The Best Time to Visit Cairo, Egypt: Winter Guide
Have you ever created a travel bucket list of places you wanted to visit and almost felt disbelief when you finally visited? That’s how I felt on my recent trip to Cairo, Egypt! I finally had the opportunity to see the Pyramids of Giza. There is something remarkable about seeing and experiencing a historical site over 4,000 years old.
Cairo is the capital of Egypt and is home to over 10 million people. It is the largest city in Egypt and one of the largest in Africa. Founded in 969 AD, Cairo is rich in cultural history and a perfect place to explore.
In this post I'll share my Cairo, Egypt Winter Guide.
Cairo Travel Tips for First-Timers
Language: Egyptian Arabic is the primary language in Cairo, but most hotel staff and tour guides speak English. If you want to explore the city alone, I recommend downloading a translation app to help you navigate.
If you have an iPhone, you can use the Translate app. For other options, I recommend Google Translate and Reverso Context.
Currency: The main currency is the Egyptian Pound (EGP). When I traveled to Europe a few years ago, I could exchange my dollars for EGP ahead of time at my local bank. I planned to follow the same process before my trip to Egypt but realized that many banks don’t offer exchanges for EGP. I took about $500 cash with me, and once I reached Cairo, my hotel had a bank where I could easily exchange my dollars for EGP. The current exchange rate from USD to EGP is excellent. One USD is equal to 50 EGP. I only exchanged $250 and used most of it. I used cash mostly during my trip and only used my card when I ate at the hotel restaurants.
Sim Cards and Wi-Fi: I have AT&T and opted to pay for an international plan. It was about $15/day, and you were only charged once you started using the phone data. There are cheaper E-Sim options available. I have not personally used them, but I will look into purchasing one for my next international trip.
Comfortable Shoes: Exploring Cairo can involve a lot of walking, especially at historical sites, so wear comfortable walking shoes. Each day we were out exploring, we walked over five miles.
Water: It’s best to drink bottled water in Cairo. Many hotels and restaurants serve bottled water, which is very easy to access. Our hotel gave us fresh bottled water daily, so we always had what we needed.
Best Time to Visit:
While planning my trip, I learned that Egypt is a popular destination for European travelers during the Summer months (March - September). Many visitors travel to beach resorts along the Red and Mediterranean Seas. I traveled to Cairo during the winter from December 27th to January 5th. Although I didn’t experience the warmer weather, traveling to Cairo during winter is a great time to visit. The “winter” in Cairo reminded me much of the San Diego, California winter. The average temperature was high in the low 70F, and in the evening, cooler temperatures were 40F to 50F. I was comfortable with a light jacket or long-sleeved shirt during the day, and I could stay warm in the evenings with my North Face fleece jacket. Although Egypt is popular during the warmer months, the winter is also the peak season, so expect some lines and crowds at popular attractions.
Getting to Cairo
Flights:
The flight from San Diego to Cairo was a long journey. We booked our flights through American Airlines and British Airways. We started with a 3-hour flight from San Diego to Dallas, Texas, and then from Dallas, we had a 9-hour overnight flight to London, UK. Once we landed in London, we had a very quick layover before boarding our final 5- hr flight to Cairo. If you can afford it, pay for business class to enjoy the lie-flat seat during the 9-hour flight. If you are like me and unable to afford that now, pay a little extra and select the 2-seat-row option. Even though our seats couldn't lay flat, we could recline our seats and enjoy the 2-seat row option versus selecting seats from the 4-seat row.
Visas: To visit Egypt, you will need to purchase a visa. Once you arrive at the airport, you can buy your visa for USD 25.00 per person. Have cash available to make the process easier. Once the visa is purchased, it is typically valid for 30 days. Before your trip, visit the U.S. Department of State for updated travel entry requirements.
Transportation from the Airport:
I recommend arranging transportation from the airport through your hotel. Arranging transportation and an airport greeter through our hotel made the entire process—from purchasing the visa to getting our bags to arriving at our hotel—very smooth. The whole process was quick and efficient.
Where to Stay
There are well-known American hotel chains in Cairo and many internationally and locally owned hotel brands. We opted to stay at the Hilton Cairo Heliopolis, about 8 minutes from the Airport and about 20 minutes northeast of downtown Cairo. We chose this hotel because it was a 5-star hotel, newer than many nearby hotels. It also has restaurants and many other amenities on site. It was nice to spend our days in the hustle and bustle of the city and then retreat to a quieter, more relaxing part of the city in the evening. The one downside is that it would take us 20-40 minutes via Uber to get to some of the places in the city. We planned our day and grouped excursions in the same area together.
