The Great Pyramid of Khufu
Now about 451 feet (138 meters) high, most of its outer casing gone. Inside, a corridor climbs through the Grand Gallery to the granite-lined King's Chamber; going in is a separate ticket.
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Cairo & Giza · Giza Plateau
The Pyramids of Giza
Three royal pyramids, the Great Sphinx and the Valley Temple, built in Egypt's 4th dynasty on the plateau at the western edge of Cairo.
About the Pyramids of Giza
The Pyramids of Giza are three 4th-dynasty royal pyramids on a rocky plateau on the west bank of the Nile, at the edge of today's Cairo. They were built for the kings Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, and below them lie the Great Sphinx and Khafre's Valley Temple. The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world still standing.
The plateau is the northern end of the necropolis of Memphis, the first capital of ancient Egypt, which runs south past Saqqara to Dahshur and holds more than thirty-eight pyramids. UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage site in 1979, as Memphis and its Necropolis.
A short history
- KhufuSecond king of the 4th dynasty. His Great Pyramid is the oldest and largest of the three: about 2.3 million blocks of stone, sides of about 756 feet (230 meters), its faces set to the four points of the compass.
- KhafreFourth of the eight kings of the 4th dynasty. His pyramid, originally 471 feet (143 meters) high, still keeps a cap of its smooth limestone casing at the top. The Great Sphinx was likely part of his funerary complex.
- MenkaureFifth king of the 4th dynasty. His is the southernmost and the last of the three, completed at 218 feet (66 meters).
- Around themFields of flat-topped tombs called mastabas surround the pyramids. Digs in the late 1980s and 1990s found the workers' districts: bakeries, workshops and the small tombs of workers and artisans.
481 ftKhufu
471 ftKhafre
218 ftMenkaure
66 ftSphinx
What you'll see
Khafre and Menkaure
Khafre's pyramid, built almost as tall as Khufu's, still keeps its casing at the top; Menkaure's, the smallest, stands to the south.
The Great Sphinx
Carved from the plateau's limestone: a man's face on the body of a lying lion, about 240 feet (73 meters) long and 66 feet (20 meters) high.
The Valley Temple
Part of King Khafre's funerary complex, beside the Sphinx, linked by a sloping causeway to his pyramid.
Opening hours and tickets
Opening hours
| Summer | 7:00 am · last entry 4:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Winter | 7:00 am · last entry 4:00 pm |
| Ramadan | 8:00 am · last entry 3:30 pm |
The Ministry's monuments website gives 8:00 am to 4:00 pm daily.
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities ticketing portal, checked August 2026
Tickets, foreign visitors
| Adult | Student | |
| Giza Plateau | EGP 700 | EGP 350 |
| Inside the Great Pyramid | EGP 1,000 | EGP 500 |
- Children under 6 enter free
- Students: valid ID, age 24 or under
Prices in Egyptian pounds, as of August 2026
Getting there and how the visit runs
Drive to the site
| From Downtown / Zamalek | 16.5 km · about 20 min |
|---|---|
| From Giza hotels | 1.8 km · about 4 min |
| From New Cairo | 45.3 km · about 42 min |
Without traffic, from our tours' map routing
On our Cairo tours your guide takes you around the pyramids first, then down to the Sphinx and the Valley Temple, 0.7 km away. Entry to the plateau is included; going inside the Great Pyramid is an extra you can add. Some tours add a camel ride on the plateau, and in the evening the sound and light show tells the story of the pyramids in the voice of the Sphinx.
Before you go
What to wear and bring
- Modest clothing
- Comfortable shoes for sand and stone
- Sun protection and a hat
Photos
- Photos with a mobile phone are free of charge
- Ask before photographing people
Average daily high in Cairo (°C)
The coolest months are December to February.
World Meteorological Organization climate normals (monthly averages, not forecasts)
Questions about the Pyramids of Giza
How old are the pyramids of Giza?
They date from Egypt's 4th dynasty, about 2575 to 2465 BCE. The Great Pyramid, built for King Khufu, is the oldest of the three.
How tall is the Great Pyramid?
It was originally 481 feet (147 meters) high. Without most of its outer casing it now stands about 451 feet (138 meters).
Can you go inside the Great Pyramid?
Yes, with a separate ticket: EGP 1,000 for foreign adults and EGP 500 for students, as of August 2026. On our tours it is an optional extra.
What are the opening hours?
From 7:00 am with last entry at 4:00 pm in summer and winter, and from 8:00 am with last entry at 3:30 pm in Ramadan, per the Ministry's ticketing portal.
How much is the ticket to the Giza Plateau?
EGP 700 for foreign adults and EGP 350 for foreign students, as of August 2026. Children under 6 enter free.
How far are the pyramids from central Cairo?
From Downtown or Zamalek the drive is 16.5 km, about 20 minutes without traffic; from New Cairo it is 45.3 km, about 42 minutes.
Sources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Encyclopaedia Britannica; Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities; World Meteorological Organization.
Day tours
Tours that stop at the Pyramids of Giza
From Cairo & Giza hotels
Pyramids, Memphis and Saqqara
- Full day
PriceOn request
From Cairo & Giza hotels
Giza pyramids and the Egyptian Museum
PriceOn request
From Cairo & Giza hotels
Grand Egyptian Museum and the pyramids
- Full day
From, per person$144
From Cairo & Giza hotels
Pyramids sound and light show with dinner
- Evening
PriceOn request
From Cairo & Giza hotels
Giza pyramids and the Sphinx, half day
Approx., per person$35
From Cairo & Giza hotels
Pyramids and both museums in a day
Approx., per person$50
From Cairo & Giza hotels
Cairo on a layover
Approx., per person$94
Guides
Read before you go
- Best time of day to visit the Giza pyramidsOpening hours, the 4 p.m. cutoff, Ramadan hours, monthly temperatures and the evening show.
- Giza pyramids or Saqqara: which day trip first?Giza first, then Saqqara: what each site has, hours, tickets and the drive between them.
Egyptian Museum or Grand Egyptian Museum?Tutankhamun is at the GEM and the royal mummies at NMEC: what each Cairo museum holds and how to choose.- First time in Egypt: which day tours to start withGiza and a museum in Cairo, both banks in Luxor, Philae in Aswan: where a first trip starts.