Cairo in 6 Days on a Budget (Daily Costs)

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Travel advisory: Egypt sits on the edge of the wider 2026 regional conflict involving Iran. The country is not a combatant, and Cairo, Giza, and the Nile Valley remain the normal, actively-visited tourist core, with 2026 tourism hitting record numbers. There has been limited spillover, including a July 2026 drone strike on ships at Damietta port in the north, far from any tourist site. At the time of writing the US State Department lists Egypt at Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”), with “Do Not Travel” limited to the Sinai interior and the remote Western Desert, not the places in this guide. Check the current US State Department and UK FCDO advisories before booking, since the situation is fluid.

The 6-day version: a deeper dive into Islamic Cairo

Six days builds on the 5-day plan (Giza, the GEM, Coptic Cairo, NMEC, Al-Azhar Park, Cairo Tower, the City of the Dead, a Nile dinner cruise) with a sixth day slowing down through the parts of Islamic Cairo the earlier days skip. Need more time? The 7-day plan adds a full rest day.

Book these before you go:

Day Focus Rough cost (solo, no hotel)
Day 1 Giza Plateau, the GEM $45-65
Day 2 Citadel, Khan el-Khalili, a felucca $15-25
Day 3 Coptic Cairo, NMEC, Egyptian Museum (Tahrir) $20-35
Day 4 Al-Azhar Park, Cairo Tower, Zamalek $10-20
Day 5 City of the Dead, Nile dinner cruise $35-50
Day 6 Sultan Hassan, Al-Rifa’i, Al-Muizz Street, Bab Zuweila $8-15

Day 1: Giza and the GEM

Start early at the Giza Plateau (around 700 EGP, about $14), routed through the new south-side visitor center onto free electric shuttle buses. Agree camel and photo prices out loud or skip them. Afternoon at the Grand Egyptian Museum (about $30 through October 2026, rising to $35 from November), fully open since November 2025 with the complete Tutankhamun collection.

Day 2: Islamic Cairo and a Nile felucca

Morning at the Citadel of Salah El Din and the Muhammad Ali (Alabaster) Mosque, a combined ticket around 180 EGP (about $3.60). Afternoon in free-to-wander Khan el-Khalili, with tea at El Fishawy Café. Close with a Nile felucca sail at sunset.

Day 3: Coptic Cairo, NMEC, and the Egyptian Museum

Morning in Coptic Cairo, free to walk between the Hanging Church, the Church of St Sergius, and the Ben Ezra Synagogue, with the Coptic Museum (around 200 EGP, about $4) next door. Nearby, NMEC holds the Royal Mummies Hall (around 550 EGP, about $11). Finish at the older Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, entry around 300-550 EGP (about $6-11, verify).

Day 4: Al-Azhar Park, Cairo Tower, and Zamalek

Morning at Al-Azhar Park for a nominal entrance fee (verify the current price), afternoon up Cairo Tower, evening walking leafy Zamalek.

Day 5: The City of the Dead and a Nile dinner cruise

Morning in the City of the Dead, a genuinely inhabited necropolis-neighborhood, best visited with a local guide and the same respect you’d give any residential area. Evening on a Nile dinner cruise (around $35-50) with a Tanoura or belly-dance show.

Day 6: Sultan Hassan, Al-Rifa’i, and Al-Muizz Street

Morning at the Sultan Hassan and Al-Rifa’i mosques, a combined ticket around 220 EGP (about $4.40), then walk Al-Muizz Street, an open-air museum of Islamic architecture, free to walk end to end and best lit in the evening. Finish at Bab Zuweila, a Fatimid-era gate whose minaret gives one of the best rooftop views over Islamic Cairo for a modest ticket price.

How much does 6 days in Cairo cost?

Figure roughly $135-210 across the six days for entries, museum tickets, and the dinner cruise, plus $15-40 a night for a budget room.

Recheck the current US State Department or UK FCDO advisory closer to your travel date.

Read more: Cairo on a Budget: 10 Cheap and Free Things or, for a longer trip, Cairo in 7 Days on a Budget (Daily Costs) .