a friend from canada coming to visit for the first time?

Question

i have a canadian lady friend coming to egypt for a week, we'll be going to luxor for a couple of days, for the remaining days where do i take her, pyramids, museum, citadel, khan el khalili, alexandria, what else, i would like to organize it per day, day 1, day 2 etc, thanks for your help

she'll be arriving october 1rst afternoon, leaving oct 9th morning

ye besara7a maleesh mazag khales ye ma2booda men el ezboo3 da

thx AA, i wasn't thinking of that, wrote them down, 7antoor, zoo

great bronwen, thx, i don't know how the sound and light had slipped my mind

cool sulto, thx, ye kaman hatbokh ?! no way, i don't think i'll have the strength to :)

AA, was your question do i confess removed ?

wow thx sistablu, good tips :) i'm writing all these things down

thx zoser, things i myself don't know, would be fun for both :)

ty dna, i need it

thx balsam, where is the hanging church by the way

thx sabrina, very helpful to know the opinion of a non egyptian

takhodha tefasa7ha enta ya hasafer, i don't mind at all walahi

she is in her late 30s

Answer 1

Day 1- Museum and the pyramids of Giza.

Day 2- Sakkara and Memphis.

Day 3- Citadel, Ibn Tolun Mosque and Beit el Keretliya next to Ibn Tolun Mosque.

Day 4- Alexandria, don't forget the library, the Roman theater, Montazah etc.

Day 5- Coptic Cairo, the hanging church, Ibn Serga church and Khan el Khalili.

Answer 2

Okay, you already said Luxor, which is good.

She must see the pyramids, and have the opportunity to get on a camel. I suggest you do the pyramids in the evening, and stick around for the Sound and the Lights show, if it isn't too costly.

She must see the museum--it's the largest collection of Egyptian antiquities anywhere in the world, and there's a lot of other interesting history there.

I would actually do the museum in the morning and early afternoon, then head to the pyramids in the late afternoon and early evening, and stick around for the light show.

Khan el-Khalili is my favorite spot in Cairo, and when my husband and I go in October, I have already told my father we need a whole day there, or two half-days. It is a must for tourists, as there are so many beautiful things to buy, many of which you cannot find anywhere else. If I remember correctly, the Citadel is not too far away, is it? You could do both of those in one day, with the Citadel in the morning and early afternoon, and Khan el-Khalili in the middle and late afternoon.

Alexandria takes up a whole day no matter what, because of transportation time. Be sure to allow her to see as much of Alex as possible, as many people don't ever get to see the Mediterranean from the Maghreb side.

She needs to see at least one of the big mosques. There are mosques at the Citadel, so just be sure to help her remember a scarf for her hair. Even really elaborate mosques in the West are nothing like the mosques in the Middle East. You don't get an idea of the intricacy of Islamic tile work and architecture unless you see one up close.

Most of all, please allow her to come in contact with the people of Egypt. I have already been there many times. I actually lived there for a year. That's the most important thing to me, to have my husband understand why I love the people so much. Give your friend the experience of meeting the people, even if they cannot talk. Smiles and gestures convey a lot.

I hope you have a wonderful visit with your friend.

Answer 3

There is no doubt that you already plan to take your friend to the see the Sphinx and the pyramids at Giza plateau.
Make that your first stop for the day and go as early as you can in an attempt to get there before all the tour buses arrive.
Then back to Cairo and have lunch at Fishawi's in Khan el Khalili, it boasts that it has not shut its doors once in over 200 years and it is truly a Cairo institution set at the Khan and close to some of the oldest Mosques in the city.
I prefer to go to the Cairo Museum early in the morning but at this time of year it is getting cooler in Cairo and so it will be fine to visit after you finish your eating and do some bargaining while shopping at Khan el Khalili.
If you attempt to cram too much into one day you can end up totally zapped and not be able to remember a scarab from a sarcophagus.
You just have to take her up to The Citadel and I would suggest that you leave it until just before you take a fellucca ride on the Nile at sunset.Then you can watch the buildings turn orange then rose and finally begin to darken as the lights come on.
Besides having some very interesting architectural features and historical interest, the sight from The Citadel is amazing and it is from there that you can put the immense size of Cairo into some perspective.
I think it is an ideal final memory of what will have been a very memorable holiday in our amazing Egypt.
In Alexandria a visit to the Graeco- Roman era catacombs of Kom Ash-Shuqqafa is really interesting,especially after you have seen so much of Pharaonic Egypt.The Graeco-Roman Museum has an outstanding collection of over40,000 artifacts dating from the 3rd century CE. There is also Pompey's Pillar and the Serapaem to visit. If you do make sure you visit "the villa of the birds", excavations are still being carried out on the site were another villa has been unearthed.
There is a lot to see in Alexandria and a wander along the beach front is worth while including. I love to imagine all the various ships that have entered the harbour throughout history and the variety of individuals who came to Egypt aboard them.
I know your friend will have a wonderful stay in Egypt and that you both will share some some wonderful memories of her visit.

