the Nile
Nile cruise boats
Cairo Tower
Visiting the Bazaar (Old Marketplace) – Khan El Khalili
Coptic Cairo Tour
Islamic Cairo Tour
Al Muizz Street
The Cairo Opera House
The Egyptian Museum
Cairo Aqua Park and Crazy Water Aqua Park
Dream Park, Faby Land Amusement Parks
EGYPT NATIONAL CIRCUS
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL (planned events)
Cairo Festival City Mall
Mall of Arabia
Mall of Egypt
City Stars Mall
Unleashed: Let you anger and frustration out
Trampoline park: Gravity Code, Air Zone
Escape Room places: Escapers, Escapology Egypt, Escape Room Cairo, Trapped Egypt
Fight Club Laser Tag
Kee Action Paintball
Adrenaline Egypt: Paintball, aqua fights, bazooka fights, laser tag
Cooking classes: Eatery, Cairo Kitchen Point 90

Couple at the pyramids — Selfie with the Camels!

The last 150 years alone, Egypt has been under the control or influence of the French and British before achieving an independent republic status in the 1952. Today Cairo is one of only a handful of places on the planet that a person can visit and see glimpses of how life was over 4 or 5 millennia ago. You can travel through time over 4 millennia in a single day. From trips along the Nile to ancient pyramids, Cairo is living history.

Things to Do in Cairo with the Family: Top Attractions

Family at the Pyramids — Having Fun Under the Pyramids

Cairo is one of the most family-friendly destinations in the Middle East. Family destinations in Cairo can be interactive and educational. Most of these activities can be booked in advance with a tour or through a hotel concierge.

Touring the Pyramids

Tourists at the Pyramids — Tourists at the Pyramid

So the obvious destination when traveling to Egypt, and more specifically, Cairo, is the Giza Pyramids. This is great because many of the Pyramids are located within 30 minutes off the city.

The Giza Pyramids of Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren), Menkaure ( Mycerinus), and the Great Sphinx at Giza

The most common destination is the Great Pyramids of Giza. These structures are over 4,500 years old and provide a wealth of insight into the ancient world. In many cases, visitors can book tours that include camel rides around the Pyramids to get a feel for how people traveled to these structures in antiquity.

Visitors can see the Pyramids of Khufu (or Cheops), Khafre (or Chephren), Menkaure (or Mycerinus) as well as the legendary Sphinx. In some cases, you can book private tours for under US$100 that last several hours. You can enter the pyramids and walk through the pyramids tunnels for an extra ticket. Expect it to be a humid and exhausting climb though.

Within the same area you can see the solar barques at the Solar Boat Museum. This boat was restored to the original look after it was discovered back in 1954.

The Grand Egyptian Museum is built in the same area and is one of the largest museums in the world.

The Sights and Sounds Show at the Pyramids

Enjoy this show at night with magnificent lighting, visuals, and audio show that explains some of the history of the pyramids and the Sphinx and the Egyptian civilization in general. Book your tickets ahead.

How to get to the Giza Pyramids

You can go by taxi, Uber, or by underground metro. I do not recommend public buses, but you can also park near the pyramids if you have a car. The Giza area close by has many restaurants and bazaars to offer.

Saqqara and Dahshur pyramids

Saqqara Pyramid of Zoser — Saqqara Pyramid

Few miles south you can visit the pyramids of Saqqara and Dahshur. These pyramids are different than the ones at Giza as they were built at a different time. In Saqqara, you can experience the Step Pyramid. In Dahshur, visitors can tour the Bent Pyramid (one of the world’s biggest construction errors) and the Red Pyramid, named for the Red limestone that was used in the construction process.

You can learn the secret of how the Red Pyramid turned from its original white color to red as well as learn what the hieroglyphics in the pyramids mean.

The Pharaonic Village

Many places have tourist attractions that recreate a point in an area’s history and Cairo is no exception. The Pharaonic Village is a peek into the past history of Cairo and Egypt. The village has different exhibits each day, but among the more popular include: Tut Land Park, Nefertari Yacht, Cleopatra Studio, Art Center, Escape The Tomb, Cinema 9D, and a Petting Zoo.

In addition, the Pharaonic Village features several restaurants where visitors can sample the local cuisine and well as familiar international foods, shopping centers, and entertainment such as films, music, and puppet shows. If visiting a restaurant, mention the village’s website to get possible discounts.

