Read top Egypt tours FAQs
Cairo Top Tours' tour operators will customize your tours according to your budget and interests. You shouldn't worry about anything with us because we will take care of all the details of your vacation. That is why we provide a variety of travel alternatives that are affordable while providing an amazing vacation experience. We will work directly with you to ensure that you stay within your budget while enjoying the wonderful experiences. Please contact us immediately to learn more about our budget-friendly travel choices!
Egypt is considered one of the safest countries not only in the Arab world but in the world because Egypt has one of the strongest security services. The Egyptian government is interested in taking all the necessary safety measures to secure tourist trips in Egypt, so you do not have to worry about that at all.
Yes, the Grand Egyptian Museum is officially open for visitors. Come and explore the world’s largest collection of Pharaonic treasures, from the majestic statues to the dazzling artifacts of ancient Egypt. Your unforgettable journey into history starts here.
In the case of cancellation of the trip by the customer, based on the start dates of the trip, the following costs will be charged:
15% of the total cost of the trip, with cancellation from the booking date up to 61 days before the start date of the trip
25% of the total cost of the trip, with cancellation from 60 to 31 days before the start date of the trip
35% of the total cost of the trip, with cancellation 30 to 15 days before the start date of the trip
Check out our partners
The Roda Nilometer in Cairo is an ancient structure used to measure the Nile River's water level during the annual flood, crucial for predicting the agricultural yield and preventing both famine and catastrophic flooding. Built in 861 AD, it consists of an octagonal marble column within a well, with markings in cubits to gauge the water's height. The readings from the Nilometer helped determine if the flood was "just right," too low (leading to drought), or too high (leading to floods).
It was used to measure the flooding of the Nile, based on which taxes are determined in the next agricultural year. The Egyptians have known since ancient times the construction of scales throughout the country to recognize the height of the Nile due to its close relationship with the land and the collection of tribute, i.e., taxes or state funds.
The stages of the work have a precise organization and timing, as well as from the start of drilling the well and the tunnels connected to it, until the work is completely completed in the construction of the well: its walls, tunnels and the column that was placed exactly in the axis of the well. The hole that was used to build the well was square, with a side of at least ten meters, and a height of at least 12 meters, so it was necessary to dig at least 1200 cubic meters of dust and clay, and to that depth. This archaeological scale is:
surmounted by a 19-arm Roman crown, on which measurement marks are engraved. The column is centered on a square well-constructed with courteous stones, the thickness of which was taken into account in its construction to increase the greater the depth. Therefore, the well was constructed of three layers: the lower one in the form of a circle, topped by a square layer with a side larger than the diameter of the circle, and the upper Square, and the last one with a side larger than the middle square. It should be noted that the thickness of the walls and their gradation in this way indicate that the Muslims were aware of the geometric theory.
Running around the walls of the well from the inside is a staircase that reaches the bottom. These openings are surmounted by pointed arches resting on columns embedded in the walls, with Capitals and Lancet bases. The middle column is based on a sycamore wood base because it is the only one that is not affected by water, to install it from below, and it is fixed from above by a Shadad award (as a bond), and it has an inscription in kufi for a Quranic verse The archaeological aspect of the scale.
The current scale on Al-Rawda island is the second oldest Islamic monument after the remains that do not remain in the mosque of Amr ibn al-Aas; it is also attributed to the Abbasid era. The whole gauge was kept in good condition thanks to maintenance and repair works carried out by the Ministry of Works in 1927.
Historians have agreed that this scale was built in the year 247 AH (861 AD) by order of al-Mutawakkil, the Abbasid caliph. Some attributed it to the caliph Al-Ma'mun.