Answer 4

A nice evening tour around the streets of Alex (by horse & driver) is very nice. That famous fish markert place where you pick the fish and they cook it as if its just been caught would round off a nice evening.

Bizzare idea and it may sound crazy but Cairo Zoo, Giza, is the or one of the only zoos in the world that for a little extra money that you can go in stroke the elephants stay close to the lions, I love Giza zoo there is nothing like it and its so cheap, where else will you get a chance to see and be so close to those bears, zebras, hippos, monkeys, snakes and so on, its just fantastic but it will take a number of hours and friday is not always a good day to go. Serious i cant tell you how much i love the zoo and ill always grab the opportunity to go.

I think its now like le 2 for entry into the zoo

to the Jewelry Museum with its collection of jewelry dating from the time of Mohamed Ali to King Farouk. Lunch on route. Continue to Montazah gardens, where you will have the opportunity to see, from outside only, the Montazah palace. Originally built in 1892, the palace dates from 1926 andwas the summer home of the Egyptian Royal family

Answer 5

Day 1 - Cairo tower, Nile cruise.
Day 2 - Museum , Khan Elkhalily, Elhussein.
Days 3 - Giza Pyrmaids, Sakkara Pyramids.
Day 4 - Alexandria ( Citadel - Eat fish at Bahary )
Day 5 - Just hang out in malls, do some shopping & dinner in a Kabab resturant.
Day 6 - Back to Khan Elkhalily, Elhussein.
Days 7 - Packing.

I was going to suggest Fayom and Karon's Lake. But I don't know if its ok with you to visit 3 cities in 1 week, in ramadan.

Also I think she might be interested in eating egyptian,oriental food. So it's time for your "tagens", kabab, kofta, falafel, fool, molokheya, mesa'aa, and ofcourse MAHSHY.
Konafa & katayef.

Answer 6

well as a tourist myself and someone who has been to many places in Egypt, take her to the kings valley in luxor and a couple of tombs in the valley of the nobles and Hatsheput.
Karnak of course and out on a fellucca maybe to banana island.
In Cairo obviously she will want to see the pyramids and the museum, but i also loved khan el khalili and saquarra. a belly dancing show, the bar in the mena house.
for many westerners the things they will want to see will be the pyramids, museum and kings valley. those are the things we have heard about all our lives. the other things i included because they enthralled me when i first saw them. she is very lucky to have you to take her around, you will make her visit so much pleasanter and more interesting. i dont know how much time you have but dont overdo it or she will be exhausted and let her spend time with your family she will probably enjoy that most of all. remember she has shops in canada which sell fashion clothes so she will probably not be interested in them. its the essentially egyptian things that will interest her.

Answer 7

The day of the Pyramids: Sakkara complex,persian tombs, have a rest in Sakkarah palm club and eat, then sound and light in the pyramids,,,then you can go to any Ramadan tent,, the one by Andréa in zamalek is not bad
*day of Khanalkahlili: mesafer Khan home (a typical arabc home) ,Sehami home. Ibn tolon mosque with the Gayer andreson museum attached…wkalet al 3’ori with the tanorah dance show you can also visit- old Cairo -and the Coptic museum ( I would suggest the hanging church, Mara garages church (where the Virgin and her son stayed and drank from a water well which is still there), then the mosque of refa3ee and sultan hassen
*Shopping day: buying fake brand name products from city star (well there is a shop where they sell very good LV products replica for5% of its real LV prices, and really not bad) and then pass by me to have Iftar hahahaha

Answer 8

in all probability any style of identity that needless to say shows her start date would be fantastic...ideally something in French or English. A passport or a international driving force's license might in all probability suffice.

Answer 9

all those places sound excellent, just make sure the date ends with you washing her feet in a river, and your cool

Answer 10

i would say take her to the pyramids, and to sharm el sheikh.