Hurghada: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramids and Sphinx Day Trip

19 hours, from €74, entrance included. 4.5 out of 1,191 reviews. What OceanAir Travel promises, what remains open, and what is included in the price.

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Hurghada: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramids and Sphinx Day Trip

★ 4.5(1,137 Reviews)
  • Plateau area ticket included
  • Hotel pickup included
  • Tour in German available
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

A day that starts in Hurghada and ends only after 19 hours

This day trip starts at your hotel in Hurghada, not in Giza. The operator is OceanAir Travel. The destination is 473 road kilometers away; the travel time is set at six hours each way, with the entire tour lasting 19 hours. The program combines the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) with the Giza Plateau, which lies two kilometers from the museum. On the plateau stand the three pyramids and the Sphinx. The day is accompanied by a guide; languages offered are English, French, and German, so a German-speaking tour is bookable. The offer is aimed at travelers who want to see both the new museum and the pyramids in one day from the coast and are willing to accept a long bus ride for this combination.

Hurghada: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramids and Sphinx Day TripHurghada: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramids and Sphinx Day TripHurghada: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramids and Sphinx Day TripHurghada: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramids and Sphinx Day TripHurghada: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramids and Sphinx Day Trip

Photos by the operator OceanAir Travel. They show the offer, not your day.

Provider
OceanAir Travel
Duration
19 hours
Start location
Hurghada
Group type
Group
Guide
Live guide
German-speaking
Yes
Hotel pickup
Yes
Price
From €74
Rating
4.5 out of 1,191 reviews
Quality threshold
Passed

What is included, what is not, and what the provider does not say

The catalog distinguishes three states, and the third is the most important: no information does not mean excluded, but unclarified.

ServiceStatusWhat this means for you
Plateau area ticketIncludedIncluded in the price, nothing more to pay.
Interior of a pyramidAs an add-onExplicitly included.
Hotel pickupIncludedIncluded, meeting point is your accommodation.
LunchIncludedIncluded.
Tomb chambers and mastabasNowhere in the catalogIn the entire reviewed catalog, no offer sells access to a tomb on the plateau.
CancellationFree up to 24 hours beforeProvider's statement in the catalog.
Plateau area ticket
Status
Included
What this means for you
Included in the price, nothing more to pay.
Interior of a pyramid
Status
As an add-on
What this means for you
Explicitly included.
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 base price covers and what you book extra

The entry price starts at 74 euros. Explicitly included are the area ticket for the Giza Plateau, lunch, and hotel pickup. The area ticket is officially priced at 700 EGP, around 11 euros; this amount is covered by the provider. Whether entrance to the Grand Egyptian Museum is also included in the price is not stated by the provider. For the interior of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, there is an add-on from the provider; officially this ticket costs 1,000 EGP, around 16 euros. Free cancellation is possible up to 24 hours before. Tipping is customary in Egypt; the provider does not list it as 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.

Hurghada: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyram…74 €
Hurghada: Day trip to Cairo with …239 €
Hurghada to Cairo: Pyramids and Mus…80 €
From Hurghada: Day trip to the Highl…65 €
Hurghada: Full-day trip to Cai…219 €

Price alone says little. Read it together with the 'Area ticket' row in the comparison table: An offer without entrance is not cheaper, but calculated differently.

Figures in this chart as a table
RowHurghada: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyram…Hurghada: Day trip to Cairo with …Hurghada to Cairo: Pyramids and Mus…From Hurghada: Day trip to the Highl…Hurghada: Full-day trip to Cai…
Entry price74 €239 €80 €65 €219 €

This tour against four comparable ones

All five come from the category 'Pyramid excursions from Hurghada'. The column of this tour is highlighted; the other four are the best-documented in the category.

