Shopping is not just buying and selling; it is about haggling over the prices of souvenirs that smell like the vacation that will capture your memories. From a mazelike alleys of Khan el-Khalili in Cairo to elegant air-conditioned malls overlooking the Mediterranean Sea is something that you will find in Egypt. Sounds magical, doesn’t it? So, if you are planning to go souvenir shopping in Egypt, then make sure that you go through this guide!
Top Things To Buy In Egypt
Egypt tour packages let you spend one or two days according to your choice. A lot of the time, the tourists take this time to go souvenir shopping, but they don’t know what to shop. So, here we have mentioned some of the things that you can get from Egypt.
Mother-of-pearl boxes
A beautiful wooden box with mother-of-pearl inlays is a great souvenir you can actually use. These boxes come in many sizes, from small ones you can carry in your pocket to large ones that look great on a table. They are made with mother-of-pearl or cheaper materials like seashell or plastic. You can buy them at Cairo’s famous Khan el Khalili market or in tourist shops across Egypt.
The art of putting inlays into wood has been around for a long time. Ancient Egyptians used it to decorate wooden shrines and mummy cases. Making mother-of-pearl boxes is a careful process. First, the artisan cuts beech wood and joins it together. Then, they apply white resin and carefully place hundreds of mother-of-pearl pieces. After that, the box is smoothed with sandpaper, and the inside is lined with velvet.
- Where to Buy?: Khan el Khalili, Cairo, and different souks
- Price range: 250 EGP to over 450 EGP
Personalised Notebooks and Photo Albums
This lovely bookshop is on a small street behind Cairo’s famous Al Azhar Mosque. It’s right across from Khan el Khalili and close to the Khayamiya tent market. Abd El-Zaher sells handmade leather notebooks, cheap notepads, photo albums with old-style corners, sketchbooks, vintage postcards, and a few books. You can have your name stamped (in Arabic or English) right into any notebook while you wait. You can also watch the workers make the letters by hand.
- Where to Buy?: Abd El-Zaher Bookshop, Islamic Cairo
- Price Range: 276.17 EGP to 13127.18 EGP
Fayoum Pottery
Fayoum pottery has strong but simple designs. It often shows palm trees, animals, birds, and nature. Some patterns are shaped like lines or shapes and use bright colours, but the pottery stays calm and not too flashy. It mostly uses natural, earthy tones. The best place to buy Fayoum pottery is in Fayoum itself. It’s about 100 kilometres from Cairo and a great day trip; you can swim in Magic Lake, try sandboarding, and see ancient whale fossils at Wadi El Hitan. To buy pottery, visit Tunis Village, which has a well-known pottery school. The village is on a hill by a lake. In the 1980s, Swiss potter Evelyn Porret started a pottery studio there, which helped make pottery popular in the area.
- Where To Buy?: Fayoum, Khan el Khalili and boutiques in Zamalek
- Price Range: 100 EGP to 400 EGP
Dates
Dates are a tasty and healthy snack that are better than sticky sweets from other places. You can buy them in big markets and stores all over Egypt. But not all dates are the same. The best ones come from Siwa Oasis in Egypt’s Western Desert. Siwa is a beautiful place with amazing views, salt pools, hot springs, and a rich Amazigh culture. The soil and water there make Siwa dates very sweet. People in Siwa use these dates in traditional dishes like elhuji (eggs, olive oil, and dates) or tarfant (bread, olive oil, and dates). Siwa dates have been enjoyed in Egypt for thousands of years, since ancient times. They are rich, sweet, and chewy, like caramel. To meet the demand, Siwi farmers harvest about 25,000 tons of dates each year from around 280,000 date palm trees.
- Where To Buy?: Khan el Khalili, Siwa Oasis, souqs around Egypt and most large grocers
- Price Range: EGP 76 and EGP 145 per kilogram
Handblown Glass
The City of the Dead was once a scary and confusing part of Cairo that most tourists avoided. Now, though, more people are stepping past the myths. Young travellers and small tour groups are exploring its beautiful old buildings. Besides the famous ancient tombs and mosques, the area is known for its traditional crafts like glass blowing, woodwork, and metalwork. Glass blowing here goes back to the Middle Ages, and local artisans made beautiful lamps and decorations for old buildings. A great place to start a walking tour is the recently restored Complex of Sultan al-Ashraf Qaytbay. Right next to his mosque, you’ll find popular glass-blowing workshops.
