Flowing northwards through Cairo, the Nile divides into channels around the two major islands of Roda and Gezira. Gezira , the larger island, is further from the centre than Roda and notably more spacious and verdant than the rest of Cairo.

 

Across the island, elevated highways bear cross-town traffic to diverse districts on the west bank of the Nile, collectively known as Giza and administered as a separate governorate from Cairo. Moving south through its neighbourhoods, Imbaba is a working-class district and former site of Cairo's main camel market - a world apart from the adjoining Aguza , with its Corniche nightlife, and even more from the Dallas-style pretensions of Mohandiseen . Further south and east is Dokki , whose wealthy enclaves give way to baladi market quarters, the green lungs of Cairo's zoo and scattered university faculties, before the dusty expanse of Giza city extends to the Pyramids. Giza's transport and utilities are functionally integrated with Cairo's.