Cairo Private Tours & Local Tour Guides

First time travelers to the country should definitely have a tour guide, especially in a city as vast as Cairo, where certain parts are not the safest for foreigners. While you can try touring Cairo without one, it would be easier to learn the city with a local who knows their way around. 

With a guide, you’ll be able to; 

- Smoothly tour famously crowded sites such as the Pyramids of Giza, or the Luxor Temple without excessive harassment from vendors. 

- Learn firsthand information about daily social norms within Egyptian culture

- Save time on booking tickets for special festivals & events

- Purchase high quality, reliable souvenirs from reputable vendors 

- Skip meticulous daily planning. Just show up and enjoy the city!

Cairo guides can be hired from around 25 USD to 390 USD per person/per day depending on the location, duration of tour and activities involved. For a detailed look at GWG Guide rates, head to our Cairo Tours page

3–4 Days in the capital city will be more than enough for you to experience Cairo’s cuisine, monuments & social scene. Our day tours are a great way to pack in the city’s beauty. Some popular packages include; 

• Cairo Highlights Full Day Tours - Discover the Saladin Citadel, NMEC Museum, and a satisfying end at the Khan El-Khalili Bazaar where you can sample the city's finest foods. 
• Discover Unique Cairo - Experience the innovators pushing this city forward. Stunning architecture, blossoming gastronomy, fantastic dancing and of course, a lot of shopping. 
• Focus On Cairo’s Arts, Culture & History - As one of the greatest civilizations on earth, Cairo is packed with historically, culturally and globally significant tour spots like the Egyptian Museum, The Citadel, Giza and Coptic Cairo.

October to March is the best time to visit Cairo if you're looking for great weather and want to check out the amazing festivals & social events the city has to offer. With that said,these are the busiest tourism months. For smaller crowds, try March to May. 

Unfortunately, it’s not. Cairo is notorious for being very difficult to walk in, unless you know the city intimately. Locals have mastered the art of walking in Cairo, but for a newbie, it can be overwhelming. 

It’s best to keep these tips in mind while breezing through the city center;

- Stay away from motorbikes. They move fast, and not always on the road. 

- Look drivers in the eye when crossing the road

- Wait for a small crowd to gather so that you cross the road together. Safety in numbers

- Don’t try to outrun the car/motorbike. Patience pays. 

- When all else fails, follow behind the locals, or even better, your local guide. 

Yes, English speakers will be comfortable in the city, as most people, especially those within the hospitality industry, speak English fluently. If you’d like to extend some courtesy, here are some useful Arabic phrases you can learn. 

- As-Salaam Alaikum - Peace be upon you, or peace be with you. This is how most people greet another, regardless of the time of day. 

- Shukran - Thank you. One of the most essential words to learn. A “shukran” and a smile goes a long way. 

- Laa Shukran - No, thank you. A polite but firm no will 

- Yalla - Let’s go. Best used once you’ve agreed on a price for a camel or Uber ride. 

- Pickpockets: This is a universal issue, so keep an eye on your things and don’t carelessly use your phone in crowded, public settings. 

- For women, staring, catcalling & verbal harassment: It will happen, but ignoring it is the best option. 

- Motorbikes: They’re quick and can catch you unaware, so be careful while walking around. 

- Taking professional/commercial pictures. 

Yes, locals are extremely friendly and always willing to help, but Cairo & Egypt is known for having a haggling/hustling culture that is surprising to foreigners. There’s also a heavy tipping culture that can be excessive. To bypass most of the aggressive salesperson tactics at notable monuments and within the city, it’s best to get a guide.