Walking possible from Rhoda Isl to Egyptian Museum
 

I'm trying to put together some things (or at least one thing) to do the first day we arrive in Cairo in May. We're booked at the Grand Hyatt and I'm told we should be at the hotel by 3 p.m.

Since the tour doesn't start until the next morning, I'm hoping we can entertain ourselves by walking around (or taxi-ing). I keep reading that people could spend whole days at the Egyptian musueum so maybe that would be a good use of a free afternoon (the tour only spends a few hours there I believe).

Wondering if we can walk there or if we need to get a cab. And if the hotel gets us a taxi - would we be able to hail one to return later or is that tough to do?

Is walking in that area, in general, possible? I've seen the posts that say it's suicidal to try crossing the streets -- is that only the very large, main roads?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Yes, you can walk there. It's some distance, but walkable. You can get directions from the concierge at your hotel.

Yes, the roads are crazy. I always tell my US friends that I'm far more likely to die in a road related accident than by terrorism.

There are a couple places between the GH & the EM that are quite difficult to cross -- especially for a person who hasn't been here and who may be suffering from jet lag. The weather is likely to be in the high 80s and low 90s, although with limited humidity. So the combination of the three may make walking to the Egyptian Museum less pleasant than you think.

But you can walk on the Nile side of the Cornish up until the Nile Hilton hotel (ugly 1960s looking building.) The Egyptian Museum is east of the Hilton. Crossing the Cornish is very difficult, however.

Or you can get the police man directing traffic at the turn off for the Hyatt to help you cross the street. You walk north from there to the Hilton. You'll still walking next to the Nile, but you'll have a busy road between you & the River. This route also is good because it's easy to catch a black & white taxi.

There are all sorts of cars which will pick you up at the entrance to the lobby of the Hyatt. There is a man outside the hotel who will get you what you want. Be sure to tell them what type of car you want -- you may end up with a Mercedes when all you want is a smaller, clean vehicle. He will tell you what the prices are. He also will tell you how to get picked up from the Egyptian hotel.

These cars are more expensive than the black & whites, but probably better for someone who is not used to Cairo.

Walking is possible in Cairo and a lot of fun. You always have to be on the lookout when crossing the street. Crossing with other people who look like Egyptians is a good idea. Don't show any hesitation or they'll take advantage of that and step on the gas.

Another place that's good for walking is the island of Zamalek. You can take the hotel taxi to it. Zamalek is an upper middle class area with embassies and stores and schools, and a couple museums. You probably won't be in an area like this on your trip. I think it's nice to go places that are not catering to tourists. I like the Ceramics Museum behind the Marriott. The Marriott has an outdoor restaurant in a lovely vista where you can get things to nibble on.

Don't worry about getting lost. They Egyptians are very friendly & helpful people, although they are apt to give you directions when they have no idea how to get there. You can always hail a b/w cab.

Thanks for all of the info, sunshine!

Looking again at the map & from your advice it looks like maybe a good plan would be to get a taxi from the hotel to the Mahmoud Khalil Museum on Gezira, check that out and then ceramic museum (hopefully open at that time of day) then go to the Marriott for a bite to eat on the terrace. We could then walk around Zamalek and then down to the Cairo Tower.

Does that sound do-able for an afternoon/evening? Assume we'd be able to get a taxi back to the Gr.Hyatt from the tower in the evening - true?

Then we could hold off on a second visit to the Egyptian Museum until the end of our trip when we have free time in Cairo -- and at that time we'll know what we've missed on the first run-through rather than repeating.

I really appreciate any help...so incredible to be able to talk to people who live in Cairo.

Crossing the streets in Cairo is not for the weak of heart! When we were back visiting in October, I held my breath until the group of kids my son was with (along with 2 teachers) safely crossed the Corniche (street along the Nile) in Ma'adi.

I miss a lot of things about living in Cairo...but that's not one of them!!!

Leslie - have a great time! Egypt is a spectacular place!

Sunshine, you forgot that the traffic on the Cornishe is all headed to Maadi and going south. She will have to go over to Kasr el Nil street to get a taxi traveling north. It's not that the taxis heading south can't do the turn around themselves and take you back to the museum, but I didn't want you coming and getting down on the street and being confused.