For those who wish to learn even more, the village features exhibits that vary from the ancient time of the Pharaohs to modern Egyptian figures such as Anwar Sadat and Gamal Abdel Nassir. They even have exhibits on Nubian and Chinese history.

The prices will vary depending on what you wish to do there, but some activities can run as low as US$5.

Sail the Nile

The history of Egypt is tied directly with the Nile. The first civilizations in Egypt were built along the Nile as it was the main water source in what was a huge desert. As populations grew, they traveled further south along the Nile.

Tourists can experience the wonders of the Nile by sailing the river on ancient wooden sailboats known as feluccas. These boats provide tours of up to 10 people to enjoy the mysteries of the great Nile River.

These river tours are fairly inexpensive (usually under US$10 to $20 for the family) and can be booked through most of the hotels in Cairo or directly at special hubs on the Nile. The tours usually last under 2 hours and some will have the option of having the tour catered so you can have a picnic on the boat while enjoying the scenery.

It should be noted that these boats were designed thousands of years ago so they don’t feature a lot of modern safety features. If you are touring with kids, make sure the tour offers life vests and be extra careful with younger children.

Nile Cruise Boats

Book a lunch or dinner in one of several cruise ships that will take you site seeing around Cairo on the Nile. Some come with entertainment programs including belly dance, Tannoura performers, and music bands with open dinner buffets. One of the most famous cruise boats is Nile Maxim. Some of the biggest hotels in Cairo operate their own Nile cruise boats. Check with your hotel.

Cairo Tower: View Cairo From Over 600 Feet Above the City

In the 1950s, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser ordered the construction of what was then going to be the largest structure in Northern Africa. The Borg Al-Qahira Tower (Cairo Tower in Arabic), as it’s formally named, is 614 feet tall and is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Cairo.

The tower has an observation deck at the top where visitors can take in a 360 degree view of the city. They can also use the telescopes on the structure to get an even closer view or specific areas.

The tower also features restaurants and lobby murals depicting the history of the area. Many believe that the best time to visit the tower is in the evening after dark to see the stunning views of the lights throughout the area.

Visiting the Bazaar (Old Marketplace) in Cairo

Anyone who has watched a movie that is set in an ancient time period will invariably see a scene involving a marketplace. In Cairo, this image comes alive at the Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar. Dozens of merchants sell their wares to thousands to tourists and locals each day.

Khan Al-Khalili is one of the best and oldest places in Cairo to get souvenirs of your trip. But it’s not just the products that they have that make the place memorable. The experience of haggling with slick-talking merchants and hearing the amazing (albeit probably exaggerated) descriptions of their products combine the shopping experience with a bit of interactive theater for the visitors.

Along with the merchandise, the bazaar also features artisans such as glassblowers, metalsmiths, and painters. For those who get thirsty or hungry, the bazaar also features a number of restaurants, coffeehouses, and street food vendors throughout the marketplace. El Fishawy is the oldest and most famous coffee house and Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant and café is also very famous and named after the Noble prize winning Egyptian novelist.

Coptic Cairo Tour

While Egypt is primarily a Muslim country, they do have a Christian community and is rich with biblical type churches and places in historical Coptic Cairo. The area is important for Christians around the world as it is believed that Jesus, along with His mother Mary fled to Cairo when King Herod was attempting to kill Him.

St Virgin Mary Church in Coptic in Cairo Egypt

For this reason, the area is known for its many churches, including: Church of the Holy Virgin Monastery and Church of St. George (Greek Orthodox) Nunnery and Church of St. George (Greek Orthodox) Saint Barbara Church Saint Mary Church Saint Mercurius Church Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church The Church of Saint Menas, and The Hanging Church

In addition to churches, many other tourist attractions exist in the Coptic area of Cairo, including the Babylon Fortress.

The Babylon Fortress as it stands today was started in 98 A. D by the Romans and was used as a method of defense and a way to collect tolls along the Nile. This fortress replaced an earlier version that dated back to the 12th century B. C. The fortress was more of a walled city (which encompassed much of Old City) than just a fort. However, much of the city that the fortress protected no longer exists as it did in antiquity.

Many visitors also visit the Coptic Museum. This museum has the most profound collection of Egyptian Coptic artifacts anywhere on the planet. In the museum, visitors are exposed to the history of the area as well as the most important pieces of art in the history of the Copts.

