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Khan El Khalili Bazaars — Rates, Photos & Booking Help

A private guided stroll through Khan El Khalili — the legendary 14th-century Mamluk bazaar of spices, lanterns, silver and crafts in the heart of Islamic Cairo — with a stop for mint tea at a historic cafe. About 4 hours, from $50 per person.

4 Hours Private Tour Shopping & Culture 🛍️ Historic Bazaar
Khan El Khalili is a living market, so a little friendly bargaining is expected and part of the fun — start low and keep it good-natured. The lanes are paved and uneven, so comfortable shoes help, and because this is a conservative district, covering shoulders and knees is respectful. Always ask before photographing people, and leave time for a mint tea at El Fishawy, the historic cafe tucked among the alleys. Mornings and late afternoons are the most pleasant.
⭐27+ years of Egypt expertise since 1998
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🛡No booking fees — pay only on confirmation
🇪🇬Egypt-based tour operator with local crews

Khan El Khalili Bazaars — Overview

Founded in 1382 by the Mamluk amir Jaharkas al-Khalili — who built his great caravanserai on the site of a Fatimid royal mausoleum — Khan El Khalili has been the beating commercial heart of Cairo for more than six hundred years. Rebuilt and expanded by Sultan al-Ghuri in the early sixteenth century, it grew into a vast trading district where spice caravans, textile merchants and jewellers met at the crossroads of Africa, Asia and the Mediterranean.

Today it is a glorious labyrinth of narrow, lantern-lit alleys where the crafts of old Cairo are still made and sold: hand-beaten copper and brass, blown glass, inlaid wood, gold and silver, perfumes and spices, and the shimmering lamps for which the quarter is famous. Tucked among the lanes is El Fishawy, a café that has poured mint tea and shisha since the eighteenth century, and just beyond the market stand Al-Azhar Mosque — home to one of the world's oldest universities — and the revered shrine of Al-Hussein.

Part of UNESCO's Historic Cairo, the Khan is less a monument than a living stage of the city's daily life — the perfect place to wander, haggle, sip tea and feel the pulse of medieval Cairo still beating today.

Photos

The alleys of the Khan El Khalili bazaar Traditional lanterns for sale in Khan El Khalili Spice and perfume stalls in the bazaar The historic El Fishawy cafe in Khan El Khalili

Rates

Solo Guest

1 guest

$70per person

2 to 6 Guests

per person

$50per person

7+ Guests

per person

$30per person

Children

👶
Free Infant

Infants up to 4 years old join free of charge.

🎓
50% Discount Per Child

Children from 4 to under 12 years old receive a 50% discount.

Best For

Shoppers and souvenir-hunters, photographers, and anyone who loves the colour, noise and craft of a living market. It is a wonderful contrast to a day among the ancient monuments — relaxed, atmospheric and social — and pairs beautifully with a Coptic and Islamic Cairo tour or an evening out. Families enjoy the sights, sounds and sweets, and your guide keeps the bargaining friendly and the pace easy.

What You’ll See

  • The labyrinth of medieval alleys at the heart of Islamic Cairo
  • Artisan workshops in copper, glass, inlaid wood and textiles
  • Shops of spices, perfumes, silver, gold and traditional lanterns
  • A mint tea or coffee at El Fishawy, a cafe serving since the 18th century
  • The nearby Al-Azhar Mosque, one of the oldest universities in the world

Tour Includes

  • Pick-up service from your hotel
  • Egyptology guide
  • Entrance fees to sightseeing as per the program
  • All transfers by a private air-conditioned vehicle
  • Bottled water during your trip
  • All taxes & service charge
  • Drop-off at your hotel

Tour Excludes

  • Tips
  • Meals and beverages
  • Any extras not mentioned in the itinerary

Tour FAQ

How long is the tour?
About 4 hours, plus hotel pickup and drop-off time depending on where you are staying in Cairo or Giza.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes. Pickup and drop-off at your Cairo or Giza hotel are included in a private, air-conditioned vehicle.
Is entry to the bazaar free?
Yes. Khan El Khalili is an open-air market with no entrance fee — you only pay for what you choose to buy. Your private guide and transfers are included.
Is bargaining expected?
Yes, friendly haggling is part of the experience. A relaxed smile and a counter-offer of about half the asking price is a good place to start, and your guide can help.
Is there a dress code?
The bazaar sits in a conservative district, so covering shoulders and knees is respectful, and a scarf is handy if you step into a nearby mosque.
When is the best time to go?
Early morning and late afternoon are the most pleasant, with softer light and thinner crowds.
Can children join?
Absolutely. Infants up to 4 are free, and children from 4 to under 12 receive a 50% discount.
Please Note: Prices are calculated based on entrance fees, fuel price and local taxes as at June 30, 2020. Any increase in entrance fees, fuel price or local taxes will be reflected on any unpaid tour immediately. However, any pre-paid tour will not be affected by the change of rates. We highly recommend booking your tours in advance to be protected from price fluctuation.

Early Booking Benefits

💰 Payment & Deposit
  1. Deposit: only 20% deposit at the time of booking.
  2. Installments: 0% interest, equal monthly installments. The last installment is required 30 days before the tour date.
🛌️ Tour Privileges — all tours booked 6 months in advance get
  1. A private guide free of charge, without supplements.
  2. Your choice of guiding language: English, French, Italian, German or Spanish.
📅 Flexibility (Changes)
  1. Date change: free of charge, with respect to seasonality price, up to 7 days before the tour date.
  2. Tour swap: free of charge, with respect to the price difference between both tours, up to 7 days before the tour date.
  3. Name change: free of charge up to 7 days before the tour date.
📉 Price Fluctuation Protection
  1. Price increase guarantee: your price is protected against any future increase in tour rate, fuel price, government taxes or entrance fees.
  2. Price drop guarantee: you receive a refund of the difference if the price drops (same booking conditions).
🌍 National / Global Shutdown Protection

Examples: pandemic, airspace closure, or force-majeure events affecting all tours.

  1. Postpone travel date free of charge: move your travel to a later date, keeping the exact same booked plan, benefits and conditions.
  2. Full refund: receive a 100% refund.