Alexandria Private Day Trip with Egyptologist Guide from Cairo

Alexandria’s Ancient Wonders on a Private Guided Day Tour

Step into Alexandria’s layered history with a private guide who brings every site alive, from echoing catacombs to sunlit mosques and the legendary library. You’ll taste local snacks, hear stories you won’t find in guidebooks, and catch sea breezes on ancient ramparts… moments you’ll remember long after returning to Cairo.

Step-by-step itinerary

Alexandria Day Trip from Cairo

• Visit Catacombs, Morsy Abu el Abbas Mosque, Library of Alexandria, and Citadel

The experience

“You know, Alexandria always smells like the sea, even when you’re far from the water,” said Mahmoud as we left Cairo behind at sunrise. He was our Egyptologist guide for the day trip to Alexandria, and honestly, I didn’t expect someone so passionate about old stones to also know all the best places for coffee. The drive north felt quieter than Cairo’s usual chaos. Just that low hum of traffic and Mahmoud’s stories about Alexander and Cleopatra drifting in and out as the sun climbed higher.

I’d read about the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa before, but actually walking down those damp stone steps was something else. The air changed (colder, almost metallic), and my shoes squeaked a bit on the slick floor. Mahmoud pointed out carvings where Greek and Egyptian styles mixed together (I tried to spot them first, failed). There was this odd silence down there except for distant voices echoing off the walls. I caught myself whispering for no reason.

Later we stopped by the Morsy Abu el Abbas Mosque. The white domes looked almost too bright against the sky. I squinted a lot, probably looked confused. A group of kids ran past us laughing. One waved at me with sticky fingers (ice cream? Not sure). Lunch was quick. Just some bread and cheese from a street vendor because we wanted more time at the Library of Alexandria. It’s modern now but there’s this hush inside, like everyone’s secretly hoping they’ll find something ancient tucked between new books. Mahmoud grinned when I asked if he ever got lost in there (“Every time!”), which made me feel better about wandering off for a bit myself.

The last stop was Qaitbay Citadel by the water. Windy up there: my hair still smelled salty hours later on the drive back to Cairo. We watched fishermen untangle their nets below while Mahmoud told us how this place once guarded all of Egypt’s coast. I don’t know why but that view stuck with me more than anything else. Maybe it was just being somewhere that felt both old and alive at once.

What’s included

Your experience includes round-trip hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo by private air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water throughout the journey, and guiding by a qualified English-speaking Egyptologist who stays with your group all day as you explore Alexandria’s highlights before returning home in comfort.

Options for this experience

3 options

Option 1Guide in English · 07:00, 08:00 and 10:00Car and driver only: car and English-speaking driver. Pickup is included.

Option 2Guide in English · 07:00, 08:00 and 10:00Koshari lunch, all-inclusive: car, English guide, entrance fee and koshari lunch. Pickup is included.

Option 3Guide in 51 languages · 07:00, 08:00, 09:00 and 10:00All-inclusive with seafood lunch: car, guide, entrance fee and seafood lunch. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00, 08:00, 09:00 and 10:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (5 and older) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, Bangla, Burmese, Cantonese, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Filipino, Finnish, Greek, Gujarati, Hakka Chinese, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Japanese, Javanese, Korean, Kurdish, MNP, Malay, Malayalam, Marathi, Norwegian, Pashto, Persian, Polish, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Swedish, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Wu Chinese and Xiang Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessible

Operated by Sun Of Egypt Tour

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

14 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Hindi, Bangla, Chinese, Wu Chinese, Slovak, Serbian, Swedish, Korean, Kurdish, Cantonese, Tamil, MNP, Gujarati, Czech, Telugu, Punjabi, Thai, Polish, Hebrew, Danish, Javanese, Xiang Chinese, Chinese, Malay, Pashto, Filipino, Croatian, Hungarian, Hakka Chinese, Ukrainian, Urdu, Malayalam, Marathi, Greek, Finnish, Burmese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Japanese, Persian, Romanian, Dutch, Norwegian, Russian and Turkish.

How long does it take to travel from Cairo to Alexandria?

The drive from Cairo to Alexandria typically takes around 2.5 to 3 hours each way by private vehicle.

Is hotel pickup included for this private day trip?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo are included in your tour.

What sites are visited during the Alexandria day trip?

You’ll visit the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Morsy Abu el Abbas Mosque, Library of Alexandria, and Qaitbay Citadel.

Is lunch included on this tour?

No lunch is included. You may buy food locally during free time in Alexandria.

Will an Egyptologist guide be with us throughout?

Yes, a qualified English-speaking Egyptology guide accompanies you for the full day trip.

How many people will be on this tour?

This is a private tour for your party only. No other guests join your group.