Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & Memphis: Private Day Tour with Lunch

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/39

Duration8h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · AR

PickupAt your hotel

Walk ancient stones at Giza and Saqqara then share lunch near Cairo’s old capital

You’ll walk between ancient pyramids on the Giza Plateau, touch history at Saqqara’s Step Pyramid, explore Memphis’ quiet ruins with a local guide, ride camels under desert sun, and share lunch that lingers in your memory. Pickup and entry fees are included—just bring curiosity (and maybe sunscreen).

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit pyramids, Sphinx, and market

Visit Sakkara Step Pyramid
See Step Pyramid of Djoser
Explore Giza Pyramids complex
View Great Pyramid of Giza
See Pyramid of Khafre
Go up Giza Plateau for photos
Visit Great Sphinx of Giza
Return to hotel

The Experience

You blink and there it is — the Great Pyramid of Giza, just sitting in the haze like it’s always been there. Our guide, Hossam, grinned when I tried to count the limestone blocks (no chance), and he told us how each one was hauled here before anyone had even dreamed of Rome or Paris. The morning was already hot but there was this dry wind that made the sand swirl around your ankles. I kept getting distracted by camels chewing lazily near the parking lot, their bells clinking softly. We’d started out from Cairo with hotel pickup — early enough that the city hadn’t quite woken up yet.

Memphis felt quieter than I expected. There’s not much left standing but you can still see where the old kings ruled — a toppled statue here, a palm tree leaning over some broken stone. Hossam pointed out a faded carving and said something about how everyone used to bring offerings here. I tried to imagine what it must’ve sounded like back then, crowds and music and all that ceremony. At Saqqara, we stood in front of Djoser’s Step Pyramid and ran our hands along those rough stones (they’re colder than you’d think). He explained how Imhotep designed this place long before anyone figured out how to make a “real” pyramid.

I didn’t expect to laugh so much at lunch — but there we were, passing plates of koshari around a table while Hossam teased me for mixing up Arabic words (I probably called someone’s mother an onion). The taste of cumin stuck with me all afternoon. Afterward we rode camels for half an hour — mine kept trying to veer off toward some shade — and then wandered through Khan Khalili market where everything smelled like cardamom and old leather. The whole day felt kind of surreal by the time we got dropped off back at our hotel. Sometimes I still think about that first glimpse of the Sphinx’s face through the dust.

What’s included

Your day includes private transportation with air conditioning, hotel pickup and drop-off within central Cairo or Giza, entry fees for all sites (Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Saqqara Step Pyramid, Memphis), bottled water throughout the day, a traditional Egyptian lunch shared with your group or guide, a 30-minute camel ride on the plateau, plus time to browse Khan Khalili market before heading back to your hotel.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by CGT Egypt Tours