As was mentioned previously, Cairo’s history is rich in part due to the different conquering forces that have occupied the city over the millennia. As such, the museum features a rich diversity of art from such civilizations as: Ancient Egyptian Greek Roman Byzantine, Islamic, and Ottoman. All in all, there are over 15,000 artifacts and exhibits to view in the Coptic Museum.

Islamic Cairo Tour

Cairo has been accumulating the history of many Islamic rulings for the last fourteen hundred years. Some of the Islamic sites go back that far such as Mosque of Amr ibn al-As. Amr was the first Muslim ruler and he is the one actually built Cairo to be the capital of Egypt. It was initially called Fustat, then after some time, a ruling dynasty expanded Fustat and named it Cairo. Before that Alexandria used to be the capital. Cairo in Arabic is called ‘Al Qahira’ and that means the victorious or the defeater city as a symbol that it always defeats conquerors.

Other Islamic site popular for tourists include: Mosque of Ibn Tulun, Bab Zuwayla, Bab al-Futuh, Bab al-Nasr, Mosque of al-Azhar ( some consider it the oldest university in the world).

Al Azhar Mosque in Cairo Eypt — Al Azhar Mosque

Other locations include Sultan Al-Ghuri complex, al-Hussein Mosque (whose shrine is believed to hold the head of Husayn ibn Ali the nephew of profit Muhammed).

In the same area you can also visit Salah Al-Deen Citadel, Sultan Hasan mosque, Al-Nasir Muhammed Mosque, Suleyman Pasha Mosque, and Muhammed Ali’s Alabaster Mosque.

Always remember to remove your shoes when visiting a mosque and it is preferable for women to cover their hair as a gesture of respect to these prayer places.

The area is bordered by a historical fortified walls with stone gates and minarets. This was a fence used to protect Cairo from attackers and is called ‘Soor Magra El Oyoun” or the fence of running water springs. It has several ancient gates including: Bab El Nasr, Bab al-Futuh, and Bab Zuweila gates.

Bab El Nasr Area and the ancient Cairo Fence

Al-Muizz Street

Walking down this street is like going back thousand years in history. This is where many of Egypt’s rulers have built mosques, houses, and other state buildings. The street also has a lot of ‘touristic’ shops where you can buy some souvenirs. You need to negotiate prices though.

Azhar Park

It is a 74-acres park space located in Islamic Cairo close to Al Azhar Mosque. The park offer nice views of Cairo and beautiful gardens. You can hear the Azan which is the call to prayer from thousands of mosques at prayer times. This is just to name a few of the Islamic era monuments and place.

The Cairo Opera House

One of the more unique experiences in Cairo is that of the Cairo Opera House. The Opera House is not just a single building, but a complex of several venues including seven theaters (both enclosed and open-air), an art gallery, a museum, and a music library as well as rehearsal spaces, classrooms, dressing rooms, a workshop for decorations and sets, VIP halls and a restaurant.

The current opera house was built in 1988 and replaced the previous Khedivial Opera House that burned down in 1971. Khedivial was the first opera house in Africa. Each day, visitors can choose from several events at the various venues to choose from.

The Egyptian Museum

This museum is located close to Tahrir square (the square that became famous during 2012 Egyptian revolution). It has largest collection of Ancient Egypt Pharaonic antiquities in the world. The most famous departments include King Tut’s and the mummies’ chambers. This is a must see attraction. The list of Pharaonic artifacts is endless. You can pay an extra ticket to take a camera inside (no flash).

You can see large number of artifacts, jewelries and statues from different Ancient Egypt kingdoms.

You can go by metro, taxi, Uber, or by car. Parking is not that easy though. I usually prefer to take Uber to this location.

Aqua Parks in Cairo

Cairo Aqua Park

One of the largest aqua parks in the middle east. you can book a room or chalet for the day. It has giant slides and tubes and several pools. It is about ten minutes east of Cairo. It has restaurants. It is locate on Ismailia Desert Rd, Al Shorouk within Cairo Governorate.

Crazy water

This one is located in a city adjacent to Cairo: 6th of October city. You can find here a wave pool, many slides, children pools, and more. Kids can also play at the playground area.

Dinner is usually included in the admission tickets. You can only bring light snacks as food is generally not allowed in.

Amusement Parks

Dream Park

One of the biggest amusement parks in Egypt. Located near 6th October City (very close to Cairo). It has many rides including outdoor slides, car rides, bumper boats, carousels, Ferris wheel, Roller Coaster, Tornado, and many many more. You can spend here more than one day easily.

You can find here theme shops, restaurants, and other types of shops too. Sometimes it gets really crowded, so check before you go.

