4-Day Cairo & Fayoum Oasis Tour
Eat your way through Cairo at night, spend a day at the lakes and waterfalls of the Fayoum, then see the Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo and Coptic Cairo. Three nights, one hotel.
The short answer
4-Day Cairo & Fayoum Oasis Tour is a 4-day, 3-night trip to Cairo and Fayoum: 3 nights in Cairo. It includes an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at $839 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Most Cairo itineraries chase the pyramids. This one does something different. You keep the same Cairo hotel for three nights and spend your days on the city's other side: its food, its old quarters and an oasis two hours or so from the center.
On your first night a guide walks you through Cairo's street food. On day 2 a private driver and guide take you to the Fayoum, an oasis of lakes and farmland, for Lake Qarun, the pottery workshops of Tunis village and the lakes and waterfalls of Wadi El Rayan. Day 3 covers the Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo and the Khan El Khalili bazaar. Day 4 is Coptic Cairo, then your transfer to the airport. You choose the hotel standard when you book, and the sightseeing stays the same.
What lingers
- 01A private food tasting walk through Cairo on your first night
- 02A full private day at the Fayoum oasis: Lake Qarun, Tunis village and Wadi El Rayan
- 03Lakes and waterfalls at Wadi El Rayan, and pottery workshops in Tunis village
- 04The Egyptian Museum at Tahrir Square with a licensed Egyptologist
- 05Islamic Cairo and the Khan El Khalili bazaar
- 06Coptic Cairo on the last morning, then a private airport transfer
Choose your comfort level
Prices are per person in USD, from 2 people sharing a double room, including accommodation at the properties listed or similar.
| Comfort level | Where you stay or similar | Per personfrom, Oct–Apr | Choose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentialfrom $8393★ hotels | $839May–Sep: from $782 | ||
| Comfortfrom $8834★ hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsJewel Sport City | $883May–Sep: from $860 | |
| Classicfrom $9585★ hotels | $958May–Sep: from $880 | ||
| Prestigefrom $1,1145★ deluxe hotels | $1,114May–Sep: from $1,153 | ||
| Luxuryfrom $1,8515★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsSt. Regis Cairo | $1,851May–Sep: from $1,771 | |
| Signature Collectionfrom $2,405landmark hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsFour Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza | $2,405May–Sep: from $2,225 |
Hotels on bed & breakfast. You'll stay in these properties, or a similar choice of the same quality. Choose your date in the booking panel for the exact price.
- New
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
4 Days / 3 Nights · Cairo · Fayoum Oasis · Lake Qarun · Wadi El Rayan · Tunis Village · Egyptian Museum
- 1
A private representative meets you in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and drives you to your hotel, about an hour away. Rest after your flight. In the evening a guide takes you on a private tasting walk from your hotel, trying Cairo's food on the street where locals eat it.
- 2
A full day out of the city, about ten hours with the drives. Your driver collects you at your hotel in a private air-conditioned vehicle, with an English-speaking guide. The Fayoum is an oasis of lakes and farmland southwest of Cairo. You see Lake Qarun, visit the pottery workshops in Tunis village, and walk to the lakes and waterfalls of Wadi El Rayan. Lunch is at a local restaurant.
The Wadi El Rayan entry fee is paid at the gate. You return to your hotel in Cairo.
- 3
About eight hours with a licensed Egyptologist. You start at the Egyptian Museum at Tahrir Square, then lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon you walk through Islamic Cairo, the medieval quarter of mosques and old gates, and finish in the Khan El Khalili bazaar. An air-conditioned vehicle takes you between stops and back to your hotel.
The guide, the transport and the entrance fees to the listed sites are included.
- 4
After breakfast you check out and spend a half day in Coptic Cairo, the old Christian quarter, with a guide and a vehicle. We arrange the morning around your flight time. A private transfer then takes you to Cairo Airport for your departure.
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Three nights in a Cairo hotel with breakfast
- Private arrival and departure transfers with meet-and-assist at Cairo Airport
- Private food tasting walk from your hotel on the first night
- Fayoum day trip with private driver, air-conditioned vehicle and English-speaking guide
- Lunch at a local restaurant on days 2 and 3
- Licensed Egyptologist and transport on day 3, with entrance fees to the listed sites
- Coptic Cairo half-day tour with guide and transport
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Gratuities for guides and drivers
- Wadi El Rayan entry fee, paid at the gate
- Drinks and meals other than those stated
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Bring a hat and sunglasses for Wadi El Rayan, where the lakes and dunes offer little shade.
- 02
Browse the Tunis Village pottery workshops with your driver nearby, so you can carry fragile pieces back to the car easily.
- 03
At the Egyptian Museum, walk the upper-floor rooms first and save the ground-floor halls for when you are fresher.
- 04
In Coptic Cairo, dress modestly and bring a little cash for small tips when visiting the churches.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Choose your hotel standard when you book. Ask us about adding a Giza pyramids day, extra nights in Cairo or a day trip to Alexandria.
All requests handled by your dedicated specialist before booking.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travelers who want a short, different Cairo: street food, the Egyptian Museum, old quarters and a day at an oasis. Suited to couples, friends and solo travelers who are happy to walk for several hours.
