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Voykit pocket guide · Egypt
Abu Kabir
أبو كبير
Skip Abu Kabir unless you have family or business in Sharqia: it is a small agricultural town with no tourist sights, one restaurant and one hotel.
Abu Kabir is a quiet market town 80 km northeast of Cairo, known only for its cotton and grain trade. It has no museums, historic buildings or natural attractions. Most travellers pass through on the way to Zagazig or Mansoura. One night is more than enough if you must stay.
- Country
- Egypt
- Local name
- أبو كبير
- Best months
- Oct–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (extreme heat)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EGP
- Money
- Currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, also written LE or £E). Hotels, cruise boats and larger restaurants take cards; taxis, markets, small cafés, tips and toilet attendants are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget EGP 300–500 excl. bed · Mid EGP 500–800 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE sell tourist SIMs at Cairo airport with passport; about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB — check.
- Emergency
- Police 122 · Ambulance 123 · Tourist police 126 · Fire 180
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% even when service is added (it rarely reaches staff).; Guide, full day: US$10–20 per person.; Driver, full day: US$5–10.; Cruise crew: About US$5–10 per person per day in the envelope.; Toilet, porter, small help: EGP 10–30.
- Water
- Tap water is chlorinated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; do not drink Nile water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; attendants at sites expect EGP 10–20. Carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Microbus to Zagazig | EGP 20–30 |
| Meal at Duo Valley Restaurant | EGP 100–200 |
| Bottle of water | EGP 5–10 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CAI · Cairo International
- About 80 km (50 mi), 1.5–2 h by car (check road conditions)About 50 mi (80 km), 1.5–2 h by car (check road conditions)
Typical fares
- Cairo → Abu Kabir by car
- about US$5 fuel (2022 estimate; check)
- Microbus Abu Kabir → Zagazig
- EGP 20–30 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is walkable; taxis or microbuses connect to Zagazig (about 20 km (12 mi)) and Cairo.The town is walkable; taxis or microbuses connect to Zagazig (about 12 mi (20 km)) and Cairo.
See and do
Known for
- Cotton and grain market
- Local agriculture
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Zagazig | Microbus or taxi, about 20 min | 30 min |
| Cairo | Car or bus, about 1.5–2 h | 2 h |
| Mansoura | Microbus or taxi, about 1 h | 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Near the main square
- The only hotel listed is Ehan Elgandy in Hihya, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south; check availability.The only hotel listed is Ehan Elgandy in Hihya, about 3.1 mi (5 km) south; check availability.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام عليكمas-salamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much? | بكام؟bi-kam? |
| Where is the hotel? | الفندق فين؟al-funduq fein? |
| I don't understand | مش فاهمmish fahim |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum', handshake; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging strangers
- Eating: Right hand; accept tea; avoid: Refusing hospitality flatly
- Bargaining: Humour and patience; avoid: Anger
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in cities; avoid: Beachwear outside resorts
- Baksheesh: Keep small notes ready; avoid: Showing a thick wallet
- Photos: Ask; pay if agreed; avoid: Photographing police or military
Scams and watch-outs
- No tourist infrastructure; bring cash (EGP) as cards may not be accepted.
- Accommodation is very limited; book ahead or stay in Zagazig.
- Driving from Cairo costs about US$5 in fuel (2022 estimate); check current prices.
Abu Kabir is a safe, quiet town. Standard precautions apply: avoid walking alone late at night and keep valuables out of sight.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Abu Kabir yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Cotton and grain market
- Local agriculture
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Abu Kabir, revision 5337769 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5337769
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/abu-kabir). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.