You’ve seen all the movies and done all of the research about the Pyramids of Giza. Now it’s finally time to plan your trip! But how to actually do that? We recently took a trip to the pyramids and want to give you all the best tips and tricks for having the best experience possible! Here is a list of do’s and don’ts to have a great trip at the Great Pyramids!

Pyramids of Giza

The Pyramids of Giza, located on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt, are among the most iconic and well-preserved ancient structures in the world. There are three main pyramids in Giza, built during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, around 2580–2560 BCE. The three pyramids are named after the pharaohs who built them: Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. It is believed that the largest was for the pharaoh Khufu with the next being for his son. The smallest was for the grandson with 3 smaller pyramids around it for his queens. The remaining items in the pyramids were excavated starting in the 19th century. If you are interested in more information, check out this article by National Geographic.

How to get to the
Pyramids of Giza

Walking to the pyramids is possible if you chose a hotel close by. Ours had a view of the pyramids and we were able to walk to them with our guide. It is possible to take a taxi to the pyramids as well. They are right on the edge of town so very easily accessible. Many guided tours offer pick up and drop off from your hotel as another option.

Exploring the Pyramids

Upon entering the pyramids, you will need to pay for an entrance ticket. If doing a guided tour, check to see if this is included in the price. It is possible to enter and walk around by yourself. It is a long walk up to they pyramids so be prepared to get your steps in. Upon entrance you will be greeted by the Sphinx. This can be a cute spot for a photo. You’ll likely run into some people trying to help you take photos looking for tips. Spend some time walking around and gazing in bewilderment at how huge they actually are!

Guided Tour Options

A guided tour is a great option if you are not as familiar with the history of the pyramids. Upon arrival there are people outside that will try to sell you tours. We recommend buying the tickets through a reputable site online ahead of time. Learn from our mistakes, if you choose one upon arrival it will not be as good of an experience. We booked ours from a guy at the airport and it was a bit of a catastrophe. We did not get an actual guided tour and it was a lot of confusion/wasted time/wasted money.

Things to do at the Pyramids

Once you arrive at the pyramids, there are a few options of activities to do while there.

Go inside the pyramids is the first option. Each one costs a different amount to enter with the smallest being the cheapest. This was the one we chose as everyone says there is nothing inside of any of them. Keep in mind, when entering it is small and warm with no air flow. The stairway to go in was very narrow and steep. If you are claustrophobic this could be difficult. Big surprise, there is nothing inside. They were excavated and those items can now be found in the museum.

Another option is to walk to the top of the hill to take photos from further away. Specifically walking rather than taking a camel. Though it can be tempting and the people will try to get you to go for a ride, it is not a good idea. The camels are treated very poorly and it is not an ethical way to experience camels. It is still recommended to go up the hill for pictures though!

A super unique option for the adventurous type is to go on a powered parachute ride. This will cost ~$150 so it is not as budget friendly of an option. Since you are not allowed to have drones in Egypt, this is a great way to get overhead videos and photos of the pyramids. We did not get to do this because the wind was too strong so they stopped providing rides for the day.

Recommendations

1. Book your Pyramids of Giza tour ahead of time if you plan to do one. Utilize a reputable site for the best possible experience.
2. Do not ride the camels or in the horse carriages. You likely will get asked a million times (and possibly followed around while they ask) but keep saying no. The animals are not treated well and if you take a moment to observe them, the signs of neglect are visible.
3. Go to the top of the hill for photos. Yes it is a walk but makes for great photos!

General Tips

When visiting Egypt there are some general things it is helpful to know. Here is a quick list to help you have a great trip:

1. Get a guide. Not everyone speaks English and there were many times we would’ve been at a lost without our guide.
2. Be prepared for everyone to try to get money from you. Every where we went someone was trying to get paid, even just for us parking on the side of the street.
3. Wear your seatbelt in the car. Driving is crazy in Egypt! With no lanes on the road and zero speed limit signs, it can feel scary.

Mistakes to Avoid

Our trip to Egypt, specifically Cairo, was full of mistakes. First off, you cannot bring a drone to Egypt. It will get confiscated at the airport and takes multiple hours. One of the scariest experiences we had during our around the world trip was at the airport. Thankfully we got the drone back when we left but it also took multiple hours and was a bit scary. Second big mistake was getting a tour package from the airport. After being shaken down we just wanted things to be easy to we agreed to a sales pitch from the guy who had helped us throughout the scary airport situation. The guide was a local and he did a good job. But there was confusion at the pyramids as to whether or not we were supposed to get a guided tour. We also likely overpaid.

The positive part of this was having transportation for two full days, to and from the airport, and we never had to go wandering by ourselves. Also don’t fall for tourist traps when going into shops. While in Luxor we visited a shop that “made” papyrus paper. It was cool to watch the technique and they seemed genuine. We agreed to buy a small painted one only to watch them go to the back and pull it from the mass produced ones. While still a cool souvenir, it was on the more expensive side. Always keep an eye out for any type of tourist traps and be aware of your surroundings.

Thanks for Reading!

Have you visited Egypt or planning to? We would love to hear about your trip! Keep an eye out for our other Egypt experiences!

***We visited not long after the conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups occurred in late 2023. We were unsure about visiting due to the safety concerns after the reports of some American tourists being kidnapped. For that reason, we did not go out by ourselves at all. We only did guided experiences and this felt like a safe choice for us. Take into consideration your own comfort levels and assess your own situations as needed.***

Check out our posts for other great wonders here — How to Have a Magical Experience of Stonehenge, World Wonder – Machu Picchu Peru Inca Trail 2-Day Excursion, and Experience a World Wonder at Chichén Itzá, Mexico.

**That Adventure Couple utilizes affiliate links throughout our posts to assist you in getting access to the exact experiences and products we talk about. If items are bought through these links, we will earn a small commission which helps keep our site running at no cost to our viewers.