Backpacking Cairo: Culture, Transportation and Neighborhoods

Written by Moheb Wessa from The Wanderer Pharaoh

Egypt has more than ancient temples, historical sites, museums, and beaches. It offers authentic experiences, a wide variety of adventures, and unique culture. And that’s why most travelers decide to spend a few days in the Egyptian Capital Cairo. Not only to visit the famous Giza Pyramids but to experience the authentic Egyptian culture. Cairo is known for being crowded and to have chaotic traffic. But, it also has so many historical neighborhoods like The Islamic and Coptic Cairo.

Cairo’s history is very rich and interesting. It starts in the Ancient Egyptians times. The first known settlement was built by the Ancient Egyptians near Cairo and it was called Memphis. It was the capital during the Old Kingdom era.

When the Romans conquered Egypt in the fourth century they built Babylon Fortress. The fortress was built around several old churches, which is currently known as Coptic Cairo.pt. So, their leader Amr Ibn El As built the first Islamic city north of Babylon Fortress. He called it Fustat. Amr Ibn El As also built Egypt’s first mosque which is Amr Ibn El As Mosque. This Mosque stands to this very day and is a major touristic attraction.

In 969 AD, The Fatimids conquered Cairo. They gave a lot of attention to Cairo and they called it Al Qahira, which is the current Arabic name of Cairo. They made it the first Islamic Capital of Egypt. They also built Al-Azhar University – the third university in the world – making Cairo a major cultural and learning center in the middle east and north Africa.

Through the ages, Cairo has expanded to include Al Fustat, Babylon Fortress, and several surrounding towns and villages. Al Fustat and Babylon Fortress are currently known as Old Cairo, and it is a major touristic area where you can see old Coptic churches, Islamic mosques, and unique architecture.

Traveling to Cairo can be challenging, especially if you’re on a budget and will use the public transportation system. Cairo has a very good infrastructure and all kinds of transportation means, like Underground Metro, public busses, metered taxis, Uber, and Uber-like companies. Cairo also has a wide variety of accommodation options that suits all budgets. From very fancy resorts overlooking Giza Pyramids or Nile River to budget hostels in Downtown and Zamalek neighborhoods.

Also, joining a group tour to visit attractions is very easy and usually not expensive. There are thousands of tour companies that organize different day tours to Pyramids, Egyptian Museum, Islamic and Coptic Cairo. Also, most of the hostels will help you find a suitable tour. But if you’re looking for an adventure you can visit these attractions by yourself. Check out the Backpacking Cairo Guide

Backpacking Cairo: Culture, Transportation, and Neighborhoods