Faby Land

Mainly indoor amusement park, with rides and arcades and other fun activities. You can enjoy time with kids from 4 to 14 years old and you can have lunch or dinner too.

EGYPT NATIONAL CIRCUS

Started back in the 1960s making it the oldest circus in the middle east. This circus has a lot of history and talents to sow. It has animal shows, acrobats, clowns, the whole package.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL plans for events in Egypt. Get double the enjoyment, being in Cairo and enjoying this great show at the same time.

Day Tours in Cairo

Some tour companies arrange tours around Cairo including guided tours to the most famous places, lunch or dinner at famous restaurants, and shopping for souvenirs at some Souks (markets). Check with your hotel for more information on available day tours. You can also check online for these tour and compare prices.

Shopping Malls in Cairo

Cairo Festival City Mall

Festival City Mall in Cairo — Dancing Fountains

One of largest in Egypt and the middle east. It is around 1.7 million square feet distributed between three floor with well known anchor shops such as IKEA.

tens of restaurants, brand stores, dancing fountains, and an amphitheater where some world famous shows and exhibitions are held. Lie most shopping centers in Cairo, it can be noisy and crowded.

Mall of Arabia

Mall of Arabia is considered the largest in Egypt, this mall is closer to 6th October city and has hundreds of well known brand store and the second IKEA outlet in Egypt.

Mall of Egypt

You can ski in the ski slope and winter garden zone in this mall! This is also a huge mall with around 380 stores and lots of entertainment, cinema complex, playgrounds, and tens of restaurants. It has over 6500 parking spaces.

City Stars Mall

One of the upscale malls in Cairo with many brand offerings and lots of activities for the whole family.

Other Entertainment and Things to Do In Cairo

Unleashed: Let you anger and frustration out

Located at Concord Plaza hotel, Unleashed is place where you can relief your stress. You are given the chance to can smash objects that you can choose from available collections. The hotel is located in New Cairo on 90th st ( EL Tes3een street ).

Gravity Code: Trampoline park

Get some jumping time and have fun with family and friends. This place is located at 3 Skies Plaza, 90th st (EL Tes3een street), behind Americana Plaza, Fifth Settlement, New Cairo.

Air Zone: Trampoline park

One of the biggest in Cairo. Lots of fun time and entertainment. Located at Mall point 90, fifth settlement, el tes3een road, infront of the AUC, Cairo

Escape Room Cairo

Solve puzzles, find hidden objects, and work with a team to get out of a locked room in 60 minutes. Can be really fun for families and groups. Located at 5 Abu El Feda street, Al Zamalek, Cairo.

Escapers

Another escape room place with more puzzles and mysteries to solve. Located at 90 st. Down Town Mall, New Cairo.

Escapology Egypt

One more choice for escape room entertainment. Located at Sheikh Zayed, in 6th of October city (close to Cairo).

Trapped Egypt

A UK franchise with more puzzles and fun time. Locate at Sheikh Zayed in 6th of October City.

Fight Club Laser Tag

Located in 6th of October city. You can have fun with family and friends chasing targets and achieving you mission.

Kee Action Paintball

Located at Rehab Sporting Club in Rehab city. I recommend calling first to make a reservation.

Adrenalin Egypt

Here you can choose from different types of games including paintball, laser tag, bazooka fight, treasure hunt, or aqua fight. You can have several days of fun at this place. Located at Street 3, Gate 1,El Hezam El Akhdar (6th of October Agriculture Company, El Sheikh Zayed, In front of Beverly Hills compound.

Cooking Classes: Eatery

Eatery offers cooking classes including Egyptian dishes and popular foods. It is located at several locations: Cairo Festival City, Fifth Settlement, Capital Business Park in Sheikh Zayed, 6th of October City, and at Diplo 3 in the North Coast.

Cairo Kitchen Point 90

Cairo Kitchen Point 90 offers homemade style meals that can be delivered to you in addition to cooking classes for adults and kids. You can learn how to make popular Egyptian dishes here. They are located at Point 90, Fifth Settlement, New Cairo.

Safety in Cairo

One of the main questions about visiting Cairo is safety. For years there has been turmoil in the Middle East and that has made some people reticent to travel to the area. While there are some areas of the Middle East that are unsafe to visit, Cairo is not one of them. For many years, Egypt, and in turn, its capital Cairo has welcomed people of all nationalities, faiths, races, and persuasions.

