How to Visit the Giza Pyramids from Cairo

The Giza Pyramids sit on a plateau outside Cairo. The complex’s three principal pyramids are the Pyramid of Cheops, the Pyramid of Chephren and the Pyramid of Mykerinos.

The Great Pyramid was built for Cheops of the 4th Dynasty, while the Pyramid of Chephren dates from around 2500 BC. The Giza pyramids are also the last remaining of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The plateau is about 15 km from Santana Hotel Cairo, with an estimated 45-minute trip. If you’re planning a wider look at ancient Egyptian collections, you can also read this guide to the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Keep the visit straightforward: begin with the plateau’s principal pyramids, then make time for the Great Sphinx and the viewpoints you want to see. The complex’s three main pyramids are the Pyramid of Cheops, the Pyramid of Chephren and the Pyramid of Mykerinos; the Great Sphinx is another named site feature.

The available information doesn’t specify a marked route or walking times between these places, so allow room in your plan to move around the plateau.

Choose any pyramid interiors before you book: entry to the Khufu and Menkaure pyramids is sold as a separate add-on, rather than included in the plateau entry options described below. Keep your ticket with you throughout the visit.

The main entrance to the Giza Pyramids area is at Al Haram, Giza Governorate. Trains, buses, taxis and Ubers are commonly used by tourists within Egyptian cities, including Cairo. For more on using rail transit around the city, see this Cairo Metro guide.

The available details don’t give a specific route, journey time or fare from central Cairo to the plateau. Check your route to the Al Haram entrance before setting out, and leave enough time to arrive before the site’s last entry.

EgyMonuments lists the plateau as open every day. Summer and winter opening begins at 07:00, with last entry at 16:00; during Ramadan, opening begins at 08:00 and last entry is at 15:30. The site advises arriving at least one hour before closing.

Plateau entry is listed at EGP 700 for an adult and EGP 350 for a student in one ticket category, and EGP 60 for an adult and EGP 30 for a student in another. The booking information available here doesn’t identify which visitor categories those prices apply to.

Children below 6 years enter free; free entry is also listed for Egyptians with special needs and Egyptians above 60 years. Students must show valid identification and be no older than 24 to qualify for student pricing.

Separate add-ons are listed for pyramid and tomb entry. For the Khufu Pyramid, prices are EGP 1,500 for an adult and EGP 750 for a student in one category, and EGP 150 for an adult and EGP 75 for a student in another.

For the Menkaure Pyramid, the listed prices are EGP 280 and EGP 140 in one category, and EGP 30 and EGP 10 in another.

Mars Ankh Tomb entry is listed at EGP 200 for an adult and EGP 100 for a student in one category, and EGP 20 and EGP 5 in another.

The Labor Tombs add-on is listed at EGP 700 for an adult and EGP 350 for a student in one category, with a minimum purchase of 5 tickets. The booking information doesn’t identify the visitor categories for these prices.

Archaeological-site tickets can be booked through EgyMonuments, the Experience Egypt app, or purchased on site. Tickets are non-refundable and can’t be canceled or replaced if lost or stolen.

For personal, non-commercial photos and videos, no permit is required and there is no charge; professional equipment and drones require permits. Photographing children is forbidden, and Egyptian citizens may be photographed only with written permission.

Before you go: Opening times, ticket prices and access rules can change, so check the official site before you go. Consult EgyMonuments for current opening and booking information.

Include the Great Sphinx in your plan alongside the pyramids. The available site details identify it as part of the Giza visit but don’t specify a viewing route or access arrangements. If you want to take personal, non-commercial photos or videos, you can do so without a permit or charge; rules differ for professional equipment and drones.

The available information doesn’t give a recommended visit length or walking times within the complex. Build your schedule around the places you plan to see and any add-on interiors you choose, and leave a margin before last entry.

The site advises arriving at least one hour before closing, so don’t plan your arrival for the final stretch of the day.