Overall, I enjoyed our stay at the Hilton Cairo Heliopolis. The hotel has excellent customer service and is very clean. We had an issue with the first room we were in; a leak caused part of the carpet to get wet. Thankfully, our items were not affected. When we went to the front desk to ask for a different room, they were helpful and quickly assigned us to another room. They also gave us a plate of bakery items and a fruit plate for our inconvenience. Our second room was great, and we had no other problems during our stay.
Tip: If you don’t smoke or enjoy the smell of smoke, make sure you request a non-smoking room far from the smoking rooms. There are also designated smoking areas within the hotel, such as near the bar, so be mindful of this if cigarette smoke bothers you.
The hotel's restaurants were excellent. We paid for the daily breakfast buffet, which had many great options. The guava juice was my favorite! I also enjoyed the Indian and Lebanese restaurants. The food was so flavorful. The hotel has a full-service gym, pool, and spa. The gym offered free weights, treadmills, and machine weights. Overall, I recommend staying in this hotel during your trip to Cairo.
Wellness Tip: When booking a hotel, look for one that has a gym. Spending time at the gym is a great way to incorporate wellness while traveling. Although I only went to the gym once during my trip, I walked an average of 5 miles/day while exploring.
Wellness Tip: The Hilton Cairo Heliopolis is connected to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The Waldorf is a beautifully recently built hotel. Located on the first floor, just off the main lobby, is their Spa, and you do not need to be a guest at the hotel to book services. The full-service spa is beautifully designed and offers massages, sauna, and steam. We decided to book a few hours of relaxation here, and it was worth it. We each booked a 1-hour massage, 30-minute facial, 15-minute steam room, and 30-minute sauna. In total, we spent about $300, and it was well worth it. If you want to incorporate wellness and relaxation during your trip, book a spa day at the Waldorf Astoria.
Top Things to Do in Cairo
There are many tour companies available that you can book tours through. I recommend looking for a trip advisor and finding a company that meets your needs of exploring the wonders of Egypt. You don’t necessarily need to book through a tour company to explore all the cities in Cairo, but it can be helpful if you don’t speak Arabic, and you can also avoid long lines. We booked through a tour company for the Pyramids of Giza, a Camel ride, a tour of Memphis, and the Sakkara and Dashur Pyramids. With our tour guide, we could skip the lines, get great photos taken, and learn about the history of the historical sites.
Tip: You can purchase tickets to museums or other sites the day of. However, tours must be booked in advance.
Here is a list of my top things to do:
Visit the Pyramids of Giza: Explore the iconic Pyramids and the Sphinx. The Pyramids of Giza are the most iconic, photographed, and listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The 3 Pyramids were built between 2613-2494 BC. You can pay extra to go inside one of the pyramids when you purchase your tickets. It is very small, hot, and is a bit of a climb to the top. You cannot stand up straight in specific parts and must walk with your knees bent. Once you reach the top, it's an empty room with an open granite rectangle-shaped box. We paid extra to go inside; it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
I recommend booking a camel ride for a unique experience while visiting the pyramids. You can also plan to visit the Grand Egyptian Museum, one of Cairo’s grandest and newest museums. The museum is still under construction, but many areas are open and ready to explore. I didn’t have a chance to visit during my trip, but I heard great things about it from our tour guide.
Tip: When looking for a tour of the Pyramids of Giza, look for one that also includes a visit to Saqqara, Dahshur, and Memphis. Saqqara and Dashur are lesser-known pyramids that are not far from the Pyramids of Giza. Memphis was the Capitol City of Egypt during the Old Kingdom from 2625 to 2130 B.C.
Explore the Cairo Citadel: The Cairo Citadel is one of the most historical landmarks in Islamic Cairo and dates back to the Middle Ages. The construction began in 1176 AD but was not completed until 1207 AD. The Citadel is located on Muqattam Hill and provides a panoramic view of Cairo. The Mosque of Muhammad Ali is within its walls built in the early 19th century. If you decide to visit the Mosque, you will need to remove your shoes, or you can purchase shoe covers. It is recommended for women to cover their hair, but not required.
Nile Cruise: A trip to Egypt is incomplete without a Nile cruise. Many tour companies offer Nile River Cruises, which you can book. We booked a traditional felucca cruise. I wouldn't recommend a traditional felucca unless there is a lot of wind to move the boat along. Traditional feluccas don’t have motors, so when we were on our felucca, we spent most of our time sitting in one spot.
Visit the Egyptian Museum: The Egyptian Museum is located near downtown Cairo and houses the world's most extensive collection of Pharaonic antiquities, including the famous Tutankhamun Collection.
Khan El Khalili Bazaar: Wander through the bustling market for souvenirs, spices, and crafts. Founded around 1382, this open-air bazaar is a very popular tourist destination. It can be a little hectic because all the people and stand owners are trying to get you to buy something, but it is a unique experience.
