Where to Shop for Souvenirs: Khan El Khalili
The traditional Khan El Khalili market sits near the Imam Hussein and Al-Azhar mosques. "Khan" means a lodging house for merchants, and "Khalili" was the name of the man who owned it. The quarter is large, made up of old buildings and small shops selling antiques, souvenirs, and handicrafts in leather, brass, copper, woven cloth, carved wood, alabaster and jewellery.
Shopping Tips
- 1
You can haggle almost anywhere in Egypt to get a better price.
- 2
Do not take the goods before you have agreed a price, or you may be charged far more at the end.
- 3
In Khan El Khalili there are shops Indonesian visitors return to — Galal and Jordi, for instance — with fixed prices and no haggling. They are tucked away, so it is best to go with a guide.
Souvenirs to Bring Home from Cairo
Egyptian Cotton
Bed linen, towels and clothing made from Egypt’s renowned high-grade cotton.
Papyrus Art
The paper of ancient Egypt, used for writing and as a surface for Pharaonic motifs and Arabic calligraphy.
Handmade Jewellery
Intricate designs in gold, silver and semi-precious stones, found in Khan El Khalili or Souk Al-Sagha.
Perfumes & Essential Oils
Explore Souk Al-Attarine for Egyptian fragrances, essential oils and scented oils.
Spices & Herbal Teas
Souk Al-Bisat sells turmeric, cumin and cardamom, alongside a range of herbal teas and medicinal plants.
Traditional Dress
The galabiya (a loose robe) and Egyptian scarves — distinctive gifts from Khan El Khalili.
Getting Around Cairo
Ride-hailing Apps
Uber, inDrive and DiDi are all on the Play Store, with the fare shown up front. Check that your driver follows the route on Google Maps.
The Metro
Covers Greater Cairo on three lines: 93.1 km of track and 74 stations, as of October 2022.
Taxis
White, and available everywhere. Most drivers prefer to negotiate even though the meter is there, so agree the fare first.
Phone & SIM Cards
Three providers: Vodafone, Orange and Etisalat. Vodafone offers a short-validity package aimed at visitors.
Popular Restaurants in Cairo
Koshari Tahrir
Classic Egyptian koshari — rice, lentils, pasta, fried onions and tomato sauce.
Abou Shakra
A popular grill house with a view of the Giza Pyramids.
GAD
A chain serving Egyptian and Middle Eastern food, from kofta to falafel.
Studio Misr
A restaurant with a sense of history, popular for dinner in old Cairo.
Egyptian Food
Cairo offers a rich mix of traditional and international food, including through delivery apps such as Talabat and Elmenus. Traditional Egyptian dishes include grilled chicken, fish and pigeon, along with mahshi, shawarma, kebab and kofta. Street food is easy to find — koshari (rice, lentils, pasta, fried onions and tomato sauce), tagin, and ta’ameya, a falafel made from fava beans — as are fresh seasonal juices.
There are also international restaurants of every kind (Italian, Lebanese, Indian, Chinese, Thai) and the global fast-food chains. In districts where students concentrate, such as Nasr City and Darrasa, there are many affordable Indonesian eateries — from Mie Aceh Pakaji and Bakso Galaxy to places built around the cooking of particular Indonesian regions.