Cairo: Pyramids, Museum & Khan el-Khalili
- Site ticket for the plateau included
- Hotel pickup included
- Tour in German available
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance
An Eight-Hour Day on the Giza Plateau
You start in Cairo and have eight hours ahead of you. The destination is the Giza Plateau, where the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure stand side by side, and the Great Sphinx is carved from the bedrock. The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the largest of the three, the Pyramid of Khafre is the middle one and still has its casing at the top, and the Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest, with its lower courses clad in granite from Aswan. Between the structures, the site leads to several viewpoints. At the Sphinx, visitors stand on the terrace above the paws. The Valley Temple of Khafre is part of the tour and is considered the shadiest spot on the site. The tour can be booked privately; it is not offered as a small group. It is designed for travelers who want to see the complex with a guide without organizing transport themselves.
Photos from the provider Sun Pyramids Tours. They show the offer, not your day.
- Provider
- Sun Pyramids Tours
- Duration
- 8 hours
- Start location
- Cairo
- Group type
- private booking available
- Guide
- live guide
- German-speaking
- yes
- Hotel pickup
- yes
- Price
- from €40
- Rating
- 4.7 out of 18 reviews
- Quality threshold
- passed
What is included, what is not, and what the provider does not mention
The catalog distinguishes three states, and the third is the most important: no information does not mean excluded, but unresolved.
| Service | Status | What this means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Site ticket for the plateau | included | Included in the price, nothing more to pay. |
| Interior of a pyramid | not included | Not included, can be arranged on site. |
| Hotel pickup | included | Included, meeting point is your accommodation. |
| Lunch | included | Included. |
| Burial chambers and mastabas | nowhere in the catalog | In the entire reviewed catalog, no offer sells access to a tomb on the plateau. |
| Cancellation | free up to 24 hours before | Provider's statement in the catalog. |
- Status
- included
- What this means for you
- Included in the price, nothing more to pay.
- Status
- not included
- What this means for you
- Not included, can be arranged on site.
- Status
- included
- What this means for you
- Included, meeting point is your accommodation.
- Status
- included
- What this means for you
- Included.
- Status
- nowhere in the catalog
- What this means for you
- In the entire reviewed catalog, no offer sells access to a tomb on the plateau.
- Status
- free up to 24 hours before
- What this means for you
- Provider's statement in the catalog.
What the price includes and what the interior costs
The entry price is 40 euros. This covers the site ticket for the Giza Plateau: officially 700 Egyptian pounds, around 11 euros. Also included are hotel pickup, lunch, and a live guide in one of seven languages, including German. The tour can be canceled free of charge up to 24 hours before. With this entry price, the tour ranks 19th out of 126 pyramid tours from Cairo, placing it in the cheapest 15 percent. Explicitly not included is the interior of a pyramid. If you want to go inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the official price list shows 1,000 Egyptian pounds (around 16 euros); for the interior of the Pyramid of Menkaure, 280 Egyptian pounds are listed. The provider says nothing about tipping; in Egypt it is customary, but not a surcharge for special service.
Price comparison
Entry price of this tour against the four best-documented offers in the same category. The highlighted bar is this tour.
Price alone says little. Read it together with the 'Site ticket' row in the comparison table: An offer without entrance is not cheaper, but calculated differently.
Figures in this chart as a table
| Row | Cairo: Pyramids, Museum & Khan el-Kha… | Cairo: Private Tour to Pyramids and G… | Cairo: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramide… | Cairo: City tour with female guide… | From Cairo: Tour to the Pyramids of Gi… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry price | 40 € | 51 € | 83 € | 52 € | 62 € |
This tour against four comparable ones
All five come from the category 'Pyramid tours from Cairo'. The column for this tour is highlighted; the other four are the best-documented in the category.
