Sharm el Sheikh to Cairo: Pyramids, Sphinx & Egyptian Museum Day Trip

What does it take to see three pyramids, the Sphinx, and 100,000 artifacts in one day?

You get picked up early, spend the day with an Egyptologist guide moving between Cairo's two major museums, the three Giza Pyramids, and the Great Sphinx, with lunch included and time to browse a papyrus or perfume workshop before the return drive. The whole day is planned around the convoy schedule, so you don't have to figure out timing or transport yourself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each5 stops

1. Egyptian MuseumEntry included2h
2. Nile River30m
3. Bahariya Oasis30m
4. Giza PyramidsEntry included3h
5. Great Sphinx of GizaEntry included30m

Cairo Museum and Giza Pyramids Tour

• Pick up from hotel in Sharm el Sheikh
• Travel to Cairo by air-conditioned coach
• Meet Egyptologist tour guide
• Visit Grand Egyptian Museum or Egyptian Museum
• Enjoy lunch
• Explore Giza Pyramids on foot, horse, or camel
• Visit the Great Sphinx of Giza
• Optional visit to Papyrus or Perfume factory
• Return to Sharm el Sheikh

The experience

An early pickup from your Sharm el Sheikh hotel, then a long drive along the Gulf of Suez to Cairo. Your Egyptologist guide meets you there and stays with you through the whole day: that continuity matters because the sites are spread out and the history connects them. You start at either the Grand Egyptian Museum (the newer, larger one with over 100,000 pieces) or the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, depending on which you choose when you book. Tutankhamun's golden coffin is in one of them. You'll spend time actually looking, not rushing through.

After lunch, you head to the Giza Pyramids: Cheops, Chephren, and Mykerinus. You can walk the grounds, or if you want, ride a camel or horse for a fee. The whole pyramid site takes two to three hours. Then you walk to the Great Sphinx, the limestone figure with a human head and a lion's body, carved from what was left over when they quarried stone for the Great Pyramid. Twenty or thirty minutes there, and you'll understand why it's still the most preserved sphinx anywhere.

At the end of the day, while the convoy waits to head back to Sharm el Sheikh, you get a stop or two at a papyrus museum and an essential oil factory: places where they show you how ancient Egyptians made these things, and where the money goes to local craftspeople keeping the techniques alive. It's not rushed, and it's not a hard sell. Then the drive back to your hotel, arriving in the evening.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup from Sharm el Sheikh, air-conditioned coach transport to Cairo, an Egyptologist guide for the full day, entry to either the Grand Egyptian Museum or the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square (your choice), lunch, visits to the Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx, and optional stops at a papyrus museum and essential oil factory while waiting for the return convoy. Camel and horse rides at the pyramids are available for an additional fee.

Options for this experience

2 options

Entrance fees included in the tourGuide in 5 languages · 00:30Entrance fees are covered by this option (Pyramids area, Sphinx, lunch, transfers, ancient museum). Pickup is included.

Grand Egyptian MuseumGuide in 5 languages · 6 departure times: the first at 00:00, the last at 23:30Entrance fees are covered by this option (Pyramids area, Sphinx, lunch, transfers, Great Egyptian Museum (GEM)). Pickup is included.

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

Information

Lasts 1d, runs every day, 6 start times, from US$ 88 per person, with live guides in 5 languages and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day6 departure times: 23:30, 00:00, 00:10, 00:15, 00:20 and 00:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupUp to 501 private ›

Live guideEnglish, French, German, Italian and ArabicOther languages ›

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.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Book Tour Egypt

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Cairo's main sights in one day without arranging your own transport, museum tickets, or timing: the fixed schedule and guide handle all three, and the early pickup means you're back at your hotel by evening.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French, German, Italian and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the drive from Sharm el Sheikh to Cairo?

The reference doesn't specify the exact duration, but it's a full-day trip. You leave early morning and return in the evening. The route runs along the Gulf of Suez.

Which museum is included? The Grand Egyptian Museum or the one in Tahrir Square?

You choose when you book. The Grand Egyptian Museum is newer and larger with over 100,000 artifacts. The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square is the older, traditional one. Both house Tutankhamun's golden coffin.

Can you ride a camel or horse at the pyramids?

Yes, but it's an extra fee. Walking the grounds is included. Camel and horse rides are optional.

Is lunch included?

Yes, lunch is included in the tour.

What are the papyrus and oil factory stops?

They're optional stops at the end of the day while the convoy waits to return to Sharm el Sheikh. They show traditional Egyptian techniques and support local craftspeople. You don't have to visit them if you don't want to.

How much time do you spend at the pyramids?

Two to three hours at the Giza Pyramids, then 20–30 minutes at the Great Sphinx.

Is this tour suitable for people with mobility issues?

The tour is listed as suitable for all physical fitness levels, but the pyramids site involves walking on uneven ground. Ask the operator about specific accessibility needs when you book.

What's included in the price?

All entrance fees for the sights, lunch, and air-conditioned transport from your hotel. Camel and horse rides, Nile boat trips, and the papyrus/oil factory visits are extra.