Giza Saqqara Dahshur pyramids tour: Photograph Sphinx sites

Photograph the Great Sphinx and three pyramid complexes built 4,600 years apart

A full-day tour of Giza, Saqqara and Dahshur pyramids designed around photography, with hands-on guidance on capturing light, angle and scale at each site. You visit the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Step Pyramid of Djoser (the world's first), and the Bent and Red Pyramids of Dahshur, with skip-the-line entry and a live guide in your language. Lunch with views of the Giza plateau and a camel ride are available depending on which option you choose at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Great Sphinx of Giza30m
2. Giza Pyramids2h · entry included
3. Dahshur1h · entry included
4. Saqqara2h · entry included

Explore Giza, Saqqara, and Dahshur pyramids

• Photograph the Great Sphinx of Giza
• Visit and photograph Giza Pyramids
• Explore Saqqara Pyramid Complex
• Discover Bent Pyramid at Dahshur
• Visit and enter Red Pyramid

The experience

The tour opens at the Great Sphinx, where you'll stand directly in front of one of the world's most photographed monuments and learn how to frame it against the desert light and the pyramids beyond. A guide trained in photography techniques walks you through composition, perspective and the use of shadows to capture the Sphinx's scale and detail, whether you're shooting on a camera or a phone. From there you move to the Pyramids of Giza itself: the Great Pyramid of Khufu (the only surviving Wonder of the Ancient World), the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure. You'll have time at each to shoot from iconic viewpoints and discover angles most visitors miss, with guidance on how the shifting desert light changes what you can capture.

Saqqara comes next, home to the Step Pyramid of Djoser: the world's first pyramid, built over 4,600 years ago and the foundation of all pyramid architecture that followed. You'll explore the complex's ancient tombs and royal courtyards, where colorful hieroglyphics still mark the stone. Then Dahshur reveals two pyramids that show the trial-and-error of early construction: the Bent Pyramid, famous for its unusual angle change halfway up and still covered in much of its original limestone casing, and the Red Pyramid, the first successful true smooth-sided pyramid. You may have the chance to enter one and climb through the narrow passageway into the burial chamber itself.

The tour runs eight hours and includes skip-the-line entry at each site. A live guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French or one of two other languages. Hotel pickup is part of your booking. Depending on which option you select at checkout, you'll also get lunch at a restaurant overlooking the Giza pyramids, a 45-minute camel ride around the plateau, or access to the interior of a royal wife's pyramid: each one adds a different dimension to the day.

What’s included

• Skip-the-line entry at Giza, Saqqara and Dahshur.
• a live guide in English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language.
• hotel pickup and transportation throughout the day.
• access to the interior of a royal wife's pyramid at Giza (depending on your chosen option).
• lunch at a restaurant with views of the Giza plateau (depending on your chosen option).
• a 45-minute camel ride around the pyramids (depending on your chosen option).

Options for this experience

2 options

Driver and qualified guideGuide in 6 languages · 16 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 14:30Private luxury van: a 7-hour tour in a luxury air-conditioned van with a qualified tour guide. Pickup is included.

Premium VIP all-inclusiveGuide in 6 languages · 18 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 15:30Top VIP experience: this option covers tickets to the Giza Pyramids, Saqqara and Dahshur, plus a traditional lunch, an expert guide, and pickup. It also includes a 30-minute, 45-minute camel ride across the golden Sahara desert with views of the nine pyramids, a traditional lunch at a restaurant, a luxury private van, and entry into the Pyramid of the Queens. Pickup is included.

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 day18 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 15:30

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (18 to 39 years) · Senior (40 to 90 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 5 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Cairo Portal Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the option with lunch and the camel ride if you want the full sensory experience of the plateau and time to rest between sites. Pick the guide-and-driver option if you prefer to move at a faster pace and spend more time photographing at each location.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

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

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5).

Can I actually go inside the pyramids on this tour?

Entry to the interior of a royal wife's pyramid at Giza is included in certain options. At Dahshur, visitors often have the chance to enter the Red Pyramid and climb through the passageway into the main burial chamber, though access can vary by day. The Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara is explored as a complex, with access to ancient tombs and courtyards.

What makes the Bent Pyramid at Dahshur different from other pyramids?

The Bent Pyramid is famous for its unusual change in angle halfway up the structure, a design that reveals the trial-and-error process of early pyramid construction over 4,600 years ago. It's also one of the best-preserved pyramids in Egypt, still retaining much of its original smooth limestone casing, making it one of the most important pyramids in architectural history.

Is the photography guidance useful if I'm just using my phone?

Yes. The guide teaches photography techniques for both cameras and smartphones, covering how to use light, shadows and perspective to capture the monuments. The focus is on composition and framing rather than equipment, so you'll learn practical skills that work with whatever device you have.

How does the camel ride work, and is it included?

A 45-minute camel ride around the Giza pyramids is available as part of certain options at checkout. It's not included in every package, so you'll choose whether to add it when you book.

What's the difference between the Step Pyramid at Saqqara and the pyramids at Giza?

The Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara, built over 4,600 years ago, was the world's first pyramid and marks the beginning of pyramid architecture in Egypt. The pyramids at Giza, including the Great Pyramid of Khufu, came later and represent the refined, smooth-sided design that followed. Dahshur's pyramids show the transition between these two styles.

Is lunch included, and what's the view like?

Lunch at a restaurant overlooking the Giza pyramids is included in certain options. You'll choose at checkout whether to add this meal to your booking.