| Kairo: Pyramiden, Museum & Khan el-Khalili | Kairo: Private Tour zu Pyramiden und Großer Sphinx … | Kairo: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramiden … | Kairo: Stadtführung mit weiblicher Führung zu … | Ab Kairo: Tour zu den Pyramiden von Gizeh, Sphinx … | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | Sun Pyramids Tours | Snefro Travel | OceanAir Travel | OceanAir Travel | OceanAir Travel |
| Price | from 40 € | from 51 € | from 83 € | from 52 € | from 62 € |
| Duration | 8 hours | 4 to 8 hours | 7 to 8 hours | 8 hours | 8 hours |
| Group type | private | private | group | group | small group |
| German-speaking | yes | no | yes | yes | yes |
| Area ticket | included | included | included | included | included |
| Pickup | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Rating (reviews) | 4.7 (18) | 4.9 (7,579) | 4.7 (4,382) | 4.8 (1,697) | 4.7 (3,587) |
| Quality threshold | passed | passed | passed | passed | passed |
| Free cancellation until | 24 h | 24 h | 24 h | 24 h | 24 h |
- Provider
- Sun Pyramids Tours
- Price
- from 40 €
- Duration
- 8 hours
- Group type
- private
- German-speaking
- yes
- Area ticket
- included
- Pickup
- yes
- Rating (reviews)
- 4.7 (18)
- Quality threshold
- passed
- Free cancellation until
- 24 h
- Provider
- Snefro Travel
- Price
- from 51 €
- Duration
- 4 to 8 hours
- Group type
- private
- German-speaking
- no
- Area ticket
- included
- Pickup
- yes
- Rating (reviews)
- 4.9 (7,579)
- Quality threshold
- passed
- Free cancellation until
- 24 h
- Provider
- OceanAir Travel
- Price
- from 83 €
- Duration
- 7 to 8 hours
- Group type
- group
- German-speaking
- yes
- Area ticket
- included
- Pickup
- yes
- Rating (reviews)
- 4.7 (4,382)
- Quality threshold
- passed
- Free cancellation until
- 24 h
- Provider
- OceanAir Travel
- Price
- from 52 €
- Duration
- 8 hours
- Group type
- group
- German-speaking
- yes
- Area ticket
- included
- Pickup
- yes
- Rating (reviews)
- 4.8 (1,697)
- Quality threshold
- passed
- Free cancellation until
- 24 h
- Provider
- OceanAir Travel
- Price
- from 62 €
- Duration
- 8 hours
- Group type
- small group
- German-speaking
- yes
- Area ticket
- included
- Pickup
- yes
- Rating (reviews)
- 4.7 (3,587)
- Quality threshold
- passed
- Free cancellation until
- 24 h
The order follows the documentation and not the commission. All values come from the same catalog fields so that the columns are comparable.
How many people have judged?
Number of reviews per offer, with the rating in parentheses. A rating without its sample size is not information.
The quality threshold on this page is ten reviews. Anything below is not a judgment but a coincidence.
Figures in this chart as a table
| Row | Cairo: Pyramids, Museum & Kha… (4.7) | Cairo: Private Tour to Pyramid… (4.9) | Cairo: Grand Egyptian Museum, … (4.7) | Cairo: City tour with female g… (4.8) | From Cairo: Tour to the Pyrami… (4.7) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 18 reviews | 7,579 reviews | 4,382 reviews | 1,697 reviews | 3,587 reviews |
4.7 out of 18 reviews: a thin basis
The displayed rating is 4.7, but it is based on 18 reviews. The rating is high, but the basis is narrow: by number of reviews, the tour ranks 52nd out of 126 in the category of pyramid tours from Cairo; in order of evidence strength, it ranks 42nd. The high rating should not be overestimated when so few voices are behind it. Even a few new reviews can shift the picture, and individual very positive or negative reviews carry significant weight.
The day, stop by stop
The order follows the usual sequence. Each stop tells you what to expect there and the documented figures; everything else is in the data sheet.
Pickup from your accommodation
The provider picks you up; the tour duration counts from here, not from the gate.
Giza Plateau
The site itself: the three pyramids, the Sphinx, and the viewpoints in between. Private vehicles are not allowed up; you travel by electric shuttle or on foot.
- Site ticket for foreigners (adults)700 EGPMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities
- Opening hours (official website)08:00–16:00Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
- Ticket office closes before gate closes1 hourAltertümerverwaltung (Regelpraxis)
Great Sphinx
Carved from the bedrock, not built. The public stands on the terrace above, not next to the paws.
- Length73 mWikipedia (en): Great Sphinx of Giza
- Height20 mWikipedia (en): Great Sphinx of Giza
- Public accessfrom the east through the Valley Temple of Khafre up to the viewing terraceMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Giza Plateau)
Great Pyramid of Khufu
The largest of the three, from the outside. The interior is a separate ticket and is not included in almost any offer.
- Original height146.6 mWikipedia (en): Great Pyramid of Giza
- Interior visit for foreigners (adults)1,000 EGPMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid)
- Midday closure12:00–13:00Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Giza Plateau)
Pyramid of Khafre
The middle one, still with casing at the top. Its Valley Temple is included in the site ticket and is the shadiest spot on the site.
- Original height143.5 mMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre)
- Remaining casingpolished limestone blocks at the topMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre)
- Valley Temple included in site ticketincludedMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Giza Plateau)
Pyramid of Menkaure
The smallest of the three, clad in granite from Aswan on its lower courses.
- Original height65 mMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
- Interior visit for foreigners (adults)280 EGPMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
- Cladding materialRed granite from Aswan instead of limestoneMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
Back to the starting point
The return trip is included in the stated duration. In Cairo traffic, it is the most unpredictable part of the day.
A place in this list is a stop, not a commitment to the duration of the stop.
Temperatures in Cairo over the year
Average daily maximum and minimum values per month. Two series, one axis; the points mark the hottest and coldest months.
There is hardly any shade on the site itself; the values are normal outdoor values and not a forecast.
Figures in this chart as a table
| Row | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily maximum | 18.9 °C | 20.5 °C | 23.8 °C | 28.1 °C | 32.2 °C | 34.6 °C | 35 °C | 34.9 °C | 33.4 °C | 30 °C | 24.9 °C | 20.5 °C |
| Daily minimum | 10.1 °C | 11 °C | 13.2 °C | 15.9 °C | 19.3 °C | 22.2 °C | 23.8 °C | 24.3 °C | 22.7 °C | 20 °C | 15.6 °C | 11.7 °C |
Temperatures: hot months, day tour, little shade
The chart shows that June, July, and August are the hottest months with a maximum of 35 degrees; the minimums are between 22 and 24 degrees. May and September are barely lower at 32 and 33 degrees. A day tour like this falls during the day, so the nighttime minimums don't help; there is little shade on the plateau. From November to February, the maximums are between 19 and 25 degrees. The provider leaves the exact departure time open.
The complete data sheet
Every piece of information this project has documented about this tour, the places in its program, and the area covered by your ticket: 184 rows, each with its source. Collapsed because this is not a reading page, but fully present.
Download full table as CSV · 184 Rows
Show all 184 entries
| Item | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The offer30 | ||
| Provider's title | Cairo: Pyramids, Museum & Khan el-Khalili | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Provider | Sun Pyramids Tours | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Product number | 443858 | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Start location | Cairo | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Duration | 8 hours | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Multi-day | No | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Starting price | 40 € | GetYourGuide, live retrieval |
| Starting price in local currency | approx. 2,366 EGP | Exchange rate 59.14 EGP per euro |
| Rating | 4.7 stars | GetYourGuide, live retrieval |
| Number of reviews | 18 | GetYourGuide, live retrieval |
| Project quality threshold | Passed | Own rule: at least 4.0 with at least 10 reviews |
| Rank in category | 42 out of 126 in "Pyramid tours from Cairo" | Own evaluation, grade weighted by number of reviews |
| Plateau area ticket | Included | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Interior of a pyramid | Not included | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Access to a tomb | No offer in the catalog sells that | Own evaluation of all 252 offers |
| Hotel pickup | Included | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Lunch | Included | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Type of guide | Live guide | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Guide languages | Arabic, English, German, Japanese, Italian, French, Spanish | GetYourGuide catalog |
| German-speaking guide | Yes | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Private booking available | Yes | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Small group | No | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Group type according to provider | Private group available | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Preferred entry | Yes | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Wheelchair accessible | No information | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Free cancellation | Yes | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Cancellation deadline | 24 hours before start | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Giza reference in catalog | High | Own check of catalog fields |
| Provider images | 5 photos | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Data status | 2026-09-03 | Own retrieval |
| Giza Plateau22 | ||
| Area ticket for foreigners (adults) | 700 EGP · Students 350 EGP; Egyptians 60/30 EGP. Does NOT cover the interiors | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities |
| Area ticket students (foreigners) | 350 EGP | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities |
| Opening hours (official website) | 08:00–16:00 · Official sources contradict each other (PDF from 2020: 07:00–17:00); ticket office closes one hour before closing | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities |
| Ticket office closes before gate closes | 1 hour | Antiquities administration (standard practice) |
| Payment at ticket office | card only, no cash · Cashless sales since 2023; cash still needed for tips and small items | Daily News Egypt |
| Main entrance since 2025 | Great Gate on the Cairo–Fayoum desert road (southwest) · Replaces the old gate at Mena House; Sphinx Gate open but without ticket office | RESEARCH-BASE |
| Private vehicles on the plateau | forbidden since the 2025 reorganization | RESEARCH-BASE |
| Electric shuttle | included in admission, hop-on/hop-off · Stops: Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure, Panorama Point, Sphinx | RESEARCH-BASE |
| Visitor operations | Orascom Pyramids Entertainment (OPE), 15-year contract since 2018 · Ticket revenue remains entirely with the state, plus 50% of project profit | Egyptian Streets |
| Visitors per year (operator figure) | 3,500,000 · Figure from 5 Jan 2026; target 5 million; no official per-site figure published | Middle East Observer |
| Visitors per day (derived) | 9,600 · Calculated from 3.5 million/year | Middle East Observer |
| UNESCO World Heritage since | 1979 · Part of 'Memphis and its Necropolis', No. 86 | UNESCO World Heritage Centre |
| Area of the World Heritage site | 16,358.52 ha | UNESCO / Wikidata |
| Length of the pyramid field (Abu Roasch to Dahschur) | 30 km · Over two dozen pyramids depending on counting method | UNESCO World Heritage Centre |
| Great Pyramid of Khufu closed at noon | 12:00–13:00 | RESEARCH-BASE (on-site visit 2026-08-31) |
| Interior of the Great Pyramid (circulating figures) | 400–1,500 EGP · Three orders of magnitude circulate; daily quota ~300 in two windows (Hawass regulation after 1998) | RESEARCH-BASE (multiple sources, disputed) |
| Entry under 16 on Fri/Sat/holidays | only with ID or accompanied · Regulation from June 2022; current application unverified | Egypt Independent |
| Major concerts at the plateau since | 1978 · About 15 documented major performances in five decades, almost yearly since 2021 | The National |
| First professional boxing match at the plateau | 2026-05-23 · Usyk vs. Verhoeven, T.K.O. round 11 | Saudi Press Agency |
| Private photography at sites | free, also with system/SLR cameras · Permit required: photo umbrellas, artificial light, equipment blocking paths | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities |
| Milky Way over the plateau | not visible (brightest night sky worldwide in the Nile Delta) · Starry-sky photos over the pyramids are montages | Falchi et al., Science Advances 2016 |
| Air purification system in the King's Chamber since | September 2025 · Plasmacluster; aim: reduce humidity, protect walls | Egyptian Streets |
| Great Sphinx23 | ||
| Length | 73 m | Wikipedia (en): Great Sphinx of Giza |
| Height | 20 m | Wikipedia (en): Great Sphinx of Giza |
| Width | 19 m | Wikipedia (en): Great Sphinx of Giza |
| Material | carved directly from the bedrock · Not a built structure, but a sculpture in the natural limestone | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx) |
| Date of creation | 4th Dynasty, c. 2613–2494 BC · Thus the oldest of the Egyptian colossal statues | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx) |
| Attribution | Reign of Khafre, c. 2558–2532 BC · The official wording is “the evidence points to” – attested, but not proven | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx) |
| Iconography | the king with a lion's body, as a sign of his power | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx) |
| Sphinx Temple | immediately in front, next to the Valley Temple of Khafre | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx) |
| Construction sequence | the Valley Temple was finished before work on the Sphinx began · Result of archaeological analysis, not of tradition | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx) |
| Facial features | striking resemblance to the statues of Khafre | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx) |
| Interpretation in the New Kingdom | manifestation of the sun god, called Horemakhet (“Horus in the Horizon”) · 18th Dynasty, c. 1550–1295 BC | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx) |
| Temple of Amenhotep II | built next to the Sphinx, dedicated to this god · Amenhotep II, c. 1427–1400 BC | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx) |
| Dream Stele | erected by Thutmose IV between the front paws · Thutmose IV, c. 1400–1390 BC; the research figure given by NOVA is 1401–1391 BC | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx) |
| Content of the Dream Stele | The young prince rests at noon in the shadow of the Sphinx; the god promises him kingship in a dream if he removes the sand | Kasia Szpakowska in conversation with NOVA (PBS) |
| Purpose of the stele | legitimization of the succession and fulfillment of the royal core duty to maintain sacred buildings | Kasia Szpakowska in conversation with NOVA (PBS) |
| Condition in the New Kingdom | largely sand-covered, probably only the head visible | Kasia Szpakowska in conversation with NOVA (PBS) |
| The plateau in the New Kingdom | recreation area of the court: hunting, chariot driving, archery, resting places in the shade | Kasia Szpakowska in conversation with NOVA (PBS) |
| Dream Stele: material and size | granite, just under four meters high, several tons · Only secondarily attested; according to a widespread interpretation, a reused lintel from the mortuary temple of Khafre | Kasia Szpakowska in conversation with NOVA (PBS) |
| Dream Stele: condition | about half of the text is missing, crack from the twelfth line · Exposed in 1817 by Giovanni Battista Caviglia; afterwards accelerated weathering | Kasia Szpakowska in conversation with NOVA (PBS) |
| Public access | from the east through the valley temple of Khafre up to the viewing terrace · There is no walkable circular path on the north side of the pit; the minimum distance is on the order of 30 to 50 m | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Giza Plateau) |
| Access at paw level | official category “The Sphinx (Private Visits only + Site Opening Fee)” · Private booking outside opening hours with additional opening fee – not an invention of providers, but also not a normal ticket | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx) |
| Claim of a second, buried sphinx | not substantiated · Presentation from June 2026 from the same group whose foundational work was withdrawn in August 2026 | Remote Sensing (MDPI), withdrawal notice 10.08.2026 |
| UNESCO World Heritage since | 1979 | UNESCO World Heritage Centre |
| Great Pyramid of Khufu25 | ||
| Original height | 146.6 m · 280 cubits; the official site states 146.5 m | Wikipedia (en): Great Pyramid of Giza |
| Current height | 138.5 m · The missing eight meters are the removed casing and the tip | Wikipedia (en): Great Pyramid of Giza |
| Base length | 230.33 m · 440 cubits | Wikipedia (en): Great Pyramid of Giza |
| Construction volume | 2,600,000 m³ | Wikipedia (en): Great Pyramid of Giza |
| Inclination angle | 51°50'40" · Corresponds to a seked of 5 1/2 palms | Wikipedia (en): Great Pyramid of Giza |
| Material | Limestone, mortar, granite | Wikipedia (en): Great Pyramid of Giza |
| Origin of the casing | Turah, south of Maadi, delivered by ship · The structure was once completely clad in high-quality limestone | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid) |
| Builder | King Khufu (Cheops), ca. 2589–2566 BC | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid) |
| Estimated construction time | 10 to 20 years · Official figure; exactly how it was built remains unresolved to this day | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid) |
| Tallest building in the world | for 3,800 years | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid) |
| Seven Wonders of the World | the only surviving one of the ancient Seven Wonders | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid) |
| Chambers | 3 chambers · One in the bedrock, two in the masonry – according to the ministry, no other pyramid has this | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid) |
| Sarcophagus | in the King's Chamber, still in place today | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid) |
| Great Gallery | corbelled ascent to the King's Chamber | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid) |
| Boat pits on the south side | 2 ships · Found dismantled; the first boat is now in the Grand Egyptian Museum | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid) |
| Interior visit foreigners (adults) | EGP 1,000 · Official amount; the site ticket is additionally required. In circulation are also 400 to 1,500 EGP – the ministry's figure is the reliable one | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid) |
| Interior visit students | EGP 500 | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid) |
| Opening hours (monument side) | 07:00–17:00 · Seven days; the site side of the same ministry states 08:00–16:00. The contradiction is official and unresolved | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid) |
| Midday closure | 12:00–13:00 · Only the Great Pyramid of Khufu; documented in the project's research base | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Giza Plateau) |
| Temporary closure | April 1, 1998 · Humidity inside had risen to 80 percent due to visitors | Zahi Hawass, Restoring the Great Pyramid |
| Water emission per visitor | 20 g · Through breath and sweat; the moisture carries salts into the plaster and justifies the tight daily quota | Zahi Hawass, Restoring the Great Pyramid |
| Air purification system | since September 2025 in the King's Chamber and the chamber below · Plasmacluster technology; the unit is in the chambers, not in the Ascending Passage | Egyptian Streets / Ahram Online, September 2025 |
| ScanPyramids: Big Void | at least 30 m above the Great Gallery · Muon radiography, published 2017 | Nature 2017 (ScanPyramids) |
| ScanPyramids: North Face Corridor | confirmed behind the chevron stones on the north side · Confirmed in 2025 by ground-penetrating radar, ultrasound, and resistivity measurement | Scientific Reports 2025 (North Face Corridor) |
| UNESCO World Heritage since | 1979 · As part of “Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur” | UNESCO World Heritage Centre |
| Pyramid of Khafre23 | ||
| Original height | 143.5 m · Only slightly lower than the Great Pyramid of Khufu | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre) |
| Current height | 136.4 m · 274 cubits | Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Khafre |
| Base length | 215.25 m | Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Khafre |
| Construction volume | 2,211,096 m³ | Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Khafre |
| Inclination angle | 53°10' · Steeper than the Great Pyramid of Khufu, which partially compensates for the loss in height | Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Khafre |
| Builder | King Khafre (Chephren), ca. 2558–2532 BC · A son of Khufu | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre) |
| Location | built on slightly higher bedrock · That is why it appears as tall as his father's – the official text explicitly calls this an intention | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre) |
| Remaining casing | polished limestone blocks at the top · The only one of the three that still has its casing at the top | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre) |
| Origin of the casing | Turah, south of Maadi, by ship | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre) |
| Core masonry | Blocks of local limestone | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre) |
| Mortuary and valley temples | larger than those of all earlier pyramids · and among the best-preserved structures of the Old Kingdom | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre) |
| Valley temple: construction | massive limestone blocks with granite facing, alabaster floors, monolithic granite pillars | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre) |
| Valley temple: statue niches | symmetrically arranged, once filled with royal statues | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre) |
| Most famous statue | Granodiorite seated figure with Horus falcon at the back of the head · considered one of the masterpieces of ancient Egyptian art | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre) |
| The Great Sphinx | officially part of the Khafre complex · literally listed as a "colossal statue next to his valley temple" | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre) |
| Statue discoveries | in 1860 by Auguste Mariette, some from a shaft in the temple | Giza Project, Harvard University |
| Current location of the statues | contradictory evidence · The official site names the Egyptian Museum, while the Harvard find catalog lists most pieces with GEM inventory numbers | Giza Project, Harvard University |
| North-south axis relative to Khufu | about 0.5 arc minutes difference · total station survey by Nell and Ruggles, December 2006 | Nell & Ruggles, Archaeoastronomy 25 (2012) |
| Right angles of the sides | more precise than the Great Pyramid of Khufu · same survey; the east-west axis is closer to true cardinal direction than the north-south axis for both | Nell & Ruggles, Archaeoastronomy 25 (2012) |
| Valley temple in the site ticket | included · thus the nearest accessible interior space at the Sphinx and the shadiest spot on the open site | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Giza Plateau) |
| Interior visit | not officially listed · the monument page does not include a ticket block; circulating figures range from 130 to 280 EGP. Do not treat as a price | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre) |
| Claimed structures beneath the pyramid | not substantiated · the March 2025 press conference relied on a method whose foundational work was retracted on 10 August 2026; the authors dispute the retraction | Remote Sensing (MDPI), retraction notice 10.08.2026 |
| UNESCO World Heritage since | 1979 | UNESCO World Heritage Centre |
| Pyramid of Menkaure20 | ||
| Original height | 65 m · 125 cubits | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure) |
| Base area | 102.2 × 104.6 m · 200 cubits | Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Menkaure |
| Construction volume | 235,183 m³ · about one tenth of the Great Pyramid of Khufu | Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Menkaure |
| Inclination angle | 51°20'25" | Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Menkaure |
| Builder | King Menkaure, c. 2532–2503 BC · probably son of Khafre and grandson of Khufu | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure) |
| Base area in comparison | less than a quarter of the other two · the ministry cites, among other reasons, the limited space on the plateau | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure) |
| Casing material | red granite from Aswan instead of limestone · over 800 km transport route, and a much harder stone than limestone | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure) |
| Granite portion of the casing | only the lower quarter · the rest is limestone | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure) |
| Condition at the end of his reign | unfinished · Menkaure died before completion; many granite blocks were never smoothed | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure) |
| Mortuary and valley temples | planned as limestone with granite facing, executed in whitewashed mudbrick | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure) |
| Funerary cult after his death | still practiced for about 300 years | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure) |
| Queen's pyramids | 3 pyramids | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure) |
| Satellite pyramid | none found · it is suspected that the largest of the three queen's pyramids originally had this role | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure) |
| Interior visit foreigners (adults) | 280 EGP · official amount, site ticket also required | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure) |
| Interior visit students | 140 EGP | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure) |
| Opening hours (monument page) | 07:00–17:00 · seven days | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure) |
| Announced casing project | January 2024, estimated at three years · the granite blocks lying on the ground were to be reattached | State Information Service (Review Committee Menkaure) |
| Decision of the review committee | unanimous rejection · reason: the original position of no single block can be determined | State Information Service (Review Committee Menkaure) |
| Instead recommended | surveying, ordering the fallen blocks, excavation in the rubble slope, making accessible to visitors · the construction project became a research and outreach project – the current state remains | State Information Service (Review Committee Menkaure) |
| UNESCO World Heritage since | 1979 | UNESCO World Heritage Centre |
| Cairo and the climate41 | ||
| Population (city) | 9,801,536 inhabitants · as of 2023 | Wikipedia (en): Cairo |
| Population (Greater Cairo) | 22,200,000 inhabitants | Wikipedia (en): Cairo |
| City area | 606 km² | Wikipedia (en): Cairo |
| Area of Greater Cairo | 2,744 km² | Wikipedia (en): Cairo |
| Elevation above sea level | 23 m | Wikipedia (en): Cairo |
| Latitude | 30.04 degrees | Wikipedia (en): Cairo |
| Longitude | 31.24 degrees | Wikipedia (en): Cairo |
| Founding of the Fatimid city | 969 AD · Earlier settlements (Babylon, Fustat) are significantly older | Wikipedia (en): Cairo |
| Nearest airport | CAI IATA | Wikipedia (en): Cairo International Airport |
| Airport to city center | 20.7 km | OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data |
| Road to Giza Plateau | 16.5 km | OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data |
| Driving time to Giza Plateau | 18 min · Free-flow time without traffic; in the greater Cairo area, realistically much longer | OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data |
| January daily high | 18.9°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| January daily low | 10.1°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| February daily high | 20.5°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| February daily low | 11°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| March daily high | 23.8°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| March daily low | 13.2°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| April daily high | 28.1°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| April daily low | 15.9°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| May daily high | 32.2°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| May daily low | 19.3°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| June daily high | 34.6°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| June daily low | 22.2°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| July daily high | 35°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| July daily low | 23.8°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| August daily high | 34.9°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| August daily low | 24.3°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| September daily high | 33.4°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| September daily low | 22.7°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| October daily high | 30°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| October daily low | 20°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| November daily high | 24.9°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| November daily low | 15.6°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| December daily high | 20.5°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| December daily low | 11.7°C · Cairo Airport station (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| Annual precipitation | 24.8 mm | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| Annual mean of daily highs | 28.1°C | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| Annual mean of daily lows | 17.5°C | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| Highest recorded value | 47.8°C | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| Lowest recorded value | 1.2°C | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
What applies at the gate since the 2025 reorganization
At the gate, the ticket office closing time comes first: The counters close one hour before the site closes. The official information is contradictory: 8 am to 4 pm and 7 am to 5 pm are both mentioned. Payment at the ticket counter is by card only, not cash; since 2023, tickets are sold cashless. However, you should still carry cash for tips and small purchases. Private vehicles are no longer allowed onto the plateau since 2025. Instead, an electric shuttle connects the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure, the Panorama Point, and the Sphinx; its use is included in the site ticket. The main entrance is the Great Gate on the Cairo-Fayoum desert road; the Sphinx Gate is open but has no ticket counters.
Intended for exterior views, not for the interior
This tour is the right choice for travelers who appreciate an organized eight-hour day at the Giza Plateau and want to see the three pyramids and the Sphinx from the outside. Entering the Great Pyramid of Khufu is not on the agenda; the provider explicitly excludes the interior. That is exactly what distinguishes this tour: Only 35 other offers in the category also do without the interior. If, on the other hand, you would like to ride a camel, the “Private Tour to the Pyramids and the Great Sphinx with Camel Ride” is the more suitable alternative; it lasts 4 to 8 hours and costs from 51 euros. This offer does not list German as a language.
Similar tours on this page
Six offers that a reader of this page might actually waver between: same departure point first, then same destinations, then similar duration. Each card leads to the page with the same data sheet, not directly to the provider, so you can compare before booking.
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The order follows the proximity to this tour and not the commission. Reviews, prices and availability according to GetYourGuide, retrieved on 2026-09-03. Prices in euros; "from" is the provider's lowest entry price.
Frequently asked questions
Is the entrance to the plateau included in this offer?
Yes. The site ticket of over 11 euros (700 Egyptian pounds) is included in the price.
How long does the tour really take?
The catalog states 8 hours. This period is counted from the meeting point or hotel, not from the gate; in Cairo traffic, a good half to a full hour each way is lost to that.
Is there a German-speaking guide?
Yes, the provider lists German as the guiding language. This is a promise by the provider and not a verified characteristic of the person on site.
Will I get into a pyramid with this?
No, the interior is not included.
Is the rating of this offer meaningful?
Yes. 4.7 stars from 18 reviews is above the threshold of 4.0 with at least ten votes that this page sets.
Where can I find all the data for this tour?
In the data sheet on this page. It lists every detail about the tour, each stop, and the climate of the departure city, each with its source, and can be downloaded as a CSV.
Cairo: Pyramids, Museum & Khan el-Khalili
Dates, availability, and the latest version of services are provided by the operator. This page reflects the catalog status, not the status as of this morning.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from one of these sources. The text does not cite them to keep it readable; the data sheet lists the source for each line.
- 1GetYourGuide: Kairo: Pyramiden, Museum & Khan el-Khalili abgerufen 2026-09-03Title, duration, services, languages, cancellation policy, stars, number of reviews, and starting price.
- 2Kursdatensatz des Projekts, partners/fx.json abgerufen 2026-09-03Conversion of Egyptian pounds to euros, 59.14 EGP per euro. Amounts are rounded down because "from" indicates a lower limit.
- 3Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 4Altertümerverwaltung (Regelpraxis) abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 5Daily News Egypt abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 6RESEARCH-BASE abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 7Egyptian Streets abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 8Middle East Observer abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 9UNESCO World Heritage Centre abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 10UNESCO / Wikidata abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 11RESEARCH-BASE (Ortstermin 2026-08-31) abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 12RESEARCH-BASE (mehrere Quellen, umstritten) abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 13Egypt Independent abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 14The National abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 15Saudi Press Agency abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 16Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 17Falchi et al., Science Advances 2016 abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 18Egyptian Streets abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 19Wikipedia (en): Great Sphinx of Giza abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 20Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx) abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 21Kasia Szpakowska im Gespraech mit NOVA (PBS) abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 22Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Giza Plateau) abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 23Remote Sensing (MDPI), Ruecknahmehinweis 10.08.2026 abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 24Wikipedia (en): Great Pyramid of Giza abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 25Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid) abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 26Zahi Hawass, Restoring the Great Pyramid abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 27Egyptian Streets / Ahram Online, September 2025 abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 28Nature 2017 (ScanPyramids) abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 29Scientific Reports 2025 (North Face Corridor) abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 30Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre) abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 31Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Khafre abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 32Giza Project, Harvard University abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 33Nell & Ruggles, Archaeoastronomy 25 (2012) abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 34Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure) abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 35Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Menkaure abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 36State Information Service (Pruefkommission Mykerinos) abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 37Wikipedia (en): Cairo abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 38Wikipedia (en): Cairo International Airport abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 39OSRM-Routing auf OpenStreetMap-Daten abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 40NOAA-Klimanormalen 1991-2020 via Wikipedia abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 41Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities abgerufen 2026-09-04
- 42RESEARCH-BASE abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 43UNESCO World Heritage Centre abgerufen 2026-09-04
- 44Egypt Independent abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 45NOAA-Klimanormalen 1991-2020 via Wikipedia abgerufen 2026-09-03