Explore Alazhar Park: A beautiful 72-acre park in Old Cairo with gorgeous city views.
Getting Around Cairo
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to get around Cairo is via Uber. I initially hesitated because I don’t use Uber much in the U.S. and have never used it in another country. However, we used Uber several times during our trip and had no issues.
Tip: Driving in Cairo is unique. I saw maybe two traffic lights the entire time I was there. The roads have marked lanes, but don’t expect your driver to drive within them. Drivers also use their horns a lot as a way to communicate. Some of our younger drivers drove very fast, but I noticed the older drivers didn’t drive as fast and were more cautious.
What to Eat in Cairo
One of the excursions I like to book when I travel is a Food Tour. I enjoy food tours because not only do you get to taste delicious food from local restaurants, but you also get to learn about the culture and the community from a local perspective. Towards the end of our trip, we booked a food tour through Bellies En Route. We booked the “Favorite Foods In Heliopolis Tour.” I have booked food tours on several of my trips within the U.S. and Europe, and this was one of the top food tours I have ever been on. The food was delicious, and our guide was excellent and did a great job explaining the area's history. Besides the Pyramids, this was one of my favorite things I did during our trip.
Tip: If you decide to book a food tour, book it early on in your trip so that you can learn about some good places to eat during your trip. We booked ours toward the end of the trip because many tours were booked.
Try some of Cairo's unique dishes if you cannot book a food tour.
Must-Try Dishes:
Koshari: Egypt's National Dish. A hearty dish of rice, lentils, pasta, and tomato sauce. I’m not going to lie; I didn’t think this would be good, but it was delicious, seasoned well, and very filling.
Koshari Falafel: This is the traditional Egyptian version of falafel, made with fava beans. It is light, fresh, and much better than our version in the U.S., which is made with chickpeas.
Feteer: A flaky layered Egyptian pastry. Feteer can be served in a few different ways. It can be served during breakfast with a side of molasses to dip it in. It can also be served with sweet or savory filling. (This was my favorite dish I ate during my trip).
Shawarma is delicious, thinly sliced roasted meat. We tried Abou Haidar Shawerma, and it was delicious. They also make amazing mango juice. We liked it so much that we went back the next day.
Coffee and Tea are local drinks served in cafes and restaurants across the city. I’m not a coffee person, but their Turkish Coffee is next level. It is very strong but smooth and only requires a little sugar. The tea is also really good. During our trip, I think I had tea after almost every meal.
Cultural Etiquette and Tips
Dress Code: To respect the religious culture, I recommend that females dress modestly (especially when visiting mosques and religious sites). You do not need to wear a head covering when exploring the city; you can only do so if you want to visit the mosques or other religious sites. I recommend having a scarf handy that you can quickly put on and take off.
Tipping: When tipping in Cairo, use Egyptian Pounds (EGP). In restaurants and cafés, it's customary to leave 10-15% of the bill, even if a service charge is included. Taxi drivers, especially those using apps like Uber or Careem, appreciate a small tip by rounding up the fare (e.g., if your ride costs 85 EGP, you can give 100 EGP). Hotel staff, such as porters and housekeeping, typically receive 20-50 EGP per service. Tour guides and private drivers usually expect 100-200 EGP for a full day of service. While tipping is not mandatory, it is a common practice and is greatly appreciated for good service.
Respect for Local Customs: Cairo has a rich religious culture, with Islam being the dominant religion. The city is filled with beautiful mosques, and you’ll often hear the call to prayer over a loudspeaker about five times a day. These prayer times are deeply respected, and many businesses pause briefly during them. You’ll notice that Islam is essential to daily life in Cairo.
Safety Tips
General Safety: Overall, Cairo is pretty safe for tourists. However, as with any city, it is always good to stay alert, keep your items close to avoid pickpockets and be aware of scams.
Health Precautions: No special vaccinations are required when visiting Cairo. If you have a history of respiratory issues, I would caution the air quality due to the smog and cigarette smoke.
Emergency Contacts: I always enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) when I travel internationally. It is a free service that allows you to register for your trip with the Department of State so that they can quickly contact you in an emergency. Please also make sure to provide a close family member or friend with your trip itinerary and information about the hotel you will be staying in. This will help the Embassy locate you in an emergency.
Visiting Cairo during the winter in January is the ideal time to experience the city’s incredible history and culture and enjoy outdoor activities without the intense summer heat. From exploring the iconic Pyramids of Giza to riding camels across the desert, there’s something magical about seeing these wonders up close. Don’t miss out on a food tour, where you can taste traditional Egyptian dishes like koshari and falafel. Whether you're exploring ancient landmarks or enjoying the local flavors, Cairo in winter offers a memorable adventure full of sights, sounds, and tastes.
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