Full Day Coptic Cairo and Islamic Cairo Private Guided Tour
Description
The best religious tour in Cairo, as you will be able to visit Islamic Cairo, Coptic, and Jewish monuments. The tour’s start time is flexible, but usually the tour starts around 8 AM, takes a duration of eight hours, and ends around 4 PM. This private tour includes Pick up with our air-conditioned vehicles at your requested location, and Drop Off at your requested location. The tour also provides Entry Fees + Taxes Services, Tour Guides with an experience of 15+ years, Lunch, and a bottle of water during the day.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our Gem Explore Egyptologist will pick you up at your requested location to start your journey in Cairo heading to the largest Islamic Monument Cairo Citadel ,Called Also Saladin Citadel, Dates back to the eleven century and was built by the great warrior Saladin and his minister. The Citadel contains 13 fortified towers, contains 7 mosques, Citadel was the seat of government and the residence of its rulers for more than 700 hundred years, what a chance to know the modern history of Egypt. Then it will be the time to visit one of the Islamic wonders here is Mohammed Ali Mosque.
The Mosque of Mohammed Ali Basha or the Alabaster Mosque ( Ottoman Mosque, its minarets are very unique and high (86m), the domes inside are plated with gold, walls outside and inside is alabaster !! The Mosque has been completed and finished in 1848 AD.
Then, the tour continues by visiting Islamic Cairo. It is the area that holds the greatest and most famous Islamic monuments. The place was founded by Amr Ibn Al-A'as by 640 AD. The Islamic Cairo tour starts by visiting Mosque-Madrassa of Al Sultan Hassan. The Mosque was built between 1356 and 1363 AD by order of Al Sultan Hassan-An-Nassir; it is known as and architectural wonder by its fascinating size and Mamluki Islamic designs. The tour then continues by visiting AL Rifa'ei Mosque, which was built with more of a modern design in the nineteenth century to complement its fourteenth century neighbor.
The Mosque is located in Citadel Square, adjacent to the Cairo Citadel. Now, it is also the royal mausoleum of Muhammad Ali's family. The building is located opposite the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan. The Mosque Been Completed and finished in 1912. Beside the royal family you will see as well the tomb of the last Shah of Iran Mohammed Reza pahlavi !!
After Lunch break you will start another journey With your Tour Guide through Cairo to one of the most religious places called Coptic Cairo. Coptic Cairo is apart from Old Cairo contains the Pabylon Fortress , Hanging Church , Greek Church of St. George , Saints Sergius and Bacchus and many Coptic churches around. It is believed in Christian tradition that the holy family stayed at the site of saints Sergius and Bacchus church to be a way from the roman army , with your guide you will know a lot more and learn about the Christianity in Egypt .
Around Fort Babylon, Egyptian Christians’ oldest churches were built. In addition to being the destination of pilgrimage for people of different religions all over the world, this area holds ruins of the Roman fortifications and several churches, a visit to Hanging Church.
The tour continues by visiting Church of St Sergius and Bacchus, Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church is traditionally believed to have been built on the spot where the Holy Family, Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus Christ, rested at the end of their journey into Egypt. They may have lived here while Joseph worked at the fortress. The church is of significant historical importance, and in fact, it is where many patriarchs of the Coptic Church were elected.
The tour continues by visiting Ben Ezra Synagogue, The Ben Ezra Synagogue is situated in the Fustat part of Old Cairo, Egypt. According to local folklore, it is located on the site where baby Moses was found. This was the synagogue whose geniza or store room was found in the 19th century to contain a treasure of forgotten, stored-away Hebrew, Aramaic and Judeo-Arabic secular and sacred manuscripts.
Nearby Khan Elkhalili, is located one of the most sacred Islamic sites in Egypt, this mosque is the reputed burial place of the head of Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed. the mosque has been renovated recently. Opportunity to take nice photos.
Then, the tour continues by visiting Khan El-Khalili Bazaar. The Bazaar is in the historic center of Cairo; It was established as a center of trade in the Mamluk era. The Bazaar has various products of all kind and shapes; not limited to Silver, Copper, Brassware, Gold and Leather Goods.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Guide will be waiting in the lobby holding sign with company name on it .
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(103)
Wael was an excellent guide, friendly and a great communicator! I learnt a lot from him about Cairo and its history.
