Cairo: Coptic & Islamic Cairo Full Day with Khan el-Khalili

Eight Hours Through Cairo's Christian & Muslim Quarters, From the Hanging Church to Khan el-Khalili

You start at your hotel at 8 am and spend the day moving between Coptic Cairo's ancient churches: the Hanging Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue, and Church of St. Sergius, then shift into Islamic Cairo to see the Sultan Hassan Mosque, Muhammad Ali Mosque, and the 7th-century Mosque of Amr ibn Al-As. Lunch and entry fees are included, and you finish at Khan el-Khalili bazaar before returning to your hotel by late afternoon. Private transport and a guide handle all the logistics.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Old Cairo30m
2. Hanging Church1h
3. Ben Ezra Synagogue30m
4. Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus30m
5. Al-Rifai Mosque30m
6. Sultan Hassan Mosque and Madrassa30m
7. Mosque of Muhammad Ali30m
8. Mosque of Amr ibn Al-As30m
9. Khan el-Khalili30m

Explore Coptic and Islamic Cairo

• Hotel pickup at 8:00 am
• Visit Old Coptic Cairo
• See Saint Virgin Mary's Hanging Church
• Visit Ben Ezra Synagogue
• Explore Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus
• Visit Al-Rifa'i Mosque
• See Sultan Hassan Mosque and Madrassa
• Visit Mosque of Muhammad Ali
• Explore Mosque of Amr ibn Al-As
• Shop at Khan el-Khalili Bazaar
• Return to hotel

The experience

The pickup happens at 8:00 am from your hotel, and then you're moving through Cairo in a private air-conditioned vehicle toward Old Cairo. The neighborhood locals call Coptic Cairo, where the spiritual weight of the place hits you the moment you step out. The Hanging Church sits there, suspended above the street, one of the oldest churches in Egypt with roots reaching back to the third century. Your guide walks you through the interior, pointing out the wooden screens and the way the light falls through the high windows. After that, the Ben Ezra Synagogue is a short walk, built on the spot where local tradition says baby Moses was found, and then the Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus, which dates to the 4th century and sits partly underground. The air inside is cool and still.

By mid-morning you're crossing into Islamic Cairo, where the architecture shifts completely. The Sultan Hassan Mosque and Madrassa rises up from the 14th century, massive and intricate, and across from it sits the Al-Rifai Mosque, which serves as the royal mausoleum for Muhammad Ali's family. The Mosque of Muhammad Ali itself, sometimes called the Alabaster Mosque, dominates the Citadel with its pale stone and twin minarets, and the views from up there stretch across the whole city. The Mosque of Amr ibn Al-As, dating to the 7th century, comes next. It's one of the oldest mosques in Egypt and the geometric patterns carved into the walls and the calligraphy are the kind of detail you find yourself staring at longer than you expected. Lunch at a local restaurant is included, so you're not hunting for food or negotiating prices mid-tour.

Khan el-Khalili bazaar is the final stop, and it's chaos in the best way: narrow lanes packed with stalls selling carpets, jewelry, spices, ceramics, everything handmade or at least old. Your guide knows the layout, so you're not wandering blind, and you have time to actually browse instead of just rushing through. Bottled water comes with you the whole day, which matters in Cairo's heat. After that, the driver takes you back to your hotel, and you're done by late afternoon, having moved through nearly 1,400 years of religious and architectural history without arranging transport, tickets, or timing yourself.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in a private air-conditioned vehicle, a guide to walk you through each site, entry fees to the Hanging Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue, Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus, Sultan Hassan Mosque, Al-Rifai Mosque, Muhammad Ali Mosque, and Mosque of Amr ibn Al-As, lunch at a local restaurant, and bottled water throughout the tour.

Options for this experience

2 options

Tour with a live guideUp to 30 per booking · Guide in English, Spanish or Arabic · 08:00Tour with a live guide, pickup is included

Tour with an audio guideUp to 15 per booking · Guide in English, Spanish or Arabic · 08:00Tour with an audio guide, includes pickup

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Arabic

Audio 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

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Emo Tours Egypt

Is this one for you?This tour works well if you want to see both Coptic and Islamic Cairo's major sites in one day without arranging your own transport, tickets, or timing: the fixed 8 am start and included guide means you move through the neighborhoods at a pace that lets you actually absorb each place instead of rushing between them on your own.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What time does the tour start and end?

Pickup is at 8:00 am from your hotel. The full day tour typically concludes by late afternoon, with drop-off back at your hotel.

What's included in the tour?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, private air-conditioned vehicle, guide, lunch at a local restaurant, entry fees to all sites, and bottled water throughout the day.

Which churches and mosques do you visit?

In Coptic Cairo: Hanging Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue, and Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus. In Islamic Cairo: Sultan Hassan Mosque, Al-Rifai Mosque, Muhammad Ali Mosque, and Mosque of Amr ibn Al-As. You also visit Khan el-Khalili bazaar.

Is the tour suitable for people with mobility issues?

The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health. It involves walking between multiple sites and climbing stairs in some locations. Check with the operator about your specific needs.

Can pregnant travelers join?

The tour is not recommended for pregnant travelers due to the amount of walking and the physical demands of the itinerary.

How long is the tour?

The full day tour runs approximately 8 hours, starting at 8:00 am and returning to your hotel by late afternoon.

Is lunch included?

Yes, lunch at a local restaurant is included in the tour package.

Do I need to book entry fees separately?

No, entry fees to all sites are included in the tour price. You don't need to arrange or pay for tickets separately.