Which tours really take you inside a pyramid, how the new entrance and shuttle buses work,
and the hours that beat the heat and the crowds, compared honestly before you book.
Facts checkedHours, tickets and entrance rules from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Real guest ratingsLive GetYourGuide figures, review counts checked
Refund terms per tourEvery tour here refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead
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Tours
Choose your Giza pyramids tour
The editors' pick in the centre gives you your own Egyptologist, a car and a camel ride in four
hours. The museum day adds the Grand Egyptian Museum and lunch. The QR ticket is for visitors going on their own.
The pyramids, the Sphinx and the Valley Temple, lunch at a local restaurant, then the Grand Egyptian Museum with your Egyptologist. Both tickets are included.
What's included
Pickup and drop-off in Cairo or Giza
An Egyptologist guide, an air-conditioned vehicle and water
Entry to the pyramids area and the Grand Egyptian Museum
Your own Egyptologist and car from your hotel to the pyramids, the Sphinx and the Valley Temple, with a camel ride of 10 or 30 minutes. Entry to the pyramids area is included.
What's included
Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo or Giza
A private Egyptologist guide and an air-conditioned car
Entry ticket to the pyramids and Sphinx area
A camel ride of 10 or 30 minutes, by option
Not included: the ticket inside any pyramid, lunch
A QR ticket for the Giza pyramids area that takes you straight to the gate. No guide, no transport and no pyramid interior: you explore the whole site at your own pace.
What's included
QR entry ticket to the Giza pyramids area
The pyramids, the Panorama and the Sphinx area at your own pace
Site buses or your own feet between the stops
Not included: pyramid interiors, a guide, transport
Save a screenshot: phone signal at the gate is weak
The first row is the baseline: the plateau on your own, with a ticket from the official site or the
office and a taxi there and back. What a tour adds is the car from your hotel, an Egyptologist who explains what
you are looking at, and an easy way to add the museum or Saqqara on the same day.
Option
Starts
Best for
Length
Rating
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On your own with the official ticket
The plateau gate
Walkers who want no guide: the ticket from the official site or the gate, a taxi there and back
Only one listing here includes the ticket inside the Great Pyramid; on the others it is an
add-on or bought at the site. The ticket offices on the plateau take bank cards, not cash.
What the tour pages don't tell you
The inside is bare stone.
Almost every tour includes the plateau ticket, which covers the outside of the three pyramids, the Sphinx and
the Panorama viewpoint. Going inside a pyramid is a separate ticket, sold per pyramid and limited each day
for the Great Pyramid, and most listings leave it out or sell it as an add-on. The authorities also rotate the
interiors for maintenance: in September 2026 Khafre reopened and Menkaure closed.
Know what you are paying for. Inside the Great Pyramid you walk bent over up a low, steep passage, then the
tall Grand Gallery, to reach a plain granite chamber with an empty stone sarcophagus. It is warm and
narrow, and no Giza pyramid has paintings inside. Unforgettable for many, but if you dislike heat or tight
spaces, the view from outside is the real highlight. And the quad bikes and sunrise camel rides happen in the
desert outside the plateau, not between the pyramids.
146 m
the height of the Great Pyramid when it was finished, about
138 m today: the tallest structure built by people for more than 3,700 years.
Interiors: own ticketKhafre: openMenkaure: closedCard onlyShuttle buses
The Great Sphinx, with Khafre's pyramid behind.
01
Which tour?
A private half day for a first visit; a full day to add the museum or Saqqara.
02
How long?
Three to four hours on the plateau, one more if you go inside.
03
Which hour?
Opening time: cooler, softer light, before the coach groups.
04
Go inside?
For the experience, not for decoration; book the ticket early.
How a visit works
From the gate to the Sphinx
Since April 2025 everyone comes in through the new visitor centre on the Fayoum road, on the south
side of the plateau. Cars and coaches stop there; inside, electric shuttle buses loop between the stops.
01
Pickup or taxi
Tours collect you from your hotel in Cairo or Giza. On your own, a taxi or ride app takes 30 to 60 minutes from central Cairo.
