Short answer: three days in Cairo is enough to see the essentials without rushing. Day 1: the pyramids of Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum, next to each other on the city's western edge. Day 2: the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, then Islamic Cairo and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar. Day 3: Coptic Cairo and the royal mummies at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. Opening hours and prices below come from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the GEM's official ticketing site, read on 26 October 2026.
The plan at a glance
| Day | Morning | Afternoon and evening | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx | Grand Egyptian Museum (open until 9 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays) | Giza |
| 2 | Egyptian Museum, Tahrir | Islamic Cairo: Al-Muizz Street, Bab Zuweila, Khan el-Khalili | Downtown, Islamic Cairo |
| 3 | Coptic Cairo: churches, synagogue, Coptic Museum | NMEC and the royal mummies; a felucca on the Nile at sunset | Old Cairo, Fustat |
Official hours and prices
| Site | Hours | Foreign adult | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egyptian Museum (Tahrir) | 9 am to 5 pm every day; ticket window closes at 4 pm | EGP 550 (student 275) | Ministry page |
| NMEC (royal mummies) | 9 am to 5 pm; evening hours 6 to 9 pm listed | EGP 550 (student 300); under 6 free | Ministry page |
| Coptic Museum | 9 am to 5 pm every day; ticket window closes at 4 pm | EGP 280 (student 140) | Ministry page |
| Grand Egyptian Museum | Galleries 9 am to 6 pm; Wednesday and Saturday 9 am to 9 pm; last entry 1 hour before closing | Shown at booking on the official site | tickets.gem.eg |
| Pyramids of Giza | Check on the day | Not readable on an official page on 26 October | Ticket office |
During Ramadan, hours are shorter: the Egyptian Museum lists 9 am to 4 pm and the Coptic Museum 9 am to 3 pm. The GEM states that its own website "is the only official website for purchasing tickets": book there, not on look-alike sites. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities also sells a multi-site pass, explained in our Cairo Pass guide.
Day 1: Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum
Start at the pyramids early, before the heat and the tour buses: the plateau is sand and stone, with little shade. Walk around the Great Pyramid, drive or walk to the panoramic viewpoint for the classic three-pyramid photo, and finish at the Sphinx. Agree any camel or horse ride price before you get on; our page on common scams in Egypt covers the usual tricks at Giza.
In the afternoon, cross to the Grand Egyptian Museum. The official ticket includes the Tutankhamun Galleries, the Main Galleries, the Grand Hall, the Grand Staircase and Khufu's Boats Museum. On Wednesdays and Saturdays the galleries stay open until 9 pm, which lets you do Giza in the morning, rest at the hotel and come back for an evening visit. Book your entry slot on tickets.gem.eg before the trip. More detail: our GEM visitor guide.
Day 2: the Egyptian Museum and Islamic Cairo
The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, opened in 1902, is the oldest archaeological museum in the Middle East according to the Ministry, and still holds a huge collection: the Narmer Palette, the statues of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, the burials of Yuya and Thuya and the treasures of Tanis. The GEM has its own Tutankhamun Galleries, so the two museums complement each other rather than repeat. Arrive at opening: the ticket window closes at 4 pm. Our GEM tickets and hours page helps you decide how long to give each.
In the afternoon, go to Islamic Cairo: Al-Muizz Street and its mosques and madrasas, the Bab Zuweila gate, then the Khan el-Khalili bazaar as the evening cools down. Dress codes matter here: shoulders and knees covered, a scarf for mosques (see what to wear in Egypt). Our Islamic Cairo guide lists the main buildings.
Day 3: Coptic Cairo and the NMEC
Coptic Cairo is a compact walk: the Hanging Church, the old churches and the Ben Ezra Synagogue in narrow lanes, and the Coptic Museum (EGP 280, 9 am to 5 pm). The Ministry's page states that photography with a mobile phone is free of charge there; it asks you not to photograph other visitors or staff. See our Coptic Cairo guide.
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat is close by. Its royal mummies are shown in an interactive display, according to the Ministry, and the museum covers Egyptian history from prehistory to the present. Then end the trip on the Nile: a felucca at sunset from the corniche, or dinner on the Zamalek side of the river.
With an extra day: Saqqara and Dahshur
A fourth day, or a swap for day 3, takes you south to the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara and the Bent and Red Pyramids at Dahshur, much quieter than Giza. A car with a driver for the day is the usual way to combine them.
Is 2 days in Cairo enough?
For the highlights, yes: day 1 as above (Giza and the GEM), then the Egyptian Museum in the morning of day 2 and Islamic Cairo in the afternoon. You lose Coptic Cairo and the mummies. With only one day, our Giza in one day page shows what fits.
Getting around and where to stay
Cairo is huge and traffic is heavy, so group each day by area, as above. Uber and Careem both work and give you a price before the ride: see using Uber and Careem in Egypt. For a 3-day trip, staying near Giza makes day 1 easy; Downtown or Zamalek suit days 2 and 3. Our where to stay in Cairo guide compares the areas.
When to go
From October to April, days are comfortable for walking: over 2015 to 2024, Cairo averaged 32°C by day in October, 22°C in December and 25°C in March (Open-Meteo archive). From June to September, averages reach 38°C: plan Giza at opening and museums in the afternoon. More in Egypt weather month by month.
Your phone does half the work
Three busy days in Cairo run on your phone: ride-hailing between areas, maps in the lanes of Islamic Cairo, the GEM ticket on screen, translation at a bazaar stall. Our Egypt eSIM costs €18.00 for 3 days or €26.00 for 5, with about 1 GB a day at full 4G speed and no cut-off after that, on Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt or e& Egypt. You install it at home and it connects when you land at Cairo airport.