adminVisiting the Pyramids of Giza has always been one of those bucket-list experiences that almost doesn’t feel real until you’re actually standing in front of them.
During our holiday in Egypt, we decided to book a Fly Cairo day trip from Hurghada, and it ended up being one of the biggest highlights of our entire holiday.
In one very full day, we visited the Pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx, the Grand Egyptian Museum and one of the oldest buildings in Cairo, as well as a traditional papyrus shop and a perfume and essential oils shop. We also added a horse and carriage ride around the pyramids and a Nile River cruise.
It was a long day, especially visiting during the heat of August, but I would genuinely do it all over again.
Here’s everything we got up to on our Cairo day trip, what the experience was actually like and whether I think flying to Cairo for the day is worth it.
Flying to Cairo for the Day
Rather than spending hours travelling to Cairo by road, our excursion involved flying to Cairo and spending the day exploring with our guide.
If you’re staying in Hurghada and want to see Cairo without spending such a huge amount of your holiday travelling there and back by road, flying is definitely worth considering.
It is still a very full-on day. You’re trying to fit some of Egypt’s most famous sights into one day, so this definitely isn’t the excursion for a relaxing day!
But the moment we saw the pyramids, it was completely worth it.
Seeing the Pyramids of Giza
Obviously, the main reason we wanted to visit Cairo was to see the Pyramids of Giza.
And honestly, seeing them in person was surreal.
You see the pyramids in photographs, films, documentaries and books your entire life, but standing there looking at them yourself is completely different.
It’s also difficult to appreciate their scale until you’re actually beside them.
Our guide, Ahmed, made this part of the day even better. He knew exactly where to take us for the best views and photo spots — and his photography skills deserve their own mention!
He came up with some hilarious poses for us and somehow managed to get some genuinely amazing photos. We came away with so many pictures that we probably wouldn’t have thought to take ourselves, which made the experience even more memorable.
We also decided to pay extra for a horse and carriage ride around the pyramids.
It was such a fun addition to the experience and gave us another way to see the area and take everything in.
Visiting the Great Sphinx
Of course, you can’t visit the pyramids without seeing the Great Sphinx of Giza.
Seeing another landmark that you’ve known about since you were a child suddenly sitting right in front of you is such a strange feeling.
This is one of the things I loved most about the Cairo trip in general. So many of the places you visit are things you’ve seen countless times in photographs, but nothing quite prepares you for actually seeing them with your own eyes.
The Grand Egyptian Museum
Another major stop on our tour was the Grand Egyptian Museum.
After seeing the pyramids and Sphinx, exploring the museum gave us another side of Egypt’s incredible history.
Having Ahmed with us made such a difference here too. Rather than simply walking around looking at everything without really knowing what we were seeing, we had someone who could explain the history and stories behind it all.
If you’re interested in Ancient Egypt, this is definitely somewhere you’ll want to include during a trip to Cairo.
Seeing One of Cairo’s Oldest Buildings
Our tour also took us to one of the oldest buildings in Cairo.
This was another part of the day I really enjoyed because the trip wasn’t solely focused on ticking off the pyramids and leaving again.
We got to see more of Cairo’s history and learn about the city from Ahmed along the way.
That’s something I really appreciated about this excursion. Yes, the pyramids were obviously the star of the show, but we got a much broader experience of Cairo than I initially expected.
Lunch in Cairo
Lunch was included as part of our tour, which was very welcome after such a busy day exploring.
Ahmed even bought both of our drinks for us.
It sounds like such a small thing, but it was one of several little touches throughout the day that showed how attentive he was and how much he genuinely cared about us having a good experience.
Our Papyrus-Making Experience
One of the more unexpected stops was a traditional papyrus-making shop.
We were shown how papyrus paper is traditionally made and learnt more about its importance throughout Egyptian history.
This wasn’t something I’d necessarily have thought to book as a separate activity, but I’m really glad it was included.
We even had our names written in hieroglyphics on a piece of artwork, which gave us such a lovely and personal souvenir to take home.
I really liked having experiences like this mixed in with the major tourist attractions because it made the day feel much more varied.
Visiting a Perfume and Essential Oils Shop
We also visited a traditional perfume and essential oils shop.
Here, we learnt about the different scents and oils, and we were even able to create our own perfumes and sprays.
Again, this gave us another little glimpse into Egyptian culture beyond simply visiting the major landmarks.
It was also nice to have something completely different mixed into such a busy sightseeing day.
Sailing Down the River Nile
Another extra we chose to add to our day was a Nile River cruise.
I mean… how could we come all the way to Cairo and not sail down the Nile?!
This was such a fun addition to the trip and gave us another completely different view of Cairo.
We even got the chance to sail the boat ourselves.
Apparently we did a good enough job because afterwards Ahmed gave us two Egyptian coins to take home as a little “well done” souvenir.
They might only be small souvenirs, but they’re exactly the type of thing I love bringing home because there’s an actual memory attached to them.
The Little Extras That Made the Day
One of the biggest reasons we enjoyed this tour so much was our guide.
Ahmed was knowledgeable, funny and incredibly attentive from the moment we met him.
There are obviously plenty of guides who can tell you facts about the pyramids, but it was all of the little things that made our experience feel so personal.
He bought our drinks at lunch, gave us the Egyptian coins after we sailed the boat and even surprised us with a little pyramid keychain from one of the stalls at the pyramids.
And, of course, he basically became our personal photographer for the day!
Those weren’t things he had to do, but they’re the moments that made the experience stand out and made an already incredible day even more memorable.
What Was Cairo Like in August?
One thing I absolutely have to mention is the heat.
We visited Egypt during August, so Cairo was very hot.
If you’re planning the same trip during the summer months, definitely be prepared for spending long periods outside. I’d recommend taking plenty of water, suncream, sunglasses and something to protect yourself from the sun.
Comfortable, lightweight clothing and shoes are also a must because you’ll be doing plenty of walking throughout the day.
Despite the heat, I’m still so glad we did the trip. I wouldn’t have wanted to visit Egypt and come home without seeing the pyramids.
Is a Fly Cairo Day Trip Worth It?
For us, 100% yes.
It’s a long and busy day, and you will probably be exhausted by the end of it, but you’re getting the chance to see some of the most famous historical sites in the world.
In just one day, we managed to experience:
- The Pyramids of Giza
- The Great Sphinx
- The Grand Egyptian Museum
- One of Cairo’s oldest buildings
- A traditional papyrus-making demonstration
- A perfume and essential oils shop
- A horse and carriage ride around the pyramids
- A Nile River cruise
- Lunch in Cairo
That’s a lot to squeeze into one excursion!
If you’re staying in Hurghada and debating whether it’s worth making the journey to Cairo, I’d absolutely recommend it.
For us, flying also made sense because we could experience Cairo without spending such a huge amount of time travelling there and back by road.
Final Thoughts on Our Cairo Day Trip
Our Fly Cairo trip was easily one of the most memorable days of our holiday in Egypt.
Standing in front of the Pyramids of Giza, seeing the Sphinx, exploring the Grand Egyptian Museum, sailing down the Nile and experiencing some of Egypt’s traditional crafts all in one day was incredible.
But what really made the experience was having such a brilliant guide.
Ahmed made us laugh, taught us so much, took some amazing photos and went out of his way to make the day special.
If you’re considering booking a Cairo excursion while staying in Hurghada, I’d say do it.
Yes, it’s a big day.
Yes, you’ll probably be shattered afterwards.
And if you’re visiting in August like us, yes, you will be VERY hot!
But standing in front of the pyramids for the first time?
Completely worth it.
