Giza Pyramids, Memphis & Saqqara: Private Day Tour with Hotel Pickup

Summary

Walk through Egypt’s old capitals, pyramids and living crafts in one Cairo day

You’ll walk beneath ancient stones at Giza Pyramids, trace your hand along Saqqara’s step pyramid walls, stand face-to-face with Ramses II in Memphis City, and watch local artisans weaving carpets or making papyrus scrolls. With hotel pickup and a guide who knows every legend (and shortcut), this day trip lets you feel Egypt’s history up close.

What’s the experience like?

“If you listen close enough, you’ll hear the stones talking,” our guide Ahmed said as we stepped out of the van near the Great Pyramid of Giza. I laughed because honestly, all I could hear at first was the wind and a camel snorting somewhere behind us. But then he started pointing out these tiny marks on the limestone blocks — chisel grooves older than anything back home. The air was dry and a little dusty, but not heavy; it actually smelled faintly sweet, like hay and something else I couldn’t place. Maybe that’s just what old sun-baked rock smells like? We shuffled along in Ahmed’s wake past families posing for photos and vendors calling out “Welcome!” (and sometimes “Hello my friend!” even if you’re clearly lost in your own thoughts). It’s hard to describe standing right under Khufu’s pyramid — it feels too big for your eyes to take in at once.

After wandering around the Sphinx (which is smaller than you expect but somehow more mysterious up close), we drove out to Saqqara. The drive itself is worth mentioning — Cairo traffic is its own kind of adventure. At Saqqara, Ahmed explained how the Step Pyramid changed everything about Egyptian tombs. He told us stories about King Zoser while we touched the rough stone walls (warmer than I thought they’d be) and ducked into cool shadowy corridors where our footsteps echoed. There was this moment inside when everyone just went quiet — not out of awe exactly, but maybe because it felt like time had folded in on itself for a second.

Memphis came last, with its open-air museum and that giant statue of Ramses II lying flat as if he’d just decided to take a nap for 3,000 years. I tried to imagine what this city must’ve sounded like back when it was Egypt’s capital — Ahmed said you can still find old palm trees here whose roots go deeper than most buildings in Cairo now. On the way back we stopped at a papyrus shop where I totally failed at rolling my own scroll (the shopkeeper grinned and showed me again), then watched women weaving carpets by hand at a small school. Their fingers moved so fast it almost made me dizzy watching them.

I didn’t expect to remember the smell of cotton flowers or that weirdly comforting silence inside Teti’s pyramid more than any postcard view. But that’s what stuck with me after this private tour from Cairo — those tiny details you can’t really plan for.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Explore Giza, Memphis, and Sakkara

• Pickup from hotel in Cairo or Giza
• Visit Great Pyramids: Cheops, Chephren, Mykerinos
• Explore Valley Temple and Sphinx
• Tour Khufu's pyramid complex
• Tour Khafre's pyramid complex
• Tour Menkaure's pyramid complex
• Visit Memphis City archaeological sites
• Visit Sakkara Step Pyramid of King Zoser
• Explore Pyramid of Teti
• Visit Mastaba of Ti tomb
• See Pyramid of Unas replica
• Drop off at hotel in Cairo or Giza

Top questions

How long does the private Giza Pyramids, Memphis & Saqqara tour take?

The tour lasts about a full day with 20-minute stops at each main location plus transfers from Cairo or Giza hotels.

Is hotel pickup included for this day trip from Cairo?

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

Do I need to buy tickets separately for any sites?

No, all entry fees are included in the private tour price.

Are there stops for shopping or seeing local crafts?

Yes, you’ll visit places like Paradise Perfumes & Flower Cotton shop, Key of Life Papyrus center, and Handmade Carpets school.

Is lunch provided during this tour?

No traditional lunch is included but bottled water is provided; there are opportunities to buy snacks during stops.

Can children or elderly travelers join this tour?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels; infant seats are available but not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or heart conditions.

What will I see at Saqqara during the day trip?

You’ll visit the Step Pyramid of Zoser plus sites like Teti’s pyramid and Mastaba of Ti with wall carvings showing daily life scenes.

Who leads the private tour—are guides local?

A knowledgeable local guide accompanies you throughout the entire day trip from Cairo or Giza.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off anywhere in Cairo or Giza by private air-conditioned vehicle, all site entry fees covered ahead of time so there’s no waiting around, bottled water to keep you going under the Egyptian sun, plus visits to artisan shops where you can see papyrus making or carpet weaving before heading back home with more stories than souvenirs.