This hot and hectic destination is actually perfect for a family holiday

cairo family holidays egypt pyramids museums culture history children kids hotels adventure - Intrepid Travel
cairo family holidays egypt pyramids museums culture history children kids hotels adventure - Intrepid Travel
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Cairo? With children? As it is already saturated with a potentially overwhelming cacophony of sounds and sights, the thought of adding children to the mix frequently tumbles the Egyptian capital into the too-hard-holiday basket. But don’t be so hasty, say the experts – look closer and you’ll find the city ticks plenty of boxes: balmy weather, a child-loving culture, flavour-packed cuisine and the ace cards of pyramids and mummies, destined to set fertile imaginations on fire. The iPad won’t get a look in.

“There are so many things to be done here, away from technology,” says Walid El Batouty, global brand ambassador to the World Federation Tourist Guide Association. “Visit with a good company, and you’ll do things that will have parents and kids interacting. It can be the trip of a lifetime.”

As a bonus, Egypt is currently having what you might call a “moment”, with a swathe of new openings and historic firsts drawing tourists of all ages. “Now you can go inside Djoser’s pyramid, the first pyramid ever built, explore new museums and walk through tombs of nobles that have been shut to all but Egyptologists,” explains Professor Salima Ikram – and as head of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo, she should know.

“The stories are terrific for children: there are kings, exploration, treasure, war, peace, extraordinary architecture and art, and stories of people like us, who lived thousands of years ago.”

Yes, it’s a frenetic city, so where children are concerned, the trick is to break Cairo down into manageable bits. Opt for a simple itinerary, suggests Zina Bencheikh of Intrepid Travel, balanced with plenty of hotel pool time. Little ones will be entranced by a glimpse into the most captivating span of ancient history – and parents might find they learn something, too.

Build your bite-sized itinerary

The Pyramids

The first sight of the pyramids elicits the excited child in everyone. More than 4,500 years old, the Giza pyramid complex also houses tombs, cemeteries and temples, and make no mistake: it’s big. Most first-time visitors assume that the pyramids are in the middle of the desert, but in reality there’s road access right into the Giza Plateau, making visiting easy even with small children.

Prof Ikram suggests forgoing the Great Pyramid on your trip to Giza (while it is the largest, it requires a separate ticket and tiring walk, which can be taxing for little legs), and instead heading for the pyramid of Menkaure, where there are exciting side rooms to explore. Operators with their own Egyptologists (such as Abercrombie & Kent) can even facilitate private access to sites such as the giant paws of the Sphinx.

pyramids egypt family holidays travel - Getty
pyramids egypt family holidays travel - Getty

Similarly spellbinding, 45 minutes away in the quieter Saqqara necropolis you will find the Djoser Step Pyramid – the world’s oldest – which recently re-opened following a 14-year restoration. Pause between Giza and Saqqara at Fagnoon Farm to play on pottery wheels and relax in hammocks, or take a break at Giza’s Abou Shakra restaurant for top views alongside child-thrilling dishes moulded into pyramid shapes.

The National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation

This museum opened to international fanfare last year when 22 royal mummies were transported in glittering spectacle to their new home. But its focus extends beyond its high-profile residents: it features objects charting Egyptian civilisation from prehistoric to modern times (and an excellent lakeside lawn for shoes-off play).

However all else in the museum pales beside Mummies Hall: a child magnet with rooms representing burial chambers, complete with grave artefacts. And you needn’t worry about little ones taking fright, assures Sayed Abul Fadl, supervisor of the Central Hall and the Royal Mummies. “The storytelling about royal mummies allows children to think of them as heroes rather than dead bodies,” he explains. “Children tend to react with awe and respect, not fear.”

Take a trip to Garbage City

This may not sound like it deserves a spot on your holiday itinerary, but bear with us. The tight-knit Zabbaleen community – which numbers somewhere between 50,000 and 70,000 – has supported itself for generations by collecting rubbish from the 20 million residents of wider Cairo. Between using and repurposing what they gather, they recycle 80 per cent of the waste – cleaning the city and dealing with its rubbish more effectively than the government, which recycles 25 per cent on average.

egypt cairo garbage city family travel - Black Tomato
egypt cairo garbage city family travel - Black Tomato

As part of its Field Trip series, which focuses on educational encounters, tour operator Black Tomato offers an eye-opening recycling tour through the community. Children must be 14 or older to take part, but it is perfect for aspiring environmentalists, geographers or conservationists.

Alternatively, swap detritus for dust and experience a dig at Saqqara with archaeologists, where children can learn how to dig, survey and preserve.

The Nile

When the buzz of the city gets too much, find peace and quiet on the Nile, Egypt’s lifeblood and Africa’s longest river. El Batouty suggests an hour or two floating on a traditional felucca, alongside activities to keep children entertained. “For example, we take papyrus and teach the family how to write their names in hieroglyphics and Arabic,” he says. “It’s great fun, and good for family connection.”

For a nocturnal adventure, add a Nile dinner cruise with live music and dancing (in true inclusive Egyptian style, children are encouraged to get in on the action). The Sufi dancing – with its dazzlingly colourful whirling skirts, set against the nightlights of Cairo – is particularly otherworldly, and guaranteed to captivate youngsters of all ages.

The Neighbourhood

Cairo’s beating heart is the Khan el-Khalili bazaar district: medieval alleys overflowing with stalls full of heady oils and essences, sparkling silver and gold and stained-glass lamps – a veritable Aladdin’s cave for little eyes. “The markets will wow anyone,” says Gus Gleiter, founder of Egypt Adventures Travel. “But with kids, go around 11am – before the shops get too busy.”

Cairo Khan el-Khalili bazaar district travel kids holidays egypt - Getty
Cairo Khan el-Khalili bazaar district travel kids holidays egypt - Getty

If you need to retreat, he suggests heading for rooftop restaurant Zeeyara, a tranquil spot offering both Egyptian cuisine and “the best restroom in the markets – an important factor when travelling with children”.

For more tranquillity, the Coptic Cairo area is truly an oasis, criss-crossed with pedestrian-only streets studded with frescoes and trilling with birdsong. It is also studded with churches, synagogues and mosques (some – like the Hanging Church – dating back as far as the 3rd century), creating a religious intersection where the next generation can witness centuries of peaceful coexistence.

The Children’s Museum and Al-Azhar Park

If it’s playmates your brood requires, you will find them in Al-Azhar Park – a favourite with local families and the major green lung of the city, complete with playgrounds, winding walkways and panoramic views – or at the utterly unique Child Museum, a highlight in its own right. Immersive and interactive, here children are encouraged to dig like Indiana Jones in a sandbox of artefacts, recreate the Giza Plateau by placing the pyramids correctly on a model, and run hands over hieroglyphic walls. Adolescents can take a deep dive in learning ancient ship-building skills, the methods used to decipher the Rosetta Stone, or becoming au fait with Sinai Desert dangers. This is didactic travel at its best.

Essentials

British Airways (ba.com) flies twice daily from London to Cairo for £349 return.

hotels in cairo family travel egypt - Kempinski Nile Hotel
hotels in cairo family travel egypt - Kempinski Nile Hotel

Stay at the Kempinski Nile Hotel Garden City Cairo (00 20 2279 80000; kempinski.com) – right on the Nile with  rooftop pool. Double rooms from £277 per night, including breakfast and taxes. If you prefer to stay in Giza by the pyramids, opt for the Marriott Mena House Cairo (00 20 2277 3222; marriott.com), with winter season double rooms from £232.


Please tell us about your favourite family holiday in the comments below. Was there something about the destination that made it perfect for travelling with children?