After spending a few days on the Nile at the Ramses Hilton, Shae and I moved over to the Marriott Mena House – a hotel right next to the Pyramids of Giza (here’s my review; spoiler alert – it was amazing!).
When booking our stay at the Marriott I hadn’t appreciated quite how close the hotel was to the Giza Necropolis – the complex where the pyramids are located. I’d taken a look at its general proximity on Google Maps and knew it was close, but not as close as it turned out to be. To give you an idea, here’s a photo of a couple of the pyramids from our room’s balcony.
How To Get To The Pyramids Of Giza
There are two entrances to the Giza Necropolis – one to the north of the complex and one to the southeast. If you’re not staying at a hotel or guesthouse next to the pyramids, the easiest way to get there will be to use a taxi or catch an Uber. Personally, I’d recommend using Uber as it’s very reasonably priced and avoids the need to haggle with a taxi driver about the cost up-front.
With our hotel being right next to the northern entrance, we decided to walk there as it was only five minutes up the road.
How Much Does It Cost To Visit The Pyramids Of Giza?
The entry fee for the Giza Necropolis is 200 EGP per person which is about 12.75 USD. That gets you access to the entire complex where you can visit all three of the main pyramids, the Great Sphinx of Giza, etc.
There are additional fees if you want to enter any of the pyramids. It costs 400 EGP (~25.50 USD) to enter the Great Pyramid, while it cost 100 EGP (~6.50 USD) to enter the Pyramid of Khafre. The third pyramid – Pyramid of Menkaure – wasn’t available to enter when we visited in August 2021, although we could still view it from the outside.
When buying tickets from the official ticket office, it might seem like there’s a long line of people waiting to buy their tickets. When we visited though, they were all part of a tour group and were waiting for their tour guide to pick up all their tickets, so it’s worth checking it people are actually in line or not.
After buying your tickets, head through security on the left. It’s fine to have a bag with you and that can contain many bottles of water.
The Great Pyramid
Once you’re through security, it’s only a short walk up to the largest of the three pyramids – The Great Pyramid. This is also known as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops, with Khufu being the pharaoh who was buried inside.
The Great Pyramid stands 454.4 feet high. It was once 481 feet, but most of the limestone that once encased it has since been removed. It was constructed with approximately 2.3 million stone blocks weighing about 6 million tons.
The pyramids are even more impressive when you’re standing next to them as you get a much better appreciation for a) how tall the structures are and b) how large the stones were that were used for their construction. I can’t even imagine the effort it would’ve taken to transport the stones up the pyramids as they got progressively higher while being constructed.
If you enter the Giza Necropolis from the north entrance, the entrance to the Great Pyramid itself is on the side you’ll be approaching from. In the photo below, you can see the entrance six rows up – it’s the smaller hole rather than the larger space further up.
At the Great Pyramid’s base there’s a list of rules for what you can and can’t do.
Those instructions aren’t all entirely accurate though. For example, it says that you’re not allowed to climb on the pyramids which is true, but you are allowed on to the Great Pyramid to an extent. If you’ve bought a ticket to enter the Great Pyramid, there are some steps you have to climb up in order to get inside. That means you can take photos from the lower levels as you’re not actually climbing the pyramid. Even if you haven’t paid to go inside, you could still walk up to these sections.
Being able to stand on the pyramid also helps give a better sense of its scale.
Inside The Great Pyramid
After taking these obligatory photos, we headed inside the Great Pyramid. We’d read online that it was fine taking a camera in with you, but a sign at the entrance explicitly stated that wasn’t allowed and the person checking tickets at the entrance required that Shae leave hers outside. She was given a ticket in order to claim it back afterwards but it wasn’t locked away, so be aware of that if you visit with particularly expensive camera equipment.
The good news was that despite the rules at the base of the pyramid stating photos weren’t allowed inside, this set of rules by the entrance confirmed you could take photos with your phone provided your flash is off and you don’t take any video. Pleased to have that confirmation, we headed inside.
We’d read online about exploring inside the Great Pyramid before our visit and some people shared that they didn’t think it was worth paying to enter it, while others warned about claustrophobia.
