Cairo pyramids tour: Saqqara, Memphis & Dahshur private

Three pyramid sites in one day, with a guide who knows the construction secrets.

A private guided tour of Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur pyramids near Cairo, with hotel pickup and an experienced English-speaking guide. The tour runs 6 to 7 hours and includes entry tickets (depending on the option chosen), bottled water and drop-off at your hotel. Lunch and a one-hour ATV ride around the desert outside the Giza Plateau are available as add-ons.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Sakkara, Memphis, and Dahshur Pyramids

• Meet tour guide at accommodation
• Travel to Sakkara Step Pyramid
• Explore Sakkara Step Pyramid
• Visit Memphis and see statues
• Visit Dahshur Pyramids
• Return to hotel for drop-off

The Experience

The guide meets you at your Cairo or Giza hotel and drives you south to Saqqara, where the Step Pyramid—built around 2700 BC—stands as Egypt's first pyramid. You walk through the corridors and between the walls of the stone funerary complex, seeing the daily-life reliefs carved into the tomb walls and the desert landscape that surrounds it. From there, the drive continues to Memphis, the first capital of Egypt founded over 5,000 years ago. The site holds the colossal statue of Ramses II and the alabaster Sphinx, the second largest in Egypt, both still standing where the ancient city once stood.

The final stop is Dahshur, home to two pyramids built by Pharaoh Snefru in the 4th dynasty around 2600 BC. The Red Pyramid was the first true pyramid constructed in Egypt, while the Bent Pyramid has a unique shape found nowhere else. Both are as old and as large as the Giza Pyramids. Your guide explains the construction methods and the pharaonic history while you photograph the desert and the monuments. At the end of the day, you're driven back to your hotel.

The tour is private, which means the pace and stops are yours alone. Entry tickets to each site are included if you select that option; if you choose the all-inclusive version, lunch is also provided. A one-hour ATV ride around the desert outside the Giza Plateau is optional and can be added at checkout. Bottled water and all taxes are included in every option.

What’s included

• The tour includes an experienced English-speaking guide, private air-conditioned vehicle, hotel pickup and drop-off within Cairo or Giza, bottled water and all taxes.
• entry tickets to Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur are included depending on which option you select at checkout.
• lunch and a one-hour ATV ride around the desert outside the Giza Plateau are available as add-ons.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Cairo Private Guided Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this if you're visiting three pyramid complexes in one day and prefer a private vehicle with a guide who paces the stops to your interests, rather than joining a group tour with fixed timings.

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Top questions

What's the difference between the tour options?

The private tour comes in seven versions at checkout: some include entry tickets only, others add lunch, and some add both lunch and a one-hour ATV ride around the desert. Choose based on what you want to do and eat during the day—the guide and hotel pickup are the same on all of them.

How much walking is involved at each pyramid site?

Saqqara involves walking through corridors and between the walls of the funerary complex to see the reliefs and tomb scenes. Memphis and Dahshur are more open-air sites where you walk around the statues and pyramids at your own pace. Comfortable walking shoes are essential, and the tour suits all fitness levels.

Is the ATV ride included, or do I have to pay extra?

The one-hour ATV ride around the desert outside the Giza Plateau is optional and available only on certain tour options—check which version includes it at checkout. If your option doesn't include it, you can add it when you book.

What does the guide explain at each site?

The guide reveals the construction secrets of the pyramids, the history of Saqqara as Egypt's first stone funerary complex, Memphis as the first capital founded over 5,000 years ago, and the unique shapes and pharaonic significance of the Red and Bent Pyramids at Dahshur. You'll also learn about the daily life of ancient Egyptians from the reliefs carved into the tomb walls.

What's included in the price, and what costs extra?

Every option includes the private tour, experienced English-speaking guide, air-conditioned vehicle, hotel pickup and drop-off, bottled water and all taxes. Entry tickets to Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur are included depending on your option; lunch and the ATV ride are add-ons available at checkout. Tipping is not included.

How long does the tour take?

The tour runs 6 to 7 hours from pickup at your hotel to drop-off, including time at all three pyramid sites, the drive between them, and any lunch break if you've selected that option.