Hurghada: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramiden und …Hurghada: Tagesausflug nach Kairo mit Flug …Hurghada nach Kairo: Pyramiden und Museum für …Ab Hurghada: Tagesausflug zu den Highlights von …Hurghada: Ganztägiger Ausflug nach Kairo mit dem …
ProviderOceanAir TravelBook Tour Egypt (BTE)FTS TravelssNice ToursFTS Travelss
Pricefrom 74 €from 239 €from 80 €from 65 €from 219 €
Duration19 hours16 to 17 hours1 days15 to 20 hours1 days
Group typegroupgroupsmall groupgroupsmall group
German-speakingyesyesyesyesyes
Area ticketincludedincludedAdd-onincludedincluded
Pickupyesyesyesyesyes
Rating (reviews)4.5 (1,191)4.9 (3,361)4.8 (1,255)4.6 (7,111)4.8 (458)
Quality thresholdpassedpassedpassedpassedpassed
Free cancellation until24 h24 h24 h24 hnot specified
Hurghada: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramiden und Sphinx-Tagesausflug
Provider
OceanAir Travel
Price
from 74 €
Duration
19 hours
Group type
group
German-speaking
yes
Area ticket
included
Pickup
yes
Rating (reviews)
4.5 (1,191)
Quality threshold
passed
Free cancellation until
24 h
Hurghada: Tagesausflug nach Kairo mit Flug, Pyramiden, Sphinx und Museum
Provider
Book Tour Egypt (BTE)
Price
from 239 €
Duration
16 to 17 hours
Group type
group
German-speaking
yes
Area ticket
included
Pickup
yes
Rating (reviews)
4.9 (3,361)
Quality threshold
passed
Free cancellation until
24 h
Hurghada nach Kairo: Pyramiden und Museum für Erstbesucher
Provider
FTS Travelss
Price
from 80 €
Duration
1 days
Group type
small group
German-speaking
yes
Area ticket
Add-on
Pickup
yes
Rating (reviews)
4.8 (1,255)
Quality threshold
passed
Free cancellation until
24 h
Ab Hurghada: Tagesausflug zu den Highlights von Kairo und Gizeh
Provider
Nice Tours
Price
from 65 €
Duration
15 to 20 hours
Group type
group
German-speaking
yes
Area ticket
included
Pickup
yes
Rating (reviews)
4.6 (7,111)
Quality threshold
passed
Free cancellation until
24 h
Hurghada: Ganztägiger Ausflug nach Kairo mit dem Flugzeug
Provider
FTS Travelss
Price
from 219 €
Duration
1 days
Group type
small group
German-speaking
yes
Area ticket
included
Pickup
yes
Rating (reviews)
4.8 (458)
Quality threshold
passed
Free cancellation until
not specified

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.

Hurghada: Grand Egyptian Museu… (4.5)1.191 Reviews
Hurghada: Day trip to Ca… (4.9)3.361 Reviews
Hurghada to Cairo: Pyramids… (4.8)1.255 Reviews
From Hurghada: Day trip to t… (4.6)7.111 Reviews
Hurghada: Full-day trip … (4.8)458 Reviews

The quality threshold of this page is ten reviews. Anything below that is not a judgment but a coincidence.

Figures in this chart as a table
RowHurghada: Grand Egyptian Museu… (4.5)Hurghada: Day trip to Ca… (4.9)Hurghada to Cairo: Pyramids… (4.8)From Hurghada: Day trip to t… (4.6)Hurghada: Full-day trip … (4.8)
Reviews1,191 Reviews3,361 Reviews1,255 Reviews7,111 Reviews458 Reviews

4.5 with 1,191 reviews: a reliable rating

The rating for this tour is 4.5. It is based on 1,191 reviews. The rating alone says little; what matters is how many votes are behind it. By number of reviews, the tour is ranked 4th in its category, which includes 36 offers. The stated category rank is 8 out of 36; this order is based on documentation strength, not solely on the rating. 1,191 reviews are a stable basis; the 4.5 is a good, not outstanding, value.

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.

  1. Pickup at your accommodation

    The provider picks you up; the duration of the tour counts from here, not from the gate.

  2. 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.

  3. Great Sphinx

    Carved from the bedrock, not built. The public stands on the terrace above, not next to the paws.

  4. Great Pyramid of Khufu

    The largest of the three, from the outside. The interior is a separate ticket and included in almost no offer.

  5. Pyramid of Khafre

    The middle one, still partly clad at the top. Its valley temple is included in the area ticket and is the shadiest spot on the site.

  6. Pyramid of Menkaure

    The smallest of the three, clad in granite from Aswan on the lower courses.

  7. Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)

    The new museum, two kilometres from the plateau. Since mid-November 2025, entry is only with a pre-booked time slot.

  8. Back to the starting point

    The return journey is included in the stated duration. In Cairo traffic, it is the most unpredictable part of the day.

A stop in this list is a stop, not a promise about the duration of the stop.

Temperatures in Hurghada throughout the year

Average daily maximum and minimum values per month. Two series, one axis; the points mark the hottest and coldest months.

