I gotta be honest, when I decided to visit Egypt, all I really wanted to do was see the Pyramids! However, there is actually a lot more to Cairo than just the Pyramids of Giza.
I am not sure why this came as such a surprise to me, especially considering that Cairo is so big! Greater Cario consists of at least more than 20 million people, with some estimates suggesting that the actual population is closer to 24 million! To put that in perspective, Australia’s ENTIRE population sits at 24.13 million people!
In such an enormous city, and there truly is a tonne to see, do and explore.
The Egyptian Museum
A great place to start is the Egyptian Museum, which is home to a ridiculously large number of ancient Egyptian artefacts. Entrance costs 60 EGP (approx $4) and it is worth noting that you will have to pay extra for the privilege of using your camera. Oh, and don’t even try to bring in a tripod! I had mine in my backpack in anticipation of shooting outdoors later in the day, and it was very quickly confiscated! I got it back once I left, but it was a little bit of a hassle.
Once inside the museum, the sheer quantity of artifacts is truly overwhelming. If you are the kind of person who likes to read every single information point, you’d likely need to spend a couple of weeks doing so!
The layout of the museum is not exactly amazing, and there is an obvious shortfall of space. I actually saw artifacts piled up in corners because there was nowhere else to put them – mental!
Of the thousands upon thousands of ancient Egyptian artifacts that my eyes fell upon in the museum – the canopic jars were my favourites. I remember learning about these jars in school (around the same time I thought I wanted to be a coroner when I grew up – y’know, normal aspirations for an 8 year old) and the concept of putting organs in special jars was just fascinating to me!
Memphis
Located approximately 20 kilometres south of Giza, today the ancient city of Memphis is preserved as a sort of open air museum.
I must admit, the ‘open air’ area of the tiny museum wasn’t overly thrilling for me (how could it be after I had already seen the Pyramids?) but the enormous statue of Rameses II was undeniably impressive. It is still in incredible condition, especially when you think about it being over 3000 years old!
An added bonus: it is an easy place to come across a friendly face!
Saqqara
Saqqara (also written as Sakkara or Saccara) was probably one of my favourite places in Cairo. This area is home to a handful of much smaller (and much less touristy) pyramids, and honestly, they are absolutely stunning.
In ancient times, the area was used as a burial ground and as the necropolis for the Ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis.
The area is famous for being home to a bunch of interesting pyramids, but especially for being home to Djoser – which is more commonly known as the ‘step pyramid’.
Entrance to this site is on the steeper side at 80 EGP, which is approximately $6 AUD. But despite the relatively hefty ticket price, it is a place in Cairo that I’d highly recommend you visit.
The Pyramids of Dahsur
Not too far from Memphis lies the site Dahsur (also written as Dahshur) which is home to a few more Egyptian pyramids.
Arguably the most well preserved of these pyramids is the ‘Red Pyramid’. Named for the hue of its red limestone stones, this pyramid is not just the largest in Dahsur, but it is also the third largest pyramid in all of Egypt.
It was an extremely windy day on the day I visited Dahsur, and as a result, there was a tonne of dust and debris getting thrown around in the air. I spent my day just dealing with watery peepers, but I spotted a Chinese tourist who may have looked hilarious, but I bet he had no crap getting in his eyes…
…definitely the most creative use for a snorkel mask that I’ve ever seen!
This pyramid is one of the few that you can venture inside without paying extra money, but like just about every pyramid in Egypt, taking photos once inside is frowned upon, so I am afraid that I have no travel snaps to share from the inside; but take my word for it, it is worth the steep descent!
From the Red Pyramid, there are a few more pyramids that you can see off in the distance.
There is the now ruined ‘Black Pyramid’…
…and also the oddly shaped ‘Bent Pyramid’!
Entrance to Dahsur is 40 EGP (approx $3 AUD) and the site is located about 40km south of Cairo.
The best way to see all of these sites (especially if you are short on time) is to hire a taxi driver for the day. These costs can be negotiated, but be prepared to pay at least $30 for the day – potentially more if your haggling skills aren’t up to scratch.
Seeing these ‘alternative pyramids’ might not be what you had in mind when you imagined your Egyptian adventure, but I guarantee that they are well worth the visit.
As always, happy solo travelling! xx
THE LOWDOWN
Getting to these Pyramids: From downtown Cairo, bargain with a cab driver to drive you for the day
Saqqara and Dahsur: A single entrance ticket costs 80 EGP and 40 EGP respectively
Meramees Hostel: A comfortable and well located hostel – dorms start at $7/night, click here to learn more
Camera: Images captured with an Olympus OM-D E-M1 in conjunction with M.Zuiko 12-40mm f2/8 lens
Remember: Sunglasses aren’t a bad idea, the wind can be brutal!
Wee we all got our money’s worth from your paid-for photo (no tripods permitted) licence. I always feel sad upon seeing pictures of the Pyramids because they all look like they’re crumbling away. And they’re not going to get any better.
Your Red Pyramid (of which I knew nothing) does look very wide. The blocks look much more manageable for construction purposes though.
Over here I was always bemused to see Chinese people commuting in Manchester with those face masks which everyone seems to wear in China. I assumed it was for the pollution they have there (but not really here) and if I ever did got to the bottom of it over here (flu deterrent?) I cannot remember.
Something I could have written on your previous post is that we had a documentary on TV the other week about the construction of those more famous Pyramids and they’ve now found that there were canals dug from some inland harbour through which the blocks were delivered. They know this, I think, because under the sand they can tell the route because of the silt build-ups which are there. I guess you could (should, as you went all around) have unwittingly walked over. Another little detail in the story of the Pyramids.
I know what you mean, that’s why when I visited the Pyramids at Giza I didn’t wait to go climbing all over the sides like everyone else. We should be keeping them in as good condition so that they are still standing 1000 years from now!
It was my understanding as per the face masks that people wear them when they are already sick as to not infect other people. I think in places like Japan and China it is considered very poor form to call in sick for work unless you are legitimately knocking on deaths door, so they wear these when they are unwell and soldier on with life!
I’m happy your dream of being a coroner didn’t come true, or you probably wouldn’t have written this awesome article.
You never know… The Travelling Coroner could have made for an interesting blog!
I agree
I have always wanted to go to Egypt. I am fascinated by the ancient Egyptians. Wonderful posts. Thanks for sharing.
Do it! There is no time like the present 😉
Thanks maybe I will one day. 😉
Those goggles hehe
My thoughts exactly!
Gosh this is gorgeous putting it on my bucketlist
http://sheismelrose.net/
YES! Exactly what I like to hear 🙂
Superb. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much!
Each of these photos amazes me, I’d love to travel there and believe I will, until then I can enjoy your photos! 🙂
Awesome to hear! I hope you get there sooner rather than later 🙂
Such an excellent year of travels. Great photos and information on some of the lesser known destinations around the city.
Excellent pics. Really interesting read, nice to hear about less well known sites in Cairo/Egypt. Somewhere that’s probably dropped off the radar for many westerners in recent years owing to bad press but this has sparked my interest. Any more pics and impressions from the city itself?
The Chinese tourist with the snorkel mask and the woebegone, contemplative donkey are my favourite shots along with a few of the pyramids of Dahsur. Lovely post as always. xx
You are an expert at finding places, to which someone like me would devote some days. The “lesser” pyramids would definitely be worth at least a week.
Wow the statue of Ramses was HUGE!!!
Great :Photos ! It is safe to travel there? Did you face any challenges?
Pyramids galore! I didn’t realise there were so many kinds there! They all look lovely but I can imagine it would have been even more awesome inside the pyramids…the photos still look great though! 🙂
Color us envious. That was a great article, and those were great photos.
Amazing places! One quick question is that I saw more photos of the donkey? Were these treated better than the ones you saw in Jordan, or was it Iran!
Very informative read. Our Cairo visit is in pipeline. In what month did you visit and how was weather condition?
What an amazing trip of a lifetime! Thanks for sharing such a detailed write up, gives an excellent map for understanding the area and what to see.