6-Hour Private Tour: Giza Pyramids, Citadel & Coptic Cairo

A camel ride circles the pyramids in the middle of your day.

A 6-hour private tour of Cairo's ancient monuments (Giza Pyramids, Saladin Citadel and Coptic Old Cairo) with a live Egyptologist guide, hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport and lunch. You choose between a car with guide or car only. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language. The tour starts at 8 am and includes a 30-minute camel ride around the Giza plateau.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Giza Pyramids2h
2. Cairo Citadel2h

Explore Giza, Citadel, and Coptic Cairo

• Depart hotel at 8 am
• Visit Great Pyramid of Cheops
• See Pyramid of Chepren and Mycerinus
• Take photos at panorama area
• Enjoy 30-minute camel ride around pyramids
• Visit Queens' small pyramids and Valley Temple
• See the Sphinx
• Lunch at restaurant facing pyramids and Sphinx
• Visit Citadel of Saladin
• Tour Alabaster Mosque of Mohammed Aly
• Visit Mosque of Ibn Qalaoun
• View Islamic Cairo from panorama area
• Explore Roman Fortress of Babylon
• Visit Hanging Church of Virgin Mary
• See Church of Abu Serga and Holy Family Crypt
• Visit Jewish Synagogue of Ben Ezra
• Return to hotel

The experience

The van picks you up at your Cairo hotel at 8 am and heads straight to Giza plateau. You'll stand in front of the Great Pyramid of Cheops, the Pyramid of Chepren and the Pyramid of Mycerinus, then move to the panorama area where the scale of all three becomes clear in a single frame. The Sphinx sits at the edge of the plateau, and the Valley Temple of King Chephren (where the pharaoh's body was prepared) stands nearby. Your guide walks you through the history of each structure while you move between them. The camel ride happens midday, a 30-minute loop around the pyramids that breaks up the walking and gives you a different angle on what you've already seen.

Lunch comes at a restaurant facing both the Sphinx and the pyramids. The view is the point. After eating, the tour moves to Saladin Citadel, the 12th-century fortress built to defend Cairo against crusades and later the residence of Egypt's rulers until the mid-19th century. Inside, you'll visit the Alabaster Mosque of Mohammed Aly, built in the 19th century in Ottoman style, and the Mosque of Ibn Qalaoun from the 14th century, which shows the earlier Mameluk architectural tradition. The citadel's panorama area overlooks Islamic Cairo from above.

The final stop is Coptic Old Cairo, where four religious sites cluster together: the Roman Fortress of Babylon (1st century), the Hanging Church of Virgin Mary (3rd century), the Church of Abu Serga (4th century, which holds the Holy Family Crypt), and the Jewish Synagogue of Ben Ezra (9th century). Your guide explains what each building represents in Cairo's layered religious history. The van returns you to your hotel afterward.

What’s included

• Round-trip hotel pickup in a private air-conditioned van with WiFi.
• a live Egyptologist guide in your chosen language.
• entry to Giza Pyramids, Saladin Citadel and all four Coptic Old Cairo sites.
• a 30-minute camel ride around the Giza plateau.
• lunch at a restaurant with views of the Sphinx and pyramids.
• bottled water.
• all fees and taxes.

Options for this experience

2 options

Car onlyGuide in 5 languages · 07:00, 08:00, 09:00 and 10:00Driver familiar with tourist a pickup is included

Car + guideGuide in 5 languages · 07:00, 08:00, 09:00 and 10:00Includes pickup

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00, 08:00, 09:00 and 10:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (5 to 10 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Higher Travel

Is this one for you?Book the car-and-guide option if you want someone to explain the history and architecture as you move between sites. Choose car only if you prefer to explore at your own pace with a driver who handles navigation and timing. Either way, the private vehicle and hotel pickup mean you're not coordinating with other travelers or waiting for a group to assemble.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

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

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 10 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What's included in the private tour of Cairo's pyramids and citadel?

The tour includes round-trip hotel pickup in an air-conditioned vehicle with WiFi, a private Egyptologist guide, the 30-minute camel ride around Giza, lunch at a restaurant overlooking the pyramids and citadel, bottled water, and all entry fees and taxes. You choose at checkout whether you want the guide or the car only.

What time does the tour start and how long does it take?

The tour departs from your Cairo hotel at 8 am and runs for 6 hours total. The itinerary covers Giza Pyramids in the morning, lunch and the Saladin Citadel in the afternoon, and finishes at Coptic Old Cairo before returning you to your hotel.

Can I ride a camel at the Giza Pyramids on this tour?

Yes, a 30-minute camel ride around the Giza pyramids is included in the tour. It happens after you've walked the plateau and before lunch, giving you a different vantage point on the monuments.

What is the Hanging Church and why is it called that?

The Hanging Church of Virgin Mary, built in the 3rd century, is one of the oldest churches in Egypt and sits in Coptic Old Cairo. It's part of the final stop on the tour, alongside the Roman Fortress of Babylon, the Church of Abu Serga and the Synagogue of Ben Ezra.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not in great physical shape?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You'll walk between monuments at Giza and the citadel, but the pace is guided and you have the camel ride as an alternative way to experience the pyramids. The air-conditioned vehicle and lunch break give you time to rest.