Cairo Museum & Citadel Tour with Private Egyptologist Guide
The Hanging Church sits directly over a Roman fortress two stories underground.
A private guided tour of Cairo covering the Egyptian Museum's Grand Hall, the Citadel of Saladin with its Alabaster Mosque, and the Christian churches of Old Cairo: the Hanging Church and Church of St. Sergius, with a qualified Egyptologist guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, entrance fees and bottled water included. You choose your departure time and can add lunch. Children from age 1 are welcome when traveling with two paying adults.
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Step-by-step itinerary
- Islamic Cairo2h
- Old Cairo1h
Cairo city tour and historic sites
- Hotel pickup in Cairo
- Visit Grand Hall of Egyptian Museum
- Explore museum exhibits and displays
- Stroll through exterior gardens
- Drive to Citadel of Saladin
- Visit Alabaster Mosque
- Continue to Christian Old Cairo
- Visit Hanging Church (St. Mary)
- Visit Church of St. Sergius
- Return to hotel
The experience
The day starts at your hotel with pickup by your private driver and Egyptologist guide. You spend the morning in the Egyptian Museum's Grand Hall, where interactive displays walk you through the scope of Egypt's cultural heritage before you move into the collections themselves. The guide contextualizes what you're standing in front of: the scale of the hall itself is part of the story, designed to frame the significance of what's inside. Bottled water is provided throughout.
The afternoon shifts to Islamic Cairo. The drive takes you to the Citadel of Saladin, a 12th-century fortress where the Alabaster Mosque, built by Mohamed Ali, now stands on ground once occupied by Mameluke and Ottoman palaces. Your guide explains the layers of occupation and architectural choice that shaped what you see. From there you continue to Old Cairo, where the Romans built the fortress of Babylon. The Hanging Church (El-Moallaqah, meaning suspended) was constructed directly over the ruins of two fortress towers, which is why it appears to overhang the street below. You also visit the Church of St. Sergius, founded in the late 4th century, which stands above a crypt said to have sheltered the Holy Family during their flight to Egypt. The tour ends with return to your hotel.
You can book the tour with a driver alone or add the Egyptologist guide. The guide option includes entrance fees to all three sites. Lunch is available as an add-on. Multiple departure times let you choose what works with your schedule. The whole experience runs between 6 and 8 hours depending on the pace and what you select at checkout.
What’s included
- Qualified Egyptologist guide in English, Spanish, German or Arabic (depending on the option you choose).
- hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo.
- private vehicle for the entire day.
- entrance fees to the Egyptian Museum, Citadel of Saladin, Alabaster Mosque, Hanging Church and Church of St. Sergius (guide option only).
- bottled water throughout the day.
- Egyptian traditional lunch (available as an add-on at checkout).
Options for this experience
4 optionsYou pick the guide language when booking.
Before you book
Prices and times updated yesterday
Operated by Hesham Egypt tour guide
Is this one for you?Book with the Egyptologist guide if you want the historical context that connects what you're seeing (the Roman fortress, the medieval citadel, the religious significance of each church) rather than moving through the sites on your own. The driver-only option works if you're navigating independently and just need transport and entry arranged.
Traveler reviews
Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English, Spanish, German and Arabic.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 3 years).
What's actually inside the Egyptian Museum's Grand Hall?
The Grand Hall is the main entrance area of the museum, with informative displays and exhibits that provide an overview of the museum's history and significance. Interactive activities are available to help you understand Egypt's cultural heritage. The guide walks you through the space and its collections.
Is the Citadel of Saladin a separate ticket, or is it included?
Entrance fees to the Citadel, the Alabaster Mosque, and both churches are included when you book the tour with the Egyptologist guide. If you book the driver-only option, entrance fees are not included.
Why is the Hanging Church called that?
The Hanging Church (El-Moallaqah) was built directly over the ruins of two towers from a Roman fortress called Babylon. Because it sits on top of these ruins rather than at ground level, it appears to overhang or suspend above the street, which is where the name comes from.
Can I choose what time the tour starts?
Yes. Multiple departure times are available, so you can select the time that best suits your schedule when you book.
Is lunch included in the tour?
Lunch is not automatically included, but you can add Egyptian traditional lunch as an option at checkout.
Cairo Museum & Citadel Tour with Private Egyptologist Guide
6h–8h · EN · ES · DE +1 · at your hotel
from US$ 10 per person
4.93115 reviewsVerified traveler reviews via our booking provider