Old Cairo Tour: Khan El Khalili, Shops, Al-Muizz Street & Mosque
Description
This is one of the most authentic experiences you can have in Cairo, whether during the day or at night. Each time has its own special beauty and atmosphere. You will be guided by a licensed tour guide. You will see one of the three remaining gates of Old Cairo, then walk along Al Moez Street, an open-air museum filled with impressive Islamic monuments. We stop to explain the history and take photos. After about 20 minutes, we reach Khan El Khalili Market, full of colors and real Egyptian life. This experience can also be a shopping tour, as your guide will take you to trusted, well-known stores for authentic, high-quality Egyptian products. Stopping at a traditional cafe is optional. You may relax at Al Feshawy Cafe or Om Kalthoum Cafe and order any drink you like. We also visit Al Azhar Mosque, one of the most important Islamic landmarks in Cairo. This tour combines history, culture, shopping, and real street life before returning you to your hotel with beautiful memories.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Al-Azhar Mosque, located in Cairo, Egypt, is one of the oldest and most prestigious Islamic institutions in the world. Built in 970 AD, it has served as a center for Islamic learning and scholarship for over a millennium. The mosque's architecture is a blend of various styles, including Fatimid, Mamluk, and Ottoman. It houses one of the oldest universities in the world, Al-Azhar University, which remains a key institution for Islamic theology and jurisprudence.
Al-Muizz Street in Cairo is a historic thoroughfare dating back to the 10th century, adorned with exquisite Islamic architecture from various periods. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a bustling cultural and commercial center, reflecting Cairo's rich heritage.
Khan el-Khalili is a historic bazaar in Cairo, Egypt, dating back to the 14th century. It offers a vibrant atmosphere with shops selling various goods, making it a must-visit destination for tourists.
The Al-Hakim Mosque, located in Cairo, Egypt, is an architectural marvel built in the 10th century during the Fatimid era. Known for its stunning façade and intricate design, it is dedicated to the sixth Fatimid caliph, Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah. The mosque's distinctive minarets and ornate interiors make it a significant landmark in Islamic architecture, attracting visitors from around the world.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The mosques mentioned in the description are not available to visit on Friday
- Guests are kindly requested to wear modest attire for mosque visits, with shoulders and knees covered, and women should bring a scarf
- If you want to visit the two mosques mentioned in the description you have to book this tour earlier before the last prayer of the day
- Please note that if you plan to visit Al Azhar Mosque, the mosque will provide appropriate attire for women, such as a skirt or gown, to ensure proper coverage. You will need to wear this to cover your head and legs while inside, so please be prepared.
Reviews(161)
Excellent service received. Great trip, good driver.
We had a great half day with Menna, our guide, who took us around the old Coptic Christian churches and Synagogue in Cairo, showing us where Joseph and Mary are said to have brought the Baby Jesus when fleeing from King Herod. We also saw the markets and sailed on the Nile in a Felucca which was a unique experience. Menna was great with the kids and brought the experience to life for us all.
We had a wonderful day with our tour guide Yemani. His driver and he picked us up on time at the hotel, already on the way he told us a lot about life in Egypt, the culture, buildings,... It was incredibly interesting. Together we visited two mosques, a great coffee house, the bazaar and Al Muizz Street, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Yemani gave us top information everywhere. He was also a great shopping companion at the bazaar and took a lot of time for all our questions and wishes throughout the tour. Great tour!!
We booked the Tour and had a really great day with our Tourguide Yemani. He showed us very beautyful places and told us a lot about life in Egypt, the culture and the buildings. Yemani was a great shopping-companion as well and went to a really nice local coffeehouse with us. He is a very good photographer too, so you will get the best holiday- pictures. Don't miss this tour!!
The driver Aslem was very friendly. He dropped us off at the beginning of the market afterwards he picked us up at the agreed point. It doesn't matter how long we walked around the market. We have not called on a guide.
We really had a great tour with Roaa! She was amazing with the kids and explained everything to us really nicely. When we wanted to look around in the markets she would let us stop and mooch. We all really enjoyed the boat ride across the Nile, we had a fun time doing the Macarena with her. Really recommend to families who are looking for a fun tour guide!
Did this tour our last day in Cairo of a 10-day trip to Egypt with my husband and it was perfect! Our guide, Yemani, was kind, informative, and well-resourced while being flexible and accommodating throughout. We enjoyed listening to him share brief snippets of detailed history during our 3-hour tour of this beautiful place that was peppered with humor and questions designed to tailor the tour to our experience. Yemani effectively managed logistical details to help us see all the things we wanted to and maximize our enjoyment and learning. Highly recommend touring with Yemani, and dive in to something spontaneous while you're out here! He has great recommendations!
While the mosque and bazaar were a unique experience, it would have been much better if we had been given more information about what we were seeing. It was disappointing that the second mosque was closed and no alternative was suggested and we were not taken for mint tea as per the itinerary. The guide mainly chatted with the driver on the journey to and from our hotel instead of sharing her knowledge about what we were seeing.It was an enjoyable trip but could have been so much better.
Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the overall experience and found the visit to the mosque and bazaar unique. We’d like to mention that guiding styles can vary, as every guide and every guest is different. Some guests prefer to ask about specific landmarks they see along the way, while most of the detailed explanations are shared at each site to keep the experience more focused and enjoyable. Regarding the second mosque being closed, this was due to the late timing of the visit and is unfortunately beyond our control. As mentioned in the tour details, visiting both mosques from the inside requires an earlier start. As for the mint tea, the guide did offer a stop at a local café, and as stated in the itinerary, drinks are optional and not included in the tour price. We always strive to provide a well-organized and enjoyable experience, and we continuously work on improving every detail of our tours. We’d be happy to welcome you again, and we invite future guests to join us for an authentic and memorable experience. Thank you again for your comments we truly appreciate your feedback.
The old Cairo tour was amazing and beautiful. With beautiful views and people.
Our guide, Roaa, and her driver met my wife and I at our designated time and place. Roaa started our tour with a visit to a large mosque. We would not have gone inside and experienced this mosque without a guide, being with Roaa made this fascinating visit possible. We then walked thru the bazaar, stopping for mint tea and later fresh sugarcane juice, both included in the tour. We enjoyed exploring the shops and experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of the bazaar and Moez Street. With Roaa as our guide, we experienced no pushy hawkers chasing after us. Instead, everyone we encountered was friendly, kind and welcoming. Roaa's knowledge and choices for places to visit made this tour surpass our expectations. Also, we were impressed by her English speaking skills.