Another problem is that the Cairo Museum will close at 6 p.m. If you arrive to your hotel by 3, do you really think you'll be out before 4? The other museums you mentioned very likely don't stay open that late. Maybe Sunshine knows the hours for the ceramic museum though. Most museums will be closing down about 4 to lock up at 5.

The Grand Hyatt has faloukas right there next to it, so I'd be thinking about taking a falouka sail boat ride that night if the weather is half way decent. I think that would be an ideal way to relax after a long flight. Bring some drinks and some snacks and you'll be set for a great sail.

Another possibility that might be interesting is to come out of the hotel, walk down to the street and head right (south). Eventually, you will come to a foot bridge that takes you across the narrow Nile there back to the island. On the island turn left and walk down to the Nileometer and the Ohm Kalthum museum. Again, it might be closed by the time you get there, but it would be a super easy walk (NO major streets to cross at all) and would lead you to an interesting area and neighborhood. I'd suggest you either come back the way you went or take a business card from the hotel with the name written in Arabic so you can show it to any Black and White or Yellow taxi and get back easy.

If all else sounds too hard, take the chance and cross the street to the Four Seasons Nile Plaza (across the street - the police will stop the traffic eventually for you to cross safely) and explore it. Treat yourself to a super nice dinner, some shopping in their mall. Actually your hotel has quite a mall in it too, as well as several restaurants, bars, and the Cairo Hard Rock Cafe.

I think you'll be able to entertain yourself.

Have fun!

Many thanks again to the experts!!
I'm happy to have some good ideas for filling that time. :)

Casual Debbie is correct about the trafic only being southbound on the Corniche at that point. Keep that in mind so you don't get confused, but walk along the Nile.

Casual Debbie also is right about the timing. I misread it and thought it meant that they had to be back at the hotel by 3pm. That's what I get for answering it at 4 am. Sorry.

Good news on the Ceramic Museum. It's open daily from 9.30 to 1.30 and from 5.30 to 10. Here's the website: www.icm.gov.eg/E_introduction.html.

The Mahmoud Khalil Museum is open daily (except Monday) from 10.00 am to 6:00 pm. No tickets are sold afte 5:30 pm. Here's its website: www.mkhalilmuseum.gov.eg.

Please note that the M.Khalil Museum is in Giza and not on Gezira. Giza is on the west side of the Nile. The museum is on the west bank of Nile in Giza. You definitely will want to take a taxi to it from your hotel and from it to Zamalek. I think it's not far from Zamalek, but rely on Debbie for her advice on this.

Debbie's felucca ride sounds nice, too.

For dinner, besides the Marriott, there is an outdoor restaurant in your hotel which is nice and right on the Nile. The food is better and more expensive than the Marriott's Terrace restaurant. The Four Seasons has a great Italian restaurant, but it's more formal and more expensive.

Please also note that the Terrace Hotel at the Marriott is not the Egyptian Nights restaurant at the Marriott.

Have fun!

Thanks again - so much good advice.

Does anyone have an opinion on the Cairo Tower - is that a good thing to try to work into our itinerary for that one afternoon? Have read it's got a great view of the city and is best at sunset.

The Cairo Tower is under construction now. If they finish it and it's open, it might be nice. My hope is that they turn it into a decent place, but that remains to be seen. It sure wasn't any good for anything but a view before.

To tell the truth, when people want a view like that, I take them up to the bar at the Grand Hyatt to look out the windows there. It's not a 360 view, but it's a good 180. Probably the best 180 in the city and through clean windows, with a safe elevator ride up to the 40th floor, which is worth something.

:)

Thanks for letting me know that about the tower - that'll save us a trip to that spot -- and we can just go to the top of our hotel and get the great view -- perfect.

I also wanted to thank Sunshine and Casual Debbie for the information on the Museum of Islamic Ceramics. I'll be staying at the Marriott in a few days and love Islamic design. I don't know if it would have occurred to me to check out this museum. Very nice to have the link to their website, too. Thanks to both of you from me as well!