More about: 5 Best Day Trips to Alexandria from Cairo
Visiting the city of Alexandria is a delight for the senses and an excursion that I recommend you take seriously into consideration during your next trip to Egypt. As you will see, Alexandria is a very different destination, with a personality of its own; it is possibly the Egyptian city with the strongest Mediterranean influence, as well as a unique gastronomy and an exciting historical past.
But... What excursion options to Alexandria can you find from Cairo? Fortunately, there are many! Here are the most interesting and popular ones.
1. Classic day trip: Alexandria from Cairo
Among the best excursions to do from Cairo is the classic day trip to Alexandria. This represents the popular choice that most tourists visiting the city stick to, which is why you'll find many tour operating companies offering this service.
What these tours usually include
Day tours to Alexandria usually start early in the morning with pick-up from your hotel accommodation in Cairo or Giza, and almost all companies offer this service as well as a guide who is an expert in Egyptology and can speak your language. You can find companies offering this type of experience in English, Arabic, German, French, Spanish and more.
The Alexandria adventure includes stops to see some of the major sights; while these may vary depending on the tour operator, some of the archaeological monuments you can expect to see on this time itinerary include: the catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, the famous Pompey's Column, the Citadel of Qaitbay, the new Library of Alexandria (built in honour of the old one) and the Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque. Many companies may also include lunch in the price.
Useful information for travelers
- Price: This type of tour can be found in a range of prices from €50 to €130. Be sure to read carefully what is included in each of the alternatives.
- Duration of tour: As the name suggests, this is a full day tour, the tour and exploration of Alexandria usually takes about 10-12 hours.
- Recommended if... You want to get to know the most of Alexandria, this is one of the shortest excursions you can find to this destination. They are also usually the cheapest.
2. Two Day Alexandria Tour from Cairo
A two-day trip to the city is ideal to see all the sights and enjoy this destination to the fullest. Alexandria is only 220km by road from the capital, which means that visiting Alexandria from Cairo doesn't take too long - a 2.5-3 hour drive is usually enough.
What these tours usually include
Generally, the first day of the tour starts with an expert Egyptian guide who picks up travellers directly at their hotel, most companies offer pick-up from accommodation in Cairo and also in Giza; they also usually have expert guides who speak several languages, the most popular being English, German, Spanish and French. Other benefits such as overnight accommodation in Alexandria, all transfers between destinations, lunch and entrance fees to museums or attractions are usually included in the price.
While it is true that the travel itinerary is tailored to the plan offered by the company, it is also true that most companies offer travellers the opportunity to see the best of Alexandria and a little more; this includes: the famous catacomb of Komel-Shokafa; the Pillar of Pompey, the Citadel of Qaitbay, the new Library of Alexandria, the Alexandria Museum, the Roman Amphitheatre and more.
Useful Information
- Price: This type of experience is available from €180 per traveller.
- Duration of tour: The itinerary includes approximately two days of sightseeing.
- Recommended if... You have a multi-day travel plan in Egypt and can devote two days to a trip to Alexandria from Cairo. This plan with time to explore each of the attractions can be the best bang for your buck.
3. Two day tour: Alexandria and El Alamein
Alamien is a small town located 118km from Alexandria, approximately 1.5 hours' drive; it is a favourite holiday destination for locals living in the capital as well as those living in Alexandria. The cool waters of Alamien can be a good escape if you visit Cairo during the warmer months of July or August; during your trip, consider taking an excursion that will allow you to appreciate that there is much more to Egypt than its monumental pyramids.
What these tours usually include
As with other tours to Alexandria, the trip usually begins early in the morning when the expert guide designated as your escort picks you up in private transport; make sure you find a company whose guide speaks a language you are fluent in, preferably English.
We recommend reading the itinerary of the company you hire carefully. However, as a general rule, the first day is usually focused on getting to know the best of Alexandria, which includes one or more of the following stops: the Library of Alexandria, the Pillar of Pompey or the Citadel of Qaitbay. In Alamein, your excursion may involve enjoying the coastline and eating some tasty food by the sea, but you may also visit the famous War Museum, which tells the story of Egypt and its role in World War II.
Useful information
- Price: The price to pay for this experience is approximately €250 per traveller.
- Duration of tour: The tour takes two full days to visit both cities from Cairo, departing on the morning of the 1st day and returning on the evening of the 2nd.
- Recommended if... Your intention on your trip to Egypt is to see as many cities and destinations as possible. This tour will take you to two very peculiar and totally different cities so that you can get to know all the different sides of Egypt.
4. Alexandria from Cairo Cruise Tour
How about exploring the city of Alexandria using less traditional transport? The city of Alexandria is located about 220km north of Cairo, and following the natural course of the river it is possible to connect the two destinations without much hassle. This hard to match adventure combines two of the bestthings to see and do in Cairo: a cruise on the Nile and a visit to beautiful Alexandria, so you can easily find tour companies in Cairo that offer this service.
What these excursions usually include
Usually, the adventure starts with the pick-up by the guide at your hotel accommodation; depending on the company you hire you can find guides in English so I recommend to study carefully the available alternatives.
Depending on the previously agreed itinerary, in the city of Alexandria you can visit some of the highlights including the Catacomb of Komel-Shokafa, the famous Pillar of Pompey, the fort and citadel of Qaitbay, the new Library of Alexandria and more. You will have a lunch break which often includes a seafood restaurant on the coast of Alexandria; sometimes lunch is not included in the price so you will need to check with the company you hire. At the end of the day's exploration of Alexandria, the return journey to the city is envisaged, arriving in the evening.
Useful information
- Price: For this type of tour, one-day experiences are available from €80 per traveller; three-day tours can cost around €150.
- Duration of tour: The minimum time required for a Cairo-Alexandria cruise tour is one day.
- Recommended if... you want to see Egypt from a new and interesting perspective and save money in the process. By combining both experiences you may get a better price than if you book each of them separately.
5. A tour of the best of Cairo, nearby cities and Alexandria
To save travellers from having to plan every detail of their trip, some tour companies offer visitors a package tour of all the main attractions in Cairo, nearby cities such as Giza and Dashur, and destinations a little further afield such as beautiful Alexandria. Is this your first time in Egypt and you want to experience it all without the hassle of planning details and coordinating schedules? Then seriously consider booking this service.
What these tours usually include
This type of experience takes place over several days, depending on the company you hire it can be between 3 and 5. In this way, the companies offer the traveller an itinerary with the activities timed day by day, agreeing the arrivals and departures of each of the attractions or monuments.
Keep in mind that the order of activities and the number of tourist attractions to visit may vary depending on the number of days and the way the company organises trips. However, when organising experiences, the most popular destinations for tourists are always considered, which means: Visiting the Pyramids of Giza and the pyramids of Dahshur and Saqqara in southwest Cairo; In the city you might explore the Cairo Museum, the Khan Al-Khalili, some important religious temples and Saladin; In Alexandria you might explore the ancient Catacombs, the new Library and the Pillar of Pompey.
Useful Information
- Price: For this type of experience you will need to pay approximately €260 per person.
- Duration of the tour: It may vary depending on the company you hire but the minimum duration to include as many activities in and out of Cairo as possible is 3 days.
- Recommended if... You are travelling to Cairo for the first time and are looking for a simple way to experience as many adventures as possible; the money you pay is 100% compensated when you explore everything the company has to offer and the individual cost of each of the excursions.