NMEC Old Cairo TourRoyal Mummies & Coptic Cairo
Meet the pharaohs in the Royal Mummies Hall, then walk the old churches and synagogue of Coptic Cairo next door.
- Duration
- 6 hours
- Your party
- Private, 2-8 guests
- Starts
- Your hotel in Cairo
The NMEC Old Cairo Tour brings together two places that sit side by side in Fustat, the oldest part of Cairo.
At the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, your Egyptologist guides you through Egypt's story from prehistory to today, then into the Royal Mummies Hall. Here rest 22 royal mummies, among them Ramesses II, Seti I and Queen Hatshepsut, moved from Tahrir in 2021 in a famous procession through the city.
After lunch, you walk into Coptic Cairo, built within the walls of the Roman fortress of Babylon. Visit the Hanging Church, raised above the old gatehouse, the Church of Abu Serga, where tradition says the Holy Family sheltered, and the Ben Ezra Synagogue, where the famous Cairo Geniza manuscripts were found. It is a calm, thoughtful day in the quieter part of the city.
National Museum of Egyptian Civilization & Coptic Cairo
Drive to Fustat with your Egyptologist for the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and its main gallery, followed by the Royal Mummies Hall. After lunch, walk the lanes of Coptic Cairo to visit the Hanging Church, the Church of Abu Serga and the Ben Ezra Synagogue, with time to see the old Roman towers of Babylon. Your guide shares how Christians, Jews and Muslims lived side by side in this quarter for centuries. Return to your hotel in the afternoon.
- 1
National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
Egypt's story from prehistory to today, and the Royal Mummies Hall.
- 2
The Hanging Church
Raised above the gatehouse of the Roman fortress of Babylon.
- 3
Church of Abu Serga
Where tradition says the Holy Family sheltered.
- 4
Ben Ezra Synagogue
Where the Cairo Geniza manuscripts were found.
Included
- Private hotel pickup and return in Cairo or Giza
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver
- Private English-speaking Egyptologist guide
- Entrance tickets to the sites in the itinerary
- Bottled water on board
- All taxes and service charges
- Entry to the Royal Mummies Hall
- Lunch at a selected restaurant
Not included
- Gratuities
- Drinks with meals
- Optional tickets not listed, such as inside the Great Pyramid
- Personal expenses
Before you go
Where are the royal mummies kept now?
In the Royal Mummies Hall at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, which you visit on the NMEC Old Cairo Tour. They moved there from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir in 2021.
Can we take photos in the Royal Mummies Hall?
No, photography is not allowed in the mummies hall. It is allowed in most other galleries of the museum.
Is Coptic Cairo suitable for all ages?
Yes. The walking is short and flat, though some church entrances have steps.
