Cairo to Memphis & Saqqara: Small-Group History Tour
Ancient Egypt beyond the guidebook: Memphis, Saqqara, and the oldest stone structure on Earth
A small-group tour from Cairo to Memphis and Saqqara with a live English-speaking guide, private air-conditioned transport, and entry to both sites. You explore the Mit Rahina Museum's open-air ruins, stand before the colossal Ramses II statue and Alabaster Sphinx at Memphis, walk through Saqqara's desert landscape, and reach the Step Pyramid of Djoser: the world's oldest stone structure. The tour keeps groups small and moves at a relaxed pace, letting you linger at photo moments and ask questions without the rush of larger tours.
Options for this experience
2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Explore Memphis and Saqqara ancient sites
- Meet guide in Cairo
- Travel south to Memphis
- Explore Memphis open-air museum
- See Ramses II statue and Alabaster Sphinx
- Walk in Saqqara desert landscape
- Visit the Step Pyramid
- Return to Cairo
- Cairo 15m
- Colossus of Ramses II at Memphis Entry included 1h
- Saqqara 1h
- Cairo 45m
What’s included
- The tour includes entry to the Mit Rahina Museum at Memphis and Saqqara.
- private air-conditioned transport from Cairo to both sites and back.
- a live English-speaking guide who shares the history of each location.
- and access to walk through the open-air ruins, see the Ramses II statue and Alabaster Sphinx, and stand before the Step Pyramid of Djoser.
- Every day 08:00
Information
Small-group tour from Cairo to Memphis and Saqqara with a local guide: walk through Egypt's first capital, see the colossal Ramses II statue.
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The experience
You meet your guide in Cairo and head south toward Memphis, Egypt's first capital, leaving the city behind for a landscape that has held history for 5,000 years. The guide brings the ruins to life as you walk through the Mit Rahina Museum's open-air grounds: a collection of statues, sphinxes and carved fragments scattered across the desert floor. The centerpiece is the colossal Ramses II statue, a limestone giant lying on its back, and the Alabaster Sphinx nearby, both carved during the reign of one of Egypt's most powerful pharaohs.
From Memphis, the air-conditioned vehicle carries you deeper into the desert to Saqqara, where the landscape opens into a vast expanse dotted with pyramids and hidden tombs. You walk on uneven ground through this ancient necropolis, passing lesser-known pyramids and burial chambers before reaching the Step Pyramid of Djoser. Built by the architect Imhotep around 2670 BCE, it stands as the oldest monumental stone structure on Earth: a six-tiered monument that rises from the sand and marks a turning point in how the ancient Egyptians built for eternity. The scale and age of it settle in as you stand in front of it.
The return to Cairo closes the loop, and you carry the desert and the stone with you. The small-group format means the pace stays unhurried, the guide answers what you ask, and the photo moments (the colossal statue, the Step Pyramid against the sky) belong to you and a handful of others, not to a crowd.
Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.
What is the Colossus of Ramses II, and why is it worth seeing at Memphis?
The Colossus of Ramses II is a limestone statue of one of Egypt's greatest pharaohs, carved during the 19th Dynasty and now lying on its back in the Mit Rahina Museum at Memphis. It is one of the largest and most recognizable statues from ancient Egypt, and seeing it up close gives a sense of the scale and ambition of the era.
How old is the Step Pyramid, and what makes it different from other pyramids?
The Step Pyramid of Djoser was built around 2670 BCE and is the oldest monumental stone structure on Earth. Unlike the smooth-sided pyramids built later, it rises in six distinct tiers, and it was designed by the architect Imhotep as a revolutionary new form of royal tomb: the first of its kind.
Will I be walking a lot, and what should I wear?
You will walk on uneven ground at both Memphis and Saqqara, so comfortable, sturdy shoes are essential. Bring sun protection, a hat, and water, especially if you are visiting during warmer months. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, and children from age 6 are welcome.
How long is the tour, and when does it start?
The tour runs for 4 hours from the time you meet your guide in Cairo. You will travel by private air-conditioned vehicle to Memphis and Saqqara and return to Cairo by the end of the day.
Can I choose between a private tour and a small-group tour?
Yes, you can book either a private tour for your group alone or a small-group tour where you travel with a few other visitors. Both include the same sites, guide and transport. The difference is group size.
What is included, and what should I arrange separately?
The tour includes entry to both Memphis and Saqqara, the Mit Rahina Museum, transport by air-conditioned vehicle, and a live English-speaking guide. Food, drinks and gratuities are not included, and hotel pickup and drop-off are not part of the tour. You meet your guide in Cairo.
Operated by Intrepid Urban Adventures - Egypt. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated today
Cairo to Memphis & Saqqara: Small-Group History Tour
4h · EN
from US$ 65.40 per person
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