Cairo

The sole surviving Wonder of the Ancient World — arrive at opening (7am) for golden light and minimal crowds. The Great Pyramid of Khufu has an interior passage that can be entered (additional ticket). Hire a licensed guide at the gate for context that transforms the experience.

Opened in 2025 after 20 years of construction — the world's largest archaeological museum displays 100,000+ artefacts including the complete Tutankhamun collection (5,000 objects, never fully exhibited before). The 30m transparent Grand Staircase flanked by 87 royal statues is extraordinary.

The medieval Islamic bazaar founded in 1382 — gold and silver jewellery, hand-beaten copper lanterns, papyrus paintings, spices, and the famous El Fishawy café (operating since 1797 without a single day's closure). Bargaining is mandatory and expected.

A 1km pedestrianised medieval Islamic street is the greatest concentration of Islamic monuments in the world — mosques, mausoleums, caravanserais, and Mamluk-era architectural masterpieces from the 10th to 19th centuries, most in active use.

A two-hour felucca or dinner boat cruise on the Nile at sunset — the Cairo skyline, the bridges, and the lit minarets reflecting in the river. Budget options from EGP 200–400; luxury dinner cruises with belly dancing and live music from $40–80.

Fly 60 minutes south to Luxor — the Valley of the Kings (Tutankhamun's actual tomb), Karnak Temple (the largest religious complex ever built), and Hatshepsut's mortuary temple. A full day with a guide covers the west bank in one sweep.