- Where to Buy?: City of the Dead, Cairo
- Price Range: 185 EGP to over 590 EGP
Papyrus Replicas
In Giza, there are whole streets full of shops and museums that sell papyrus products. Inside, you can see a salesman show how ancient Egyptians used to make paper from papyrus plants by removing the soft centre. You can buy papyrus replicas all over Egypt. These are one of the most popular souvenirs tourists buy. The replicas come in different sizes, prices, and quality. Some are large, hand-drawn scrolls made from real papyrus, showing ancient Egyptian scenes or Quran verses. Others are small, printed bookmarks made from cheaper dried banana leaves. These are often sold by friendly but pushy sellers near temples along the Nile. Even though they’re not always made with real papyrus, they’re a great souvenir because they’re unique to Egypt, easy to carry, and look nice when framed.
- Where to Buy?: Khan el Khalili, Giza, Luxor, Aswan and souqs across Egypt
- Price Range: 23.77 EGP to 23766.48 EGP
Ramadan Lanterns
Egypt’s famous Ramadan lanterns, called fanoos, were first made in Egypt during the Fatimid period (10th to 12th centuries). They were used to light up the streets during Ramadan, when Muslims go to mosques for late-night prayers. The lanterns are also linked to the mesaharaty, people who walk the streets before dawn to wake neighbours and help them eat a final meal before fasting. These beautiful lanterns give Cairo a special, magical feel, which is why visitors from all over the Muslim world come to see the holiday atmosphere.
Traditional fanoos are made of copper and colored glass, with a candle holder, and are decorated with detailed, intricate designs. However, there are also cheaper versions made of plastic with batteries (often made in China) and simple tin lanterns. Like many traditional Egyptian crafts, metal lantern making is slowly disappearing, so people are working to protect and keep this art alive.
- Where to Buy?: Souks across Egypt
- Price Range: 10 EGP to 3,000 EGP
Perfume Oils
You can find essential oil sellers all over Egypt, from the busy streets of Khan el Khalili to the fancy shops in Zamalek. Salesmen carefully pour the oils into small, pretty glass bottles or put them in roller balls. These perfumes are very popular in Egypt and are often sold near mosques, where people wear them on Fridays for prayers. If you like sweet, flower-like scents, try jasmine or lotus oil. For something richer and more traditional, try musk, sandalwood, or amber. Even though many of the oils in Khan el Khalili come from the same places, buying one in a beautiful glass bottle makes a great souvenir.
- Where to Buy?: Khan el Khalili and shops across Egypt
- Price Range: 100 EGP to 750 EGP
Best Markets in Egypt
Now that we know about some of the best things to buy in Egypt, it is important that you know some of the amazing local markets where you can get some of the best souvenirs for your loved ones back home. Some of them are mentioned below:
- Khan El Khalili Bazaar: Perfume oils, Papyrus (especially customised), Silver cartouche necklaces, Spices, and Lanterns.
- El Azbegkeya Wall: A wide variety of books ranging from classic novels to textbooks and religious books.
- Souq El Gom’aa (Friday Market): Vintage Egyptian coins, Retro posters, Brass trays, Unique decorative items, Cheap leather bags, and Old cameras.
- Wekalet El-Balah: Papyrus Art Scrolls, Brass and copper lanterns, Perfume oils, Scarves and cotton Galabeyas, Alabaster Statues, Mother of Pearl boxes, etc.
Shopping Tips for First-Time Visitors
- Haggle nicely: Haggling in the Egyptian markets is all too common, so make sure that you participate in it heartily. Do not accept the first price in one go; always try to bring it down.
- Carry Cash: Credit cards or any kind of cards are not usually acceptable in the local markets. So, carry cash along with you.
- Dress Modestly: When you are visiting these souks, make sure that you wear something that covers your shoulders and knees.
- Avoid going to the “Guide” shops: Make sure that you don’t go to the shops that are suggested by the driver or guide. They get a commission on your purchase, which means that you will be paying much more than it actually costs.
- Follow a smart shopping strategy: Following a smart shopping strategy is very important if you don’t want to pay a ton for cliché items. Make sure that you stay polite but firm, walk away if the seller is not agreeing on the price, and always compare the prices at at least 3 shops before buying. Other than that, make sure that you don’t show excitement if the price falls. Stay neutral.
Note: Read “Trending Travel Experiences and Best Things to Do in Egypt” for detailed information about what are some things you can do in Egypt.
In the End
Shopping in Egypt isn’t just about buying souvenirs; it’s like experiencing the culture. It’s fun to haggle with a smile, the smell of fresh spices in the air, the shine of gold items under the warm lights of the markets, and the happy feeling when you find something handmade and special. Whether you’re walking through the busy streets of Khan el-Khalili in Cairo or checking out stores in modern Alexandria, stay curious and confident. Ask questions, compare prices, take your time, and pick things that feel meaningful to you, not just things you see on tourist lists. Make your trip even more memorable with Travel Saga Tourism. Book your package with us today!
