2 Days in Cairo is all you need to see lots of ancient and modern Egypt! With this Cairo 2 day itinerary, you see all the highlights, including the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, and some of Egypt's Islamic and Christian monuments. Plus, lots of Egyptian food!

Prefer to watch instead? Check out this quick video going over every spot in the itinerary:

Day 1

Start off your day by going to the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx (if your “Day 1” is a Friday, you may want to swap this day with Day 2, because the Pyramids can be super busy on Fridays). I highly recommend using a local Egypt guide for the Giza Plateau to help prevent scams and hassles, or check out my YouTube video on that topic to help prepare:

After seeing the Giza Pyramids but before going to the Sphinx, have a bite to eat a the 9 Pyramids Lounge. This restaurant has the best view of the Pyramids, and the food is great! Service can be a bit slow, so try to be ready with your order right away, and do not hesitate to chase down your server to get your bill at the end of your meal!

Experience all of these places and more on my Essential Egypt Group Tour!

After lunch at the 9 Pyramids Lounge and taking in the enigmatic Sphinx, head over to the Grand Egyptian Museum, or “GEM” (buy tickets to the Grand Egyptian Museum online here). The GEM is not fully open at the time of writing, but visitors can still marvel at the immense Grand Hall of what will be the largest archaeological museum in the world when it fully opens.

In the evening, head to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Moez Street, and take in over 1,000 years of Islamic architecture and history. Have a chance to see the bustling Khan el Khalilii Souq (Bazaar), and remember to bargain hard if you want to buy anything (I recommend paying no more than 30% of any price a shopkeeper initially tells you, and pay even less if you can bargain lower!).

For dinner, you have two options: the more adventurous traveler who wants a super authentic experience will eat stuffed, grilled pigeons at Farahat Pigeon Restaurant. These pigeons are not like the ones you see on the streets in cities in the USA…they are specifically raised for food, and are considered a delicacy amongst Egyptians.

For the tourist who still wants authentic food but in a more upscale setting that regularly sees tourists, head to Zeeyara Rooftop Restaurant, on the top floor of the Le Riad du Charme Hotel. This rooftop spot has beautiful views and delicious Egyptian food.

Day 2

Choose your own adventure in the morning, either going to the Saqqara Step Pyramid to experience more of ancient Egypt, or visiting one (or both) of Cairo’s museums focusing on pharaonic Egypt: the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, or the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC). If it were my choice, I would hit up the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, since it’s the oldest museum and has a lot more artifacts than the NMEC. However, for travelers who like a more modern museum with a better curated selection of objects and great explanation placards, the NMEC is the better choice. The NMEC also has 22 royal mummies of pharaohs and queens…super cool!

No matter whether you visit the Step Pyramid or go to a museum or two, head to lunch at Abou Tareq Koshary. Koshary is considered by many to be Egypt’s “national dish”, and after one bowl of this carb-laden deliciousness, you will become a convert. Abou Tareq is the spot to experience this Egyptian staple; even though the restaurant is full of Egyptians, they still see lots of tourists and know how to take care of folks who do not speak any Arabic. They will even put on a show for your Instagram or Facebook post while you record the server…just ask!

After stuffing yourself with koshary, go to Coptic Cairo, a medieval walled city full of Coptic Christian heritage and history. This often overlooked site is a must see in my opinion; around 10% of Egypt’s population is Christian, and the amount of Christian religious history in Cairo alone is amazing. Plus the architecture and design of Coptic Orthodox Christian Churches is unique and beautiful.

This evening, take the metro (if you want to feel like a local) and get off at the Safaa Hegazy stop on the island of Zamalek. Walk around 10 minutes to dinner at Abo el Sid, an upscale Egyptian restaurant serving delicious Egyptian dishes along with the option to sip some local beer or wine while you enjoy dinner. Note that this restaurant allows smoking indoors, and that it can be quite packed on the weekend evenings (Thursday and Friday nights). You can always call ahead a couple days before dinner to make a reservation.

After dinner, head to downtown Cairo and take in one of the staples of Egyptian nightlife, a visit to a local ahwa (coffeeshop). This is where 99% of Egyptians hang out when they are meeting friends—bars are not a huge part of Egyptian culture like they are in the US or Europe. At the ahwa you can order tea, coffee (opt for the Turkish coffee if you want to be super Egyptian), a variety of other hot and cold beverages, and those who want to experience another important part of Egyptian culture can order a shisha (a waterpipe, usually referred to as a “hookah” in the USA, filled with sweetened, flavored tobacco that you smoke).

And that’s it—after a whirlwind of two days, all the main sites and experiences in Cairo are checked off the bucket list. Of course, if you have more time, spending more time in Cairo is a great way to experience even more that the city has to offer. Want to build a customized itinerary just like this one for your entire trip? Fill in my interest form, and let’s get started!

Want to see more sample itineraries? What are you most excited about visiting, or what questions do you have about any stop on this itinerary? Let me know in the comments below!