Four days in Cairo: Giza, Saqqara, old Cairo and a long day in Alexandria

Why add a fourth day

Three days in Cairo covers the plateau at Giza, the pyramid fields at Saqqara and Dahshur, and a day split between Islamic Cairo and Coptic Cairo. A fourth day is where this plan changes shape: instead of another half-day inside the city, it sends you out of the Cairo agglomeration entirely, to Alexandria, roughly three hours away by the desert highway. That is the honest reason this itinerary is rated moderate rather than easy — not because any single site is difficult, but because day four means six hours of driving wrapped around a full sightseeing day.

This is not the same trip as a five-day Cairo and Luxor itinerary. That version adds Upper Egypt, reached by internal flight or overnight train, and treats Luxor as a multi-day stop in its own right. Here, the fourth day is still a day trip from a Cairo or Giza hotel bed — you go out to Alexandria and come back to the same room. If you are deciding between the two, see Cairo and Luxor in five days for the alternative.

Day 1: Giza plateau

The first day belongs to Giza: the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, the Great Sphinx, and — next to the plateau — the Grand Egyptian Museum, officially inaugurated on 1 November 2025 and home to the full Tutankhamun collection. Base yourself in a hotel in central Cairo, Zamalek or Giza itself, since the plateau to city-centre transfer alone can run 45 to 90 minutes depending on traffic. A private guide or small group tour is the easiest way to cover the plateau and the museum without losing the morning to logistics.

Book a guided visit to the Giza pyramids and Sphinx

For the full day-by-day breakdown of this stretch, see One day in Cairo and the plateau-specific Self-guided visit of the Giza plateau.

Day 2: Saqqara, Dahshur and Memphis

Day two moves south to Saqqara for the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest large stone monument in Egypt, then on to Dahshur for the Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid of Sneferu, and finally Memphis (Mit Rahina) for the open-air museum and its colossal statue of Ramesses II. These three sites sit in the same UNESCO listing as Giza — Memphis and its Necropolis, the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur, inscribed in 1979 — and combine well in one day with a private driver, starting early to beat both heat and traffic.

Combine Saqqara and Memphis in a single guided day

Do not try to fold Saqqara into the Giza day: the two sites are close on a map but far enough apart in practice, plus the museum, that stretching one day across both usually means rushing all of it. More detail at Saqqara, Dahshur and Memphis tours from Cairo and Giza vs Saqqara.

Day 3: Islamic Cairo and Coptic Cairo

Day three splits between two historic quarters, both part of Historic Cairo’s UNESCO listing since 1979. The morning covers Islamic Cairo: the Citadel of Saladin and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali above the city, Al-Azhar Mosque (founded in 970), the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, Al-Muizz Street and the Sultan Hassan Mosque. Dress modestly for the mosques — women cover their hair, and shoes come off at the door.

Take a half-day tour of Islamic Cairo

The afternoon moves to Coptic Cairo for the Hanging Church, the Ben Ezra Synagogue and the Coptic Museum. If royal mummies are on your list, they are not at the Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square anymore — they moved to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat, near Coptic Cairo, after the April 2021 transfer, and pair naturally with this half of the day. See Islamic Cairo and Coptic Cairo tours, Coptic Cairo tours and Royal mummies at the NMEC for specifics.

Cover the Citadel, museum, bazaar and Coptic Cairo in one private tour

Day 4: Alexandria, out and back

This is the day that sets this itinerary apart. You are not staying overnight in Alexandria — you leave your Cairo or Giza hotel early, drive roughly three hours on the desert highway, spend the day in the city, and drive back. Realistically that means an early start and a late return, and it is the one day on this trip worth calling moderately demanding rather than easy.

Four sites carry the day:

Site	What it is	Time to allow
Bibliotheca Alexandrina	Modern library, opened 2002, on the site of the ancient original	1–1.5 hours
Citadel of Qaitbay	Fort built on the site of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria	1 hour
Kom el Shoqafa catacombs	Roman-era underground tombs	45 min–1 hour
Pompey’s Pillar	Ancient column, quick stop near the catacombs	20–30 min

Kom el Shoqafa and Pompey’s Pillar sit close together and combine easily. Bibliotheca Alexandrina and Qaitbay are the two worth protecting if the day is running long — treat the catacombs as the flexible stop.

