# Maadi or Zamalek?



## bermac

I am hoping to move to Cairo in the next few months. I am waiting for a final offer from the company - HR is in the process of finalizing the offer.

The company location is in New Maadi and we are wondering if we want to live in Old Maadi or Zamalek. We have no children but will be bringing our Labradoodle. All our kids are at university.

We are looking for a more urban lifestyle with access to restaurants, nightlife etc rather than a suburban feel...

BUT

is it reasonable to commute each day from Zamalek to New Maadi? Is the metro a possibility?

This may have been answered elsewhere but I have not been able to find such a specific question.

Thanks
David


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## aykalam

bermac said:


> I am hoping to move to Cairo in the next few months. I am waiting for a final offer from the company - HR is in the process of finalizing the offer.
> 
> The company location is in New Maadi and we are wondering if we want to live in Old Maadi or Zamalek. We have no children but will be bringing our Labradoodle. All our kids are at university.
> 
> We are looking for a more urban lifestyle with access to restaurants, nightlife etc rather than a suburban feel...
> 
> BUT
> 
> is it reasonable to commute each day from Zamalek to New Maadi? Is the metro a possibility?
> 
> This may have been answered elsewhere but I have not been able to find such a specific question.
> 
> Thanks
> David


Hi David,

Welcome to the forum!

If you are working in Maadi I would advice living nearby. Both areas you mention are well known for restaurants, shops, etc. but the commute in Cairo rush hour is not something I would wish on my worst enemy  

Also, Maadi has a large expat community, which can make settling down a lot easier. There are forum members living in Zamalek, so they may be able give you a different perspective.

I found this on the news today, have a look around. 

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/402778


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## txlstewart

New Maadi is a bit dirtier than other parts of Maadi. I live in Degla--can walk to lots of shops and restaurants. It's also somewhat quieter than New Maadi, although every place will have the soothing sound of taxi horns blasting all hours of the day....


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## MaidenScotland

bermac said:


> I am hoping to move to Cairo in the next few months. I am waiting for a final offer from the company - HR is in the process of finalizing the offer.
> 
> The company location is in New Maadi and we are wondering if we want to live in Old Maadi or Zamalek. We have no children but will be bringing our Labradoodle. All our kids are at university.
> 
> We are looking for a more urban lifestyle with access to restaurants, nightlife etc rather than a suburban feel...
> 
> BUT
> 
> is it reasonable to commute each day from Zamalek to New Maadi? Is the metro a possibility?
> 
> This may have been answered elsewhere but I have not been able to find such a specific question.
> 
> Thanks
> David




Hi David and welcome to the forum.


I am a big lover of Zamalek but I do not know New Maadi so really couldn't comment on what it is like to live there. 
If you are asking about the metro I am presuming you are not being offered a car and driver in your package, there is no metro on Zamalek the nearest one being the opera so you would still have the commute to the nearest metro station. Do you know that Zamalek is on an island?
Have you considered where you are going to walk/exercise your dog? To my knowledge there are no parks in Zamalek plus of course dogs are not socially accepted here the way they are in the west and you might find if you found a park that you couldn't use it to exercise your dog. Relying on public transport to take your dog to an open space (desert) means you will have to find a taxi that will accept your dog in the cab. You must also make sure that your landlord will allow a dog.

Good luck


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## marenostrum

it all depends where your job is.

for me priority has always been a short commute and i would suggest that here in cairo you aim for the shortest commute possible.....

I live in a flat in zamalek, the area is nice, quieter than others and the nile is 30m away from my block. BUT i do miss having a park or garden to chill and i do miss having a garden of my own so in the not to distant future i will probably find another area.


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## Karena

Hi David, I also have a dog, below are two websites both great if you have a dog , the first is Wadi Degla being not too far from Maadi, if you chose to live there and the second is the Gezira dog park in Zamalek
Wadi Degla |
Dog Runs in Cairo One reporter?s journey? - Cairo Pets

Please be aware that there are many stray dogs in Egypt and some of these dogs can be very aggressive, when I go walking my dog I tend to take a stick with me to scare them away.

Also, as your job will be located in Maadi, you would be much better living there as travelling in Cairo is manic, there are some lovely parts of Maadi, i.e. Degla, Old Maadi and most places take animals, I have never had a problem and if you can get one either with a small garden or roof terrace even better.

Good luck with your move.


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## MaidenScotland

Karena said:


> Hi David, I also have a dog, below are two websites both great if you have a dog , the first is Wadi Degla being not too far from Maadi, if you chose to live there and the second is the Gezira dog park in Zamalek
> Wadi Degla |
> Dog Runs in Cairo One reporter?s journey? - Cairo Pets
> 
> Please be aware that there are many stray dogs in Egypt and some of these dogs can be very aggressive, when I go walking my dog I tend to take a stick with me to scare them away.
> 
> Also, as your job will be located in Maadi, you would be much better living there as travelling in Cairo is manic, there are some lovely parts of Maadi, i.e. Degla, Old Maadi and most places take animals, I have never had a problem and if you can get one either with a small garden or roof terrace even better.
> 
> Good luck with your move.