Cairo puts a heavy emphasis on safety and you will see a strong military presence in the city and surrounding areas. But this is true in almost any capital. For example, you will see a strong military presence in Washington, D. C., as it’s the seat of government and the military, is headquartered there. The same is true for Cairo.

That being said, it’s a major city and as with any major city in the world, you should always be cautious. The United States Department of State recommends the following for U. S. citizens traveling in Egypt: Stay alert in locations frequented by Westerners. Avoid demonstrations and crowds. Obtain comprehensive medical insurance that includes medical evacuation. Although demonstrations were common few years back especially after Egyptian revolution in 2011, it is not that common anymore. The government put restrictions on demonstrations in attempt to bring back order to the streets. Check our article: Things to know when travelling to Egypt about safety guidelines.

Americans can enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Follow the Department of State on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram. Similar programs are available in many other governments. Review the Crime and Safety Report for Egypt. These are good rule of thumb for travelers from other countries such as Canada, the U. K., and Australia to Cairo and each country has tips and advice from their own State Department.

Language

Many people worry about traveling to a foreign country due to language barriers. The official language in Cairo is Arabic. But over the past 2 centuries, there has been a heavy British (and French) influence in the area, so many Egyptians are multi-lingual in Arabic, English, French, and a few other languages. Many that don’t speak English, due to the vast influx of tourists each year, many of the locals in Cairo can understand some English and do their best to work with tourist to figure out what is being said.

In addition, technology can help. Both the Google Play and Apple App Store have a number of translator apps that can be downloaded which allow a user to speak into their device in English and the device then repeat the statement in Arabic. This can go a long way in helping you get around not just in Cairo, but the Middle East as a whole.

Food When visiting Cairo

You would expect Cairo to be full of Arabic and Mediterranean style foods. And it is. But because Cairo is an international destination, the culinary influences are far greater than standard Middle Eastern fare. Check our article Travelling to Egypt: Going Without Vaccinations and Food and Drinking Water Safety before jumping into this experience

It’s quite common to find food that you would find in any restaurant in the U. S., Canada, the U. K., and Australia. Foods such as sushi, pizza, steak, and fish and chips can be found side by side with Middle Eastern favorites. But many like to immerse themselves in the culture of the city and traditional Middle Eastern and Egyptian cuisine that is among the best rated in the Middle East.

Dishes such as the Kebab (lamb meatballs) or Mahshi Coussa (roasted squash stuffed with meat), Wine Leaves Dolma (grape leaves stuffed with rice and vegetables), Hummus, and Moutabal (grilled chopped eggplant with sesame paste, yogurt, lemon juice, and olive oil). Other dishes include Fatta, Koushary, Moloukhia.

You can find very reasonable prices in many famous restaurants. The best food in my opinion isn’t found in fancy restaurants. The best food is at restaurants that are really famous while not so expensive. And throughout the Southern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries, there is no better food than shawarma.

In Cairo that many Shawarma places can be found around the city. It slow-roasted chicken, beef, or lamb shawarma wrapped in hand made flatbread served with rice, or French fries and a salad. The price can vary, but most will cost under US$4.

Bars

Many are surprised to find that Cairo has quite a few bars. Egypt is more liberal than its other Muslim neighbors when it comes to the licensing of bars in the country. Many of the bars have international themes such as Irish or British Pubs, American sports bars, and even jazz clubs.

One of the more popular bars in Cairo is Almaz. Almaz is located in the Swiss Inn Hotel. The bar combines the best in Egyptian foods with great cocktails, and live entertainment each night. Anyone looking for a night out without the kids may want to check out Almaz.

Final Thoughts

Cairo has so much to offer. To start with, it offers over 4,500 years of history in addition to the beautiful art, the incredible cultural sites, the friendly and helpful people, amazing views, and wonderful food and drink, just to name a few great aspects.

If you do visit Cairo, keep in mind that you are visiting an Islamic country with a number of laws that may be relatively strict. It’s important to always keep that in mind. While Egypt may be among the more liberal Islamic countries, it isn’t going to tolerate behavior that demeans its culture.

In addition, be sure to check to see what you need to visit the country. Some will require tourist visas. All will require valid passports. It’s also important to know how to contact your local consulate or embassy when traveling in case there are issues such as losing your passport.

Cairo is a fun and educational destination for the whole family that everyone will remember for a lifetime. My kids still talk to me about our visit and are always asked by their friends and teachers about this unique experience.

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