4-Day Cairo Pre-Cruise Stay: Giza & Old Cairo
Three nights in one Cairo hotel, a full day at the pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, and a day in Islamic and Coptic Cairo. Guides, transfers and entrance fees are included.
The short answer
4-Day Cairo Pre-Cruise Stay: Giza & Old Cairo is a 4-day, 3-night trip to Cairo. It includes an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at $600 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Many travelers spend a few days in Cairo before they join a Nile cruise. This stay is built for that. You sleep in the same hotel for three nights and the two sightseeing days are planned so you see Cairo's main sites without rushing between them.
Day 2 is a full day with a private Egyptologist: the Giza Plateau and the Sphinx, lunch, then the Grand Egyptian Museum. Day 3 is Islamic and Coptic Cairo, with the Citadel of Saladin and the old churches. We book your airport transfers and the hotel, with breakfast. The cruise itself is not part of this tour; we can arrange it separately. You choose the standard of hotel when you book.
What lingers
- 01Giza Plateau and the Great Sphinx with a private Egyptologist
- 02The Grand Egyptian Museum on the same day
- 03Lunch during the Giza day, with the guide, entrance fees and transport included
- 04The Citadel of Saladin and the Muhammad Ali Mosque
- 05The Hanging Church and the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus
- 06Three nights in one Cairo hotel with breakfast, and both airport transfers
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 $6003★ hotels | $600May–Sep: from $544 | ||
| Comfortfrom $6444★ hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsJewel Sport City | $644May–Sep: from $622 | |
| Classicfrom $7195★ hotels | $719May–Sep: from $641 | ||
| Prestigefrom $8755★ deluxe hotels | $875May–Sep: from $914 | ||
| Luxuryfrom $1,6125★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsSt. Regis Cairo | $1,612May–Sep: from $1,532 | |
| Signature Collectionfrom $2,166landmark hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsFour Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza | $2,166May–Sep: from $1,987 |
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.
- Private
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
4 Days / 3 Nights · Cairo · Giza Plateau · Egyptian Museum, Tahrir · Islamic Cairo · Coptic Cairo · Khan el-Khalili
- 1
A private representative meets you at Cairo Airport, helps with your luggage and drives you to your hotel. This is your base for the next three nights. The rest of the day is free to rest after your flight. No meals are included today, so ask your hotel to suggest somewhere nearby for dinner. Tomorrow is your first sightseeing day.
- 2
A full day with your English-speaking Egyptologist guide, starting with pickup from your hotel. The entrance fees and an air-conditioned vehicle are included. You spend 4 to 6 hours on the Giza Plateau with the Pyramids and the Great Sphinx. Lunch follows, and then you visit the Grand Egyptian Museum before the transfer back to your hotel. Bottled water is included.
- 3
A six-hour day with your Egyptologist guide. The entrance fees for the Citadel and the mosques, and the air-conditioned vehicle with driver, are included. You begin at the Sultan Hassan and Al-Rifa'i Mosques, then go up to the Citadel of Saladin and the Muhammad Ali Mosque, also called the Alabaster Mosque.
You then drive to Old Coptic Cairo for the Hanging Church and the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, with a lunch break in Old Cairo. A driver takes you back to your hotel.
- 4
After breakfast you check out and your private driver takes you to Cairo Airport for your flight. Allow about 90 minutes for the drive and tell us your flight time at booking so we can set the pickup. If you are joining a Nile cruise instead, tell us when you book, because the cruise is not part of this tour and is arranged separately.
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Three nights in a Cairo hotel with breakfast
- Private airport arrival and departure transfers
- Full-day Giza and Grand Egyptian Museum tour with an English-speaking Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transport
- Islamic and Coptic Cairo day with an English-speaking Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transport
- Standard site entrance fees, including the Citadel of Saladin and the mosques
- Lunch on days 2 and 3
- Bottled water on the Giza and Grand Egyptian Museum day
- Meet-and-assist at Cairo Airport
Not included
- A Nile cruise, which is booked separately
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Gratuities for guides and drivers
- Dinners and drinks other than those stated
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
Tailor it
Make it yours
Choose your hotel standard when you book. Ask us about extra nights, adding a Nile cruise after your Cairo days, or a different mix of sightseeing.
