Cairo: Memphis, Saqqara & Dahshur Pyramids Day Trip Pickup

Walk through Memphis Saqqara & Dahshur’s ancient silence with a local guide

You’ll travel from Cairo out into Egypt’s quieter desert edges: walking through Memphis’ open-air ruins, touching Saqqara’s ancient stones, and puzzling over Dahshur’s bent pyramid with a local guide. Expect honest moments: warm bread at lunch, dusty shoes, maybe even a laugh at your own attempts at Arabic. It’s more real than perfect, and that’s what stays with you.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Saqqara30m
2. Memphis1h
3. Dahshur1h

Explore Saqqara, Memphis, and Dahshur Pyramids

• Pickup from hotel at 8:00 am
• Visit Saqqara Step Pyramid
• Explore Pyramid of Unas
• Visit Pyramid of Teti
• See Mastaba of Ti
• Visit ancient city of Memphis
• Explore Dahshur Pyramids
• Return to hotel around 1:00 pm

The experience

"You see that bend? They say the architect panicked," our guide Amr grinned, pointing at the Bent Pyramid in Dahshur. The morning had started with Cairo’s usual honking chaos, but by the time we reached the desert edge, it was just wind and sand and that weird quiet you only get outside cities. I kept squinting at the shape, how did they even pull this off 4,000 years ago? My shoes filled with fine yellow dust every time I stepped out of the van (which was mercifully cool inside), but I kind of liked it. Felt like proof I’d really been there.

Saqqara was next: a short drive, but a whole different mood. The Step Pyramid looked sort of familiar from photos, but standing under it felt different. Amr told us how this was the first pyramid ever built. I touched the stone and it was rougher than I expected, still warm from the sun. There were almost no crowds. Just a couple of kids chasing each other near some crumbling walls and an old man selling dates who nodded when I tried my “shukran.” We ducked into one of those low tombs (the Mastaba of Ti?) where carvings showed people fishing and baking bread. It smelled faintly like earth and something old, hard to describe.

Memphis itself is mostly open air now: giant statues lying on their sides, half-buried in dust. The colossal Ramses II statue is so big you have to walk around it to take it all in. Someone had left a plastic water bottle by his foot, which felt both wrong and totally normal for Egypt. Lunch came after (I went for grilled chicken, someone else braved the pigeon). Honestly, I didn’t expect much from “included lunch,” but it was good: fresh bread still warm from the oven. On the way back to Cairo, Amr pointed out tiny villages along the Nile and told us how his grandfather used to work in fields near here.

I still think about that moment at Dahshur: the sky huge above us, pyramids looking battered but stubborn as ever. If you want to see ancient Egypt without elbowing through crowds or selfie sticks everywhere, this Cairo day trip is probably it.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo or Giza, all transfers in a private air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water to keep you going under the sun, entry fees if selected when booking, an optional traditional lunch at a local restaurant (yes, even pigeon if you’re brave), plus your guide’s stories along every stop before heading back early afternoon.

Options for this experience

2 options

Tour with an audio guide (available in 82 languages)Guide in English, Spanish or Arabic · 09:00Includes pickup

Tour with a live guideGuide in English, Spanish or Arabic · 09:00Tour with a live guide, pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

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, German, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Croatian, Dutch, Filipino, Finnish, Greek, Hakka Chinese, Hindi, Hungarian, Japanese, Malay, Malayalam, Marathi, Norwegian, Pashto, Persian, Romanian, Russian, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Xiang Chinese and YU

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 15

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Emo Tours Egypt

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Arabic.

Can children come?

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

How long does the Cairo day trip to Memphis Saqqara & Dahshur last?

The tour starts around 8:00 am and returns by about 1:00 pm.

Is hotel pickup included for this Cairo pyramids day trip?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo or Giza are included.

Are entry fees included in the tour price?

Entry fees are included if you select that option when booking.

Will there be a local guide during the tour?

A guide is provided on site if you select that option during booking.

Is lunch included on this day trip?

Lunch at a local restaurant is included if you choose that option.

What sites are visited on this day trip from Cairo?

The tour visits Saqqara (Step Pyramid), Memphis (statue of Ramses II), and Dahshur (Bent & Red Pyramids).

Is transportation private or shared?

The tour uses a private air-conditioned vehicle for all transfers.

Are there options for travelers with infants?

Specialized infant seats are available upon request.