Cairo for the weekend

I have been to Cairo three times, the last time Jan of this year. We did a two week tour with Gate 1 that was great.

I would suggest finding a tour company or guide for your entire trip. Security is important in Egypt. All tours of tourist are secured by armed police.

Still, I recommend a five or four star hotel, probably the Cairo Marriott Omar Khayyan and Casino.
https://www.booking.com/searchresults.en-gb.html?aid=390156&label=duc511jc-1BCAMYyAEoQzjbA0gzWANojwKIAQGYAQm4AQfIAQ3YAQHoAQGIAgGoAgO4AuuAgaIGwAIB0gIkMzJlMGUyYjItY2FmMC00MDkzLTliMDEtYWRiNTBhZWU1ZGNi2AIF4AIB&sid=846dea2434b271331618cd3ad75b791b&city=-290692;nflt=sth%253D58;pptfromtl=58;src=theme_landing_city

Also, the Egyptians have a new museum in Giza that will eventually contain the key items from the Egyptian Museum. It is near completion, but not currently open.

I was deployed to various locations in Egypt a few years ago, but not Cairo. Do not drink the water. A couple of colleagues got some water in their mouths while showering and then became quite ill. Another from fruits or vegetables that were not well cooked.

Have you done a search for Egypt here? I think a few guides are mentioned. I used a woman guide when there in 2011, after the Arab Spring. If you think he wants a motherly figure, let me know and I'll pass on her name. She is still guiding, and I was also able to use her driver for a half day at the Pyramids on my own.
TripAdvisor Cairo forum can advise about Tahir Square. I know it was dissuaded when ai was there, particularly on Friday afternoons. It was used then for open speeches and safe protests by rotating groups. I stayed at the Ramses Hilton nearby and certainly the volume was higher on Fridays, as were the volume of people I could see from the 25th floor. It is avoidable.

Archeologist, fabulous guide, lives in Cairo,
Hassan Latif. Trying to find his email!
maybe [email protected]. I think his son is a guide too.

I visited Egypt in January. I am a single middle aged woman, and I did not go on an organized tour. Instead I hired a private tour guide and driver in each city I visited (Cairo; Luxor; Aswan). I made these arrangements in advance. For Cairo I contacted Abir Eldaba (http://www.egypteabir.com/en/), and she arranged a guide and driver for me. I was happy with both the guide and driver. I booked a one day tour of the Pyramids, the Sphinx, and the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. The guide added a detour to a ridiculous papyrus shop but gave me zero pressure to buy (which I did not, I did not come to Egypt to shop). I think he just really wanted a coffee break with his fellow guides in the shop's lounge, which was fine with me.

I stayed at the Mena House Marriott, which was great but expensive. If you go, I highly recommend their Moghul Room restaurant if you like Indian food. I believe it is a holdover from when Oberoi owned the Mena House, and the food was some of the best I ever had (I say that as an Indian person!). I also stayed at the Le Meridien which is attached to the airport. The hotel was wonderful and reasonably priced, but the location is not very convenient, except for getting to your flight on time.

If any of my guides or drivers were armed, I did not see their weapons. I felt safe and supported throughout my trip, and I look forward to returning to Egypt.

It’s been 20 years, but I arranged a trip out to the Pyramids and the Sphinx with the hotel concierge. The concierge negotiated a fixed rate for a taxi driver to take me there, wait while I went into the Great Pyramid, etc., and bring me back. The concierge also provided the ”rules” to the driver (he was not to take me anywhere else and I would only pay him on return). It was pretty inexpensive. If he is at a business class hotel, the hotel can likely help to arrange a guide on arrival.

The Tahrir Square area has a number of hotels; I stayed at the Intercontinental in that area (but it was 20 years ago on a business trip).

NYC Librarian, I also got the detour to the ”ridiculous papyrus shop” 20 years ago. I didn’t buy anything either.

Tips,
It is wise to have your hotel arrange for a taxi, if you need one. They will know who picked you up. Egyptians told me years ago before I visited Egypt the first time that there was a scam were taxis were taking tourist to the desert, robbing them and leaving them there. Some died.

Also, don't drink any drink unless the bottle is opened in front of you or you open it yourself.
Never eat street food.
Unless you are in a four or five star hotel avoid the salads.
When our tour bus stopped at shopping sites, we stay on the bus. That is a personal preference.

Those are great tips. His brother went to Saudi last fall and on the way to the hotel, his taxi driver did exactly what you described above. Robbed him and left him on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. He also took him from ATM to ATM to try and get him to get money, but his card did not work. When that didn't work, he took his backpack and rummaged until he found all his cash. It was a very traumatic experience, and very scary. It also happened to another guy who he met at the police station. They had both come into the airport at about the same time. The police were not of much help.