Djoser's Sed Festival court
The two courts in front of the Step Pyramid recreate the setting of the Sed Festival, a royal rite to renew the king's power; the buildings along the eastern court copy in stone the temporary shrines used in the festival.
Home / Attractions / Saqqara
Cairo & Giza · Southwest of Cairo, west of the Nile
Saqqara and Memphis
The great cemetery of ancient Memphis, with Djoser's Step Pyramid, the first pyramid ever built, and the ruins of the capital itself at Mit Rahina.
About Saqqara
Saqqara is one of the most important cemeteries of Memphis, 40 km southwest of Cairo. Its name most likely comes from Sokar, the god of the necropolis. Kings and nobles were buried here from the first two dynasties on, and it holds the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the first pyramid the Egyptians ever built and the oldest known Egyptian stone structure.
Memphis, near the modern village of Mit Rahina, was the first capital of ancient Egypt and the seat of government in the Old Kingdom, and a center of the worship of the god Ptah. UNESCO inscribed Memphis and its Necropolis, the pyramid fields from Giza to Dahshur, as a World Heritage site in 1979. Today the ruins at Mit Rahina hold an open-air museum with a colossal statue of Ramesses II.
A short history
- The first dynastiesKings and nobles of the first two dynasties, 3040–2686 BC, were buried at Saqqara.
- Djoser and ImhotepIn the early Third Dynasty, King Netjerykhet, better known as Djoser, built the Step Pyramid from six stacked mastabas. Before him, royal tombs were mastabas, rectangular structures built over an underground burial. His architect Imhotep may well have been behind the idea.
- Fifth and Sixth dynastiesOld Kingdom kings of these dynasties built their pyramids at Saqqara. The pyramid of Unas has the oldest burial chamber decorated with texts, the Pyramid Texts, written to protect the king on his journey to the afterlife. Nobles of the period were buried in tombs carved with scenes and texts.
- New Kingdom to the PtolemiesGeneral Horemheb built a tomb here before he became king, then was buried in the Valley of the Kings. In the Serapeum, underground galleries, the sacred Apis bulls of the god Ptah were buried from the Eighteenth Dynasty to the Ptolemaic Period.
What you'll see
The Step Pyramid
The first pyramid ever built: six stacked mastabas forming its steps. Going inside is a separate ticket; two Ministry pages give different prices for it.
The colossus of Ramesses II
In the open-air museum at Mit Rahina, on the site of ancient Memphis, lies a colossal statue of Ramesses II, which UNESCO lists among the outstanding structures of Memphis.
The Alabaster Sphinx
Also in the Memphis open-air museum, among the remains of the city whose great temple was dedicated to Ptah.
Opening hours and tickets
Opening hours
| Saqqara, summer and winter | 8:00 am – last entry 4:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Saqqara, Ramadan | 8:00 am – last entry 3:30 pm |
| Memphis, summer and winter | 8:00 am – last entry 4:00 pm |
| Memphis, Ramadan | 9:00 am – last entry 3:00 pm |
The Ministry's monuments website gives 8:00 am to 4:00 pm daily for the Saqqara site, and 8:00 am to 5:00 pm for the Step Pyramid, the Serapeum and the Imhotep Museum.
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities ticketing portal, checked August 2026
Tickets, foreign visitors
| Adult | Student | |
| Saqqara site, with the Imhotep Museum | EGP 600 | EGP 300 |
| Inclusive: site, Imhotep Museum, Nobles and New Kingdom tombs, Mereruka, Mehu | EGP 1,400 | EGP 700 |
| Nobles Tombs + New Kingdom Tombs | EGP 400 | EGP 200 |
| Tomb of Mereruka | EGP 200 | EGP 100 |
| South Tomb, Djoser complex | EGP 300 | EGP 150 |
| Memphis open-air museum (Mit Rahina) | EGP 200 | EGP 100 |
- Pyramid of Djoser and the Serapeum: two Ministry pages give different prices, so we do not show them
- 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
| Downtown / Zamalek (back from Memphis) | 29.5 km · about 26 min |
|---|---|
| Giza hotels (back from Memphis) | 24.5 km · about 28 min |
| New Cairo (back from Memphis) | 39.8 km · about 39 min |
Without traffic, from our tours' map routing
Our Pyramids, Memphis and Saqqara day starts at Giza. Saqqara is 18.3 km on from the Sphinx, about 27 minutes, and Memphis 6.3 km beyond, about 14 minutes. At Saqqara you see the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the Pyramid of Teti and nobles' tombs; at Memphis, the colossal statue of Ramesses II and the Alabaster Sphinx. Entrance fees to the sites on the program are included.
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 Saqqara
What is Saqqara famous for?
The Step Pyramid of Djoser, the first pyramid ever built and the oldest known Egyptian stone structure. Saqqara is also one of the main cemeteries of Memphis, with royal pyramids, nobles' tombs and the Serapeum.
How far is Saqqara from Cairo?
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities puts it 40 km southwest of Cairo. On our tours it follows Giza: 18.3 km from the Sphinx, about 27 minutes without traffic.
How much is the ticket to Saqqara?
EGP 600 for foreign adults and EGP 300 for foreign students, as of August 2026, with the Imhotep Museum included. The inclusive ticket with the main tombs is EGP 1,400.
Who built the Step Pyramid?
King Djoser (Netjerykhet), in the early Third Dynasty. His architect Imhotep may well have been behind its design of six stacked mastabas.
What is there to see at Memphis?
The ruins of the first capital of ancient Egypt at Mit Rahina, with an open-air museum holding the colossal statue of Ramesses II and the Alabaster Sphinx. Entry is EGP 200 for foreign adults, as of August 2026.
What is the Serapeum?
Underground galleries at Saqqara where the sacred Apis bulls of the god Ptah were buried, from the Eighteenth Dynasty to the Ptolemaic Period. An avenue of sphinxes leads to it.
Sources: Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities; UNESCO World Heritage Centre; UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Guides
Read before you go
Giza pyramids or Saqqara: which day trip first?Giza first, then Saqqara: what each site has, hours, tickets and the drive between them.
Best Cairo day tours for first-time visitorsOur Cairo tours compared by what they cover and how long they run, and how to pair them without repeats.
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.