Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & Islamic Cairo: Private Guided Tour

Hanging Church tour, historical site visit, unique elevated entrance with stairs

A private guided tour of Cairo and Giza with an Egyptologist expert, covering the Giza Pyramids and Great Sphinx, the Muhammad Ali Mosque inside the Citadel of Saladin, and the oldest churches of Coptic Cairo including the Hanging Church. The tour runs eight hours with private transportation, a qualified guide in your choice of language, and all service charges included. Entrance tickets to the pyramids and citadel are separate. Lunch and shopping stops are built into the day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Giza Pyramids3h
2. Great Sphinx of Giza20m
3. Old Cairo2h
4. Hanging Church20m
5. Cairo Citadel1h 30m
6. Mosque of Muhammad Ali30m

Explore Giza and Cairo landmarks

• Visit the Pyramids of Giza
• See the Great Sphinx
• Enjoy a camel ride at Giza
• Visit the Valley Temple
• Learn about essential oils
• Tour the Citadel of Cairo
• Visit the Mosque of Muhammad Ali
• Explore Coptic Cairo
• Visit the Hanging Church

The experience

Start at the Giza Pyramids with your Egyptologist guide and see the three main pyramids (Khufu, Chephren and Menkaure) along with the Great Sphinx at the foot of Chephren's pyramid. A camel ride around the plateau gives you the view of all nine pyramids from the Sahara, and the panoramic point lets you photograph them without the crowds at ground level. The Valley Temple, which faces the Sphinx, is included as part of the Giza section.

After Giza, the tour moves to the Citadel of Saladin, a medieval fortress that was the seat of Egyptian government for nearly 700 years. Inside it stands the Muhammad Ali Mosque, an Ottoman structure built between 1830 and 1848 with twin minarets and an animated silhouette that makes it the most visible mosque in Cairo from any direction. The citadel itself offers views across the city. A lunch break at an Egyptian food court and time at one of Cairo's vibrant shopping markets break up the day before the final leg.

The afternoon takes you to Old Cairo and its Coptic churches. The Hanging Church, the oldest and most well-known church in Egypt, is built on top of a Roman fortress wall and requires climbing stairs to enter. Nearby, the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (Abu Serga) contains a crypt where Christian tradition holds the Holy Family sheltered during their escape into Egypt. Your private driver and guide handle all logistics and timing, so the sequence of stops holds together without you arranging transport between them.

What’s included

• Private transportation with a dedicated driver.
• a qualified Egyptologist guide in your choice of language.
• camel ride around the Giza Pyramids.
• access to the panoramic point and Valley Temple.
• entry to the Muhammad Ali Mosque and Citadel of Saladin.
• visits to the Hanging Church and Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus in Old Cairo.
• lunch at an Egyptian food court.
• shopping time at a Cairo market.
• all service charges and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (20 to 49 years) · Senior (50 and older) · Youth (13 to 19 years) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Infant (1 to 5 years): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, Greek and Russian

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.

Paid on siteUS$ 32

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Cairo Trips

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want a structured eight-hour route covering Giza, the Citadel, and Old Cairo with a private Egyptologist guide who sets the pace and sequence, rather than piecing together separate experiences yourself.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian and Greek.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 19 years); Child (6 to 12 years); Infant (1 to 5 years): free.

What are the nine pyramids visible from the camel ride at Giza?

The camel ride circles the Giza plateau and lets you see all nine pyramids of Giza from the Sahara. The three main ones (Khufu, Chephren and Menkaure) are the largest, and the ride gives you the vantage point to photograph them all together against the desert.

Is the Hanging Church really suspended above the ground?

The Hanging Church is built on top of a Roman fortress wall, so its entrance sits high enough above street level that you climb a flight of stairs to reach it. It is one of the oldest churches in Egypt, with a documented history dating to the third century.

What is included in the eight-hour tour and what costs extra?

The tour includes private transportation, your Egyptologist guide, all service charges and taxes, lunch at an Egyptian food court, and shopping time at a Cairo market. Entrance tickets to the Giza Pyramids and the Cairo Citadel are not included and are paid separately. The guide will arrange them as part of the day.

What happens at the essential oil makers stop mentioned in the itinerary?

At the essential oil makers near the Sphinx, you learn about the different oils ancient Egyptians used for health and to protect the skin of mummies. This stop is part of the Giza section and gives context to how the ancient civilization approached wellness and preservation.