Cairo night tour: Khan El-Khalili, dinner & felucca

A felucca moves without an engine, powered only by wind the way it has been for centuries.

This Cairo night tour starts with hotel pickup and takes you through Khan El-Khalili, the largest bazaar in Africa, then to the Al-Hakim Mosque and the 200-year-old Café El Fishawi before a 30-minute felucca sail on the Nile and dinner at a restaurant of your choice. Your guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian or one of three other languages, and all entry fees and transport are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Evening tour of Cairo highlights

• Meet guide at hotel
• Take felucca ride on Nile
• Tour historic Al-Muizz Street
• Visit Khan El Khalili bazaar
• Enter Café El Fishawi
• Enjoy traditional Egyptian dinner

The experience

Khan El-Khalili is where the evening begins: a sprawl of stalls and narrow passages that has drawn traders and travelers for centuries. Your guide leads you through the market for two hours, pointing out the medieval architecture lining Al-Muizz Street and the warren of shops selling everything from spices to textiles. The bazaar fills with locals and visitors after dark, and the guide's knowledge of the layout and the vendors means you move with purpose instead of wandering in circles.

After the market, you stop at Café El Fishawi, tucked into Khan El-Khalili's heart. It has operated for over 200 years and earned the nickname "Spy Café" for the conversations it has hosted: the aged mirrors on the walls and the hum of Arabic and foreign voices around you are part of the draw. You order mint tea or another traditional Egyptian drink and watch the market life continue outside. While you're there, you'll also make zalabya, a typical Egyptian sweet, so you taste something you've just prepared.

Next comes the Al-Hakim Mosque, where the guide takes you inside to see the spiritual space and the architectural detail: the entrance reveals the scale and the craftsmanship in a way a photo cannot. Then you head to Cornish El Nil, the avenue that runs along the Nile, and board a felucca for 30 minutes. These wooden boats have no engine. They rely on one or two large sails and the wind, the same way they've worked for centuries. The sail is slow and quiet, and the river views frame the city from a vantage point most visitors miss.

Dinner comes last. You choose between koshari (rice, lentils, pasta and chickpeas layered together, a Cairo staple) at Abu Tarek; shorma, thin slices of meat or chicken, at Papa Abdu; or falafel if you prefer vegetarian. The guide takes you to the restaurant and then returns you to your hotel.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return.
• a two-hour guided walk through Khan El-Khalili and Al-Muizz Street.
• entry to the Al-Hakim Mosque.
• a stop at Café El Fishawi where you'll make zalabya, a traditional Egyptian sweet.
• a 30-minute felucca sail on the Nile.
• dinner at a restaurant of your choice (koshari, shorma or falafel).
• and a live guide in your chosen language.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day9 departure times: the first at 12:00, the last at 20:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (15 to 40 years) · Senior (41 and older) · Child (1 to 14 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by sarita said

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want to see Khan El-Khalili bazaar, sail the Nile on a traditional felucca, and visit Al-Hakim Mosque in one evening with hotel pickup included. The guide handles all entry logistics so you only need to show up.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 14 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Khan El-Khalili and why does the tour spend two hours there?

Khan El-Khalili is the largest bazaar in Africa, a sprawl of stalls and passages that has operated for centuries. The two-hour walk with your guide covers the medieval architecture of Al-Muizz Street and the market's layout, so you see the major sites and understand the neighborhood instead of getting lost in the passages.

What happens inside the Al-Hakim Mosque?

The Al-Hakim Mosque reveals a spiritual space with architectural detail that the guide explains. You enter to see the scale and craftsmanship of the building itself, not just view it from outside.

What is a felucca and how does it move on the Nile?

A felucca is a traditional Egyptian wooden sailing vessel with no engine, powered only by wind through one or two large sails. The 30-minute sail is slow and quiet, the same way these boats have traveled the Nile for centuries.

Which restaurants are included for dinner, and can I choose?

You choose between three options: Abu Tarek for koshari (rice, lentils, pasta and chickpeas), Papa Abdu for shorma (meat or chicken), or falafel for a vegetarian meal. Your guide takes you to whichever restaurant you pick.

Does the tour include hotel pickup and return?

Yes, your guide meets you at your hotel to start the evening and returns you there after dinner. All entry fees to Khan El-Khalili, the Al-Hakim Mosque and Café El Fishawi are included in the price.