5.0 on TripadvisorPrivate tour

Rosetta (Rashid) and Alexandria Private Day Tour from Cairo

Rashid's Ottoman houses and the Rosetta Stone story in the morning, then Alexandria's waterfront and the Qaitbay fort before the drive back. A 14 hour day.

Duration: About 14 hours, door to door
Where: Rashid (Rosetta) and Alexandria
Pick-up: Hotel in Cairo or Giza
Language: English (other languages on request)

RatesOn request

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Qaitbay Citadel on the Alexandria seafront

About this tour

This is a Delta town and a harbour in one day, and it is long. Rashid (Rosetta) lies 65 km east of Alexandria, and the desert road between Alexandria and Cairo is 220 km. Rashid is the far end of the day, so a large share of it is spent in the car. Written honestly, it is a 14 hour day.

Because of that, this tour is not a shortened version of our classic Alexandria day. Rashid takes the morning, when the old town is quiet and the houses are open. Alexandria gets one proper stop, the Qaitbay fort, in the afternoon light. You will not see the Bibliotheca Alexandrina or the catacombs on this day, as they close earlier in the afternoon and you would arrive too late. If those matter more to you, book the Alexandria day tour instead.

It suits people who want a quieter, less visited corner of Egypt and are happy to spend most of a day on the road. It does not suit young children, anyone who struggles with long drives, or anyone who wants to see the Roman sites of Alexandria. If you want both places without the rush, ask us about spending a night in Alexandria.

Rashid old town

Ottoman merchant houses with carved wooden screens, in the town where the Rosetta Stone was found

Rashid National Museum

A governor's house turned into a museum of local history, with a copy of the stone

Fort Julien

The restored fort near the river mouth where French soldiers found the stone in 1799

Citadel of Qaitbay

Alexandria's Mamluk sea fort, open into the evening

Corniche at dusk

A last stretch along the Alexandria seafront before the drive home

How the day runs

1
Around 5:30Pick-up and the road north
We leave early because the day needs every hour. Rashid lies 65 km east of Alexandria, so this first drive is the longest of the day. Your guide uses the time to tell you how Napoleon's expedition came to this coast.
2
Around 8:30Rashid old town
Rashid has Ottoman townhouses with wooden mashrabiya windows, built when the town was a busy river port. In the 19th century it was a popular stop for British visitors, known for these mansions. Your guide walks the lanes with you and takes you into the houses that are open. Restoration is going on in stages, and we cannot predict which restored houses are open on a given day, so we do not promise a particular house.
3
Late morningRashid National Museum
The museum is housed in the Arab Killy house, built for Arab Gali Hussein Bey, a governor of the city under the Ottomans. It reopened in 1986 as a museum of Rashid's own history: weapons, coins, pottery, manuscripts and crafts, plus a copy of the Rosetta Stone. The original has been in the British Museum in London since 1802.
4
MiddayFort Julien and lunch
The fort lies about 5 km north-west of the town, on the west bank of the Nile, close to the coast. French soldiers working on the walls in July 1799 pulled out the stone that later let Champollion read hieroglyphs. The fort was restored in the 1980s, reopened in 1985 and is listed as open to visitors, with views over the Nile. Opening hours are confirmed when we book. Lunch follows in Rashid.
5
Early afternoonCoast road to Alexandria
The coast road to Alexandria is about 65 km. Your guide gives you the short version of Alexandria's history on the way, so the fort makes sense when you arrive.
6
Late afternoonCitadel of Qaitbay and the corniche
The citadel is open until 8:00 pm, which is why it closes the day. Sultan Qaitbay built it between 1477 and 1479 on the ruins of the lighthouse of Alexandria, and you walk its courtyard and the three-storey keep. Then a short drive along the corniche as the light goes, and the long drive home. You reach Cairo late at night, usually around 22:00 or later.

What’s included

Included

Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Cairo or Giza
Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver
Private Egyptologist guide
Entrance fees to the sites listed in the day
Lunch in Rashid
Bottled water

Not included

Dinner
Tips
Egypt visa

Booking policies

Important information

This is a very long day

Expect to be home around 22:00 or later. The roads are slow at the end of the day, so build in an hour of margin and do not book an early flight the next morning.

What is open in Rashid

The old houses in Rashid are being restored in stages, and some of them are open and some are not. Your guide checks which doors are open before you travel. The Rashid National Museum is the planned anchor of the morning, and we confirm its opening hours when we book.

Wear

Closed shoes you can walk in, as the lanes are uneven. Alexandria's July and August daytime highs are about 30 C, and in January and February they are about 18 to 19 C, with wind off the water at the fort. Bring a layer if you travel in winter.

Photography

Rules differ from house to house and museum to museum, and some sites charge for cameras. Your guide tells you at each door before you take anything out.

Payment and deposit

Prices are in US dollars and the price in your written quote is the one that counts.
The deposit is 30 percent of the total price (50 percent for trips that start from 18 December to 5 January).
The balance is due 15 days before arrival. If you book later than that, the full amount confirms the booking.
Payment instructions come with your written quote.

Cancellation and refund

Send every cancellation by email so that we can confirm it in writing. The charge is a percentage of the tour price, and anything you paid above it is refunded.

Days before arrival	Normal dates	18 Dec to 5 Jan
Until 61 days	20%	35%
60 to 31 days	35%	50%
30 to 15 days	50%	75%
14 to 1 days, or no-show	100%	100%

A bank and payment fee of 6 percent is deducted from every refund. Full rules: terms and policies.

Children

Children under 3 travel free.
Children from 3 to 11.99 years pay 50 percent of the tour price.
From 12 years, travellers pay the adult price.

Please give the age of every child at the time of travel when you ask for a quote.

Travel tips

Know before you go

Full Egypt travel guide

Start early

Pickup around 8:00 gets you to the pyramids before the heat and the coach groups.

Wear

Closed shoes, a hat and sunscreen, expect sand, steps and uneven ground.

Extra tickets

Entry inside the Great Pyramid is an optional ticket bought on the day.

Photos

Photos are free outdoors; some tombs charge for cameras. Drones are not allowed.

Traveller reviews

What our travellers say

Tripadvisor 5.0 25 reviews · #49 of 483 in Giza

Google 5.0 7 reviews · Giza

●●●●●

A Fantastic Tour of Egypt

“The entire trip was seamlessly executed.”

●●●●●

Best tour guide!!

“He made our trip to the pyramids and Alexandria fun and memorable.”

●●●●●

Amazing 2 week trip

“My friends and I spent two weeks in Egypt and he was with us every step of the way.”

Read all 25 reviews on Tripadvisor

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FAQ

Questions about this tour

Still unsure? Message us on WhatsApp and a real person from our team will answer.

Is the Rosetta Stone in Rashid?

No. The original has been in the British Museum in London since 1802. In Rashid you see a copy in the museum and the fort where the stone was found.

Is this really possible in one day?

Yes, but it is a stretched one. The legs are Cairo to Rashid, 65 km along the coast to Alexandria, and 220 km back to Cairo, so most of the day is driving. We give each stop enough time but not much more.

Why not the library and the catacombs as well?

They close in the afternoon and the drive from Rashid would bring you to them too late. The classic Alexandria day tour covers them.

What is the difference between Rashid and Rosetta?

Nothing. Rashid is the Arabic name of the town and Rosetta is the old European form of it.

Can I do this over two days?

Yes, and it is more comfortable. Spending a night in Alexandria means a slower morning in Rashid and a full afternoon in the city. Ask us to build it.