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Voykit pocket guide · Egypt
Memphis, Egypt
Do a half‑day day trip from Cairo (taxi round‑trip ~200 LE, museum entry 35 LE) – no overnight stay needed.
Memphis is an open‑air archaeological site about 24 km south of Cairo. A single half‑day visit from Cairo covers the museum and nearby ruins; stay in Cairo.
- Country
- Egypt
- Best months
- Oct–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (very hot)
- Stay
- 0 nights
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 250–350 excl. bed · Mid EGP 350–600 excl. bed · High EGP 600+ 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 |
|---|---|
| Taxi round‑trip Cairo‑Memphis‑Cairo | ≈200 LE |
| Museum entry ticket | 35 LE |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CAI · Cairo International Airport
- —
Typical fares
- Cairo → Memphis → Cairo (taxi, day hire)
- about 200 LE total (check exact fare)
- Museum entry
- 35 LE per person
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
Hire a taxi for the day (≈200 LE round‑trip). The museum site is walkable; no public transport directly to the site.
See and do
Known for
- Open‑air museum of ancient Memphis
- Colossus of Ramses II
- UNESCO World Heritage site
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Saqqara | Taxi from Memphis, about 15 min | ≈45 min total |
| Dahshur | Taxi from Memphis, about 30 min | ≈1 h |
| Abusir | Taxi from Memphis, about 30 min | ≈1 h |
Sleep
- Cairo city centre
- Best base for day trips to Memphis, Saqqara and other Lower‑Egypt sites.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much does it cost? | بكم هذا؟bikam hādhā? |
| I would like a taxi to Memphis | أريد تاكسي إلى ممفيسurīd tāksī ilā Memphis |
| Where is the toilet? | أين الحمام؟ayna al‑ḥammām? |
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
- Museum opening hours vary; check locally before travel.
- The site is exposed; bring water and sun protection.
Generally safe; watch for traffic and pickpockets in crowded markets.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Memphis, Egypt yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Open‑air museum of ancient Memphis
- Colossus of Ramses II
- UNESCO World Heritage site
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: Memphis (Egypt), revision 5073848 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5073848
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/memphis-egypt). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.