Daily maximumDaily minimum
817253341Daily maximum, Aug: 37,5 °C38Daily maximum, Jan: 22,2 °C22Daily minimum, Aug: 28,0 °C28Daily minimum, Jan: 11,6 °C12JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

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
RowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Daily maximum22.2 °C23.5 °C26.2 °C29.9 °C33.7 °C36.3 °C37.4 °C37.5 °C35.3 °C32.1 °C27.8 °C23.8 °C
Daily minimum11.6 °C12.4 °C15.1 °C18.7 °C23.1 °C26.1 °C27.8 °C28 °C25.6 °C22.2 °C17.7 °C13.4 °C

Hot months, early pickup, little shade

The temperature curve on this page shows normal values for Hurghada, not a forecast. The hottest months are June to August: highs are between 36 and 38 degrees, lows between 26 and 28 degrees. As early as May, the thermometer climbs to 34 degrees, and in September to 35 degrees. This tour picks up its guests between 1:30 and 2:30 a.m.; part of the bus ride is therefore at night, but the visits on the site are during the day. There is hardly any shade on the Giza Plateau. Between December and February, highs are most pleasant at 22 to 24 degrees; those who want to avoid the heat should choose these months.

The complete data sheet

Every piece of information this project has documented about this tour, the places in its itinerary, and the area covered by your ticket: 204 rows, each with its source. Collapsed because this is not a reading page, but fully present.

