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Visiting the Pyramids of Giza can be hectic; here’s how to enjoy one of the world’s most iconic sights without too much stress.
Home to the majestic Sphinx and the last surviving wonder of the ancient world—the Great Pyramid of Giza—the Pyramids of Giza are Egypt’s top attraction. Although they’re located just on the outskirts of Cairo, visiting requires some advance planning as the site is large, extremely popular, and sees a tremendous number of visitors every day. Here’s what you need to know to make your trip as seamless (and memorable) as possible.
Is it free to visit the Pyramids of Giza?
No, visiting the Pyramids of Giza is not free.
The Giza Pyramids complex—which includes the three great pyramids, the Sphinx, the Valley Temple, and a number of smaller pyramids and tombs—is encircled by a fence, and you need to buy tickets to enter. Rather than buying tickets in advance, many travelers book a tour of the site that includes tickets in its overall price, but it’s generally also possible to buy tickets on the day you visit.
Insider tip: You can also get great views of the Giza Pyramids from the desert outside the fence. Take an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) tour or a camel ride on the Giza Plateau to see the pyramids at sunset, when the site is closed.
Can I visit the Pyramids of Giza independently?
Yes, but it’s best to take an organized tour or visit with a guide.
The Giza Pyramids are easy enough to get to—they’re about a 30-minute Uber ride from Cairo’s Tahrir Square. But the area’s notoriously aggressive vendors can make visiting the Pyramids of Giza independently a real drag, as hustlers will pursue you, offering everything from scarabs to camel rides to guiding services. Most travelers opt to visit on a tour or book a private guide, which takes the temperature down significantly since hustlers generally only hassle visitors who don’t come with guides.
How much time do I need to visit the Giza Pyramids?
Visiting the Giza Pyramids can take anywhere from 2 hours to a full day.
Although you can technically check off the Giza Pyramids in just a couple of hours, most travelers spend around half a day exploring the area, grouping activities like seeing the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx, and the Valley Temple with taking photos from the panoramic viewpoints and (perhaps) riding camels. That said, if you plan to go inside a pyramid or explore the smaller pyramids along with the larger, more famous ones, you can easily spend a full day touring the area.
Insider tip: If you’re spending a full day in the area, consider staying for the evening, too, when the pyramids host the spectacular Sound & Light Egypt show; it lasts a little less than an hour.
When is the best time to visit the Pyramids of Giza?
Fall is the best season for visiting the Pyramids of Giza, and early morning is the best time to arrive.
Egyptian summers can be scorching and the spring months (March–April) can bring hot winds and sandstorms to the area around Cairo. With this in mind, the best time to visit is the late fall (October–November) or even the winter (December–February). The Giza Pyramids open early in the morning and close in the early evening, well before sunset. Visit first thing in the morning, as soon as the site opens—as early as 7am in peak season—to beat the crowds.
How many Pyramids of Giza are there?
There are three main (“great”) pyramids and a number of smaller ones.
When most travelers think of the Pyramids of Giza, they think of the three grand, tall pyramids where the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure were laid to rest. But each of those pyramids also has a range of smaller pyramids surrounding them, including queens’ pyramids, where experts believe the pharaohs’ wives and sisters were buried. Some of these are in ruins; others are recognizable as pyramids
What is inside the Pyramids of Giza?
After millennia of grave robbing, there’s not a lot left inside the Giza Pyramids.
Unlike the insides of the tombs in Luxor’s Valley of the Kings, the interiors of the Giza Pyramids were never elaborately decorated; despite their huge size, the interiors are mainly solid rock, with only a little open space. All the treasures that once accompanied the mummies here were stolen long ago, leaving only their heavy stone sarcophagi. Khufu’s and Khafre’s sarcophagi are still inside their pyramids; the British removed Menkaure’s sarcophagus—and then lost it when the ship carrying it sank in a storm off the coast of Malta.
Can you go inside the Pyramids of Giza?
Yes, but you need an additional ticket.
Authorities alternate which of the three main pyramids of Giza are open to visitors, but going inside any of them will require you to purchase an extra ticket from the on-site ticket office. Guides are not allowed to accompany travelers into the pyramids (they wait outside). Before buying these tickets, however, you should be aware that the ramps inside the pyramids are steep and the passageways are cramped, so travelers with mobility challenges, vision impairments, or claustrophobia should not attempt to enter any of the pyramids.
Insider tip: Only a limited number of people are allowed inside the pyramids each day, so if this is an important part of your plans, book a tour that includes pyramid entry or arrive early to ensure entry.
What should I wear to visit the Pyramids of Giza?
Dress in modest clothing that will be comfortable in the heat—and wear sturdy shoes.
There’s not a lot of shade at the pyramids and the heat can be fierce in summer, so bring a hat, sunscreen, and water, and wear shoes you can happily walk some distance in. Also, while the Giza Pyramids are not a religious site, female travelers in Cairo (and elsewhere in Egypt) should be mindful of local customs and dress in accordance with Egyptian modesty standards—long, loose clothing that covers legs, shoulders, upper arms, belly, and cleavage is the most appropriate attire.
Are the Pyramids of Giza accessible?
Yes, the outside areas of the Pyramids of Giza are reasonably accessible.
The Pyramids of Giza site is somewhat accessible, but visitors with mobility issues may want to make arrangements with tour guides to ensure a smooth visit. Travelers who rely on wheelchairs can see all three main pyramids and the Sphinx from outside, but most visit with a private driver, as the site is large and can take time to get around. Some adventurous wheelchair users can even enjoy local camel rides, but there are no specially adapted saddles available, so you need both upper and lower body strength to have a successful ride.
Note that disability awareness is limited in Egypt, and there are no accommodations for travelers with vision impairment, hearing issues, or sensory issues. Travelers with mobility issues (of any kind) or vision impairment can’t enter the pyramids or any of the excavations.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about visiting the Pyramids of Giza.
- How old are the Pyramids of Giza and when were they built? The Pyramids of Giza are about 4,500 years old. They were built by three different pharaohs during Egypt’s Fourth Dynasty, which spanned roughly 2575–2465 BC.
- Who built the Pyramids of Giza? Different pharaohs ordered each of the Pyramids of Giza to be built to serve as their tombs. Khufu built the Great Pyramid of Giza, Khafre built the second pyramid, and Menkaure built the third pyramid.
- How were the Pyramids of Giza built? Nobody knows exactly how the Giza Pyramids were built, but evidence shows that paid laborers, not enslaved people, did the work. Many people think they built earth embankments so they could bring blocks up to the top of the pyramids on rollers.
- How tall are the pyramids of Giza? Because of the erosion that has occurred over the centuries, all the Pyramids of Giza are shorter than they were when they were first built. The Great Pyramid of Giza is almost 450 feet (137 meters) tall, or about 1.5 times as tall as the Statue of Liberty; the Pyramid of Khafre is about 446 feet (136 meters) tall; the Pyramid of Menkaure, the smallest, is less than half the height of the other two.
- What are the Pyramids of Giza made of? The pyramids are made of blocks of limestone or granite, but the uneven, rocky surfaces you see today were originally covered in a smooth, polished layer of fine white limestone. The Pyramid of Khafre still has its limestone cap, which gives a vague sense of how brilliant the pyramids would have looked in the desert sun.
- Where are the pyramids of Giza located? The Giza Pyramids are in Giza, a suburb of Cairo, Egypt that is about a 10-mile (15-kilometer) drive southwest of the city center. In fact, when you visit, your first sight of them will likely be of their peaks in the distance, past the city’s apartment blocks and skyscrapers.
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