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Memphis Tours · Cairo

Tahrir, the Citadel and Old Cairo

Memphis Tours fits the Egyptian Museum, Saladin's Citadel with the Muhammad Ali Mosque, the churches of Coptic Cairo and Khan el-Khalili into one private day. It's the pick if you want to pay once and never reach for your card at a ticket window.

Egyptian Museum, Citadel & Old Cairo Day

About this experience

Memphis Tours is one of Egypt's big agencies, and this listing has 158 reviews at 4.8. The day starts at 9 am at the Egyptian Museum, which gets about 90 minutes on the itinerary. That's the trade-off: you see the Old Kingdom rooms and the Tanis gold with a guide, but not much more. If the museum is your main interest, a half-day at Tahrir gives it twice the time.

The rest of the day crosses town. At the hilltop Citadel, begun by Saladin in the 12th century, you visit Muhammad Ali's Ottoman-style mosque, the one that dominates Cairo's skyline. In Coptic Cairo the listing names the Hanging Church and the Ben Ezra Synagogue, and Khan el-Khalili gets two hours for the bazaar and, guests say, lunch near it. Every entry fee is included: Tahrir is 550 EGP and the Citadel 550 EGP per foreign adult in 2026, so tickets alone are worth about US$22 a head.

Two things the price won't cover. Tutankhamun's mask has been at the Grand Egyptian Museum since late October 2025, and the royal mummies at NMEC since 2021; neither is on this route. And churches and mosques have a dress code: cover knees and shoulders, and women should bring a scarf for the mosque.

  • Four Cairo districts in one private day
  • Every entry fee included: Tahrir, the Citadel, Coptic Cairo
  • Lunch at a local restaurant and water in the car
  • A private English-speaking Egyptologist
  • 158 reviews at 4.8 from a large, established agency

How the day runs

  1. 9:00 amEgyptian Museum

    About 90 minutes at Tahrir with your guide: the Narmer Palette, Khafre, Rahotep and Nofret, the Tanis gold.

  2. About 2.5 hoursThe Citadel and the Alabaster Mosque

    Saladin's fortress on the Mokattam hill, the Muhammad Ali Mosque inside it and the view over the city.

  3. MiddayLunch

    A local restaurant; one guest describes a historic place in the Khan el-Khalili area.

  4. About 2 hoursKhan el-Khalili

    The old bazaar for spices, lamps and brass, with time to wander.

  5. About 1 hourCoptic Cairo

    The Hanging Church and the Ben Ezra Synagogue inside the old Roman walls, then the drive back to your hotel.

The salmon-pink facade of the Egyptian Museum on Tahrir SquareThe domed interior of the Muhammad Ali Mosque at the Cairo Citadel, hung with round lampsInside a Coptic church in Old Cairo, with wooden screens and icons

What's included

Included

  • Hotel pickup and return by private air-conditioned car
  • A private English-speaking Egyptologist
  • Entry fees to every site on the route, taxes and service charge
  • Lunch at a local restaurant
  • Bottled water in the car

Not included

  • Tips
  • Anything not on the itinerary
  • Tutankhamun's mask: it is at the GEM
  • The royal mummies: they are at NMEC
  • Wheelchair access

Who it suits

Book it if

  • You have one day for Cairo's city sights, not the pyramids
  • You want every ticket paid in advance, no card queues
  • You care about Islamic and Coptic Cairo as much as the pharaohs
  • You like a bigger operator with a long review record

Skip it if

  • The museum is the main event: 90 minutes is short
  • You're on a budget: the Emo Tours combo starts at $20 without tickets
  • You want the royal mummies too: the NMEC day adds them
  • You hate shopping streets: two hours at the bazaar is a lot

What guests say

★★★★★

You get a diverse picture of Cairo, historical, cultural, and religious with a great lunch in an historic restaurant in the Khan Al-Kalili Market/Bazaar area.

Jack_V · Mar 2026
★★★★★

Great service and friendly faces. I needed to make a slight change to my schedule and the team was able to accommodate! Driver was amazing, guide super friendly and knowledgeable!

Katherine_M · Mar 2023
★★★★★

It was a nice trip with a very professional guide. He thought us a lot about the history of Egyipt and about islamic and coptic cairo. He also gave us shopping advice and added a stop to the tour upon request.

Tmea_T · Mar 2022

Tips before you book

  • Wear long trousers or a long skirt and cover your shoulders. The mosque and the churches turn people away otherwise.
  • Ask to swap the order if you want more museum time: guides often trim the bazaar on request.
  • Bring small Egyptian pound notes for tips and for the bazaar. Sites here are card only, but stalls want cash.
  • Fridays are good: Cairo's roads are quiet until midday prayers.

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Frequently asked questions

Are entry tickets included on the Memphis Tours Cairo day?

Yes. The listing includes entry fees to every site on the route, plus taxes and service charges. In 2026 that covers 550 EGP at the Egyptian Museum and 550 EGP at the Citadel per foreign adult; the Hanging Church and Ben Ezra Synagogue don't sell tickets.

How long do you spend in the Egyptian Museum?

About 90 minutes, according to the itinerary. That's enough for the ground-floor masterpieces and the Tanis gold upstairs, not for the whole building.

Is lunch included?

Yes, lunch at a local restaurant and bottled water in the car. Drinks with lunch may be extra; ask your guide.

Does the tour include Tutankhamun or the mummies?

No. Tutankhamun's treasures are at the GEM in Giza and the royal mummies at NMEC in Fustat. Our mummies guide explains where everything went.

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Book Museum, Citadel & Old Cairo

Tahrir, the Citadel, Coptic Cairo and Khan el-Khalili in one private day, with every ticket and lunch included.

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Tahrir, the Citadel, Coptic Cairo and Khan el-Khalili in one private day, with every ticket and lunch included.

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