Spend the day at leisure to further explore Cairo at your own pace or book the following optional tours.
Overnight in Cairo
Optional: Visit the incredible Egyptian Museum
This morning visit the most important depository of Egyptian antiquities anywhere in the world. The Egyptian Museum boasts 107 halls filled with approximately 160,000 objects covering 5,000 years of Egypt’s past. It features artifacts from the Pharaonic and Graeco-Roman periods, including the celebrated mummies of ancient Egypt’s king and Tut Ankh Amun treasures.
Optional: Full Day Excursion to Alexandria
Embark on a full-day excursion to Alexandria, known as the Pearl of the Mediterranean. Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, Alexandria has become a place of learning and attracted poets and writers for thousands of years to its famous seaside library the “Bibliotheca Alexandrina”. Alexandria is also home to the Pharos Lighthouse; one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Largely because of its unique cosmopolitan roots, Alexandria differs widely from the rest of the country — especially Cairo. Explore the Alexandria National Museum comprised of over 1800 archaeological pieces narrating the Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Coptic, Islamic, and modern history of Egypt. One display features a piece picked up from the seabed at Abu Kir Bay and the eastern harbor near the Qaitbay Citadel. The Alexandria Museum is number 27 in the series of historic and archaeological museums across Egypt. You will enjoy a panoramic view of Fort Qaitbay, built in the 1480s by Sultan Qaitbey, at the site of Alexandria's ancient lighthouse. Remnants of the lighthouse can be seen in the construction of the old fort. One of the seven Wonders of The Ancient World, the lighthouse was an astonishing 125 meters high, containing some 300 rooms for workers. From there you will visit the new Alexandria Library, built-in 2002 to commemorate the great library of the 3rd Century BC which formed the cornerstone of ancient intellectual life. Shaped like a massive, partly hidden, tilted disc rising from the Mediterranean, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina evokes the image of a rising sun, a source of light and enlightenment. Aside from a library displaying books on 7 levels that form a “pyramid of knowledge,” the cultural complex also offers other specialized libraries, museums, exhibition areas, education centers, and an international conference center. Later, visit the El Montazah Gardens: a 114-acre complex that belonged to the family of Mohamed Ali, who ruled Egypt from the mid-19th century until 1952. It is surrounded by great walls from the south, east, and west, a beach to the north. The complex is adorned with beautiful gardens and palm trees, making it an ideal stop in Alexandria. Construction began in 1892 by King Abbas II, who built a large palace inside the complex called the Salamlek. In 1932, King Fuad built a larger palace and named it the Haramlik. His son, King Farouk, built a bridge to the sea to act as a waterfront. The rest of the 115 acres consists of beautiful gardens, with palm trees and gazelles covering the area. This is a wonderful spot to bask in the beauty of Alexandria. Early this evening you will return to Cairo.
Optional: Half day tour to Memphis and Sakkara
Visit Memphis which served as the capital of Upper & Lower Egypt some 5,000 years ago during the 1st Dynasty. Menes, the first pharaoh of this dynasty, built a great, white-walled palace & the Temple of Ptah here. Sakkara is one of the most exciting historical & archaeological areas in all of Egypt, situated about 12 miles Southwest of Cairo. The site is dominated by the famous step pyramid of King Zoser. It was the first pyramid to be built in ancient Egypt, preceding those at Giza by many centuries, and is the work of the famous pharaonic architect, Imhotep.
Optional: Visit to the Incredible Egyptian Museum
The Citadel, perched on the Mokattam Hills of Old Cairo, served as Egypt's center of power for nearly 700 years. Built starting in 1176 and completed by Muhammad Ali Pasha in the 19th century, it housed Mamluk sultans and Turkish governors. Inside the Citadel is the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, also known as the Alabaster Mosque, built by Muhammad Ali Pasha on the site of Mamluk palaces. Its twin minarets, the tallest in Egypt at 84 meters, dominate the skyline. The tour also includes Khan El Khalili, a historic bazaar built in 1382, which remains a vibrant hub for trade, antiques, and local culture.