Just read the link for Zamalek, I had no idea this was here and I suspect no one else does, I live by the bridge and until the revolution walked daily past this entrance and never saw a dog.


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## Karena

I didn't realise this was there either, I will let you know my feedback as there are a few of us arranging to go there with our dogs, we are also going to organise a trip to Wadi Degla with the dogs but when things are more settled.


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## canuck2010

Definitely go for Old maadi, there are many nice empty apartments/villas from all the expats who moved out and are not coming back so you'll be able to get a good deal. Parts of Degla are ok, but mostly large apartment towers with few sidewalks and few trees, so not very conducive for walking dogs. Be aware, certain 'green areas' between the roads and other places frequently get dosed in rat poison that also doubles as dog poison. Many dogs have been poisoned. This is another factor to consider when walking one's dog.


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## RPC

David, I have lived in Maadi, Zamalek and 6th of October and had a dog as well. There is no perfect answer to your question, in all cases you will find positive and negative things to deal with. My opinion:
1. Social life is definitely in Zamalek !!!!!
2. Walking dogs in Maadi will become a nightmare (especially in areas with lot's of Villas) since most locals are now buying dangerous dogs for "protection" and have no idea how to raise-deal with them. When in Zamalek, I used to walk my dog in the Gezira Club. A few years ago you could become a member for a non prohibitive cost or you could buy a daily entrance (was 20 egy pounds a day). I use to walk him in from the horse club entrance and we would walk around the golf area and horse racing ring. 
3. Traffic is a problem when moving in Cairo .... it will take some time to commute to Maadi from Zamalek and viceversa if done in pick times. It can take 20 minute with no traffic or 1 hour when really crowded during the Ramadan period. 
At the end ... my choice would be .... Zamalek! ;-)!


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## MaidenScotland

RPC said:


> David, I have lived in Maadi, Zamalek and 6th of October and had a dog as well. There is no perfect answer to your question, in all cases you will find positive and negative things to deal with. My opinion:
> 1. Social life is definitely in Zamalek !!!!!
> 2. Walking dogs in Maadi will become a nightmare (especially in areas with lot's of Villas) since most locals are now buying dangerous dogs for "protection" and have no idea how to raise-deal with them. When in Zamalek, I used to walk my dog in the Gezira Club. A few years ago you could become a member for a non prohibitive cost or you could buy a daily entrance (was 20 egy pounds a day). I use to walk him in from the horse club entrance and we would walk around the golf area and horse racing ring.
> 3. Traffic is a problem when moving in Cairo .... it will take some time to commute to Maadi from Zamalek and viceversa if done in pick times. It can take 20 minute with no traffic or 1 hour when really crowded during the Ramadan period.
> At the end ... my choice would be .... Zamalek! ;-)!


1 hour during Ramadan lucky you, it takes me an hour every Tuesday night and no Ramadan traffic lol


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## marenostrum

MaidenScotland said:


> 1 hour during Ramadan lucky you, it takes me an hour every Tuesday night and no Ramadan traffic lol


I agree. I commute to Maadi on a regular basis and I can tell you that most times it takes me one and a half hours and this is not me driving but an egyptian.


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## RPC

...right.....avoid the traffic then and have a great time in Maadi ! ....if you can :-{


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## lukas

Social Life is in Zamalek. For dog walks we use the Gezira Club where many, many dog owners are. 1 year membership is 800 USD. The price is comuting to Maadi...


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## bermac

Hi everyone

Thanks for the great advice. I think we will look in Old Maadi where I will be close to work (office in New Maadi) and also close to Wadi Degla for biking, hiking, and dog walking. I would not want a long commute every day.

I found out today that my wife and I will be visiting Cairo shortly as an orientation with my future employer.

This forum is a great resource

David


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## bermac

Well we came and visited. The office is in New Maadi and we will like in Maadi Sarayat. We have even picked out a house that will be vacant when we arrive. The company requires us to live in Maadi and now that I have seen traffic driving from Zamalek to Maadi every day would be tiresome to say the least.

Thanks for all the advice. I guess we will just have to go to Zamalek to eat at trendy restaurants and shop at trendy shops. 

Maadi is so quiet (relatively speaking) and green so that is good.


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## jonesjones

having lived in maddi it a very intresting place as for cairo i found intresting
traveling i found local taxis the best way, find your self a good driver and he will look after you when going around the areas and i mean when going to your eating places or night life 
when travelling into cario by taxi traffic is funny and a must to be tried amazing
again maddi is nice 

jonesjones:juggle:


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