Be honest about the temptation to add more: El Alamein on the north coast and the Coptic monasteries at Wadi Natrun both sit near enough to Alexandria to look tempting on a map. On a day that already includes six hours of driving, adding either one usually means seeing all of it badly rather than most of it well. If a full north-coast trip genuinely interests you, it deserves its own day, not a tail end of this one — see Alexandria day trips from Cairo and El Alamein and the north coast.

A private driver is the practical way to do this day: it removes the guesswork of parking and city driving in an unfamiliar place and keeps the schedule under your control. The alternative is the train from Cairo to Alexandria, which avoids the highway traffic but needs its own timing plan — see Cairo to Alexandria by train. Either way, keep the return leg realistic: Cairo’s traffic does not thin out reliably in the evening, so build in slack rather than planning a tight arrival.

Getting around and where to sleep

Stay in central Cairo, Zamalek, Garden City or a Giza hotel facing the pyramids — any of these work as a base for days one to three, and all of them put you within reasonable reach of the desert highway for day four. Cairo International Airport sits in Heliopolis, northeast of the centre, with the airport-to-Giza transfer running 60 to 90 minutes depending on traffic; Sphinx International, west of Giza, handles far fewer flights. Inside the city, the Cairo Metro’s three lines, Uber and Careem cover most short trips, but a private driver is the norm for day trips like Saqqara or Alexandria, where public transport would cost you the whole morning. Traffic is heavy through most of the day, so treat any estimated transfer time as a floor, not a ceiling.

Money, timing and what to check before you go

The currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, written LE or E£) — not the dollar or the euro, even though some tour listings display prices in foreign currency for convenience. Carry cash for small purchases and baksheesh, which is expected in many everyday situations; cards work in hotels, malls and most restaurants. Most visitors need a visa, arranged in advance as an e-Visa through the official visa2egypt.gov.eg portal or as a visa on arrival for eligible nationalities — check current requirements and fees on the official site rather than relying on a fixed number here, and make sure your passport has at least six months’ validity. Friday is the weekly day of rest, and opening hours shift during Ramadan, so check specific sites if your dates overlap either one.

October to April is the easiest season for this itinerary, with mild winter days and cool mornings; June to August often pushes past 35°C, which makes the Giza plateau and the Alexandria walking day considerably harder — start early if you’re travelling then. Sandstorms (khamsin) are possible from March to May. Stick to bottled water throughout the trip.

FAQ: adding an Alexandria day to a Cairo trip

Why does day four feel harder than the first three days?

It is built around a road trip of roughly three hours each way on the desert highway to Alexandria, on top of a full sightseeing day. Days one to three stay inside the Cairo and Giza area, with much shorter transfers.

Should I add El Alamein or Wadi Natrun to the Alexandria day?

It is possible but not advisable on this schedule. Both sit off the direct route, and stacking another stop onto a six-hour round trip usually means arriving back in Cairo late and rushing the Alexandria sites.

Is this itinerary different from a five-day Cairo and Luxor trip?

Yes. This plan stays entirely inside the greater Cairo area plus Alexandria. A five-day version typically adds a flight or overnight train to Luxor, which is a separate booking and a different kind of day.

Can I do Alexandria by train instead of by road?

Yes, and it is often the more relaxed option, since you skip the desert highway traffic. Coordinate arrival and departure times carefully so you are not cutting the day short at either end.

Do I need a private driver for the Alexandria day?

A private driver or an organised day tour is the practical choice, since public transport between the Alexandria sites eats into the day and taxis in an unfamiliar city add friction you do not need on a long day.

What should I skip if the Alexandria day runs long?

Kom el Shoqafa and Pompey’s Pillar are close together and quick to combine; if time is tight, treat Bibliotheca Alexandrina and Qaitbay as the priority and treat the catacombs as optional.