Tourists typically visit Cairo to see the pyramids of Giza – this is no surprise considering that the Great Pyramid is the only surviving original ancient wonder of the world. But what do you do when the sun goes down and you’re not quite ready to return to the hotel? Luckily, Cairo, the city of a thousand minarets, is a world-class city with countless options to spice up your night.
Your day in Cairo doesn’t have to end when Night falls. Cairo At Night is surprisingly full of activities that can be done, and in this article, we have detailed some of them for you, in case it helps during your trip.
Top 11 Things to Do in Cairo at Night
You will have a different experience at night in Cairo as you visit its significant sites and fantastic tourist destinations by doing your favorite activities. Here are the most desirable things to do in Cairo at night :
1- Visit the Khan El Khalili Market
The Khan El Khalili Market is the most popular place for tourists to shop in Cairo. Most of these visits take place during the day, but it’s well worth the effort to venture into its narrow streets after dark.
Khan el Khalili is located in what is known as Islamic Cairo. Its stalls and shops are spread across many switchback alleys and lanes, and getting lost is more of a possibility than a certainty. In this area, you can also see some beautiful mosques and workshops where artisans work and sell their products in the market. You will find yourself in front of the largest open-air museum, where tourists worldwide come to shop.
There you will find tons of shops, cafés, and restaurants where you can find some of the best antiques, original perfumes, gifts, papyri, and all kinds of Egyptian items you will love to take home with you. It has always been an essential district for cultural and economic activities. Walking through this market, you will find a wide variety of products, from gleaming gold artifacts, silverware, stained glass lamps, handmade accessories, and last but not least, some souvenirs from the era of the pharaohs.
The shops do not close when the sun goes down, and the market district takes on a different atmosphere as the traditional metallic lanterns are lit.
We recommend going after 7 pm (at the beginning of winter) to wander around the market at your leisure and then have dinner at one of the street restaurants in the area.
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2- Don’t miss a stroll along Al Muizz Street.
This one-kilometer street, located in the heart of Islamic Cairo, Close to Khan el Khalili, is another essential spot to experience Cairo’s nightlife: Al Muizz Street. It is an unforgettable experience to walk approximately one kilometer of this street when its colored lights are turned on.
Along the way, you’ll see several small architectural gems, all beautifully lit. Don’t miss the Al-Hakim Bi Amr Allah Mosque, Al-Aqmar Mosque, Al Nasir Muhammad Madrasa, or the Qalawun complex.
Another building worth seeing is Bayt Al Suhaymi, a house (which is what Bayt means) built in 1648 and considered one of the city’s finest examples of Ottoman architecture.
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3- Relax for a while at Fishawi Cafe
On one side of Khan el Khalili is Fishawi, one of the most famous cafes in the Egyptian capital. If you’ve decided to stroll around the area in the evening, a seat on its terrace will help you relax from the hustle and bustle of the streets.
The street where the cafe is located is usually crowded at all times, so if you don’t have a guide, you’ll almost certainly have to wait for a table.
The Fishawi began its activity more than 240 years ago. Over time, its clientele began to grow, and today it is known for serving the best coffee, delicious mint tea, and the best narghiles (water pipes) in the city.
For many Egyptians, spending time in this cafe drinking tea and smoking water pipes is a natural pastime, and I’m sure you’ll love it too. Just think that this place is proud to have been a favorite of some of the country’s most famous writers, such as Naguib Mahfouz, the Nobel Prize for Literature winner in 1988.
4- See the entire city from Cairo Tower.
If you want to view the city in all its lights at night, there is no better place than the Cairo Tower.
This 187-meter-high tower is located in the trendy Zamalek district. Its design is notable for its stylized appearance and for being covered with a lattice that resembles a lotus flower.
You can look out to see the Nile illuminated by the lights of the boats and get a perspective of the city streets. Another option is to book a table at the revolving restaurant at the top of the tower, and you will be able to enjoy the same views while having dinner.
Don’t Miss to read Top 12 Things to do in Cairo with Family
5- Dinner Cruise with Dance Show on the Nile
The great river is the creator of life in the country and the element that structures it from north to south. A trip along its waters is, therefore, a must, and the experience is made even better with the addition of dinner and a belly dancing show.
These short overnight Cairo cruises aren’t just perfect for relaxing after a long day of sightseeing. During the tour, you can admire the city’s illuminated skyline and see some of the city’s attractions from a different perspective.
There are different types of cruises depending on what you are looking for. Those that include dinner are divided into buffet style and those offered by excellent chefs that will help you to get to know the excellent Egyptian gastronomy better.
You can also book a cruise with a belly dancing show and small traditional music concerts.
6- Participate in the Opera House
if you are a lover of these genres, you will find one of the city’s best-performing arts centers worldwide. The Cairo Opera House, which opened in 1988, is a complex that houses seven different theaters, and it also houses a music library, a museum, and an art gallery.