Having done it ourselves, we’d definitely recommend going ahead and paying the 400 EGP to enter the pyramid. I mean seriously – how many opportunities are you going to get to say that you’ve been inside the Pyramids of Giza?!
Although there was a low ceiling in some places, I think you’d have to have pretty severe claustrophobia in order for that to be an issue, although perhaps it would be worse when much busier than when we visited. The only people I’d caution against paying to go inside are those with mobility issues as you do have to be able to crouch down and climb something like 100-200 steps.
The photo below gives an idea of how steep the stairs are. This first section had a somewhat low ceiling, so we had to crouch down to walk up this section.
It’s probably best to wear decent footwear for this, but I was able to climb up and down in flip-flops.
We needed a breather before continuing after that first set of stairs, so we were grateful that there was an area we could pause to do that. We then continued up another set of stairs; this set was longer, but at least we could stand upright.
We finally reached the top and so all that was left to do was crouch through a low walkway to enter the King’s Chamber.
It was hard work and it was hot, but it was also worth it to be able to say we’d been deep inside the Great Pyramid.
At the end of the chamber was a granite sarcophagus. It’s not known what else was originally inside as it had been broken into and its contents removed when it was discovered.
We didn’t stick around for too long inside as we were so hot, so Shae and I made our way back down the way we’d come.
Pyramid of Khafre
Only a short distance to the right of the Great Pyramid was the Pyramid of Khafre.
Its tip is still covered with what’s presumably limestone casing and so it has a different appearance at the top to the Great Pyramid’s peak.
Once again, standing at its base looking up helped us appreciate its immensity.
The Pyramid of Khafre is the other pyramid you can check out inside, although this one has a smaller 100 EGP fee. We didn’t end up getting a ticket for that (although in hindsight we wish we had), but there’s a sign outside displaying its layout.
Panorama Point
After wandering around outside the Pyramid of Khafre, we walked up the road to Panorama Point. We’d read online that some people will try to convince you that you’re not allowed to walk up there, but we didn’t have anyone try that line with us.
There were many people trying to convince us to let them take us on their camel or in their horse and cart though, but we decided to keep walking. It’s about a 0.75 mile walk from the Pyramid of Khafre to Panorama Point, so the walk wasn’t too bad. It was pretty warm that day, but we’d gotten an early start and so weren’t out and about in the heat of the afternoon. Having said that, it was something like 85-90° that morning, so it certainly wasn’t cool out!
Panorama Point is a popular place for tourists to visit as it gives you an opportunity to take a photo of all three pyramids at the same time.
As a result, there are lots of vendors set up at Panorama Point in case you want to buy any souvenirs.
Pyramid of Menkaure
Having checked out Panorama Point, we walked down a different path to visit the third (and smallest) pyramid – the Pyramid of Menkaure.
I think you’re normally able to visit inside this pyramid too, but they weren’t selling entry tickets when we visited in August 2021. When we tried to explore around to the left we were told we weren’t allowed to, so we only had a chance to view this pyramid up close from one side.
Additional Tombs
After visiting the Pyramid of Menkaure, we walked back down the road towards the Great Sphinx of Giza. Along the way we spotted a couple of buildings and some ruins off to the left, so we decided to walk over to them. These turned out to be tombs for Iymery and Neferbauptah.
We were able to go inside, but they were only letting in a couple of people at a time and so we had to wait a few minutes until they were done. There was what seemed to be an unofficial guide to show us around; there was no explicit fee, but it was clear a tip was expected. He gave us a quick tour inside, but I’m not entirely sure what we were looking at or its historical importance.
Khufu Ship
We’d been told that we should visit the Khufu Ship (also sometimes known as the Khufu Solar Barge) during our visit. We got unlucky with this though because in August 2021 when we visited they’d just removed it from display. That’s because they’re in the process of moving it to the Grand Egyptian Museum which was still being constructed during our visit.
The ship dates back to approximately 2500 BC and is one of the oldest and best preserved ships in the world. It was therefore a shame that we missed out on being able to see it in person.
Great Sphinx Of Giza
Our final stop during our visit to the Giza Necropolis was the Great Sphinx of Giza.
By this point we’d walked several miles and been out in the sun for several hours. It looked like it was a fairly long walk to get all the way around to where you can get closer to the Great Sphinx, so we decided against walking that entire distance and walked just far enough to get some photos in front of it before walking back uphill and then back down to our hotel.
Final Thoughts
Our visit to the Pyramids of Giza was amazing and even better than I was anticipating. Being able to see the pyramids up close gave an even bigger sense of awe for their construction and paying extra to enter the Great Pyramid was definitely worthwhile.
If the pyramids are on your bucket list, you won’t be disappointed. If they’re not on your bucket list (they weren’t originally for me), then they should be!
Tips For Visiting The Pyramids Of Giza
1) Bring plenty of water
We brought 3 liters with us and drank it all during our 3.5 hour visit.
2) Wear sunscreen
Unless you pay to enter any of the pyramids, you’ll be out in the sun during your entire visit and so be sure to wear sunscreen.
3) Arrive early
Shae and I both happened to wake up early the day we visited, so we got an early start and arrived at about 8:30am. This was perfect as it meant it was very quiet when we first arrived and so we went inside the Great Pyramid straight away as there was no line. The narrow route up to the King’s Chamber is the same as the narrow route back down, so it was a much better experience getting to make our way through when there were only a few other people inside.
Another benefit of arriving early is that it’s cooler in the morning than in the heat of the afternoon.
4) Don’t trust what people tell you
This sounds like a terrible thing to say, but don’t trust people inside the complex. Don’t get me wrong – we felt perfectly safe throughout our entire visit, so it’s not that. It’s that you shouldn’t trust what people say to you inside, particularly if they tell you that you’re not allowed to do something.
For example, apparently some camel or horse and cart owners will try telling you that you’re not allowed to walk up to Panorama Point and that the only way you’re allowed to visit it is by paying for a ride with them – that’s not true.
Similarly, while walking down to the Great Sphinx a guy with a lanyard asked to see our tickets. We showed them to him (in hindsight we shouldn’t have even done that) and he told us that we weren’t allowed to walk down and had to go a different route – that wasn’t true either. It seems like wearing a lanyard was a popular trick people were using to make it seem like they were an official employee.
Use your common sense though. When looking around the Pyramid of Menkaure, we were advised by someone who was clearly a police officer or other official that we weren’t allowed further around to the left, so we followed their instructions and didn’t go there.
5) Make sure pricing is clear
If you decide to take a ride in a horse and cart or on a camel, be sure that the price is very clear up-front. When walking along, we often had people telling us we could take a ride for 100-200 EGP. What stuck in my mind though was a guy who offered a ride for only 20 EGP (~1.25 USD). If we’d taken a ride with him due to the price being so low, I wouldn’t be surprised if we got to the end of the ride and found that 20 EGP was the price per minute or something like that.
Check Out All The Posts From Our Dubai/Egypt/Jordan Trip
- It’s Time For Shae’s Secret Birthday Extravaganza!
- Flight Review: Emirates First Class – Chicago (ORD) To Dubai (DXB)
- Hotel Review: Grand Hyatt Dubai (1 Bedroom Grand Suite)
- Awesome Dubai Desert Safari For Shae’s 40th Birthday
- 1 Week In Dubai: Here’s What We Did
- Hotel Review: Ramses Hilton In Cairo, Egypt
- Exploring Babylon Fortress In Old Cairo, Egypt
- Visiting The Pyramids Of Giza In Cairo, Egypt
- Hotel Review: Marriott Mena House In Cairo, Egypt
- 6 Days In Cairo, Egypt – Here’s What We Did
- Our Dead Sea Experience: Floating, Mud & Tequila Shots!
- Hotel Review: Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa, Jordan
- 10 Tips For Driving In Jordan
- Visiting Petra In Jordan – One Of The New 7 Wonders Of The World
- Hotel Review: Petra Marriott, Jordan
- 1 Week In Jordan – Here’s What We Did
- Flight Review: Turkish Airlines Business Class – Istanbul (IST) To Chicago (ORD)
- Hotel Review: Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport, IL
- Spending Breakdown: 3 Weeks In Dubai, Egypt & Jordan – Here’s What It Cost
[…] for Shae’s 40th birthday we got to see one of the original 7 Wonders Of The World – the Great Pyramid of Giza. During the third and final week of our trip we visited one of the new 7 Wonders Of The World […]