From Cairo: Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx, Saqqara & Memphis Tour
A day that runs in the order history did — the stepped original at Saqqara, the lost capital at Memphis, then Giza's three giants and the Sphinx in the afternoon light. Private car, private Egyptologist, every entrance ticket already paid.
Overview
Most Cairo tours start at Giza and work backwards. Yours starts at the beginning — so by the time you stand under the Great Pyramid this afternoon, you will already have seen the rough draft, the practice run, and the city that paid for it all.
The morning runs south out of the city, past irrigation canals and date palms, to Saqqara. Here the Step Pyramid of Djoser climbs out of the sand in six uneven stages — built around 2630 BC, the first time anyone attempted to build in stone on this scale. At Memphis, capital of a newly united Egypt, a ten-metre Ramesses II lies on his back beneath a shelter, close enough that you can count the folds in his belt.
Giza in the afternoon is a different place from Giza at opening time. The coach crowds have thinned, the limestone has turned gold, and Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure line up across the plateau exactly as they were meant to be seen. Your Egyptologist walks you through the Valley Temple, where Khafre's body was prepared for burial, then out to the Great Sphinx — still facing the sunrise, still refusing to explain itself.
You travel in a private air-conditioned car with a licensed Egyptologist who is yours for the whole day: no group to wait for, no fixed pace. Entrance tickets to Giza, Saqqara and Memphis are already covered in the price you see. Pickup is from your hotel in Cairo or Giza, and you can reserve now and pay later, with free cancellation.
Highlights
- Begin at Saqqara's Step Pyramid of Djoser — the building that invented the pyramid
- Stand over the ten-metre Ramesses II at Memphis, Egypt's first capital
- Reach the Giza Plateau in the afternoon, once the coach crowds have thinned
- Explore Khafre's Valley Temple and the Great Sphinx with a licensed Egyptologist
- Travel privately — your own vehicle, your own guide, your own pace
- Entrance tickets to Giza, Saqqara and Memphis included in every option
Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo or Giza
- Private air-conditioned vehicle
- Licensed private Egyptologist guide
- Entrance tickets to the Giza Plateau, Saqqara and Memphis
- Bottled water
- All taxes and service charges
Not included
- Lunch — available as an add-on, or included in the Lunch & Camel Ride option
- Entry inside the Great Pyramid — available as an add-on
- Guide in French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Chinese or Turkish (surcharge shown at booking)
Good to know
- Child price: ages 2-11 · Infants under 2
- Bring your passport or national ID card — it is required at the sites.
- Wear closed, comfortable shoes; there is sand and uneven ground at every stop.
- A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen matter here — there is almost no shade all day.
- Between December and February the early morning is cold, so bring a layer.
- This is a private tour: the vehicle and the guide are yours alone.
- Going inside the Great Pyramid needs a separate ticket, available as an add-on.
- Children aged 2-11 book at the child rate; under 2 travel free.
- Free pickup from any hotel in Cairo or Giza; we confirm your time the day before.
- Choose an 08:00, 09:00 or 10:00 departure when you book.
- Reserve now and pay later — free cancellation.