As the theater’s name indicates, the most popular genre is opera, but there are also ballets, musicals, plays, and concerts.
The theater is the main venue for several companies, such as the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, the City Opera Company, the Cairo Opera Ballet Company, and the National Arab Music Ensemble.
Before going, check the program on their website, where you can buy tickets. “cairoopera.org“
7- A ride on the Nile in a felucca
While cruise ships are the most popular with tourists in Cairo, there is another traditional way to cross the Nile: on a felucca. If you want a truly unforgettable experience, I recommend hiring one of these boats to enjoy the river sunset.
Falukas are small wooden crafts propelled by the wind. For centuries, they have been the means of transport used by the Egyptians to travel up and down the Nile, whether on short or long journeys. You will feel transported to a different era on board these boats and rocked by the river’s waters.
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8- Listen to live music.
Cairo nightlife also offers the opportunity to go to various venues for live music, both international and Egyptian. One of the best places to do this is The Place, located inside the Sheraton el Gezirah, where you can enjoy great river views.
If you like jazz and want to listen to it while having a cocktail, you can go to the Ramses Hilton Hotel, specifically the club on the 30th floor. A little further away, this type of music can also be heard at the Cairo Jazz Club, which is highly recommended for its extraordinary atmosphere.
9- Visita al Wekalet El Ghouri
For extra joy and enjoyment, we highly recommend visiting Wekalet El-Ghouri in Cairo, which is, indeed, the best architecturally stunning art center in El-Azhar. While you are there, you will have the chance to watch the Tannoura show under some musical performances, and such displays are performed by the El-Tanoura company. The Al-Tannoura Dance Company provides a feast for both the eyes and ears.
Colorfully costumed performers display their talents in singing, music, and dance. This stunning performance is like a moving meditation, showing you a refreshing and spiritual side of traditional Egyptian culture.
10- Cairo National Circus
Lovers of the magic of circus arts cannot miss this tour. The National Circus of Agouza was renovated in 2010 and is now working on an animal-free show that combines technology and art.
11- Sound and Light show at Giza Pyramids
If there’s one thing that’s for sure, when you travel to Cairo, you’ll spend a couple of hours visiting the Giza pyramids and the nearby Sphinx. However, not everyone knows that it is also exciting to see the area at night to enjoy and be amazed by the sound and light show that takes place there.
Beams of laser light illuminate the pyramids. Both the walls of the Mummification Temple and the pyramids themselves, not forgetting the desert sand and the Sphinx, become canvases on which part of the history of Egypt of the pharaohs unfolds.
The images are combined with a great soundtrack, and you can hear the mysterious or dramatic voice of the Sphinx. During this time, you can learn details about Nefertiti’s life or the life of Pharaoh Akhenaten and how the imposing pyramids were built.
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Cairo, the city that never sleeps
There is so much going on in Cairo during the day and at night. Hard to keep up! Tourists are spoiled for choice when deciding what to do with their nights in Cairo. You can spend a quiet evening under the stars by taking a river cruise or opting for a horse-drawn carriage ride, but things can get more intense with an incredible light show or partying the night away at the venues—the most popular in Cairo.
Is Cairo safe at night?
You may find the large number of police officers all over the country, especially in tourist areas, to be more troublesome than what you’re used to.
In Cairo and other cities, it’s not unusual to see police officers at every intersection or security staff around public buildings.
Some of them are armed, which may seem strange compared to how things are done in your country, but it’s ordinary in Egypt. This doesn’t mean that things are getting more dangerous or unstable.
At the tourist spots, you will also see police officers wearing uniforms that say “Tourism Police” and have a special badge. Because they speak English better, these officers care most about the safety of tourists and the people they talk to.
If you run into trouble, you shouldn’t be afraid to find and call the tourist police.
How to get around Cairo at night?
Most tourists choose to hire guides for the various activities, but if you prefer to do it on your own, it’s best to use the metro or taxis.
One of the advantages of the metro is its ease of use and the fact that it is signposted in both English and Arabic. There are 3threedifferent lines, and it runs from 5:15 am until midnight.
After that time, you are stuck with taxis unless you can read Arabic to use the buses. Remember to negotiate the fare with the taxi driver and ask your hotel for the approximate fare in advance to get an approximate idea.
We hope this article for Cairo at Night has helped you figure out how to plan your trip. If you want your trip to Egypt to go well, don’t miss these essential guides that will help you plan from start to finish:
- Is it safe to travel to Egypt? Safety & Security in Egypt
- Best Time to Travel to Egypt – Your Guide For 2022
- Tipping in Egypt: How to deal with it
- Weather & Climate of Egypt | Temperature in Egypt
- Top 35 Traditional Egyptian Food To Try
- Entry into Egypt – All Documents you need
- Can I apply for an Egypt visa online?
Good Trip!