Dear valued Customer ,Thank you for your kind words about your Day tour ! We are thrilled to hear that both your guide and driver provided such a caring and informative experience. Your comfort and satisfaction are always our top priorities, and it’s wonderful to know that you felt comfortable to ask questions and make requests throughout the tour. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for more incredible experiences in Egypt. If there’s anything we can assist you with in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Warm regards, Gem Explore Egypt
Abeer was a superb guide who made the day interesting and full of new learning and insights not just about Cairo and the Muslim and Coptic experience, but about so many other things from a long, noble past that weave in and out of each other‘s place and position in history and the current day. It is always fascinating to have a guide who is so positive, knowledgeable, but above all loves her country and its diverse history and contribution to the world. Among many memorable moments., possibly one of the best for sitting in a café in a traditional market, drinking, drinking, mint tea, chatting, and watching the world go by. That is one of the memories that I end of the day with a whole new appreciation for a history and story that I now realize I knew very little about. I also have to say a word of things for the driver who was quiet, courteous, but incredibly brave in traffic at a time seemed out of control. Yet, he seemed to be in total control. This was one of my best tour experiences..
Dear valued Customer ,Thank you for your kind words about your Day tour ! We are thrilled to hear that both your guide and driver provided such a caring and informative experience. Your comfort and satisfaction are always our top priorities, and it’s wonderful to know that you felt comfortable to ask questions and make requests throughout the tour. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for more incredible experiences in Egypt. If there’s anything we can assist you with in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Warm regards, Gem Explore Egypt
My guide Mira was fabulous. She was incredibly knowledgeable about the places we visited and was patient with my many questions.
Dear valued Customer ,Thank you for your kind words about your Day tour ! We are thrilled to hear that both your guide and driver provided such a caring and informative experience. Your comfort and satisfaction are always our top priorities, and it’s wonderful to know that you felt comfortable to ask questions and make requests throughout the tour. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for more incredible experiences in Egypt. If there’s anything we can assist you with in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Warm regards, Gem Explore Egypt
Our family group of 3 had the pleasure of being on this private tour today with our guide, Mohamed Elshemei. I checked the reviews carefully before deciding on GEM, and after going on it, am very pleased with my decision and how everything turned out. Before we started, Mohamed adjusted the itinerary to fit our needs (we had already visited one of the sites, so he took us to an another historic mosque as a substitution). We were picked up promptly at our hotel by the driver and Mohamed in a touring van. The vehicle was clean and spacious, and our driver safely and expertly navigated us. Throughout the tour, Mohamed provided a wealth of information on the religious history and practices of the local people. He also tied together many of the stories we had heard from our other tours in Egypt so that we had the context for what we were seeing. He also took us through the main market, warning us about the quality of items and need to negotiate strongly. He let us stop whenever we wanted. However, we viewed it mainly as an experience just to walk through the market, but we also stopped at a "no haggle" store (at Mohamed's guidance). There was zero pressure to buy, but it was a nice, low stress way to shop for some last-minute souvenirs with low prices marked on all items. Finally, we had a nice lunch at a cafe in the Coptic area--falafel, shwarma, etc. Based on menu prices, it should have been much less than the $15 per person we paid to add lunch, but not a huge deal in the big picture. Overall it was a great day.
Dear valued Customer ,Thank you for your kind words about your Day tour ! We are thrilled to hear that both your guide and driver provided such a caring and informative experience. Your comfort and satisfaction are always our top priorities, and it’s wonderful to know that you felt comfortable to ask questions and make requests throughout the tour. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for more incredible experiences in Egypt. If there’s anything we can assist you with in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Warm regards, Gem Explore Egypt
From start to finish, this was a great day! Farha was an exceptional guide. Very knowledgeable, polite, and patient. We had to deal with prayer times and she managed the time well while we were waiting. I would recommend her for your tour needs if want hassle free, punctuality, and experience. Thank you for a great time Farha! Special thanks to the driver Sayed as well!
