The City of the Dead (Qarafa, Arafa) in Cairo, Egypt

adventure travel & photography

Destinations/Places: Pakistan ◦◦Turkey ◦◦ Egypt ◦◦ Bulgaria ◦◦ Mongolia ◦◦ Bangladesh ◦◦ Jordan ◦◦ Russia ◦◦ Turkmenistan ◦◦ Iran

Type: Photo stories (text and photos) ◦◦ Documentary ◦◦ Black and White ◦◦ Fine Art Prints ◦◦ Seascapes ◦◦ Urban

“The City of the Dead” (Qarafa, Arafa) is a four-mile-long cemetery stretching from the northern to the southern part of Cairo, located at the foot of Moqattam Hills, very close to the centre of Cairo. There are 5 cemeteries - the Northern Cemetery, Bab el Nasr Cemetery, the Southern Cemetery, the Cemetery of the Great and the Bab el Wazir.

It is both an ancient cemetery and a living part of Cairo. In the past, Egypt's rulers used this area to bury the dead because, at that time, it was outside the City itself. However, history has shown that since the time of the Pharaohs, this was considered a place where life begins. For many Cairo citizens, the “City of the Dead” is a mysterious, magical and foreboding area.

The cemeteries that make up the “City of the Dead” are very different from those in Western societies. The Egyptians traditionally buried the deceased in room-like tombs that also served as temporary housing for relatives during the prescribed forty-day mourning period. This is why the City of the Dead looks like a typical residential area. If you take a peek behind the walls, you will find not only graves and tombs, but also linens, beds, and other possessions.

It is a bustling network of tombs and mausoleums, where people live and work among their dead ancestors. This is a poor, urban Egyptian community that is an essentially illegal, but tolerated. Some say more than five million people live there, pursuing whatever work they can find. The “City of the Dead” population is overgrowing due to ongoing migration and a complex nationwide housing crisis.

The City of the Dead (Qarafa, Arafa) in Cairo, Egypt

The City of the Dead, or Cairo Necropolis (Qarafa, el-Arafa), is situated below the Mokattam Hills in southeastern Cairo, Egypt. You can reach it very easily by taxi. Another, maybe better option, would be to go there with a private guide. You can book a tour here. Some other options:

Half-Day Tour To City Of The Dead & Mosque Of Ibn Tulun In Cairo;

6-Hour Private Tour to the Alabaster Mosque City of Dead and Alazhar Park in Cairo;

If you'd like to learn more about this unique place, here are some recommended books:

Life, Death, and Community in Cairo's City of the Dead;

The City of the Dead: A History of Cairo's Cemetery Communities;

"The city of the dead" in Cairo - digital downloads and prints

Travel to Egypt

We usually have one or two small groups (max 7/8 participants) per year travelling to Egypt. If you are interested in joining a group setting out from Europe, please drop me a line. We will provide more information, like dates, a program, and other details.

Books about Egypt

Free delivery worldwide (with no minimum spend) from Book Depository (Amazon), a leading international book retailer. Please click on the title of the book to read the full description and to buy it.

Lonely Planet Guide Egypt

The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt

Tales of Ancient Egypt

A good selection of books about Egypt

Lonely Planet Guides for Egypt

Visa requirements

You can check out the procedure here.

Insurance

Do not travel without travel insurance! World Nomads, as it is the only company that covers an unlimited budget, provides coverage of a massive bunch of adventure activities and you can purchase it while on the road. Get a free quote using the form.

Travel Photography from Bangladesh

☘️ Write me an e-mail / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook