GetYourGuide
★ 4.5(11 Reviews)Cairo: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Saqqara and Dahshur Private Tour
- Hotel pickup included
- Tour guide in German specified
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Duration according to provider: 8 hours
Giza, Saqqara and Dahshur: an eight-hour day from Cairo
The eight-hour tour by Sun Pyramids Tours starts in Cairo. It takes you to the Giza Plateau. There you will find the three pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, as well as the Great Sphinx, which is carved from the natural rock, not built from blocks. Then it continues to Saqqara to the Step Pyramid of Djoser, about forty kilometers south of Cairo. The tour title also mentions Dahshur, but the provider leaves open what is visited there. The tour is intended for travelers who want to combine the pyramid sites around Cairo in one day and are looking for an organized trip from Cairo.
Photos by the provider Sun Pyramids Tours. They show the offer, not your day.
- Provider
- Sun Pyramids Tours
- Duration
- 8 hours
- Start location
- Cairo
- Group type
- Group
- Guide
- live guide
- German-speaking
- yes
- Hotel pickup
- yes
- Price
- from €40
- Rating
- 4.6 out of 13 reviews
- Quality threshold
- passed
What is included, what is not, and what the provider is silent about
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 | no information | Ask before booking; it is about 11 euros per person. |
| 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. |
| Tomb 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. |
Site ticket for the plateau
- Status
- no information
- What this means for you
- Ask before booking; it is about 11 euros per person.
Interior of a pyramid
- Status
- not included
- What this means for you
- Not included, can be arranged on site.
Hotel pickup
- Status
- included
- What this means for you
- Included, meeting point is your accommodation.
Lunch
- Status
- included
- What this means for you
- Included.
Tomb chambers and mastabas
- 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.
Cancellation
- Status
- free up to 24 hours before
- What this means for you
- Provider's statement in the catalog.
What the entry price includes and what is due at the gate
The provider states an entry price of 40 euros. Included in the price are lunch, hotel pickup in Cairo, and the accompaniment of a guide. The provider says nothing about the site ticket for the Giza Plateau; officially it costs 700 Egyptian pounds, about 11 euros. For foreign students, the amount is halved to 350 EGP. The interior of the Great Pyramid of Khufu is explicitly not included; those who wish to visit it pay officially 1,000 EGP, about 16 euros. In Saqqara, a separate ticket structure applies that is not covered by the Giza site ticket; the provider does not name prices for that either. Tipping is customary in Egypt, but not a surcharge for special service.
The price in comparison
Entry price of this tour against the four best-documented offers in the same category. The highlighted bar is this tour.
The price alone says little. Read it together with the line "Site ticket" in the comparison table: An offer without entrance is not cheaper, but calculated differently.
Figures in this chart as a table
| Row | Cairo: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Saqqar… | Cairo: Private Tour to Pyramids and G… | Cairo: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramid… | 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 of this tour is highlighted; the other four are the best-documented in the category.
| Kairo: Gizeh-Pyramiden, Sphinx, Sakkara und … | 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 | group | private | group | group | small group |
| German-speaking | yes | no | yes | yes | yes |
| Area ticket | not specified | included | included | included | included |
| Pickup | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Rating (reviews) | 4.6 (13) | 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 |
Kairo: Gizeh-Pyramiden, Sphinx, Sakkara und Dahschur Privattour
- Provider
- Sun Pyramids Tours
- Price
- from 40 €
- Duration
- 8 hours
- Group type
- group
- German-speaking
- yes
- Area ticket
- not specified
- Pickup
- yes
- Rating (reviews)
- 4.6 (13)
- Quality threshold
- passed
- Free cancellation until
- 24 h
Kairo: Private Tour zu Pyramiden und Großer Sphinx mit Kamelritt
- 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
Kairo: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramiden, Sphinx-Tour und Mittagessen
- 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
Kairo: Stadtführung mit weiblicher Führung zu Pyramiden, Sphinx und Museum
- 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
Ab Kairo: Tour zu den Pyramiden von Gizeh, Sphinx, Sakkara und Memphis
- 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, the rating in parentheses. A rating without its sample size is not information.
The quality threshold of this page is ten reviews. Anything below is not a judgment but a coincidence.
Figures in this chart as a table
| Row | Cairo: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx… (4.6) | Cairo: Private Tour to Pyramid… (4.9) | Cairo: Grand Egyptian Museum, … (4.7) | Cairo: City tour with female… (4.8) | From Cairo: Tour to the Pyramide… (4.7) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| reviews | 13 reviews | 7,579 reviews | 4,382 reviews | 1,697 reviews | 3,587 reviews |
4.6 out of 13 votes: a rating with a thin basis
The 4.6 is the average of 13 reviews. With so few votes, the rating says little about what you can expect. In the category of pyramid tours from Cairo, this tour thus ranks 58th out of 126 by number of reviews. Other tours in the same category have between 1,697 and 7,579 reviews. Those who rely on ratings will find a more solid foundation there. The 4.6 is not worthless, but its informative value remains limited.
The day, stop by stop
The order follows the usual sequence. Each stop tells you what to expect there and the documented facts; everything else is in the data sheet.
Pickup at your accommodation
The provider picks you up; the duration of the tour 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 go by electric shuttle or on foot.
- Site ticket foreigner (adult)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 natural rock, 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 foreigner (adult)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 partially clad at the top. Its valley temple is included in the site ticket and is the shadiest place 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 in site ticketincludedMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Giza Plateau)
Pyramid of Menkaure
The smallest of the three, clad in granite from Aswan on the lower courses.
- Original height65 mMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
- Interior visit 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)
Saqqara (Pyramid of Djoser)
Forty kilometers south, with the Step Pyramid of Djoser. Separate price list with up to seven individual tickets.
- Distance from Cairo40 kmMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara)
- Site ticket foreigners (adults)600 EGPMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara)
- Opening hours08:00–16:00Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Return to 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 promise about the duration of the stop.
Temperatures in Cairo throughout the year
Mean daily maximum and minimum values per month. Two series, one axis; the points mark the hottest and coldest months.
Daily maximumDaily minimum
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 |
Cool months, hot hours: the climate for this tour
The chart shows Cairo's average highs and lows for each month. If you prefer cooler weather, come from November to February: then highs range from 19 to 25 degrees, lows from 10 to 16 degrees. From May to September, the thermometer climbs to 32 to 35 degrees during the day; there is little shade on the site. In April and October, highs are around 28 and 30 degrees. The provider does not specify a start time; the day tour extends over the midday period. These are normal outdoor values, not a forecast for your travel day.
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 its ticket: 213 rows, each with its source. Collapsed because this is not a reading page, but fully present.
Download full table as CSV · 213 Rows
Show all 213 entries
| Item | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The offer30 | ||
| Provider's title | Cairo: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Saqqara and Dahshur Private Tour | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Provider | Sun Pyramids Tours | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Product number | 448319 | 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 | 4.6 stars | GetYourGuide, live retrieval |
| Number of reviews | 13 | GetYourGuide, live retrieval |
| Project quality threshold | passed | Own rule: at least 4.0 with at least 10 reviews |
| Rank in category | 55 of 126 in "Pyramid tours from Cairo" | Own evaluation, grade weighted by number of reviews |
| Plateau site ticket | not specified | 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, Japanese, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian | GetYourGuide catalog |
| German-speaking guide | yes | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Private booking | no | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Small group | no | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Group type according to provider | not specified | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Preferred entry | no | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Wheelchair accessible | not specified | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Free cancellation | yes | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Cancellation deadline | 24 hours before start | GetYourGuide catalog |
| Giza reference in catalog | high | Own verification of catalogue fields |
| Provider images | 5 photos | GetYourGuide catalogue |
| Data status | 2026-09-03 | Own retrieval |
| Giza Plateau22 | ||
| Area ticket, foreigners (adults) | EGP 700 · Students EGP 350; Egyptians EGP 60/30. Does NOT cover interiors | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities |
| Area ticket, students (foreigners) | EGP 350 | 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 booths close one hour before closing | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities |
| Ticket booth closing before gate closing | 1 hour | Antiquities administration (standard practice) |
| Payment at ticket booth | card only, no cash · Cashless sales since 2023; cash still needed for tips and small purchases | 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 booths | RESEARCH-BASE |
| Private vehicles on the plateau | banned since the 2025 reorganisation | RESEARCH-BASE |
| Electric shuttle | included in admission, hop-on/hop-off · Confirmed 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 Roash to Dahshur) | 30 km · Over two dozen pyramids depending on counting method | UNESCO World Heritage Centre |
| Khufu Pyramid closed at noon | 12:00–13:00 | RESEARCH-BASE (on-site visit 2026-08-31) |
| Interior of Khufu Pyramid (circulating figures) | EGP 400–1,500 · Three orders of magnitude circulate; daily quota ~300 in two windows (Hawass regulation after 1998) | RESEARCH-BASE (multiple sources, disputed) |
| Entry for under-16s on Fri/Sat/holidays | only with ID or accompanied · Regulation from June 2022; current application unverified | Egypt Independent |
| Major concerts on the plateau since | 1978 · About 15 confirmed major performances in five decades, almost yearly since 2021 | The National |
| First professional boxing match on the plateau | 2026-05-23 · Usyk vs. Verhoeven, T.K.o. round 11 | Saudi Press Agency |
| Private photography at sites | free, including with system/SLR cameras · Permit required: photo umbrellas, artificial light, equipment that blocks 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 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' – supported but not proven | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx) |
| Concept | 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 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 | legitimisation of succession and fulfilment of the royal core duty to maintain sacred buildings | Kasia Szpakowska in conversation with NOVA (PBS) |
| Condition in the New Kingdom | largely buried in sand, probably only the head visible | Kasia Szpakowska in conversation with NOVA (PBS) |
| The Plateau in the New Kingdom | Court excursion area: hunting, chariot driving, archery, rest stops in the shade | Kasia Szpakowska in conversation with NOVA (PBS) |
| Dream Stele: material and size | Granite, just under four meters high, several tons · Only attested secondarily; according to a common interpretation, a reused lintel from the valley 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 · Uncovered in 1817 by Giovanni Battista Caviglia; thereafter 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 closest 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 attested · Presentation from June 2026 from the same group whose foundational work was retracted in August 2026 | Remote Sensing (MDPI), retraction 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 says 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 with high-quality limestone | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid) |
| Builder | King Khufu, 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) |
| Grand 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) | 1,000 EGP · 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 | 500 EGP | 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 says 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; 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 release 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 system is located in the chambers, not in the Grand Gallery | Egyptian Streets / Ahram Online, September 2025 |
| ScanPyramids: Big Void | at least 30 m above the Grand 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 | 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, which partially compensates for the height loss | Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Khafre |
| Builder | King Khafre, 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 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 older 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 belongs to 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 | 1860 by Auguste Mariette, some from a shaft in the temple | Giza Project, Harvard University |
| Current location of the statues | contradictory records · The official site names the Egyptian Museum, while the Harvard find catalogue 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 · Same survey; the east-west axis is closer to true cardinal for both than the north-south axis | Nell & Ruggles, Archaeoastronomy 25 (2012) |
| Valley temple in the area 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 indicated · The monument page lists no 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 paper was withdrawn on 10 August 2026; the authors dispute the withdrawal | Remote Sensing (MDPI), withdrawal 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 | 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 considerably 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 practised 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, area 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 Commission Menkaure) |
| Decision of the review commission | unanimous rejection · Reason: the original position of no single block can be determined | State Information Service (Review Commission Menkaure) |
| Instead recommended | surveying, sorting the fallen blocks, excavation in the rubble slope, making the site accessible to visitors · The construction project became a research and outreach project – the current state remains | State Information Service (Review Commission Menkaure) |
| UNESCO World Heritage since | 1979 | UNESCO World Heritage Centre |
| Saqqara (Djoser Pyramid)29 | ||
| Opening hours | 08:00–16:00 · Daily; checked 2026-08-31 | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities |
| Ticket structure | several individual tickets (area, Djoser Pyramid, noble tombs, Mereruka, South Tomb, Serapeum) + combination ticket · The Serapeum is most often missing from packages | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities |
| Covered by the Giza ticket? | no – own ticket required | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities |
| Djoser Pyramid | oldest monumental stone building in the world (3rd Dynasty) | UNESCO World Heritage Centre |
| Distance to Memphis | 4 km | Rome2Rio |
| UNESCO World Heritage since | 1979 · Part of World Heritage Site No. 86 | UNESCO World Heritage Centre |
| Distance from Cairo | 40 km · Southwest of the city | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Origin of the name | presumably from the god Sokar, the god of this necropolis | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Djoser Pyramid: Dating | c. 2686–2667 BC | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Djoser Pyramid: Height | 62.5 m | Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Djoser |
| Djoser Pyramid: Base area | 121 × 109 m | Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Djoser |
| Djoser Pyramid: Volume | 330,400 m³ | Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Djoser |
| Djoser Pyramid: Architect | Imhotep | Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Djoser |
| Djoser Pyramid: Shape | six-stepped, four-sided – the first Egyptian pyramid ever | Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Djoser |
| Pyramid of Unas | oldest burial chamber of a pyramid decorated with texts · The Pyramid Texts were meant to protect the king on his journey to the afterlife | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Unas: Reign | c. 2375–2345 BC | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Serapeum | underground galleries with the burials of the Apis bulls · in use from the 18th Dynasty to the Ptolemaic period | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Apis bull | considered the embodiment of Ptah; there was only one at a time | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Tomb of Horemheb | built here as a general, never used as a king · After his accession to the throne, he had a second tomb built in the Valley of the Kings | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Monastery of Apa Jeremias | Coptic remains, in use until the 8th century AD | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Imhotep Museum | on site, shows finds from the entire span of the site | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Site ticket foreigners (adults) | 600 EGP · Students 300 EGP | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Djoser Pyramid (interior visit) | 280 EGP · Students 140 EGP | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Serapeum | 340 EGP · Students 170 EGP | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Noble tombs and New Kingdom tombs | 400 EGP · Students 200 EGP | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Tomb of Mereruka | 200 EGP · Students 100 EGP | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| South Tomb in the Djoser complex | 300 EGP · Students 150 EGP | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Combination ticket | 1,400 EGP · Students 700 EGP. Covers the grounds, Imhotep Museum, noble tombs, New Kingdom tombs, Mereruka and Mehu – not the Serapeum and not the Djoser Pyramid | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| Vehicle ticket | Car and taxi 25, minibus 50, coaster 75, bus 100 EGP | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) |
| 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 predecessor settlements (Babylon, Fustat) are significantly older | Wikipedia (en): Cairo |
| Nearest airport | CAI IATA | Wikipedia (en): Cairo International Airport |
| Airport to city centre | 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 Greater Cairo realistically much longer | OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data |
| Daily high January | 18.9 °C · Station Cairo Airport (CAI) | NOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia |
| Daily low January | 10.1 °C · Station Cairo Airport (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 |
At the Gate: Card Payment, Ticket Office Closing Time, and the Way onto the Plateau
At the ticket office of the Giza Plateau, only card payments are accepted. The ticket office closes one hour before the gate closes. The official website lists opening hours as 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, while an older official PDF lists 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Since 2025, the main entrance has been the Great Gate on the Cairo-Fayoum desert road. Private vehicles are no longer allowed onto the plateau; an electric shuttle is included in the site ticket and takes visitors to the pyramids and the Sphinx. If you prefer to walk, you can also explore the area on foot.
Who This Tour Suits and Who Should Consider an Alternative
Among the 126 pyramid tours from Cairo, this tour ranks 19th in price, placing it in the cheapest 15 percent. It suits travelers who value a tour explicitly guided in German. The provider lists it as wheelchair accessible. The alternative “From Cairo: Tour to the Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx, Saqqara, and Memphis” starts at €62, also offers an explicitly German-speaking guide, and has 3,587 reviews; it is a good choice if a larger number of reviews matters to you. If you want to see the inside of a pyramid, choose an option that explicitly includes this visit. Private booking is not indicated for this tour.
Similar Tours on This Page
Six options that a reader of this page might actually be weighing: 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 proximity to this tour, not 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 fee to the plateau included in this offer?
The provider does not specify. It amounts to about €11 (700 Egyptian pounds) per person; ask before booking.
How long does the tour actually take?
The catalog lists 8 hours. This duration is counted from the meeting point or hotel, not from the gate; in Cairo traffic, allow a good half hour to a full hour each way.
Is there a German-speaking guide?
Yes, the provider lists German as the guiding language. This is a promise from the provider, not a verified attribute of the on-site person.
Will I get inside a pyramid with this?
No, the interior is not included.
Is the rating for this offer meaningful?
Yes. 4.6 stars from 13 reviews is above the threshold of 4.0 with at least ten votes that this page uses.
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 destination, and the climate of the departure city, each with its source, and can be downloaded as a CSV.
GetYourGuide
Cairo: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Saqqara, and Dahshur Private Tour
Dates, availability, and the latest version of services are with the provider. 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 in each row.
- 1GetYourGuide: Kairo: Gizeh-Pyramiden, Sphinx, Sakkara und Dahschur Privattour 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 bound.
- 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
- 37Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 38Rome2Rio abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 39Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Saqqara) abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 40Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Djoser abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 41Wikipedia (en): Cairo abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 42Wikipedia (en): Cairo International Airport abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 43OSRM-Routing auf OpenStreetMap-Daten abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 44NOAA-Klimanormalen 1991-2020 via Wikipedia abgerufen 2026-09-03
- 45Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities abgerufen 2026-09-04
- 46RESEARCH-BASE abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 47UNESCO World Heritage Centre abgerufen 2026-09-04
- 48Egypt Independent abgerufen 2026-08-31
- 49Rome2Rio abgerufen 2026-09-04
- 50NOAA-Klimanormalen 1991-2020 via Wikipedia abgerufen 2026-09-03