Early start
02
The visitor centre
Show the QR code of an online ticket or pay by card at the office. Your guide usually handles this part.
Card, not cash
03
Panorama and pyramids
The shuttle stops at the Panorama viewpoint, then Menkaure, Khufu and Khafre. Go inside here if you hold an interior ticket.
2 to 3 hours
04
Sphinx and temple
The last stop: the Great Sphinx and the granite Valley Temple of Khafre beside it, then out by the Sphinx gate.
When the plateau opens, what each ticket covers, which kind of tour fits, how to get there and what to wear.
Opening: every day from 7 or 8 am depending on the season, last entry around 4 pm; shorter in Ramadan. Check the official site before you go.
Plateau ticket: the outside of the pyramids, the Sphinx, the Panorama and the shuttle buses; one entry per ticket.
Interiors: one ticket per pyramid; the Great Pyramid's is limited each day and can sell out in busy months.
Paying: bank cards only at the ticket office, or the Ministry's official website with a QR code on your phone.
Grand Egyptian Museum: a separate timed ticket, open late on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Half-day tours: four to six hours, the pyramids, the Panorama and the Sphinx, with hotel pickup.
Full days: seven to eight hours, adding the Grand Egyptian Museum or Saqqara and Memphis, usually with lunch.
Private tours: your own car and Egyptologist, a pace and a route you can change.
Rides: sunrise camel or horse rides and quad bikes run in the desert outside the plateau.
From the Red Sea: 15 to 20 hour days from Hurghada by road; from Sharm most trips fly.
From central Cairo: about 15 to 20 km, 30 to 60 minutes by taxi or ride app, longer at rush hour.
No metro yet: a line with a pyramids station is under construction.
From Cairo airport: 45 to 75 minutes across the city to Giza.
Sphinx International Airport: west of Giza, the closest airport to the pyramids.
From Hurghada: about 5 to 6 hours each way by road; staying a night in Giza is far more relaxed.
No formal dress code: shoulders and knees covered is respectful and keeps the sun off.
Shoes: closed shoes with grip for sand, uneven stone and the steep passages.
For the sun: a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and water, in every season.
A scarf: handy against wind and dust on the open plateau.
In Ramadan: dress more conservatively and avoid eating or drinking in public in daylight.
4,500YearsThe age of the Great Pyramid, built for King Khufu.
2.3 millionBlocksAbout 2.3 million stone blocks in the Great Pyramid.
73 mThe SphinxIts length, carved from the bedrock of the plateau.
9PyramidsThree great ones and six small queens' pyramids at Giza.
1979UNESCOThe pyramid fields from Giza to Dahshur were inscribed.
2 kmTo the museumThe Grand Egyptian Museum, fully open since November 2025.
Where visits start
Your hotel, or the visitor centre
The Giza pyramids visitor centre
Fayoum Road, south side of the Giza plateau
Almost every tour collects you from your hotel in Cairo or Giza, and the operator confirms the time the day
before, often by WhatsApp. On your own, ask the taxi or ride app for the pyramids visitor centre on the Fayoum
road: since April 2025 it has replaced the old gate by the Mena House hotel as the main entrance. Cars and
coaches park there, and electric shuttle buses take you around the plateau. You can leave through the gate
beside the Sphinx, where taxis wait.
4.9★★★★★ 7,825 reviews · Private Pyramids Tour with Camel Ride GetYourGuide figure
★★★★★
Haitham was an amazing guide. He shared so much about Egypt's history and truly brought everything to life. As a woman travelling solo, I felt safe the whole time.
★★★★★
We had an incredible excursion exploring the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum with Ahmed. He is so passionate and knowledgeable about Egyptian history, and his stories made every stop come alive.
★★★★★
So glad I was able to buy tickets ahead of time. No worries about internet onsite or ticket lines. Got sent the QR codes about two days ahead of time and got our whole group in.
★★★★★
I did the 4:30 am start and would highly recommend waking up early for the colours in the morning and less heat. Mohamed was an awesome guide and knew everything we asked. The breakfast afterwards was great too.
★★★★★
Our guide brought the history of the pyramids to life, and our driver made the whole trip comfortable and easy. Visiting the Great Pyramid of Khufu from the inside was a fascinating and unforgettable experience.
★★★★★
It was a long day, worth it. I learnt a lot about the history of Egypt, and our guide Ali gave us a lot of detail about the pyramids and how they were built. Loved visiting Saqqara and Memphis as well.
★★★★★
Esraa really knew her stuff, answered all my questions and her English was perfect. We started at the Sphinx gate, walked up to the pyramids and ended at the panoramic viewpoint. The driver was solid too.
★★★★★
Samaa was so lovely and very knowledgeable, and she kept me informed all day about the plan and the times. There was a nice balance of history and time to roam on your own.
★★★★★
The day was so much better than expected. A long journey, but we were looked after from the moment we were picked up. Ragab, our guide, took us to great spots around the pyramids.
After the pyramids
The museum next door
The Grand Egyptian Museum opened fully on 1 November 2025, about 2 km from the pyramids. It shows
Tutankhamun's complete tomb collection together for the first time, and Khufu's boat, which used to sit beside the
Great Pyramid, now has its own hall there.
Grand Egyptian Museum Entry Ticket
★ 4.8 · 3,366 reviews · GetYourGuide
Book the museum separately if your pyramids tour leaves it out: the ticket covers the main galleries, the Tutankhamun galleries and the Khufu boat museum, a short drive from the plateau. Reviewers spent three hours or more and still wanted longer. It is the one product on this page that cannot be refunded, so fix your date first.
The Giza pyramids stand on a limestone plateau on the western edge of Greater Cairo, where the
city's last streets meet the desert. Built around 4,500 years ago as the tombs of three kings of the 4th Dynasty,
they are the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one still largely intact.
The three great pyramids
The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the oldest and largest of the three: about 146 m tall when finished and
about 138 m today, built from some 2.3 million blocks over roughly two decades. The Pyramid of Khafre, his
son's, looks taller because it stands on bedrock about 10 m higher and rises more steeply, and it is the only one
that keeps part of its smooth outer casing near the top. The Pyramid of Menkaure is much smaller, about
61 m today, with three small queens' pyramids in front of it; three more stand beside the Great Pyramid.
The surviving casing at the top of Khafre's pyramid.
The Sphinx and the Valley Temple
The Great Sphinx, a lion with a king's head, is about 73 m long and 20 m high, carved straight from the
bedrock of the plateau. It is usually attributed to Khafre, though not everyone agrees. Beside it stands the
Valley Temple of Khafre, built of massive red granite pillars and lintels, where his funeral is thought to
have begun. Both are covered by the plateau ticket and are the last stop on the shuttle route.
The honest small print: a tour's "entry included" means the plateau ticket, not the inside
of a pyramid. If going inside matters to you, check the listing for the interior ticket, book early in the day,
and remember that the authorities rotate the interiors for maintenance. Ask too whether the tour stops at shops,
and agree the price of any camel ride in full before you get on.
The new way in
Since April 2025 the main entrance is a visitor centre on the Fayoum road, on the south side, which replaced the
old gate by the Mena House hotel. Private cars and coaches no longer drive around the plateau: everyone parks
there and moves between the Panorama, the pyramids and the Sphinx on electric shuttle buses, included with
the entry ticket. The ticket offices take bank cards only, and tickets can also be bought on the Ministry's
official website. Camel and horse rides now keep to designated areas away from the main paths.
Menkaure's pyramid and its three queens' pyramids.
Beyond Giza
Giza is only the northern end of a chain of royal cemeteries along the desert edge, listed together by UNESCO
in 1979. To the south, Saqqara holds the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest pyramid in Egypt, about a
century older than the Great Pyramid. Further on, Dahshur has the Red Pyramid, the first true smooth-sided
pyramid, and the Bent Pyramid, whose angle changes halfway up. Both were built for Sneferu, Khufu's father, and
both are far quieter than Giza.
The Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara, the oldest of them all.
Choosing your tour
For a first visit with half a day, a private tour with hotel pickup shows you the plateau with someone who
explains it, and adds a short camel ride. With a full day, pair the pyramids with the Grand Egyptian Museum, or
with Saqqara and Memphis. If you mainly want to go inside the Great Pyramid, choose the listing that includes that
ticket. And if you prefer your own pace, a QR ticket and a taxi are all you need.
Straight answers to what travellers ask most about visiting the Giza pyramids.
How much does it cost to see the pyramids?
There is one general ticket for the Giza plateau, which covers the outside of all three great pyramids, the Sphinx and the Panorama viewpoint, and the shuttle buses between them are included. Going inside a pyramid needs an extra ticket for that pyramid, and the Great Pyramid's is the most expensive single ticket on the plateau. Students with a valid card pay a reduced rate, and the ticket offices take bank cards rather than cash. How it works on the day in visiting the pyramids without a tour.
Where can I visit the pyramids?
The three famous pyramids and the Sphinx stand on the Giza plateau, on the western edge of Greater Cairo. They are the northern end of a chain of royal cemeteries along the desert edge: Saqqara, with the Step Pyramid of Djoser, and Dahshur, with the Red and Bent pyramids, lie a short drive to the south. All of them in pyramids beyond Giza.
How long does it take to visit the pyramids?
Plan about 3 to 4 hours for the Giza plateau with the shuttle buses, the Panorama viewpoint and the Sphinx, and add about an hour if you go inside the Great Pyramid. A full day lets you add the Grand Egyptian Museum, about 2 km away, or Saqqara and Dahshur to the south.
Can tourists go into the pyramids?
Yes. Each pyramid interior needs its own ticket, and the authorities rotate them for maintenance: at the time of writing the Great Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Khafre are open, while Menkaure closed in September 2026. Which one is worth it in going inside the pyramids.
Can you visit the pyramids without a tour?
Yes. Take a taxi or ride app to the visitor centre on the Fayoum road, buy your ticket by card or show the QR code of one booked online, and use the electric shuttle buses between the stops. A guide is not required; what a tour adds is transport, the history on site and help with Saqqara or the museum.
Is there a dress code for the pyramids?
There is no formal dress code on the plateau. Clothes that cover the shoulders and knees are respectful in Egypt and protect you from the sun, and closed shoes with grip matter more than anything: the ground is sand and uneven stone. A packing list in dress code and tips.
What is the best month to visit the pyramids?
October to April, when average highs in Cairo run from about 19 to 30 degrees. November, February and March combine mild days with fewer crowds than the December and January holidays. From June to August highs average about 35 degrees, so go at opening time. Month by month in the best time to visit.
What time should you go to the pyramids?
At opening time, at 7 or 8 am depending on the season. It is cooler, the light is soft, interior tickets are still available and the large groups usually arrive mid-morning. Late afternoon before last entry, around 4 pm, is the second-best time for photos.
Which pyramid is best to go inside?
The Great Pyramid of Khufu for the experience: a low, steep passage, the tall Grand Gallery and the bare granite King's Chamber. Khafre is quieter, and the Red Pyramid at Dahshur has impressive chambers with far fewer people. No Giza pyramid has paintings or hieroglyphs inside.
Is it better to stay in Cairo or Giza?
Stay in Giza if your trip is mainly the pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum: early starts and pyramid views. Stay in central Cairo, in Downtown, Zamalek or Garden City, if you also want Islamic Cairo, the old Egyptian Museum and Khan el-Khalili. They are 15 to 20 km apart, 30 to 60 minutes by car. Area by area in Cairo or Giza.
Is it safe to go to Egypt to visit the pyramids?
Cairo and Giza sit outside every area flagged by the UK, US, Canadian and Australian travel advisories, which focus on North Sinai and remote desert borders, and millions of people visit the pyramids each year. At the plateau the common nuisance is persistent sellers: a polite no, thank you is enough. Check your own government's advice before you travel.
Should I bring toilet paper to Egypt?
Carry a small pack of tissues and some hand sanitiser. Hotels and the new visitor centre have standard toilets, but older sites and roadside stops may run out of paper, and attendants often hand it out for a small tip, so keep a few small notes as well.
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With the museum
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