Complete guide to the Pyramids of Giza

The Pyramids of Giza are the single most awe-inspiring sight we have ever visited. Nothing, no photo, no documentary, no description, can prepare you for standing at the foot of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the only surviving structure from the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In this guide, we share everything from our experience there, like what to expect, how to avoid the scams, the updated ticket prices, and how to combine your visit with the extraordinary new Grand Egyptian Museum just 2km away.

How to get to the pyramids of Giza from Cairo

The Giza Plateau is approximately 15km southwest of central Cairo:

By Uber (recommended): 100–180 EGP from downtown Cairo. Fixed price, no negotiation, air-conditioned. Book directly in the app.

By Metro + taxi: Take Metro Line 2 to Giza station (6 stops from Tahrir Square, ~6 EGP), then a short taxi ride or local bus to the pyramid gates.

By taxi: 150–250 EGP each way, always negotiate the price before getting in, or use the meter. Surge pricing during peak hours.

By private tour: The most comfortable option. Hotel pickup, Egyptologist guide, entry tickets, and transport included.

Allow ~30–45 minutes from central Cairo, depending on traffic.

History of pyramids

Pyramids: The pyramids were created to be the last resting place of each ruling pharaoh. For this reason, certain objects were placed in the inner room of the tomb to be used in the next life. Except for the pyramids of Giza, there are also pyramids in other parts of Egypt. The ancient Egyptians believed that death was the beginning of a journey into the other world.

The king’s body was embalmed before being placed inside the sarcophagus and then buried inside the pyramid or simply placed inside the inner pyramid. This was for reasons of protection and to allow for a smooth transition into the afterlife. Even today, the Great Pyramid of Cheops baffles scientists as to how this impressive structure was constructed. All representations of how it could have been built are considered futile or slightly close to the truth.

The Great Sphinx: The protector of the Necropolis of Giza. A statue with the body of a lion and a human head, which the Ancient Egyptians believed was the guard of sleep and dreams, as well as of the other world. Statues with the shape of the Sphinx had been discovered in many other locations in Egypt with the same interpretation. Even today, we still don’t know whose head the sphinx represents, nor by whom they were built. Theories have it that they may be the most ancient statues in the world. 

Read our complete Egypt travel guide for everything beyond the Pyramids

Essential tips for visiting the Pyramids of Giza

As in every tourist site, so in the Necropolis of Giza, there are “the clever ones”. They will try to cheat you to gain more money than the legal amount. This can happen either outside the Necropolis by men offering rides on horses and camels or inside the walls of the Necropolis by wandering vendors. We recommend you book a private tour, which, even though a little more expensive, will offer you greater security and will save you the hassle of fending off clingy salesmen yourselves. Below you will find some useful information.

• Opening hours:
• April–September: 07:00–18:00 daily
• October–March: 08:00–17:00 daily
• Interior of Great Pyramid (Khufu): closed 12:00–13:00 for a midday break
• Open daily, including weekends and public holidays
• Best time to arrive: 07:00–08:00 — cooler temperatures and far fewer crowds. By 10:00 am, the tour buses arrive.

• There is only one central entrance from where you pay the ticket and also undergo a body search. The price of the ticket is written on a sign above in order to protect tourists from being overcharged.

• If you wish to visit the pyramids, you also have to purchase a second ticket at the main entrance. If you are already in the vicinity of the pyramids and wish to enter, you will have to go all the way back to the main entrance of the Necropolis to obtain the pyramid ticket, too, and it is quite a long way.

• The entrance to the large pyramid consists of a long, narrow corridor approximately 120 metres long until the inner tomb chamber. The tunnel ceiling is very low, so you have to bend while walking the whole time. This tunnel will take you straight to the inner chamber with the empty sarcophagus.

• The Panoramic Viewpoint is the best spot to photograph all three pyramids together. Go early before the tour buses arrive

• The pyramids are empty inside since all findings have been taken to the Museum of Egypt.

• It goes without saying that you can’t climb up the pyramids from the outside, and the security measures are very strict. 

• A short phrase that will rid you of all wandering vendors inside and outside the pyramid area is “La Shokran” (No thank you).

• Do not miss the “Sound and Light Show. In the winter, it starts at 6 pm and in the summer at 7 pm.

Pyramids of Giza ticket prices

⚠️ Important: Payment by card ONLY, cash is no longer accepted at the Giza site. All major credit/debit cards accepted.

✅ The general admission ticket includes viewing the Sphinx; no separate ticket needed.

Book tickets in advance at egymonuments.com or book a guided tour on GetYourGuide, which includes entry, an Egyptologist guide, and hotel transfers.

Pyramids of Giza camel tours

Camel and horse rides are available inside the Necropolis. Prices range from EGP 300–800 for a 30–60 minute ride, significantly higher than in previous years. Always agree on the price and the duration before you mount. The recommended spots are inside the official site, near the stables at the main entrance, and at the Panoramic Point. Animals here are in better condition. Avoid booking rides from men outside the Necropolis, where animals are often poorly treated (as we witnessed ourselves).

Personal Experience

We had booked a private transfer from our hotel in Cairo to the Necropolis in Giza. Along the way, the driver asked us if we needed help booking camel rides at the pyramids of Giza. Unwittingly, we agreed and were taken to a place where they hired camels and horses. There, we were given information as to the various routes we could take once within the walls of the Necropolis. After choosing the route we wanted, we were told to pay 80e per person (1400 EGP).

The problems started when we got on the camels, and we then realised those animals had been mistreated. Both animals were making strange sounds as we rode towards the entrance of the Necropolis and couldn’t walk well. Our guide kept warning us throughout the ride that we shouldn’t talk to anyone as soon as we reached the main entrance, and we should never mention the price we had paid for the rides. That’s when it began to dawn on us that something wasn’t quite right.

As we went through the main entrance and paid for our tickets, we were stopped by two men with guns. They asked us to answer the precise questions we weren’t meant to answer, in other words, where we had booked our rides and the cost of the fare. We were clueless as to what we should answer when one of the men said they were the tourist police. After we revealed the prices, they told us the set price of the tour was half what we had paid, 40€ per person (700EGP).

Afterwards, they found the driver who had booked our rides and got our money back. We were then taken to the stables with the clean and healthy animals, where we booked our rides and took a new tour at half the price.

Lesson: Never book rides outside the Necropolis gates. Use Uber or a pre-booked transfer to get there, not just a driver who ‘offers to help’.

For a safe, scam-free experience, book a private guided tour on GetYourGuide where your guide handles everything and protects you from the hustlers.

Papyrus Museum

In the area outside the pyramids of Giza is the Papyrus Museum. There, you can watch with great detail how authentic papyrus is made. You can actually make your own papyrus with your name written in hieroglyphics. The prices for the papyrus are higher than those you will find in the market. The reason is in the quality of the papyrus, and in that you may write your own personal words on it, whereas in the market you can only buy something ready-made.

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)

Just 2km from the Giza Pyramids, the world’s largest museum dedicated to a single civilisation opened in November 2023. Combining a visit to the Pyramids with the GEM is the perfect full day in Giza. The GEM houses:

• 5,000+ artefacts from Tutankhamun’s tomb, displayed together for the first time
• The 11-metre colossal statue of Ramses II
• The 4,500-year-old Solar Boat of Khufu
• Stunning views of the Pyramids from the Grand Staircase

GEM tickets: EGP 1,450 (~$29) for foreign adults. Book online only at visit-gem.com.

Pyramids of Giza FAQ — Everything you need to know