Originally Posted by
Fitch
Never having been to Cairo before, and hints and tips to get the most out of short visit (we will probably fly down 3 or 4 days before the exCAI trip) would be very welcome.
In all seriousness, the best thing you could do with 3 or 4 days in Cairo is to get out. Fly (or take the overnight sleeper train) to Luxor and visit the mind-blowing temples across the river: in two days you can see just about all of them, and you will never forget the experience. A half-day trip to the Temple of Hathor at Dendera would be the highlight. Cairo itself is extremely unappealing (to put it mildly) - even the famed Egyptian Museum resembles a dusty, disorganised junk shop.
If you do stay in Cairo then the pyramids at Giza are, obviously, a must-see, but prepare to be disappointed by the ugly urban sprawl that goes right up to the gates, the dilapidated state of the site and the constant hawkers.