Maybe not, if
- Travelers who need step-free access everywhere, or who want the pyramids as the main event. Day 2 is a long road day.
Honest assessment
Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.
Highlights
- One hotel for three nights, so no repacking
- A private day at the Fayoum lakes and waterfalls, away from the crowds of Giza
- Food, museum, medieval streets and a bazaar in a single compact trip
Things to Consider
- The Fayoum day is about ten hours with the drives
- Busy streets, uneven ground and steps in the old quarters
- The Giza pyramids are not part of this itinerary
Where it fits
A good second trip to Cairo, or a short stop before or after a longer tour. The pyramids are not included, so add a Giza day if it is on your list.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Most short Cairo tours are built around Giza. This one leaves the pyramids out and spends the time on food, the old quarters and the Fayoum oasis, with one hotel for all three nights. The hotel standard is your choice; the sightseeing does not change.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Private guided city and day-trip tour
- Accommodation
- One Cairo hotel for three nights, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Fayoum Oasis · Lake Qarun · Wadi El Rayan · Tunis Village · Egyptian Museum · Islamic Cairo · Khan El Khalili · Coptic Cairo
- Includes
- 3 nights in a Cairo hotel with breakfast · Private airport transfers · Private food tasting walk on night 1 · Fayoum oasis day trip with guide and lunch · Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo and bazaar with an Egyptologist · Coptic Cairo half-day tour
- Best for
- Travelers who have seen the pyramids · Food lovers · Short city breaks with one day out of Cairo
The morning of
Meeting point & timing
- Where
- Cairo International Airport (CAI), Arrivals HallMap
Before you go
What to pack & wear
What to bring
- Passport and any required travel documents
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Cash for the Wadi El Rayan entry fee, paid at the gate
- Any personal medication
- Small day bag
What to wear
- Lightweight, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for uneven ground and the old streets of Cairo
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees at mosques and churches
- A hat and sunglasses
- A light layer for the evening food walk in winter
Children & families
Children are welcome. Every child takes a seat in the vehicle, so transport, guiding and meals are charged at the adult rate at any age. Entrance tickets are free for children under 6 and full price from 6. Hotel prices depend on the child's age and the room used, so we give you the exact figure when you tell us the age at booking. Day 2 is a ten-hour day trip and the food walk is late in the evening, so think about what suits your child.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This tour involves a lot of walking on busy city streets, uneven pavements and steps in the old quarters of Cairo, and a food walk on foot at night. The Fayoum day includes time on foot at the lakes and waterfalls of Wadi El Rayan and in Tunis village. The vehicles are private and air-conditioned, but we cannot promise wheelchair access at every site. Tell us your needs when you book and we will say honestly which parts suit you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
This tour uses private road vehicles only, and the vehicle type can vary, so we do not claim a carbon saving. You stay in one hotel for three nights, so there is no packing and moving between cities. The food walk, the Tunis village pottery workshops and the local lunches put money into small businesses. We ask guests to bring a refillable water bottle and to take their rubbish with them at the lakes.
Licensed Egyptologist guides
State-licensed, and people we have worked with for years
Fair wages on the ground
Drivers + guides paid above market
Site preservation
We follow the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' site rules: marked paths, no touching reliefs
Local teams, real help
Our own offices in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh
If plans change
Cancellation and refunds
If you cancel, your refund depends on how early you tell us and on the type of trip. Read our current cancellation and refund policy
Asked & answered
Frequent questions
01Where do we stay?
In one Cairo hotel for all three nights, with breakfast. You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we name the hotel for your dates. The sightseeing is the same at every standard.02How long is the Fayoum day?
About ten hours including the drives, so it is a full day. You visit Lake Qarun, the pottery workshops in Tunis village and the lakes and waterfalls of Wadi El Rayan, with lunch at a local restaurant. The Wadi El Rayan entry fee is paid at the gate.03What is the Fayoum oasis?
It is a green area of lakes and farmland southwest of Cairo. People go for the water, the village life and the quiet after the city.04What happens on the food tour?
On the first evening a guide leads a private tasting walk from your hotel. You taste Cairo street food as locals eat it. Tell us in advance about any allergies or foods you avoid.05Will I make my international flight?
This tour has no domestic flights, so the usual risk of a delayed internal flight does not apply. All travel is by road in Cairo, and we arrange your last morning around your departure time. Domestic and international tickets are separate bookings, so if you fly into Cairo from elsewhere in Egypt and connect on the same day, choose a late-evening or night flight, and take travel insurance that covers missed connections.06Are the pyramids included?
No. This itinerary covers the Fayoum, the Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo and Coptic Cairo. We can add a Giza day; ask us and we will show you the options.07What is not included?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides and drivers, drinks other than those stated, the Wadi El Rayan entry fee paid at the gate, and travel insurance.08Is this tour private?
Yes. Your driver and guide are yours alone on every sightseeing day, and the food walk is private too.09When is the best time to go?
October to April is cooler and the most comfortable for walking. Summers are hot, so the Fayoum day starts early.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-864445
At a glance
- Length
- 4 days · 3 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → Fayoum → Cairo
- Includes
- Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers