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Islamic Cairo - Faith & Power beyond the Pyramids
7
days
from
£3,890
Book today with a deposit of
£584
23rd - 29th March 2027
Tour highlights
- Cairo’s finest Islamic architecture, from al-Azhar mosque to the grand Mamluk complexes.
- A fresh perspective beyond the pyramids, exploring the city’s rich medieval and Islamic heritage.
- At Saqqara, there is a private access to Djoser’s underground tomb, the earliest example of Egyptian monumental art.
- Includes time at the Grand Egyptian Museum.
For more than 500 years, Cairo was the heart of the Muslim world. The capital of powerful empires, a nodal point of trade linking Africa, Europe and Asia, and a great centre of scholarship and art, Cairo flourished brighter and for longer than any other Muslim city of the time. Its architectural legacy is vast: mosques, madrasas, palaces and tombs attest to its medieval splendour, enhanced by Egypt’s signature skill in building with stone. This tour explores these iconic monuments and reveals the vibrant culture and knowledge created in medieval Islamic Cairo. It also uncovers the city’s Muslim origins through the legacy of the Coptic and Pharaonic past.
Founded in AD 969 by the Fatimids, a Shi’ite Caliphate built to rival Baghdad, Cairo rose near existing Muslim settlements adjacent to the Coptic and Roman city of Babylon, across the Nile from the Great Pyramids of Giza. It went on to become the seat of the Ayyubids and Mamluks, whose empires expanded into today’s Türkiye, Iraq and Arabia, remaining the epicentre of Arabic and Islamic culture until the Ottoman conquest of 1517.
The great Fatimid and Mamluk monuments frame our tour, including al-Azhar mosque, one of the world’s oldest universities and the preeminent centre of Islamic scholarship for a millennium, and the Mamluk Sultans’ complexes of mosques, madrasas, hospitals and charitable buildings. We also visit the unique Abbasid-style mosque of Ibn Tulun, the only one of its kind outside Iraq, and the earliest Muslim constructions in Fustat along the Nile.
Continuities from the Coptic and Roman periods are found in the churches of Coptic Cairo, alongside special emphasis on the Pharaonic legacy in Islamic times. At Saqqara we explore Djoser’s Step Pyramid of 2650 bc – Egypt’s very first – and gain exclusive access to his underground tomb, the earliest example of Egyptian monumental art.
Itinerary
Fly at c. 9.30am (British Airways) from London Heathrow to Cairo, arriving c. 4.30pm. Time to settle into your room before an introductory lecture followed by dinner.
A reminder of the city’s pre-Islamic past, Coptic Cairo is the spiritual heart of Egypt’s Christian community. Nearby, the Mosque of Amr ibn al-Ās, the earliest Muslim building in Egypt and centre of the Umayyad Caliphate’s capital of Egypt. In the afternoon, visit the Citadel – the medieval-era seat of power, overlooking the city – and the Mosque of Ibn Tulun, notable for its vast courtyard and distinctive spiral minaret.
Begin the day in Fatimid Cairo, visiting the Al-Azhar Mosque, a centre of Islamic learning since the 10th century. Walk along the city’s historic walls and gates – including Bab al-Nasr and Bab al-Futuh – before visiting the Mosque of al-Hākim. We also explore the heart of medieval Cairo, strolling through the bustling souq from the Madrasa of Muayyad Shaykh to the mosque and mausoleum of Sultan al-Ghawri.
The Museum of Islamic Art houses one of the world’s finest collections of Islamic decorative arts. The day continues with a further walking tour of the expansive medieval city centre, ending at the famous Khan al-Khalili bazaar, where there is time to explore and enjoy the vibrant market.
An early-morning excursion to Saqqara, the vast necropolis of the ancient capital Memphis, famed for the Step Pyramid of Djoser and its decorated mastaba tombs. The visit includes a private visit to the Southern Tomb. Continue to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), where the rest of the day is spent.
Today is devoted to Mamluk Cairo. At the mausoleums of al-Qarāfa, we focus on the remarkable funerary complex of Sultan Qaitbay and other late Mamluk tombs. In the afternoon, explore the monumental complexes at the heart of Mamluk Cairo.
The Sarghitmish and the Sultan Hasan madrasas are outstanding examples of the variety of Mamluk architecture, notable for their monumental scale and refined decoration. Visit the Mosque of al-Rifā’ī – a vast 19th-century mosque – before driving to the airport for the direct flight to London Heathrow, arriving c. 9.00pm.
Expert speaker
Dr Peter Webb
Lecturer in Arabic at Leiden University and a specialist in the cultural history of the Muslim world. Peter has travelled extensively across the Middle East and Central Asia and has studied at the Universities of Damascus and Isfahan. He held a fellowship at the Museum of Islamic Art, Berlin, where he researched Muslim architecture and Arabic calligraphy, studying monuments of medieval Egypt and Uzbekistan. In Oman, he studied pre-Islamic sites and local shrines dedicated to ancient Arabian prophets in as part of his current research focus on the legends and history of Arabia. His publications include Imagining the Arabs (Edinburgh University Press, 2016), a comprehensive exploration of the Arab people in early Islam, and The Arab Thieves (Brill, 2019), a critical study of Arabian outlaw tales.
More tours led by Dr Peter Webb
Practicalities
Price, per person. Two sharing: £4,390 or £3,890 without flights. Single occupancy: £5,320 or £4,820 without flights.
Travel by private air-conditioned coach for airport transfers and excursions; hotel accommodation; breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners with wine, water and coffee; all admissions; all tips; all taxes; the services of the lecturer, tour manager and national guide.
Kempinski Nile Hotel: a 5-star hotel centrally located. Single rooms are doubles for sole use throughout.
Required for most foreign nationals. If you are flying with the group we will arrange for it to be issued on arrival; if you are flying independently this must be organised prior to arrival in Egypt. Passports must be valid for 6 months from entry into Egypt.
You will be on your feet frequently, and there is a considerable amount of walking and standing around. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.
Average distance by coach per day: 10 miles.
Between 10 and 22 participants.
Before booking, please refer to the FCDO website and Travel Health Pro to ensure you are happy with the travel advice for the destination(s) you are visiting.
Dates & prices
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2027
Date
Speaker
Price
Date:
23rd - 29th March 2027
Speaker:
Dr Peter Webb
Price:
from £3,890
(Based on two sharing)Combine with
We are happy to advise on combining this itinerary with another tour or event. Please contact us for information about linking accommodation and transport.
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