Planning to visit the pyramids of Egypt? You’re in the right place.
Egypt is one of the world’s greatest historical destinations and one of the cradles of civilization. And if you’re visiting Egypt, you’re no doubt interested in seeing its most famous landmarks: the pyramids.
Pyramids are synonymous with Egypt, and among the greatest historical sites in the world. But visiting Egypt’s pyramid independently isn’t so simple. Most of them are spread out over a wide area across the Pyramid Fields, and one (the Meidum Pyramid) is located almost 100km away from the others.
That’s why joining a guided pyramid tour is such a great option.
I’ve travelled throughout Egypt and written extensively about its historical sites. I’ve personally visited all 7 of its main pyramids, both independently and on guided tours. Now I’m here to help you do the same. I’ve researched the top tour platforms, compared the most popular experiences, analysed traveller reviews, and narrowed down the absolute best pyramid tours in Egypt.
Best Egypt Pyramid Tours
Don’t have time to read the full article? Here are the top 2 Egypt pyramid tours, depending on what you’re looking for:
There are many different types of Egypt pyramids tours on offer, each offering a different experience or combination of the various sites.
The most common tours focus on the iconic Pyramids of Giza, often combined with a visit to the nearby Grand Egyptian Museum.
Others take you deeper into Egypt’s pyramid-building history, exploring the older pyramids at Saqqara and Dahshur, often combined with a visit to the ancient capital of Memphis.
Then there are the rarer tours that venture further from Cairo to the remote but incredibly unique Meidum Pyramid.
Whatever type of pyramid experience you’re looking for, I’ve collated the best tours in each category.
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The Top 5 Egypt Pyramid Tours
🏆 BEST FOR: Great Pyramid, Sphinx and Egypt’s famous new museum
⭐ RATING: 4.7 out of 5 (3,800+ reviews)
⏰ TOUR LENGTH: 7 – 8 hours
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If you’re travelling to Egypt, visiting the Giza Plateau is probably at the top of your bucket list. Home to the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure, and the iconic Great Sphinx, it’s the country’s most famous archaeological site and one of the most recognisable landmarks in the world.
Not far away there’s also the brand-spanking-new Grand Egyptian Museum, home to the largest collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts in the world, including the collection of Tutenkhamun.
If all the above interests you, this tour is for you.
After picking you up from your accommodation in Cairo or Giza in an air-conditioned vehicle, you’ll head for the Giza Plateau where your tickets are already arranged.
An expert Egyptologist then guides you around the site, teaching you about its history and how these incredible structures were built. If you choose the additional option, they will also take you inside the Great Pyramid, for an unforgettable experience.
Before your adventure is finished, they will take you to the new Grand Egyptian Museum, to learn more about ancient Egypt and see many of the amazing artefacts uncovered at Giza and beyond.
To end the day, you’ll be dropped off back at your accommodation, ending a hassle-free day exploring 2 of Egypt’s top historical attractions.
This is the best tour to book if you want to experience Egypt’s most famous pyramids together with the incredible new Grand Egyptian Museum.
🏆 BEST FOR: Experiencing the pyramids by camel
⭐ RATING: 4.9 out of 5 (7,300+ reviews)
⏰ TOUR LENGTH: 4 – 8 hours
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What better way to experience the pyramids of Egypt than from the back of a camel?
For thousands of years, camels have carried travellers across Egypt’s deserts, making them one of the country’s most enduring symbols. Riding one across the sands of the Giza Plateau feels like stepping back in time and is arguably the best way to experience the pyramids.
With this tour, you’ll be picked up from your accommodation in Cairo or Giza in a private air-conditioned vehicle, before heading to the Giza Plateau where an expert Egyptologist will guide you around Egypt’s famous archaeological site. Along the way, you’ll learn about the history of the site, how these immense structures were built, and about the pharaohs who commissioned them.
You’ll then swap four wheels for four legs, mounting a camel for a ride across the desert south of the pyramids. This offers a completely different perspective of Giza and takes you to the famous Panoramic Point, where all three pyramids can be seen lined up together. It’s one of the best viewpoints at Giza and the perfect place to capture some unforgettable photos.
Depending on the option you choose, the camel ride lasts either 10 or 30 minutes.
If you’d like to turn your half-day tour into a full-day adventure, you can also choose additional options that include visits to Memphis and Saqqara, or even a traditional felucca boat ride on the Nile.
If riding a camel beneath the pyramids has always been on your bucket list, this is the tour to book.
🏆 BEST FOR: Exploring Egypt’s oldest pyramids
⭐ RATING: 4.8 out of 5 (700+ reviews)
⏰ TOUR LENGTH: 5 – 8 hours
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The pyramids of Giza may be Egypt’s most iconic, but they weren’t the first. Before the ancient Egyptians perfected pyramid construction, they went through some trial-and-error.
The first was the Step Pyramid of Djoser, located at Saqqara. Essentially 6 mastabas stacked high, this structure ushered in Egypt’s pyramid-building era.
At nearby Dahshur, the Egyptians attempted to build a pyramid with smooth sides rather than stepped (known as a ‘true’ pyramid), but made a design error resulting in the odd-shaped Bent Pyramid. Learning from this mistake, construction began nearby on the Red Pyramid, which became the world’s first successful true pyramid.
All of this took place while Egypt’s capital was located at nearby Memphis, one of the most important cities in the ancient world.
This tour takes you to all 3 of these incredible historical sites, allowing you to explore the origin of Egypt’s pyramids.
After being picked up from your accommodation in Cairo or Giza, you’ll travel south into Egypt’s ancient pyramid fields. Along the way, your Egyptologist guide will teach you about the history of the sites you’re about to explore.
Your adventure begins at Dahshur, where you’ll have the opportunity to explore the inside of both the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid.
From Dahshur, you’ll continue to the nearby Saqqara Necropolis, where your guide will show you around the many tombs and monuments. You’ll then get to go inside the world’s oldest pyramid, where you can look down into the central shaft towards the burial chamber below.
To finish your journey through Egypt’s pyramid-building history, you’ll then visit the open-air museum of Memphis. There’s not much to see of the actual ancient city, but it’s a nice addition and a way to learn more about it.
If you’ve already seen the pyramids at Giza and want to dive deeper into the origin of Egypt’s pyramid building, this is the tour to book.
🏆 BEST FOR: Exploring Giza, Saqqara & Memphis all in the one tour
⭐ RATING: 4.5 out of 5 (2,600+ reviews)
⏰ TOUR LENGTH: 8 hours
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The above tours take you either to the famous Pyramids of Giza, or to the older sites further south along the pyramid fields, including Dahshur, Saqqara and Memphis.
These are most often visited as 2 distinct experiences: one for Giza, and a separate full day trip to Saqqara, Dahshur and Memphis. But if you’re short on time and want to combine all these sites in the same day trip, this tour is your best option.
After being picked up from your accommodation in Cairo or Giza in a private air-conditioned vehicle, you’ll begin your journey through Egypt’s pyramid history with an experienced Egyptologist guide.
Your first stop is the Giza Plateau, where you’ll explore the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure, and the iconic Sphinx. Along the way your guide will teach you the history of Giza pyramids and the mystery behind their construction.
From Giza, it’s a roughly 45min drive south along the Pyramid Fields to reach the Saqqara Necropolis, one of the oldest historical sites in Egypt. At Saqqara you can explore countless ancient tombs and mastabas, and go inside the world’s oldest pyramid: the Step Pyramid of Djoser.
After exploring Saqqara and enjoying an authentic Egyptian lunch, your final stop of the day is the Memphis open-air museum.
At the end of the tour, you’ll be dropped back at your accommodation in Cairo or Giza.
This is the best tour to book if you want the most comprehensive Egyptian pyramid experience, covering the full span of pyramid building from its earliest beginnings to the later and more famous Giza pyramids.
🏆 BEST FOR: Visiting the unique Meidum Pyramid
⭐ RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
⏰ TOUR LENGTH: 8 hours
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Almost all of Egypt’s famous pyramids are located along the pyramid fields that stretch along the Nile Valley south of Cairo, but there is one more you can visit, located far away from the rest, about 100km to the south: the Meidum Pyramid.
The odd-shaped Meidum pyramid is one of 3 built under Pharaoh Sneferu, alongside the Red & Bent pyramids at Dahshur.
Its unusual appearance comes from the fact that it was essentially 3 pyramids in one. Beginning as a step pyramid, similar to the one at Saqqara, additional layers were added to increase its height, before a final outer layer transformed it into a smooth-sided ‘true’ pyramid.
Over time, the new layers have partially fallen away, leaving behind what is arguably the most unique pyramid in Egypt.
Because of its remote location, combined with its lack of fame compared to the other pyramids in Egypt, there are few tours that can take you to the Meidum Pyramid. However, if you’re willing to spend more than the usual tour, there are still some that include it.
This private tour includes all 3 of Sneferu’s pyramids: the Meidum Pyramid, the Red Pyramid, and the Bent Pyramid. In many ways, this tour is the Sneferu Special, taking you through the history of ancient Egypt’s first attempts at pyramid building.
You’ll be picked up from your accommodation in Cairo or Giza and travel south with an experienced Egyptologist guide. Along the way, your guide will teach you how these early experiments eventually led to the perfected pyramids of Giza.
Your first stop is Meidum, you’ll have ample time to explore the remains of this unique step pyramid, including the chance to go inside and explore its interior.
On the return journey, you’ll stop at Dahshur to visit Sneferu’s other 2 pyramids: the Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid (the world’s first ‘true‘ pyramid).
After exploring Sneferu’s pyramids, you’ll be driven back to your accommodation.
This isn’t the cheapest ancient Egypt tour, but it is one of the few opportunities to visit the remarkable Meidum Pyramid and explore Egypt’s trial-and-error attempts at creating a ‘true’ pyramid.
How many pyramids are there in Egypt?
There are more than 100 pyramids across Egypt, but if you forget the many that are tiny (measuring only a few metres tall), closed to visitors, or so heavily ruined that they’re almost indistinguishable from natural mounds, you’re left with only 7 main pyramids you can visit:
- Great Pyramid of Khufu
- Pyramid of Khafre
- Pyramid of Menkaure
- Step Pyramid of Djoser
- Bent Pyramid
- Red Pyramid
- Meidum Pyramid
Which Egyptian pyramids can you go inside?
You can go inside the following pyramids:
- Great Pyramid of Khufu
- Pyramid of Khafre
- Pyramid of Menkaure
- Step Pyramid of Djoser
- Red Pyramid
- Bent Pyramid
- Meidum Pyramid
There are also some smaller pyramids across these sites, particularly at Saqqara, whose interior has been open in the past, but are not currently open to visitors.
Which Egyptian pyramid is the best to go inside?
The best pyramid to go inside is undoubtedly the Great Pyramid of Khufu. It may be the most popular and crowded, but it offers the most impressive interior.
Can you climb the pyramids in Egypt?
No, climbing on any pyramid in Egypt is strictly prohibited.
Are the pyramids (and Egypt) safe to visit?
Yes, the pyramids, and Egypt in general, are safe to visit.
It’s no secret that Egypt has had its share of unrest in recent decades, but this was internal and never directed at tourists. Tourism is a big revenue source for Egypt, so the government puts a lot of resources into keeping tourists safe in their country.
All the main tourist areas are heavily policed, so the only danger you need to be concerned about is getting scammed or ripped off.
Exercise the same caution you would when visiting any foreign country.
More on Egypt
I’ve written extensively on Egypt’s pyramids. Here are some detailed travel guides to help you plan your visit:
- Giza | A Guide to the last Ancient Wonder of the World
- Saqqara Necropolis | Complete Guide to the World’s Oldest Pyramid
- Dahshur | A Guide to Egypt’s Red & Bent Pyramid
For more Egypt content, check out my Egypt page.