Download full table as CSV · 204 Rows

Show all 204 entries
ItemValueSource
The offer30
Provider titleHurghada: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramids and Sphinx Day TripGetYourGuide catalogue
ProviderOceanAir TravelGetYourGuide catalogue
Product number892008GetYourGuide catalogue
Start locationHurghadaGetYourGuide catalogue
Duration19 hoursGetYourGuide catalogue
Multi-daynoGetYourGuide catalogue
Starting price74 €GetYourGuide, live retrieval
Starting price in local currencyapprox. 4,376 EGPExchange rate 59.14 EGP per euro
Rating4.5 starsGetYourGuide, live retrieval
Number of reviews1.191GetYourGuide, live retrieval
Project quality thresholdpassedOwn rule: at least 4.0 with at least 10 reviews
Rank in category8 out of 36 in "Pyramid trips from Hurghada"Own evaluation, grade weighted by number of reviews
Plateau area ticketincludedGetYourGuide catalogue
Interior of a pyramidas an add-onGetYourGuide catalogue
Access to a tombno offer in the catalogue sells thatOwn evaluation of all 252 offers
Hotel pickupincludedGetYourGuide catalogue
LunchincludedGetYourGuide catalogue
Type of guidelive guided tourGetYourGuide catalogue
Guide languagesEnglish, French, GermanGetYourGuide catalogue
German-speaking guideyesGetYourGuide catalogue
Private booking possiblenoGetYourGuide catalogue
Small groupnoGetYourGuide catalogue
Group format according to providernot specifiedGetYourGuide catalogue
Preferred entryyesGetYourGuide catalogue
Wheelchair accessiblenoGetYourGuide catalogue
Free cancellationyesGetYourGuide catalogue
Cancellation deadline24 hours before startGetYourGuide catalogue
Giza reference in cataloguehighOwn verification of catalogue fields
Provider images5 photosGetYourGuide catalogue
Data status2026-09-03Own retrieval
Giza Plateau22
Area ticket foreigners (adults)EGP 700 · Students EGP 350; Egyptians EGP 60/30. Does NOT cover interiorsMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities
Area ticket students (foreigners)EGP 350Ministry 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 closingMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities
Ticket office closes before gate closes1 hourAntiquities administration (standard practice)
Payment at ticket officecard only, no cash · Cashless sales since 2023; cash still needed for tips and small purchasesDaily News Egypt
Main entrance since 2025Great Gate on the Cairo–Fayoum desert road (southwest) · Replaces the old gate at Mena House; Sphinx Gate open but without ticket officeRESEARCH-BASE
Private vehicles on the plateaubanned since the 2025 reorganisationRESEARCH-BASE
Electric shuttleincluded in admission, hop-on/hop-off · Stops confirmed: Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure, Panorama Point, SphinxRESEARCH-BASE
Visitor operationsOrascom Pyramids Entertainment (OPE), 15-year contract since 2018 · Ticket revenue remains entirely with the state, plus 50% of project profitEgyptian Streets
Visitors per year (operator figure)3,500,000 · Figure from 5 Jan 2026; target 5 million; no official per-site figure publishedMiddle East Observer
Visitors per day (derived)9,600 · Calculated from 3.5 million/yearMiddle East Observer
UNESCO World Heritage since1979 · Part of 'Memphis and its Necropolis', No. 86UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Area of World Heritage site16,358.52 haUNESCO / Wikidata
Length of pyramid field (Abu Roash to Dahshur)30 km · Over two dozen pyramids depending on counting methodUNESCO World Heritage Centre
Great Pyramid of Khufu closed at noon12:00–13:00RESEARCH-BASE (site visit 2026-08-31)
Interior of the Great 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 under 16 on Fri/Sat/holidaysonly with ID or accompanied · Regulation from June 2022; current application unverifiedEgypt Independent
Major concerts on the plateau since1978 · About 15 documented major performances in five decades, almost yearly since 2021The National
First professional boxing match on the plateau2026-05-23 · Usyk vs Verhoeven, T.K.o. round 11Saudi Press Agency
Private photography at sitesfree, also with system/SLR cameras · Requires permit: photo umbrellas, artificial light, equipment blocking pathwaysMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities
Milky Way over the plateaunot visible (brightest night sky worldwide in the Nile Delta) · Starry-sky photos over the pyramids are montagesFalchi et al., Science Advances 2016
Air purification system in the King's Chamber sinceSeptember 2025 · Plasmacluster; aim: reduce humidity, protect wallsEgyptian Streets
Great Sphinx23
Length73 mWikipedia (en): Great Sphinx of Giza
Height20 mWikipedia (en): Great Sphinx of Giza
Width19 mWikipedia (en): Great Sphinx of Giza
Materialcarved directly from the bedrock · Not a built structure but a sculpture in natural limestoneMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx)
Date of creation4th Dynasty, c. 2613–2494 BC · Thus the oldest of the Egyptian colossal statuesMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx)
AttributionReign of Khafre, c. 2558–2532 BC · The official wording is 'the evidence points to' – attested but not provenMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx)
Iconographythe king with a lion's body, as a sign of his powerMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx)
Sphinx Templeimmediately in front, next to the Valley Temple of KhafreMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx)
Construction sequencethe Valley Temple was finished before work on the Sphinx began · Result of archaeological analysis, not traditionMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx)
Facial featuresstriking resemblance to the statues of KhafreMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx)
Interpretation in the New Kingdommanifestation of the sun god, called Horemakhet ('Horus in the Horizon') · 18th Dynasty, c. 1550–1295 BCMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx)
Temple of Amenhotep IIbuilt next to the Sphinx, dedicated to this god · Amenhotep II, c. 1427–1400 BCMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx)
Dream Steleerected by Thutmose IV between the front paws · Thutmose IV, c. 1400–1390 BC; the research figure given by NOVA is 1401–1391 BCMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx)
Content of the Dream SteleThe young prince rests at noon in the shadow of the Sphinx; the god promises him kingship in a dream if he removes the sandKasia Szpakowska in conversation with NOVA (PBS)
Purpose of the stelelegitimisation of succession and fulfilment of the royal core duty to maintain sacred buildingsKasia Szpakowska in conversation with NOVA (PBS)
Condition in the New Kingdomlargely buried in sand, presumably only the head visibleKasia Szpakowska in conversation with NOVA (PBS)
The Plateau in the New KingdomCourt's recreational area: hunting, chariot driving, archery, rest stops in the shadeKasia Szpakowska in conversation with NOVA (PBS)
Dream Stele: material and sizeGranite, nearly four meters high, several tons · Only attested secondarily; according to a common interpretation, a reused lintel from the valley temple of KhafreKasia Szpakowska in conversation with NOVA (PBS)
Dream Stele: conditionabout half of the text missing, crack from the twelfth line · Exposed in 1817 by Giovanni Battista Caviglia; thereafter accelerated weatheringKasia Szpakowska in conversation with NOVA (PBS)
Public accessfrom 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 mMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Giza Plateau)
Access at paw levelofficial 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 regular ticketMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Sphinx)
Claim of a second, buried sphinxnot substantiated · Presentation from June 2026 from the same group whose foundational work was withdrawn in August 2026Remote Sensing (MDPI), retraction notice 10.08.2026
UNESCO World Heritage since1979UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Great Pyramid of Khufu25
Original height146.6 m · 280 cubits; the official site states 146.5 mWikipedia (en): Great Pyramid of Giza
Current height138.5 m · The missing eight meters are the removed casing and the tipWikipedia (en): Great Pyramid of Giza
Base length230.33 m · 440 cubitsWikipedia (en): Great Pyramid of Giza
Construction volume2,600,000 m³Wikipedia (en): Great Pyramid of Giza
Inclination angle51°50'40" · Corresponds to a seked of 5 1/2 palmsWikipedia (en): Great Pyramid of Giza
MaterialLimestone, mortar, graniteWikipedia (en): Great Pyramid of Giza
Origin of the casingTurah, south of Maadi, delivered by ship · The structure was once completely clad in high-quality limestoneMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid)
BuilderKing Khufu (Cheops), ca. 2589–2566 BCMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid)
Estimated construction time10 to 20 years · Official figure; exactly how it was built remains unresolved to this dayMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid)
Tallest building in the worldfor 3,800 yearsMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid)
Seven Wonders of the Worldthe only surviving one of the ancient Seven WondersMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid)
Chambers3 chambers · One in the bedrock, two in the masonry – according to the ministry, no other pyramid has thisMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid)
Sarcophagusin the King's Chamber, still in place todayMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid)
Grand Gallerycorbelled ascent to the King's ChamberMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid)
Boat pits on the south side2 ships · Found dismantled; the first boat is now in the Grand Egyptian MuseumMinistry 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 oneMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid)
Interior visit students500 EGPMinistry 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 unresolvedMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (The Great Pyramid)
Midday closure12:00–13:00 · Only the Great Pyramid; documented in the project's research baseMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Giza Plateau)
Temporary closureApril 1, 1998 · Humidity inside had risen to 80 percent due to visitorsZahi Hawass, Restoring the Great Pyramid
Water release per visitor20 g · Through breath and sweat; the moisture carries salts into the plaster and justifies the limited daily quotaZahi Hawass, Restoring the Great Pyramid
Air purification systemsince September 2025 in the King's Chamber and the chamber below · Plasmacluster technology; the system is located in the chambers, not in the Grand GalleryEgyptian Streets / Ahram Online, September 2025
ScanPyramids: Big Voidat least 30 m above the Grand Gallery · Muon radiography, published 2017Nature 2017 (ScanPyramids)
ScanPyramids: North Face Corridorconfirmed behind the chevron stones on the north side · Confirmed in 2025 by ground-penetrating radar, ultrasound, and resistivity measurementScientific Reports 2025 (North Face Corridor)
UNESCO World Heritage since1979 · As part of "Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur"UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Pyramid of Khafre23
Original height143.5 m · Only slightly lower than the Great PyramidMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre)
Current height136.4 m · 274 cubitsWikipedia (en): Pyramid of Khafre
Base length215.25 mWikipedia (en): Pyramid of Khafre
Construction volume2,211,096 m³Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Khafre
Inclination angle53°10' · Steeper than the Great Pyramid, which partially compensates for the height lossWikipedia (en): Pyramid of Khafre
BuilderKing Khafre (Chephren), ca. 2558–2532 BC · A son of KhufuMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre)
Locationbuilt on slightly higher bedrock · Therefore it appears as tall as his father's – the official text explicitly calls this an intentionMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre)
Remaining casingpolished limestone blocks at the top · The only one of the three that still has casing at the topMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre)
Origin of the casingTurah, south of Maadi, by shipMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre)
Core masonryBlocks of local limestoneMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre)
Mortuary and valley templeslarger than those of all older pyramids · And among the best-preserved buildings of the Old KingdomMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre)
Valley temple: constructionmassive limestone blocks with granite facing, alabaster floors, monolithic granite pillarsMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre)
Valley temple: statue nichessymmetrically arranged, once filled with royal statuesMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre)
Most famous statueGranodiorite seated figure with Horus falcon at the back of the head · Considered one of the masterpieces of ancient Egyptian artMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre)
The Great Sphinxofficially 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 discoveries1860 by Auguste Mariette, some from a shaft in the templeGiza Project, Harvard University
Current location of the statuesdocumented inconsistently · The official site names the Egyptian Museum, while the Harvard find catalogue lists most pieces with GEM inventory numbersGiza Project, Harvard University
North-south axis relative to Khufuabout 0.5 arc minutes difference · Total station survey by Nell and Ruggles, December 2006Nell & Ruggles, Archaeoastronomy 25 (2012)
Right angles of the sidesmore precise than the Great Pyramid of Khufu · Same survey; the east-west axis of both is closer to true cardinal direction than the north-south axisNell & Ruggles, Archaeoastronomy 25 (2012)
Valley temple in the area ticketincluded · Thus the nearest accessible interior space at the Sphinx and the shadiest spot on the open siteMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Giza Plateau)
Interior visitnot officially indicated · The monument page does not list a ticket block; circulating figures range from 130 to 280 EGP. Do not treat as a priceMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Khafre)
Claimed structures beneath the pyramidnot substantiated · The March 2025 press conference relied on a method whose foundational work was withdrawn on 10 August 2026; the authors dispute the withdrawalRemote Sensing (MDPI), withdrawal notice 10.08.2026
UNESCO World Heritage since1979UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Pyramid of Menkaure20
Original height65 m · 125 cubitsMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
Base area102.2 × 104.6 m · 200 cubitsWikipedia (en): Pyramid of Menkaure
Construction volume235,183 m³ · About one tenth of the Great Pyramid of KhufuWikipedia (en): Pyramid of Menkaure
Angle of inclination51°20'25"Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Menkaure
BuilderKing Menkaure, c. 2532–2503 BC · Probably son of Khafre and grandson of KhufuMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
Base area in comparisonless than a quarter of the other two · The ministry cites, among other reasons, the limited space on the plateauMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
Casing materialred granite from Aswan instead of limestone · Over 800 km transport route, and a considerably harder stone than limestoneMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
Granite portion of the casingonly the lower quarter · The rest is limestoneMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
Condition at the end of his reignunfinished · Menkaure died before completion; many granite blocks were never smoothedMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
Mortuary and valley templesplanned as limestone with granite facing, executed in whitewashed mudbrickMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
Funerary cult after his deathstill practised for about 300 yearsMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
Queen's pyramids3 pyramidsMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
Satellite pyramidnone found · It is suspected that the largest of the three queen's pyramids originally had this roleMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
Interior visit foreigners (adults)280 EGP · Official amount, area ticket also requiredMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
Interior visit students140 EGPMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
Opening hours (monument page)07:00–17:00 · Seven daysMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pyramid Complex of Menkaure)
Announced casing projectJanuary 2024, estimated at three years · The granite blocks lying on the ground were to be reattachedState Information Service (Review Commission Menkaure)
Decision of the review commissionunanimous rejection · Reason: the original position of no single block can be determinedState Information Service (Review Commission Menkaure)
Instead recommendedsurveying, ordering the fallen blocks, excavation in the rubble slope, visitor access · The construction project became a research and outreach project – the current state remainsState Information Service (Review Commission Menkaure)
UNESCO World Heritage since1979UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)23
Full opening2025-11-01 · State ceremony 1.11.2025, public a few days later; partial opening Oct. 2024RESEARCH-BASE
Distance from the Giza Plateau2 km · 'about two kilometres'RESEARCH-BASE
Site area500,000 m²ArchDaily
Exhibition area81,000 m² · Al Jazeera mentions 24,000 m² of permanent exhibition; check which size is meantArchDaily
ArchitectureHeneghan Peng Architects (competition 2002, >1,500 entries from 82 countries)ArchDaily
Construction cost (reports)1,000,000,000 USD · 'around 1 billion USD', as reportedRESEARCH-BASE (reports)
Tutankhamun Gallery7,500 m² · Over 5,600 pieces, more than 3,000 never before publicly shown; other sources cite ~5,000/5,398ArchDaily
Galleries open9:00–18:00, Wed & Sat until 21:00 · Grounds 8:30–19:00 (Wed & Sat until 22:00); last entry 1 hour before closeGEM (official)
Fixed entry time slots sincemid-November 2025 · Trigger: 27,000 visitors in one day; optimal capacity 15,000–20,000Ahram Online
First Khufu solar boatincluded in museum admission ('Khufu's Boats Museum') · The boat museum on the plateau no longer exists; moved in 2021GEM (official)
Second boat: recovered timbers1,700 pieces (approximately) · 1,343 transferred to the museum; assembly publicly visible, ~4 years, 3+2 million USD from JapanJICA
Admission exemptionsChildren under 6, visitors with disabilitiesGEM (official)
Combo ticket with the plateaudoes not officially exist · Do not adopt provider claims of 15–20% savingsGEM ticket page (full-text check 2026-08-31)
Time needed for main galleries3–4+ hoursRESEARCH-BASE
Red granite colossus of Ramses II in the atrium11 m, 75 t, since 2018 · Often confused with plateau areasWikipedia (Statue of Ramesses II)
Optimal daily capacity15,000 to 20,000 visitors · On average around 15,000; fixed time slots exist because 27,000 came in one dayAhram Online / Egypt Independent, November 2025
Early weeks rushon 7 November 2025 early closure at 13:30Ahram Online / Egypt Independent, November 2025
Partial openingOctober 2024 with twelve halls · The state ceremony for full opening followed on 1 November 2025ArchDaily (GEM)
Museum grounds open8:30–19:00, Wednesdays and Saturdays until 22:00Grand Egyptian Museum (official)
Last entryone hour before the galleries closeGrand Egyptian Museum (official)
AddressRemayah Square on the Cairo–Alexandria Desert Road, access via Gate 2Grand Egyptian Museum (official)
Pieces in the Tutankhamun Galleryover 5,600, of which over 3,000 never before publicly shown · Other reports cite around 5,000 or 5,398 – the range is part of the figureArchDaily (GEM)
Second Khufu boat: timbers transferred to the museum1,343 pieces · Of approximately 1,700 recovered timbers from thirteen layers; around 90 Japanese specialists, led by Sakuji YoshimuraJICA (second Khufu boat)
Hurghada and the Climate38
Population214,247 inhabitants · Official 2023 estimate by the statistics authority CAPMAS; no separate 2017 census value in the city list.CAPMAS via citypopulation.de
Latitude27.26 degreesWikipedia
Longitude33.81 degreesWikipedia
Elevation above sea level11 mWikipedia
Airport codeHRG IATA · Egypt's second-largest airport.Wikipedia (Hurghada International Airport)
Airport to city centre5 km · 5 km southwest of the city centre El Dahar.Wikipedia (Hurghada International Airport)
Road distance to Giza Plateau473 km · Depending on route, 450 to 473 km; Wikipedia cites approx. 455 km via the Hurghada–Sokhna–Cairo road.Egypt Tours Plus
Driving time to Giza (one way)6 h · Around 6 hours each way with breaks; estimates range from 5 to 7 hours depending on traffic.Discover Hurghada
Flight time to Cairo60 min · Nonstop approx. 60 to 75 min.; Egypt Tours Plus cites 1 hr 15 min. Flight distance approx. 400 km.Prokerala flight time calculator
Pick-up window for bus day tour01:30–02:30 · Hotel pickup before sunrise; total tour 18 to 20 hours, return around 22–23.Discover Hurghada
Departure for flight day tour07:00 · Sample itinerary: 7:00 departure, 9:30 at Giza Plateau, 18:00 return flight, 19:15 back in Hurghada.Egypt Tours Plus
Annual precipitation7.9 mmNOAA climate normals 1991–2020 via Wikipedia
Minimum water temperature21°C · Coldest month February/March.Wikipedia (Hurghada climate table)
Maximum water temperature28°C · Warmest month August.Wikipedia (Hurghada climate table)
January daily high22.2°CNOAA climate normals 1991–2020 via Wikipedia
February daily high23.5°CNOAA climate normals 1991–2020 via Wikipedia
March daily high26.2°CNOAA climate normals 1991–2020 via Wikipedia
April daily high29.9°CNOAA climate normals 1991–2020 via Wikipedia
May daily high33.7°CNOAA climate normals 1991–2020 via Wikipedia
June daily high36.3°CNOAA climate normals 1991–2020 via Wikipedia
Daily high July37.4°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily high August37.5°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily high September35.3°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily high October32.1°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily high November27.8°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily high December23.8°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily low January11.6°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily low February12.4°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily low March15.1°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily low April18.7°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily low May23.1°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily low June26.1°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily low July27.8°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily low August28°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily low September25.6°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily low October22.2°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily low November17.7°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia
Daily low December13.4°CNOAA climate normals 1991-2020 via Wikipedia

At the Great Gate: Map, Shuttle, and Ticket Office Closing Time

Since 2025, the main entrance to the Giza Plateau is through the Great Gate; the old gate at the Mena House has been replaced. Private vehicles are no longer allowed on the site; they remain at the Great Gate. An electric shuttle is included in the site ticket. It stops at the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure, the Panorama Point, and the Sphinx. Payment at the ticket office is by card only, not cash. The ticket office closes one hour before the gate closes. The official website lists the plateau's hours as 8 am to 4 pm; an older official source says 7 am to 5 pm. The Sphinx Gate is open but has no ticket office.

Who Benefits from the Long Bus Ride

This tour suits travelers who want to visit the museum, the pyramids, and the Sphinx in one day from Hurghada and prefer sitting on a bus to taking a flight for the same itinerary. If you don't want to travel by bus, you can find an alternative in “Hurghada: Day Trip to Cairo by Flight, Pyramids, Sphinx, and Museum”; it lasts 16 to 17 hours and costs from €239. The tour is explicitly not suitable for wheelchair users; the operator classifies it as “not wheelchair accessible.”

Similar Tours on This Page

Six options that a reader of this page might actually be deciding 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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  6. Hurghada: 2-tägige Kairo-Tour mit Pyramiden & GEM

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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 to the plateau included in this offer?

Yes. The site ticket of about €11 (700 Egyptian pounds) is included in the price.

How long does the tour actually take?

The catalog says 19 hours. This duration is counted from the meeting point or hotel, not from the gate; in Cairo traffic, a good half hour to a full hour each way should be deducted.

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 attribute of the person on site.

Will I get to go inside a pyramid?

Only as an add-on. The interior of the Great Pyramid of Khufu officially costs about €16 (1,000 Egyptian pounds).

Is the rating of this offer meaningful?

Yes. 4.5 stars from 1,191 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 place visited, and the climate of the departure city, each with a source, and can be downloaded as a CSV.

GetYourGuide

Hurghada: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramids, and Sphinx Day Trip

Dates, availability, and the latest version of the 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 main text does not cite them to keep it readable; the data sheet lists the source in each row.

  1. 1
    GetYourGuide: Hurghada: Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramiden und Sphinx-Tagesausflug abgerufen 2026-09-03Title, duration, services, languages, cancellation policy, stars, number of reviews, and starting price.
  2. 2
    Kursdatensatz 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.
  3. 3
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  5. 5
    Daily News Egypt abgerufen 2026-08-31
  6. 6
    RESEARCH-BASE abgerufen 2026-08-31
  7. 7
    Egyptian Streets abgerufen 2026-08-31
  8. 8
    Middle East Observer abgerufen 2026-08-31
  9. 9
    UNESCO World Heritage Centre abgerufen 2026-08-31
  10. 10
    UNESCO / Wikidata abgerufen 2026-08-31
  11. 11
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  13. 13
    Egypt Independent abgerufen 2026-08-31
  14. 14
    The National abgerufen 2026-08-31
  15. 15
    Saudi Press Agency abgerufen 2026-08-31
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
    Egyptian Streets abgerufen 2026-08-31
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    Wikipedia (en): Great Sphinx of Giza abgerufen 2026-09-03
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  24. 24
    Wikipedia (en): Great Pyramid of Giza abgerufen 2026-09-03
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  28. 28
    Nature 2017 (ScanPyramids) abgerufen 2026-09-03
  29. 29
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    Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Khafre abgerufen 2026-09-03
  32. 32
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  35. 35
    Wikipedia (en): Pyramid of Menkaure abgerufen 2026-09-03
  36. 36
  37. 37
    RESEARCH-BASE abgerufen 2026-08-31
  38. 38
    RESEARCH-BASE abgerufen 2026-08-31
  39. 39
    ArchDaily abgerufen 2026-08-31
  40. 40
    RESEARCH-BASE (Berichte) abgerufen 2026-08-31
  41. 41
    GEM (amtlich) abgerufen 2026-08-31
  42. 42
    Ahram Online abgerufen 2026-08-31
  43. 43
    GEM (amtlich) abgerufen 2026-08-31
  44. 44
    JICA abgerufen 2026-08-31
  45. 45
  46. 46
    Wikipedia (Statue of Ramesses II) abgerufen 2026-08-31
  47. 47
  48. 48
    ArchDaily (GEM) abgerufen 2026-09-03
  49. 49
    Grand Egyptian Museum (amtlich) abgerufen 2026-09-03
  50. 50
    JICA (zweite Cheops-Barke) abgerufen 2026-09-03
  51. 51
    CAPMAS via citypopulation.de abgerufen 2026-09-04
  52. 52
    Wikipedia abgerufen 2026-09-04
  53. 53
    Wikipedia (Hurghada International Airport) abgerufen 2026-09-04
  54. 54
    Egypt Tours Plus abgerufen 2026-09-04
  55. 55
    Discover Hurghada abgerufen 2026-09-04
  56. 56
    Prokerala Flugzeitrechner abgerufen 2026-09-04
  57. 57
    NOAA-Klimanormalen 1991-2020 via Wikipedia abgerufen 2026-09-04
  58. 58
    Wikipedia (Klimatabelle Hurghada) abgerufen 2026-09-04
  59. 59
  60. 60
    UNESCO World Heritage Centre abgerufen 2026-09-04
  61. 61
    Egypt Independent abgerufen 2026-08-31
  62. 62
    Wikipedia abgerufen 2026-09-04
  63. 63
    NOAA-Klimanormalen 1991-2020 via Wikipedia abgerufen 2026-09-03