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Cairo Private Guided Tours · Cairo

Two museums and the royal mummies

Cairo Private Guided Tours takes you from Tahrir's Old Kingdom rooms to the royal mummies at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, with the Citadel and Coptic Cairo in between. Pick it to see both halves of what used to be one museum in a single day.

Egyptian Museum, NMEC, Citadel & Coptic Cairo

About this experience

For a century, the pharaohs' mummies and their statues sat under one roof on Tahrir Square. On 3 April 2021, 22 royal mummies, 18 kings and 4 queens including Ramesses II and Hatshepsut, rode to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat. This tour is the simplest way to put them back together: 90 minutes at the Egyptian Museum, then the Citadel, Coptic Cairo and about 75 minutes at NMEC, where the Royal Mummies Hall is part of the standard ticket.

The price needs a moment. The base option, Private tour without Lunch, covers the car and a private guide; it lists at $50 and was on sale for $40 when we checked in October 2026. Lunch makes it $65, tickets $105, tickets and lunch $120. If you buy tickets yourself, budget 550 EGP each at Tahrir, NMEC and the Citadel per foreign adult in 2026 (the listing says 600 EGP for NMEC; the Ministry's page says 550). All are card only.

Expect a brisk day. Two museums, a fortress and a Christian quarter in seven to eight hours means about an hour and a quarter at each stop after Tahrir. Guests say the guide Emad adapts the order to the traffic; one couple did it on a Friday and had clear roads until lunchtime.

  • Both museums in one day: Tahrir and NMEC
  • The Royal Mummies Hall at NMEC, included in its 550 EGP ticket
  • The Citadel and Coptic Cairo on the way
  • A private guide and car from $50 (on sale at $40 in October 2026)
  • 5.0 from 34 reviews

How the day runs

  1. MorningHotel pickup

    From hotels in Cairo, Giza, downtown or the pyramids area. New Cairo, 6th of October and airport hotels cost extra.

  2. 90 minEgyptian Museum

    Narmer, Khafre, Rahotep and Nofret, the Tanis gold, Yuya and Thuya.

  3. 75 minThe Citadel

    Saladin's fortress and the Muhammad Ali Mosque.

  4. 75 minCoptic Cairo

    The Hanging Church and the old churches; no ticket needed.

  5. 75 minNMEC

    The galleries of Egyptian civilisation, then down to the Royal Mummies Hall, before the drive back to your hotel.

The modern facade of a Cairo museum visited on the two-museum day

What's included

Included

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo and Giza
  • Private air-conditioned car
  • A private, experienced guide
  • Bottled water and taxes
  • Lunch, only with the lunch options
  • Entry tickets, only with the ticket options

Not included

  • Tickets in the base option: about 550 EGP per site (2026)
  • Tips
  • Pickup from New Cairo, 6th of October or airport hotels (extra charge)
  • Tutankhamun's mask: it is at the GEM

Who it suits

Book it if

  • You want the royal mummies and the Old Kingdom in one day
  • You've seen the GEM already and want the rest of the story
  • You like a full day with a flexible guide
  • You're happy to pay tickets on a card, or pay $55 more to have them included

Skip it if

  • You want long, slow museum visits: 75 to 90 minutes each
  • You need wheelchair access (not accessible, says the listing)
  • You want Tutankhamun: book the GEM day
  • You'd rather skip the Citadel: a half-day at Tahrir is calmer

What guests say

★★★★★

We had a great day with Imad, he is very knowledgeable and we learned a lot about Egyptian history. Would recommend this tour to anyone first time in Epypt.

Grace_N · May 2026
★★★★★

We'd been unsure of whether we would need a guide in the old Egyptian museum but are very glad we did as the labels are limited and we got so much more out of it through having someone explaining the objects and history. [...] he suggested changing the order for the day to make the most of the roads being very quiet until lunchtime.

Lucy_P · Nov 2025
★★★★★

He was incredibly flexible and kindly adjusted the tour so we could start a bit later, since our flight the night before had been delayed by five hours. Despite the change, he made sure we saw everything [...]

Guillermo_A · Oct 2025

Tips before you book

  • Pick the ticket option ($105) only if you hate queues: at 550 EGP a site, buying them yourself is cheaper.
  • Book a Friday: the roads stay quiet until midday prayers, and NMEC also opens on Friday evenings from 6 to 9 pm.
  • Wear covered shoulders and knees for the Citadel mosque and the churches.

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Frequently asked questions

Are the royal mummies included at NMEC?

Yes. In 2026 the Royal Mummies Hall is part of NMEC's standard 550 EGP foreign adult ticket, which you either buy at the door or add with the $105 or $120 options. Our royal mummies guide lists who is there.

What does the $50 price cover?

The private car, hotel pickup and a private guide. Lunch and tickets are options: $65 with lunch, $105 with tickets, $120 with both, as seen in October 2026.

Are there still mummies at the Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square?

Not the pharaohs. The 22 royal mummies left for NMEC on 3 April 2021. Tahrir still shows Yuya and Thuya, Queen Tiye's parents, and a room of animal mummies.

How far is NMEC from the Egyptian Museum?

About 7 km by road, 15 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. NMEC is in Fustat, next to Ain el-Sira lake, close to Coptic Cairo.

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Book Egyptian Museum & NMEC day

Tahrir in the morning and the royal mummies at NMEC after, with the Citadel and Coptic Cairo on the way.

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Tahrir in the morning and the royal mummies at NMEC after, with the Citadel and Coptic Cairo on the way.

Check dates for the Egyptian Museum and NMEC day