Normally I don’t go out of my way to visit a sight like Cairo Tower. It is very touristy and the view is about all it has to offer. But Cairo is such a dense, sprawling city that you should take the time to really see it from the nicest possible vantage point. . . which is Cairo Tower. It only costs 40 EGP and can be incorporated into one of your traverses across the city as you visit the sites. Allow about one hour for the trip. You wait 15 minutes for the elevator to the top. It would have been nice if they offered the option to walk up the stairs, but your only choice is the elevator. Once you get to the top, you are treated to an absolutely amazing view of the city. You will notice a few things right away:
1. The city is massive and extends for miles in every direction. You get a birds-eye view of all the major landmarks and you can finally orient yourself.
2. Seeing the pyramids from a distance is pretty cool. It also drove home the point that they are right next to the city.
3. Sports are important for Egyptians. You will see massive sports complexes, soccer stadiums, swimming pools, and parks from the tower.
4. The smog in Cairo is horrible. You can literally see the pollution that you sense when you are stuck in all the traffic.
This was a relaxing way to end the day. Everything else I did had a sense of chaos, but I really got to unwind at the top of Cairo tower.