Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & Memphis: Full-Day Private Tour

The Great Pyramid, the step pyramid, and a colossal statue 3,200 years old in one day.

A full-day private tour from your Cairo or Giza hotel takes you through three ancient Egyptian sites: the Giza Plateau with its three pyramids and the Great Sphinx, Saqqara's step pyramid (the oldest stone building ever constructed), and Memphis, the first capital of Egypt founded around 3100 B.C. Your Egyptologist guide leads the route, a camel ride crosses the Giza plateau at the desert's edge, and the all-inclusive option covers entrance fees, lunch at a local restaurant, and hotel drop-off. The tour runs roughly eight hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Giza Plateau4h · entry included
2. Saqqara2h · entry included
3. Colossus of Ramses II at Memphis2h · entry included

Explore Giza, Saqqara, and Memphis

• Meet guide at hotel lobby
• Explore Giza Pyramids
• Take panoramic pyramid views
• Ride camel on Giza plateau
• Visit Great Sphinx
• Visit Saqqara Pyramid
• Drive to Dahshur and explore pyramids
• Visit Colossus of Ramses II and Alabaster Sphinx in Memphis
• Explore Memphis ruins
• Return to hotel

The experience

Your guide meets you at your hotel lobby in the morning and drives you to the Giza Plateau, where the three pyramids of the Giza complex rise from the desert. You'll explore them on foot while your guide shares the history of the pharaohs who built them and helps you frame photographs. After the pyramids, you ride a camel for twenty minutes across the plateau, getting a different angle on the monuments and the Sahara stretching beyond. Then you stand in front of the Great Sphinx (the massive half-human, half-lion statue), and hear its story and the reasons behind its construction.

The route then heads southwest to Saqqara, about 27 kilometers from Cairo. The step pyramid there is the oldest stone building in the world, and your guide explains its historical significance and how it marked a turning point in Egyptian architecture. You'll also see the colored tombs and can enter the pyramid of King Teti to view the hieroglyphic texts carved inside: inscriptions meant to protect the king during his journey in the afterlife. From Saqqara, you drive south to Dahshur to see the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid, which date back to 2613–2589 BCE and show the evolution of pyramid design.

The final stop is Memphis, the ancient capital founded around 3100 B.C., where you see the colossal statue of King Ramses II and the Alabaster Sphinx. Your guide walks you through the ruins and explains why Memphis mattered to ancient Egypt. On the all-inclusive option, lunch at a local restaurant breaks up the day. When the tour ends, your driver takes you back to your hotel.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• a qualified Egyptologist guide speaking English or Spanish.
• all taxes and service charges. On the all-inclusive option: entrance fees to Giza, Saqqara, Dahshur and Memphis.
• a twenty-minute camel ride across the Giza Plateau.
• lunch at a local restaurant.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English or Spanish07:00, 08:00 and 09:00

Guide in English or Spanish07:00, 08:00 and 09:00

You pick the guide language when booking. Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

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

Before you book

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

Book up to8h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

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 11 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Blue Nile Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the all-inclusive option if you want to step inside a pyramid and ride a camel without stopping to pay at each gate or hunting for lunch. The day holds together without decisions. The car-and-guide option works if you're traveling with someone who has already paid for sites or prefers to eat elsewhere, and you still get the private route and the Egyptologist's knowledge.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 12 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What's the difference between the two price options for this tour?

The car and guide option covers your private transportation and the Egyptologist guide only. The all-inclusive option adds entrance fees to all three sites, the twenty-minute camel ride, lunch at a local restaurant, and all taxes and service charges, so you pay nothing extra at the gates or for food.

What is the step pyramid at Saqqara, and why is it important?

The step pyramid at Saqqara is the oldest stone building ever constructed, and it marks a major shift in how the ancient Egyptians built monuments. Your guide explains its architectural innovation and historical significance as you explore it.

Can I go inside any of the pyramids on this tour?

Yes, on the all-inclusive option you can enter the pyramid of King Teti at Saqqara to see the hieroglyphic texts carved on the interior walls, which were meant to protect the king in the afterlife.

How long is the camel ride, and what's included with it?

The camel ride lasts twenty minutes and crosses the Giza Plateau at the edge of the Sahara Desert, giving you a different view of the pyramids. It's included on the all-inclusive option only.

Where does the tour start and end?

Your guide meets you at your hotel lobby in Cairo or Giza in the morning, and your driver returns you to the same hotel at the end of the day. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included on both options.