Wadi Degla Protectorate

Cairo


To get away from the chaos of Cairo, do as the locals do and escape to Wadi Degla on the southern outskirts of the city. Set off on a hike through the gorgeous gorges or just soak up the stunning views from the plateaus. If you’re lucky, you might cross paths with a fox or a deer, but chances are you’ll end up enjoying the silence of nature.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Cairo attractions

2. Church of St Simeon the Tanner

5.9 MILES

The Church of St Simeon the Tanner, is carved into a cave on a ridge of Muqattam Hill. Thought to be the biggest church in the Middle East, it seats 17…

3. Perception Mural

6.13 MILES

Created by French-Tunisian street artist eL Seed, this mammoth mural of swirling Arabic calligraphy covers 50 buildings in Manshiyet Nasr and quotes St…

4. Carriage Museum

6.27 MILES

Houses a collection of carriages used by Egypt's royalty from Khedive Ismail to King Farouk. Like many of the Citadel museums though, it's often shut.

5. Mosque of Suleiman Pasha

6.33 MILES

Sulieman Pasha, governor of Cairo's Janissary troops, built this small Ottoman-style mosque in the early 16th century.

6. Gawhara Palace & Museum

6.36 MILES

South of Mohammed Ali’s mosque is the Gawhara Palace & Museum, a lame attempt to evoke 19th-century court life, but it’s most often closed. There are…

7. Mosque of An Nasir Mohammed

6.36 MILES

Dwarfed by Mohammed Ali’s mosque, this beautiful 1318 mosque is the only Mamluk work that Mohammed Ali didn’t demolish – instead, he used it as a stable…

8. Citadel

6.37 MILES

Sprawling over a limestone spur on the city's eastern edge, the Citadel, started by Saladin in 1176 as a fortification against the Crusaders, was home to…