Cairo Day Tour: Giza Pyramids, Citadel & Khan el-Khalili

Giza's three pyramids, the Sphinx, a 19th-century mosque, five centuries of churches, and Cairo's oldest market in one day

A full-day guided tour of Cairo covers the Giza Pyramids and Great Sphinx, the Citadel's Muhammad Ali Mosque, Coptic Cairo's Hanging Church and Ben Ezra Synagogue, and ends at Khan el-Khalili bazaar. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, along with a live guide in English, Spanish or Arabic. Entry fees and lunch are available as add-ons.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each9 stops

1. Great Pyramid of Giza1h
2. Pyramid of Khafre30m
3. Great Sphinx of Giza30m
4. Cairo Citadel1h
5. Mosque of Muhammad Ali1h
6. Old Cairo1h
7. Hanging Church30m
8. Ben Ezra Synagogue30m
9. Khan el-Khalili1h

Full day tour of Cairo highlights

• Pickup from hotel in Cairo or Giza
• Visit the three pyramids of Giza
• Explore Khufu's pyramid complex
• Explore Menkaure's pyramid complex
• Explore Khafre's pyramid complex
• See the Great Sphinx of Giza up close
• Visit the Cairo Citadel
• Visit the Mosque of Muhammad Ali
• Tour Christian (Coptic) Cairo
• Visit the Hanging Church
• Visit the Ben Ezra Synagogue
• Shop at Khan el-Khalili Bazaar
• Drop off at hotel in Cairo or Giza

The experience

The tour starts with hotel pickup and heads to Giza to see the three pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, each with its own temple complex and causeway. You get a close-up view of the Great Sphinx, the limestone guardian with the face of King Khafre, at the same site. The Giza plateau is where these monuments sit, and the guide walks you through what each complex originally contained: valley temples, mortuary temples, and the intricate arrangements that made them function as funerary sites.

From Giza, the tour moves to the Citadel of Cairo, an Ottoman fortress built between 1830 and 1848 on high ground overlooking the city. Inside stands the Muhammad Ali Mosque, one of the oldest building structures in the modern era, with its own architectural story. Then you enter Coptic Cairo, also called Christian Cairo, where the Hanging Church (suspended above a Roman fortress gate), the Church of St. Barbara, the Church of Abu-Sergah, and the Ben Ezra Synagogue sit within walking distance of each other. These are among Cairo's oldest churches, some dating back centuries. The Ben Ezra Synagogue also marks the site of the Holy Family cave, where tradition holds the Holy Family sheltered during their journey through Egypt.

The day ends at Khan el-Khalili, one of Egypt's oldest free markets, where the tour drops you back at your hotel. The whole route runs about ten hours and uses a private air-conditioned vehicle. A guide stays with you throughout if you book that option, and lunch can be added at checkout. Entry fees are optional add-ons, so you choose what you want to pay for.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo or Giza.
• all transfers in a private air-conditioned vehicle.
• a bottle of water.
• a live guide in your chosen language (if selected at checkout).
• entry fees to all sites (if selected at checkout).
• lunch (if selected at checkout).

Options for this experience

4 options

Private car with driver onlyGuide in English, Spanish or Arabic · 08:00Pickup is included

Private car with tour guideGuide in English, Spanish or Arabic · 08:00Includes a tour guide. Pickup is included.

Car, tour guide and entry fees includedGuide in English, Spanish or Arabic · 08:00Entry fees are covered. Pickup is included.

Car+Guide+Entry Fees+LunchGuide in English, Spanish or Arabic · 08:00Duration: 9 hours. Tour includes a car, guide, entry fees and lunch. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Lasts 10h, runs every day at 08:00, from US$ 15 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish and Arabic, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Arabic

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by EMO TOURS EGYPT

Is this one for you?Book the option with entry fees and a guide if you want the history explained at each stop. Choose the car and driver alone if you prefer to move at your own pace and handle entry separately. The ten-hour span fits all four major sites into one day, but you'll move between them steadily rather than linger at any one place.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What are the three pyramids I'll see at Giza on this tour?

The three pyramids are Khufu's (also called Cheops), Khafre's (also called Chephren), and Menkaure's. Each has its own valley temple, causeway, and mortuary temple, and the guide explains what each complex originally contained and how it functioned as a royal burial site.

Is the Coptic Museum included in this tour?

The tour visits the oldest churches in Coptic Cairo: the Hanging Church, Church of St. Barbara, Church of Abu-Sergah, and Ben Ezra Synagogue, but the Coptic Museum requires a separate ticket that is not part of this booking.

Can I choose to skip entry fees or add lunch to my booking?

Yes. Entry fees and lunch are both optional add-ons you select at checkout. You can book the private car and guide alone, or add one or both of these extras depending on what you want.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo or Giza are included in all options. The private air-conditioned vehicle collects you from your hotel at the start and returns you there at the end of the day.