The Streets of Cairo: How We Came to Love Egypt’s Chaotic Capital City

Welcome to the first of my “travel stories” series. These will be blog posts done in a more old-school format. Stories told or entries picked from my journal that don’t necessarily give you a step-by-step guide to traveling a country but instead maybe show you a little more what the destination is like.

If Your Looking for my Egypt Travel Guides Check out my Egypt Page.

As a bicyclist loaded with carefully balanced wicker racks of puffed pita bread balanced upon his head narrowly missed colliding with us, we snaked our way across the streets of Cairo. “Welcome” “what is your name” “Where are you from”– friendly conversation made it impossible to get anywhere quickly. Even if the thick traffic had allowed it. Most people reacted to our presence with surprise and curiosity, which tells me that when people visit Egypt they spend very little time actually exploring the streets of Cairo.

I get it. It’s dirty, loud, and polluted. But it’s a damn shame. Everyone who has come and gone to Egypt paying only a passing glance to Cairo has missed the magic.

The community within the chaos. 

Before arriving in Egypt we were given the sage advice “nothing in Egypt is ever free”. I took that to mean I needed to be on guard at all times. Even the most well-meaning bystander giving directions was likely to ask for a tip for his services. We’ve been places before where that has been the case. But not here. Not in the Cairo we experienced. (Luxor on the other hand was an entirely different experience.) Instead of scams, we were met with curious questions and genuine kindness. We were invited off the street to tea with strangers. And as I sipped red tea and took selfies with a kind Egyptian tour guide, I knew he would likely offer up his WhatsApp number just in case, he also just wanted to share his love of his home country.  

And there’s a lot to love about Egypt. The pyramids are a good place to start. The underground tombs of ancient pharaohs etched with fading hieroglyphics. Pushed up against the world’s largest and most desolate desert–the Sahara, and still one of the most cherished pieces of architecture on the planet.

The pyramids don’t disappoint. But they will give you the most grief. Anywhere dealing exclusively with tourists is bound to have its fair share of enthusiastic entrepreneurs looking to make a quick buck. Don’t let them take away the joy of visiting the oldest surviving man-made wonder of the world. It’s worth every second of the hassle and of your time. 

The Center of the World

Cairo is the center of the world, the epicenter of ancient civilization, and a destination most people have dreamed of visiting since childhood. But I won’t sugarcoat it. Cairo is pure mayhem. Spend even an hour walking the trash-clogged arteries of the capital and you’ll understand why many people fail to fall in love with Egypt. Beneath the calming wails of more than 1,000 mosques, more than 13 million people are struggling to eke out a living. The city itself is crumbling. Crushed beneath the weight of its history and burgeoning population. There’s Old Cairo, New Cairo, Downtown Cairo, Islamic Cairo, and Giza. But it might as well be one sprawling congested city. Even the Nile does little to separate the regions. 

Every travel blog recommends a handful of religious attractions and the Khan el Khalil Tourist Market. That, and to spend as little time in Cairo as possible. Because of our stubborn budget-traveler nature we, accidentally, did Cairo a little differently. We explored the city on foot rather than from the hygenic bubble of an Uber.

The city hits a little differently after walking miles through open-air markets, hanging racks of beef from the beds of trucks, the smells of fresh citrus and strawberry mixing with the pungent exhaust fumes of what must be the world’s worst (& deadliest) traffic. Yes, even worse than India I would argue. Reading this you might momentarily think this is a cautionary tale about why you shouldn’t visit Cairo, but we loved every second of it. 

Side-Stepping the Scams of Cairo

Sure, the scams exist. But if you have any travel experience at all you’ll spot them right away. The man who happenstance followed you into the mosque and begins to give you a very thorough and informative history of the place is looking to trap you into an involuntary tour. He will expect a cash thank you for his services.

The camel touts at the pyramids who practically chase you around the world wonder aren’t really going to let you ride a camel into the sunset like Laurence of Arabia for 50 Egyptian Pounds- the equivalent of $3. What they don’t tell you is it’s $3 to get on the camel and $15 to get off.

The Khan el Khalil market is a ripoff. It’s filled with the same tourist garb you’ll find on Khao San Road and the streets of Cancun, Mexico…only Egypt-themed. The local market three streets over, however, was truly authentic. 

