Travel

The City Of A Thousand Minarets - Cairo

Things To Do In Cairo:

Visit Khan El Khalili (Bazaar):
The Khan-El-Khalili is a set of shops with small lanes which seems to be very ancient with many shops and plenty of merchandise to choose from however the local traders quote a large and unnecessary amount for the merchandise so bargaining is a must......some of the items are decorative plates, sheesha pipes, statues , jewelery, Egyptian perfume oils , belly dancing items and carpets , rugs, glassware and souvenirs, spices Egyptian CDs and musical instruments. There are many small cafes serving Arabic coffee and small restaurants and street food vendors along the market area al-Hussein Mosque is also in Khan el-Khalili; Al-Azhar University are the neighbouring attractions.

Shisha Smoking:
A number of cafes in Cairo can try shisha smoking which is basically smoking with water pipes , some of the places which are known for shisha smoking are Fishawi ,Grand cafe, and Safari. These cafes also offer tea and coffee as well. However a word of caution is that......be careful because Shisha smoking is much stronger than cigarette therefore exhaling a little amount first to know the feeling is a responsible way of smoking Shisha (Water-pipe users face similar risks to cigarette smokers because the smoke contains the same toxins known to cause lung cancer and heart disease, according to the World Health Organization).

Felluca Rides:
A Felluca is a traditional Egyptian wooden boat that people use to navigate through the River Nile , the ancient Egyptians would use it for trade and transport , however it is now a part of tourism and entertainment .Felluca rides are mainly short trips in the form of day tours or day cruises however a multi day cruise can be arranged for and most of the people travel from Aswan to Luxor, it is important to note that the amenities provided in Fellucas compared to floating boats( cruisers) are different as the fellucas are primitive in structure with open air sleeping accommodations.

Nile Cruises On Saling Boats:
Cruising along the Nile river is a good way of sight seeing ,to see the different tombs and temples along the banks of the river and it is a good way of viewing the rural part of Egypt where the lifestyle is not too different than what it was a few hundred years ago. The inhabitants of these rural areas can be seen living in mudbrick houses , transporting goods on donkeys tending their fields and so on, therefore it is a magnificent way of viewing a 5000 year old culture as the view is serene and dominant with nature , These cruises generally take place for three, four or seven nights The short tours take place between Aswan and Luxor, or a longer trip will take the visitors to Dendera, These cruises also offer day tours ashore for people to take a look at antiquities like pyramids temples tombs and museums., all depending on the itinerary and the budget of the traveler as some of the boats also offer live entertainment like Nubian shows , belly dancing, cocktail parties , plays , other live performances , All modern facilities like any other land hotel are available like television , geysers . etc.

Camel Riding:
Camel riding is an option that one can indulge while in Cairo or while visiting the pyramids from Giza to Saqarra it was one of the ways by which the ancient Egyptian would travel.

Horse Riding:
Horse riding programs are available in the form of riding tours that span for a few days beginning in Cairo leading people across the Nile and the next few days are spent in places like Dashur Medu, and Ellisht taking the travelers to several other places, then there are over night journeys where people can ride across to Saqqara or Abu Sir with a bit of entertainment included like barbecues etc.

Giza Zoo:
The Giza zoo is not too far from Cairo and can be reached by several buses going to the destination from Cairo, there is a huge collection of African wild life like the mountain goats and rams, Egyptian, gazelles , heron. Bactrian camel, Black bear ,California Sea Lion ,Giraffe , Hippopotamus , Lions Ostriches , Many species of monkey , Scarlet Macaw .Apart from the the wild life the Zoo also contains a museum, which has three big halls in which there are many embalmed birds , fish, reptiles and skeletons.

Mena House Golf Course ( Pyramids Road, Giza, Egypt ) ( 20-2-33-77-3222 ):
The Mena House Golf course is located at the foot of the Pyramid of Khufu at Giza hence donating a stunning view for the golfers who go to swing there in the 18 hole golf course .This place was founded in 1899, as a sandy golf course which eventually had grass grown on it by 1917. This Golf course is a facility provided by the Mena House Oberoi hotel. over looking the Pyramids , is a sight in itself . Many celebrities have stayed in this hotel, some of them are Charlie Chaplin , Winston Churchill and Ricky Martin.

Cairo Theme Parks:
if the family, and especially children are fed up looking at monuments and museums, a ten minute trip from the Giza Pyramids by micro-bus, taxi, or car, will take you to two of the biggest and best theme parks in Cairo, Dream-park, and Magic land, both in nearby Sixth Of October City. Magic land is also part of The Media Production City complex, including The Mövenpick Hotel, where visitors can take a tour of the Egyptian TV and drama sets, and studios which house many of the Egyptian and other Arabic TV stations.

Cairo Music and Performances:
If you wish to spend the evening experiencing the Egyptian culture and enjoy the music and dance performances the city offers, the free Sufi Dancing performances offered by the Al Taura Troupe offers every Saturday and Wednesday night at 8:30PM at the Al-Ghouri Mausoleum are a must. This picturesque place is situated nearby the Khan el Khalili souk, on a narrow street between the Al Azhar and Al Ghouri mosques. The Culture Wheel (Al-Saqia), which is the largest independent cultural center in Cairo, also offers concerts almost every night. You can also visit the Garden Theater in Al-Azhar Park which offers a range of musical performances. The venue is also a great place for an evening stroll. Other must visits include the Cairo opera House and the Cairo Jazz Club.

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Weekend Tours From Cairo