Dear valued Customer ,Thank you for your kind words about your Day tour ! We are thrilled to hear that both your guide and driver provided such a caring and informative experience. Your comfort and satisfaction are always our top priorities, and it’s wonderful to know that you felt comfortable to ask questions and make requests throughout the tour. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for more incredible experiences in Egypt. If there’s anything we can assist you with in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Warm regards, Gem Explore Egypt
I had throughly enjoyed my day exploring Cairo with Mira! Despite my last minute changes to the pick-up location, Mira and the driver arrived on time ready to go. I learned so much about the history and cultural significances of the sights visited and as a plus, Mira is a very talented photographer and offered to take lots of wonderful photos. Mira truly listened to what I was hoping to get out of my experience and tailored it exactly to my needs, I couldn’t have asked for a better guide. If you book this tour, make sure you ask for Mira!
Dear valued Customer ,Thank you for your kind words about your Day tour ! We are thrilled to hear that both your guide and driver provided such a caring and informative experience. Your comfort and satisfaction are always our top priorities, and it’s wonderful to know that you felt comfortable to ask questions and make requests throughout the tour. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for more incredible experiences in Egypt. If there’s anything we can assist you with in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Warm regards, Gem Explore Egypt
We had a great time. Ola is an amazing guide!
Dear valued Customer ,Thank you for your kind words about your Day tour ! We are thrilled to hear that both your guide and driver provided such a caring and informative experience. Your comfort and satisfaction are always our top priorities, and it’s wonderful to know that you felt comfortable to ask questions and make requests throughout the tour. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for more incredible experiences in Egypt. If there’s anything we can assist you with in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Warm regards, Gem Explore Egypt
Our guide Mira was well informed, very polite and spoke English fluently. However we do recommend fact checking some of the information, as with any guide there is inherent bias. We did enjoy the tour but towards the end it felt like she was fading and she did not take us inside the second mosque. Also we did not get to do the promised itinerary because the synagogue was closed. We had an unexpected visit to an essential oil place and after that we decided to skip the bazaar part of the itinerary. I think the tour was expensive for what it offered.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are very pleased to hear that you found Mira knowledgeable, polite, and fluent in English. We also appreciate your constructive comments. Historical interpretation can sometimes vary depending on sources and perspectives, but we always encourage our guides to provide accurate and balanced information, and we will certainly review your observations with the team. Regarding the itinerary, unfortunately the church and synagogue closures were due to the Christian festival celebrations and were outside our control on the day of your visit. We completely understand the disappointment when certain sites become inaccessible unexpectedly. We also appreciate your note about the pace toward the end of the tour and the missed second mosque visit, as this is not the experience we aim to provide. Concerning the essential oil stop, these visits are optional cultural/commercial stops that some travelers enjoy, though we understand they are not for everyone. We respect your decision to skip the bazaar afterward. Thank you again for your honest review. Your feedback helps us improve the experience we offer to future guests.
Our tour through Coptic and Islamic Cairo was honestly one of the highlights of our trip. Ahmed was an incredible guide — his knowledge of Egyptian history is genuinely impressive, and he brought everything to life in such an engaging way. It didn’t feel like a typical tour; it felt like walking through history with someone who truly knows and loves it. What really stood out was how he went beyond just facts and dates, sharing stories and cultural insights that made each place feel meaningful. The way he connected different religions and historical periods added a deeper layer to the experience. A special mention to our driver as well, who made the whole day run so smoothly. Driving in Cairo can be hectic, but we felt completely safe and comfortable the entire time, and everything was perfectly timed between stops. Both of them together made the experience seamless, enjoyable, and stress-free. If you’re thinking about booking this tour, I’d 100% recommend — it made the whole experience so much more special.
Dear valued Customer ,Thank you for your kind words about your Day tour ! We are thrilled to hear that both your guide and driver provided such a caring and informative experience. Your comfort and satisfaction are always our top priorities, and it’s wonderful to know that you felt comfortable to ask questions and make requests throughout the tour. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for more incredible experiences in Egypt. If there’s anything we can assist you with in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Warm regards, Gem Explore Egypt
very good experience to have a global view of all religions of Cairo after ancient Egypt.
Dear valued Customer ,Thank you for your kind words about your Day tour ! We are thrilled to hear that both your guide and driver provided such a caring and informative experience. Your comfort and satisfaction are always our top priorities, and it’s wonderful to know that you felt comfortable to ask questions and make requests throughout the tour. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for more incredible experiences in Egypt. If there’s anything we can assist you with in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Warm regards, Gem Explore Egypt