A City Ruled by Religion

Just as the metallic domes of the Muhammad Ali Mosque dominate the skyline of Cairo, religion dominates the city but not just Islam. The borders of modern Egypt have remained nearly the same for 4,000 years. The rulers of these borders however have not. And the footprint each ancient civilization left behind has been predominantly religious. The Greeks left behind an Orthodox community in Coptic Cairo. The Romans left catholicism and aqueducts. The Ottomans and Persians, of course, brought Islam and since have decorated the city with hundreds of ornate minarets and jade-encrusted domes. Inherently, mixing religion and politics is a dangerous game. Especially, in a country with so much diversity. But this complexity is what makes Cairo so interesting. And even on the busy streets of the capital locals treated one another like small-town neighbors- sharing cigarettes with passing vagrants and cups of red tea.  

Cairo, to us, will forever be more than the pyramids or an ornately designed mosque. It will be eating pigeons stuffed to the beak with spiced rice and sipping mint lemonade beneath the lights of an open-air market. Watching battle-scarred cats fight over the best scraps in a mountain of garbage. It’s piping hot tea served with mint and a fresh falafel wrap from a streetside shop strewn with sawdust. The deafening noise of a million car horns as we snake our way across a 5-road intersection on our way to the night market. It’s a spectacular view from the top of the spiraling minaret of Bab Zuweila Mosque. A view where you can see the vibrant colors of Cairo as well as its dizzying smog in all its glory.  

Cairo is a destination that many travelers experience but few get to know. I wouldn’t dare say I got to know Cairo during my 5-day stay. But I got a taste. And despite the smog, Cairo was a breath of fresh air. Proving that even after traveling full-time for 3 years, I can still feel the thrill of uncovering a challenging destination. 

I’m not going to create a typical destination guide for Cairo. It’s too big, too complex a city, and I think most bloggers just regurgitate the same 10 places they read to visit before their trip to Cairo. Instead, I’ll offer my insights into what to do and what not to do with a few suggestions to make your trip easier and more immersive rather than simply checking off a bucket list. 

I will, however, be writing several guides to help guide your travel through Egypt. You can find them here as I post them.

My Suggestions for Enjoying Cairo (Rather than Tolerating it)

Plan to take a bus from the airport if you arrive in the daytime. If you arrive at night, Uber or arrange a cheap pick up from the hostel I recommend below. 

1. Stay at Holy Sheet Hostel and walk everywhere. 

The building is ancient but the beds are comfortable. Most importantly, it’s right in the heart of downtown Cairo and if you’re crazy like me you can walk to every single tourist destination. It’s no more than a 2-mile radius. The walk just might become the most memorable part of the journey. Correction. The walk will definitely be the most memorable part of the journey.

2. Visit a handful of Mosques.

My favorites were…

• Mohammad Ali Mosque
• Mosque Madrasa of Sultan Hassan
• Al-Azhar Mosque.

3. Climb the Minaret. 

The minaret of Bab Zuweila Mosque. It can be tricky to find, but the entrance is behind the shops in Old Cairo.

4. Take a guided tour of the pyramids + Saqqara. 

Many independent travelers I met on the road hated the pyramids. You only get to see this world wonder once. Consider splurging on a guide to make the process easy & enjoyable.

Or don’t. But mentally prepare to deal with some hassle.

5. Ride the Metro. 

Without fail, this is always one of the best ways to get to know a city.

6. Go to the Khalil Market but don’t expect much. 

We enjoyed our night at the market. Perusing old artifacts and photographing lovely shops. But you’ll also be dodging over-zealous vendors who insist on showing you thier goods.

7. Eat from the street. 

Fresh falafel made with fava beans (the Egyptian way), grilled pigeon stuffed with aromatically spiced rice, pita turned into pizza, shwarma shredded straight from the spit, and the colorful breakfast carts serving dollops of ful (beans) and the proper accouterments. I understand unfamiliar street eats can be scary but food in Egypt is fantastic. You can’t miss it. 

8. Bring with you an extra helping of patience. 

Egypt is a magical country. It’s not an easy country but with the right mentality visiting here can be one of the most rewarding and memorable experiences of your life.

If you’ve made it this far consider sharing this piece with others. Thanks for reading.

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