All requests handled by your dedicated specialist before booking.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travelers who want a Cairo base before a Nile cruise or another trip, with two guided sightseeing days. Suited to couples, friends and solo travelers who are comfortable with walking and a full sightseeing day.
Maybe not, if
- Travelers who want a slow pace, or who need step-free access to every site. Day 2 is long.
Honest assessment
Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.
Highlights
- Three nights in one hotel, with no repacking
- Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum and Old Cairo in four days
- No domestic flights, so days stay simple
Things to Consider
- Day 2 is a full day, with the Giza visit and the museum
- No Nile cruise is included
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the major sites
Where it fits
A good fit for the days before a Nile cruise or as a short Cairo trip. The cruise is booked separately.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many Cairo programs split the pyramids and Old Cairo across hotels or add flights. This stay keeps you in one hotel for three nights and covers both by road. 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
- Guided Cairo Stay with Day Tours
- Accommodation
- One Cairo hotel for three nights, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Egyptian Museum, Tahrir · Islamic Cairo · Coptic Cairo · Khan el-Khalili · Cairo International Airport
- Includes
- 3 nights in one Cairo hotel with breakfast · Private airport arrival and departure transfers · Giza and Grand Egyptian Museum day with a private Egyptologist · Islamic and Coptic Cairo day with a private Egyptologist · Standard site entrance fees · Lunch on days 2 and 3
- Best for
- Travelers starting a Nile cruise in a few days · First-time visitors to Cairo · History-focused travelers
- Guide languages
- English
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
- Any personal medication
- Small day bag
- A scarf or shawl for visits to mosques and churches
What to wear
- Lightweight, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- Closed shoes that are easy to take off at mosques
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees at mosques and churches
- A hat and sunglasses
- A light jacket for cool mornings in winter
Children & families
Children are welcome. Every child takes a seat in the vehicle, so transport and guiding 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 long, so think about whether it suits your child.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This tour involves a lot of walking and some steps, including the climb up to the Citadel, uneven stone and sandy ground at Giza, with little shade. The Old Cairo churches have steps and narrow passages. 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 tell you honestly which parts are suitable.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The tour uses one hotel for all three nights and private road transfers, and the vehicle type can vary, so we do not claim a carbon saving. Sightseeing is guided by local Egyptologists and arranged through local suppliers in Cairo, so most of the money you spend stays in the places you visit. We ask guests to take refillable water bottles and to dress modestly in mosques and churches.
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
01Is a Nile cruise included?
No. This is a Cairo stay that works well before a cruise, but the cruise is booked separately. Ask us and we will show you the options.02How many nights do we stay, and where?
Three nights in the same Cairo hotel, with breakfast. You do not change hotels.03Which hotel will we have?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we name the hotel for your dates. The itinerary and sightseeing are the same at every standard.04Are there any flights on this tour?
No. Both sightseeing days are by road from Cairo. International flights to and from Egypt are not included.05Is day 2 too long?
It is the longest day, because it covers Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum with lunch in between. Most guests find it worth it. Day 3 is shorter.06What is not included?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides and drivers, dinners and drinks other than those stated, the Khufu pyramid interior, travel insurance and personal expenses.07Is the sightseeing private?
Both sightseeing days are led by a private Egyptologist, and the airport and hotel transfers are private.08When is the best time to go?
October to April is cooler and the most comfortable for walking around the sites. Summers are hot, so sightseeing starts early.09Will I make my international flight home?
There are no domestic flights on this tour, so the only leg to the airport is the road transfer from your hotel on day 4, planned at about 90 minutes. International flights are booked separately and are not included. Tell us your flight time, allow generous check-in time and take travel insurance that covers missed connections. If you are going on to a Nile cruise, we arrange that connection with you separately.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-889532
At a glance
- Length
- 4 days · 3 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Includes
- Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers