Giza is the non-negotiable bucket-list stop, yet most British visitors see only a sliver of the plateau. A full-day excursion takes in the Great Pyramid (with optional interior access), the Sphinx, the Solar Boat Museum and – with time in hand – the step pyramid at Saqqara and the ruins of ancient Memphis. With a private Egyptologist you skip the worst of the queues and actually understand what you're looking at.
Excursions to the Pyramids of Giza
Giza Pyramids Excursions
The Great Pyramid, Sphinx, Solar Boat Museum, Saqqara & Memphis
LengthFull & half day
From£55 / person
PickupHotel included
GuideEgyptologist
Our Cairo team runs 16 private excursions to Giza and the neighbouring pyramid fields, all with collection from a Cairo or Giza hotel: the plateau and the Sphinx, desert rides alongside it, and Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur further south. Fares begin at £22 per person, with each outing and its length set out in the table below.
The best excursion in Giza Pyramids is the one somebody else has organised for you. Our people on the ground here have done exactly that since 1988.Egypt Discovery · in Egypt from 1988
What you'll see
Giza Pyramids, stop by stop
Two or three of these stops fit into one unhurried day. Your guide chooses the combination to suit your energy, what you most want to see and the time of year.
01
The Great Pyramid of Khufu
The last of the Seven Wonders to survive, and the biggest pyramid ever raised, made of 2.3 million blocks and set to true north by a civilisation 4,500 years ago. Arrive when the gates open and the plateau and panorama point are quiet. You can pay extra to climb into the burial chamber.
02
The Great Sphinx
This guardian of the plateau, a lion's body carved from one outcrop of limestone, has faced the sunrise over Giza for forty-five centuries. From the viewing terrace the pyramids line up behind it, which is the picture everyone has come to take.
03
The Grand Egyptian Museum
Only minutes from the pyramids is the world's largest archaeological museum. All 5,398 objects from Tutankhamun's tomb are on show together for the first time, along with the rebuilt solar boat of Khufu. Most full days put it alongside the plateau.
04
Saqqara & the Step Pyramid
Thirty minutes to the south, the Step Pyramid of Djoser was the first pyramid in Egypt and the model for Giza, and painted Old Kingdom tombs surround it. It suits travellers who want to follow the whole story in sequence.
05
Memphis, the first capital
At Mit Rahina you can walk among what is left of Egypt's first capital, with its enormous fallen Ramesses II and an alabaster sphinx. Next to Saqqara, it rounds off a day spent in the deepest history.
Every Giza Pyramids excursions
How you could fill the day
Fares are per person and supplied by our live booking system, which keeps each figure current.
Every Giza and Pyramids excursion at a glance
The Giza Plateau
Allow half a day with a guide for the three main pyramids and the Sphinx. Pair them with the Grand Egyptian Museum close by, or the Egyptian Museum in the centre, and you have a full day. Passengers with a few hours between planes can take the stopover tour from the airport.
Pyramids & Sphinx Half Day Tour, Giza Plateau
This private half‑day visits the Giza Plateau to view Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure pyramids plus the Great Sphinx. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator and provide a licensed Egyptologist, a private air‑conditioned car and hotel pickup in Cairo. Typical duration is three to four hours with flexible morning or afternoon starts to avoid heat and crowds. We do not include the Khufu pyramid interior by default; the interior ticket is optional and at extra cost because the crawl inside is narrow and not suitable for everyone. Unlike large coach runs, our private format keeps walking focused and gives you direct return to your hotel. Cons: limited shade, uneven ancient stone and possible peak‑hour traffic.
From £59
Pyramids, Sphinx and Grand Egyptian Museum Day Tour
We operate this full‑day Cairo programme on the ground as Discovery Tours Egypt, licensed by the Egyptian Tourism Authority (ETAA). Our licensed Egyptologists guide you across the Giza Plateau to view the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, bring you close to the Great Sphinx and then escort you through the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) to the Tutankhamun galleries and major displays. We include comfortable air‑conditioned transfers, hotel pickup and drop‑off for central Cairo & Giza hotels, bottled water and a set lunch. Practical notes: there is limited shade on the Giza Plateau and the tour involves walking on uneven ancient stone; pyramid internal access and some premium GEM experiences are not included.
From £110
Pyramids, Sphinx & Egyptian Museum, Cairo Day Tour
See Khufu's Pyramid, the Great Sphinx of Giza and the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir on a single, curated day in Cairo. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator and our Egyptologists guide each visit. We don't run group bus tours; unlike typical coach programmes, we keep visits unhurried and arrange private transfers between sites. Standard entry fees are included where applicable; pyramid-interior access (Khufu or Khafre) and premium museum requests are extra. Expect walking on uneven ancient stone and limited shade at midday–good physical mobility and sun protection are essential. We arrange museum-timed entries to avoid the busiest windows when possible.
From £90
Cairo Airport Layover Tour: Pyramids and Sphinx with a Private Guide
A private tour for travellers with a long stop at Cairo International Airport. A guide meets you in the arrivals hall after passport control, drives you to the Giza Plateau for the Pyramids and the Sphinx, and brings you back to the airport at least three hours before your onward flight. An Egyptologist guide, a light lunch or snack and the Giza ticket are included. Allow about 6 hours in all.
From £526 Hours
Desert rides beside the Pyramids
The classic view, with every pyramid lined up, is from the desert just beyond the plateau. Reach it by camel as the sun goes down, on horseback or by quad bike. None of these rides enters the ticketed enclosure.
Camel Ride at Sunset by the Giza Pyramids: Private
A private ride by camel through the desert next to the Giza Plateau at dusk, the pyramids outlined against the sky. You are collected from your Cairo or Giza hotel, meet your camel and its handler at the stables, ride for about an hour and stop for tea at a viewpoint. The ride is in the open desert next to the plateau, not inside the ticketed site. Allow about three hours.
From £353 Hours
Giza Pyramids Horse Ride: Private Desert Ride with Hotel Pick-up
A private horse ride in the desert beside the Giza Plateau, with the pyramids on the skyline. A stable guide rides with you and matches a horse to your level, so beginners and experienced riders are both welcome. You are collected from your Cairo or Giza hotel, ride for about an hour and a half, and finish with tea at the stables. Allow about 3 hours in all.
From £503 Hours
Quad Bike Ride in the Giza Desert: Private, Pyramids View
A private one-hour quad bike ride in the desert beside the Giza Plateau, with the pyramids on the skyline. You are collected from your Cairo or Giza hotel, given a safety briefing and a helmet, and follow a lead rider on your own quad. The ride is in the open desert next to the plateau, not inside the ticketed site. This excursion is by request, and the minimum age to ride is 16. Allow about three hours.
From £223 Hours
South to Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur
Earlier pyramids are strung along the desert edge to the south. Saqqara has the Step Pyramid and decorated tombs, Memphis was Egypt's first capital, and at Dahshur the Bent and Red Pyramids stand almost alone.
Pyramids, Sphinx, Saqqara & Memphis Day Tour
Visit the Giza Pyramids (Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure), the Great Sphinx, Saqqara’s Step Pyramid of Djoser and the open‑air museum at Memphis in one day. We run this as a private day tour in a chauffeur‑driven car rather than a large coach, which gives flexible time at each site. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator and our Egyptologists explain inscriptions, funerary architecture and the UNESCO‑listed Memphis and Necropolis complex. Standard site entrances are included; pyramid interior tickets (Khufu/Khafre), premium tombs and gratuities are excluded. Expect limited shade on the Giza Plateau and uneven stone underfoot at Saqqara.
From £100
Pyramids, Sphinx, Saqqara, Memphis & Grand Egyptian Museum Day Tour
This private full-day tour covers the Giza Plateau (Khufu Pyramid exterior), the Great Sphinx, Saqqara, ancient Memphis and the Grand Egyptian Museum. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator and our Egyptologist accompanies every departure. We offer the Khufu Pyramid interior as an optional extra rather than including it by default. Unlike large coach excursions, we schedule longer stops at Saqqara and the Grand Egyptian Museum for meaningful viewing time. Expect security checks, museum queueing at peak times, crowded viewpoints at the Giza Plateau, and uneven ancient stone underfoot. Hotel pick-up in Cairo is included; travel to Giza is typically 30–45 minutes (20–25 km) depending on traffic. Note: Due to the duration of this tour, this tour is on request only and subject to attraction opening times at the date of planned travel.
From £145
Sakkara & Memphis Half-Day Tour from Cairo
This private half-day visits Saqqara's Step Pyramid of Djoser and the open-air museum at Mit Rahina (Memphis), departing from central Cairo. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator and our Cairo-based Egyptologists accompany every departure. Typical drive time from central Cairo is 40–60 minutes depending on traffic; we collect from central hotels. Site entrance fees are included; pyramid interiors and premium tombs are excluded and can be added on request. We run this as a private car tour, not a large-coach excursion, so you set the pace at each site. Note: limited shade and uneven ancient stone mean sensible shoes and sun protection are necessary.
From £63
Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur: Private Day from Cairo
A private day out from your Cairo or Giza hotel to the older pyramid fields south of the capital. You see the Red Pyramid and the Bent Pyramid at Dahshur, the Step Pyramid at Saqqara and the open-air museum at Memphis. A private Egyptologist guide and driver are with you throughout, and lunch is included. Allow about eight hours from pick-up to drop-off.
From £878 Hours
After dark, and other ways to see Giza
Once night falls, the sound and light show recounts the history of the site against the floodlit monuments. Any other Cairo excursion that calls at Giza appears here as well.
Pyramids Sound & Light Show, Giza Plateau
The Pyramids Sound & Light Show at the Giza Plateau projects narration and lighting onto Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure and the Great Sphinx. As a licensed Egyptian tour operator, we arrange hotel pickup in a private car, reserved seating and an optional pre-show briefing by one of our Egyptologists. The production runs approximately 60 minutes with Arabic and English narration; additional languages vary by evening. We do not bundle pyramid interior visits with the show because pyramid interiors close earlier in the evening. Expect outdoor stone terraces and limited legroom; late-evening Cairo traffic noise can be audible, and we can reserve seats closer to the commentary speaker on request.
From £42
Giza Plateau Camel Ride: 20-Minute Add-On to Your Giza Tour
Ride a camel on the Giza Plateau for around 20 minutes, with the pyramids ahead of you. A handler leads your camel, and you have one camel each. This is an add-on, not a tour. It comes with a Giza Pyramids tour that you book with us, and it has no transport, guide or plateau ticket of its own. The ride is confirmed on request.
From £22
Cairo’s Old Treasures: Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo & Khan el‑Khalili
A private, guided visit connecting the Egyptian Museum, key monuments of Islamic Cairo and Khan el‑Khalili bazaar in central Cairo. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator; our Cairo‑based Egyptologist leads the museum visit and a local-knowledge guide conducts the Islamic Cairo walk. Unlike larger coach tours, we do not run group-bus rotations and use a private air‑conditioned car so you set the pace. Standard site entrance fees are included; pyramid interiors and premium tombs are not part of this programme. Note: expect uneven cobbles, narrow streets and market noise during the bazaar section.
From £104
Coptic Cairo Half-Day Tour
This private half-day introduces Coptic Cairo’s principal sites with a Cairo-based Egyptologist and an air-conditioned private car. Stops: Saint Virgin Mary's (the Hanging Church), Abu Serga (St Sergius), Ben Ezra Synagogue and the Coptic Museum. We run this as a private tour; we do not mix guests on coaches. Unlike typical cruise-ship shore calls, our half-day includes time inside the Coptic Museum and the churches rather than a drive-by. Expect narrow lanes, low church ceilings, and limited shade at midday; modest dress is required for religious sites. Discovery Tours Egypt is a licensed Egyptian tour operator. Standard entrance fees are included; optional donations and gratuities are not.
From £57
Alexandria Overnight Tour from Cairo
An overnight private tour from Cairo to Alexandria visiting the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, Pompey's Pillar and Qaitbay Citadel. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator and our Egyptologist leads the visits. We operate this as a private or small-group trip; we do not run large coach tours. Unlike rushed coach day trips, our overnight schedule includes late-afternoon time at Montaza Gardens and a quieter morning at the Bibliotheca. The drive is approximately 220 km and takes 2.5–3 hours each way by private car. Expect a long first day and several stairs at Kom El Shoqafa; there is limited shade at Qaitbay around midday. Standard site entrance fees are included unless stated otherwise; the overnight seafront hotel is arranged on your behalf.
From £1782 Days
Who these excursions suit
- Visitors on a short breakHalf a day on the plateau takes in all three pyramids and the Sphinx.
- Keen photographersThe camel ride at sunset frames the pyramids from the open desert.
- Anyone who enjoys the historySaqqara and Dahshur explain how the pyramid shape was worked out.
- Families with childrenYour own timetable, an unhurried guide and short rides youngsters like.
Egypt Discovery has been running tours in Egypt since 1988 from a head office in Cairo. We trade under ETAA Licence No. 718 (Category A), carry IATA accreditation, and keep six offices: Cairo · Luxor · Aswan · Hurghada · Marsa Alam · Sharm El Sheikh.
Sort the rest of your holidayWhere to stay in Cairo and GizaTransfers from Cairo airport
Worth knowing beforehand
The practical bits
What to wear
Mosques and churches ask for shoulders and knees to be covered. Wear sturdy closed shoes, as the ground is rough stone in places and soft sand in others.
Tipping
Most guests give their guide about £2–4 for the day, with something smaller for the driver. It is your choice entirely, since the excursion fare already covers everything.
Heat & water
Bring at least a litre and a half of water each. By ten in the morning there is little shade at the sites, which is why we set off early: it is cooler as well as quieter.
Cameras & fees
Some sites ask for a camera ticket at the entrance, and a handful of tombs and inner rooms carry their own charge. Ordinary admission to each site is part of your fare.
What guests ask us
Giza Pyramids excursions, answered
- Is it possible to enter the Great Pyramid?
- Yes. Going inside the Great Pyramid, or one of the smaller ones, is an optional extra paid for with its own ticket at the gate. The passage is steep and low as it climbs to the heart of the monument, and your guide will explain what it involves so that you can make up your mind on the day.
- Is a camel or horse ride part of the excursion?
- No, they are optional, and the prices quoted at the gate are often too high. If you would like the classic photograph from the panorama point, your guide can agree a fair price in advance with a reliable operator. There is no obligation to ride.
- Do you collect us from our hotel?
- We do, and it costs nothing extra. A driver collects you from your Giza Pyramids hotel, or from the Nile cruise dock where that applies, and brings you back afterwards. You will find your guide waiting in the lobby, and should your plans shift, the local office behind the excursion can rearrange things that same day.
- Which months suit Giza Pyramids best?
- The kindest weather falls between October and April, when days are warm, evenings are cool and walking round the sites is a pleasure. From May to September the heat builds, so excursions set off early and are done before midday, often with quieter sites and gentler prices as a reward. Giza Pyramids excursions run in every month of the year.
- Is it safe, and can we bring the children?
- It is safe, and children are welcome. Our team has worked in Egypt since 1988, with offices across the country and someone on call day and night, and every one of our excursions uses guides and drivers we have checked ourselves. With youngsters along, the guide slows the pace and tells the stories at their level, and child seats or a shorter day can be arranged on request.
- How do Giza, Saqqara and Dahshur differ?
- Giza is home to the three biggest pyramids and the Sphinx. Saqqara's Step Pyramid is the earliest. Dahshur's Bent and Red Pyramids came in between. Visiting all three lets you follow the design as it evolved.
- How long does the camel ride last, and is it suitable for children?
- Allow about three hours door to door, with the ride taking place in the desert next to the plateau. Adults have a camel each, and a child may ride with a parent.
- Must I have ridden before to book the horse ride?
- Not at all. The stable chooses a horse to suit you, and novices keep to a walk with a groom alongside. Let us know your height, weight and experience at the time of booking.
- How old must you be to drive a quad bike?
- Sixteen or over. This outing is on request, so give us your date and we will confirm that it can run, and the final fare, before taking payment.
- Is it possible to see the Pyramids directly from the airport?
- It is, on the stopover tour. You need roughly eight hours or more between flights and must be able to enter Egypt on a visa. Your guide works back from being at the terminal three hours before departure.
Arrange your Giza Pyramids day outSend us your dates.
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Private Egyptologist guide, hotel pickup, clear pricing in GBP. We've arranged Egypt excursions for British travellers since 1988, with 24/7 in-country support from offices.
Full credit or a refund if you let us know more than 72 hours before pickup* · we reply within 30 minutes in Cairo office hours
*Refunds are less bank charges. Pre-issued flight or train tickets can't be refunded. Full policy