The pyramids of Giza are shown from the panoramic view, a northeasterly vista at the world-famous plateau. The metropolis of Cairo, Egypt, is visible in the distance. Click the icon in the lower righthand corner of the player to expand the video.
The Giza pyramid complex is one of the planet’s most famous travel destinations. Here’s how I toured the ancient site in Egypt by myself.
Situated on the west bank of the Nile River near the metropolis of Cairo, Egypt, the Giza pyramid complex is antiquity’s most famous remnant. The necropolis includes the Great Sphinx and the pyramids dedicated to the 4th-dynasty pharoahs Menkaure, Khafre, and Khufu, the latter of which is referred to as the Great Pyramid due to its massive size.
Most of the millions of annual visitors to the pyramids of Giza explore the site with a guide, but you can also go at your own pace and take a self-guided tour. Here’s how I did it:
1. Arrive early at the ticket office near the Sphinx
The best time and place to begin your tour is early in the morning at the ticket office near the entrance leading to the Great Sphinx. The office, which is located on a side street off Abou Al Hool Al Seiahi across from the Pyramids Valley Boutique Hotel, opens daily at 7 a.m. I recommend arriving just before then to secure yourself a favorable position in line.
The price for a general area ticket was $700 EGP (~$14 USD) when I made my visit. While you can also purchase entrance to the tomb of Merensankh and the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, I only bought an additional ticket for the interior of the Great Pyramid. The cost was an extra $1,000 EGP (~$20 USD); if you decide to get any or all of the other tickets, expect to pay only a fraction of that price.
One other note on spending, specifically for those like me who normally travel with a digital camera: The Giza necropolis (along with many other archaeological sites that I toured in Egypt) charges a negotiated fee for bringing along your camera. You aren’t allowed to take them inside the pyramids or the tomb of Merensankh, so I would consider leaving it behind unless you choose to only walk around the general area.
2. Navigate to the Great Sphinx
Once you have your tickets, it’s time to make your way through the entrance. If you decided to bring along your camera, prepare to negotiate the additional fee that’s described above with an attendant at the security checkpoint. I entered the necropolis twice, once just to photograph the Sphinx using my digital camera’s telephoto lens.
After you clear the checkpoint, follow the first street you encounter south (i.e., make a left turn) a short distance (I estimated in my notes that it was between 50-100 yards/45-91 meters). Look to your right for the footpath to the Sphinx’s viewing area, which leads west through a bazaar before skirting the southern side of the statue.
If you brought your camera, I recommend attempting to access a different vista. Instead of following the walkway to the overlook, make your righthand turn well beforehand to go into the large structure that borders the seats for the Sphinx’s sound and light show (It’s the first building you will see on the west side of the street.)
The goal is to reach the field that’s north of the building. I managed to do so by walking through the building and exiting out a side door. The open area is where I snapped the below photo of the Sphinx.
3. Ride a camel to the panoramic view
Shown in my video at the beginning of the article, the panoramic view is the best place to observe the pyramids. It offers an excellent northeasterly vantage point of all three monuments; on a calm day when the winds aren’t kicking up the Saharan sand, you can also make out Cairo in the distance.
The only way to get to the panoramic view is via camel. Many purchase a ride from the busy parking area that’s on Al Ahram (northwest of the panoramic view), but I recommend taking the less traveled route that begins near the Sphinx.
To reach where the camels are, retrace your steps back to the bazaar; they will be near the first set of shops. Like most prices in Egypt, the fee is negotiable; I paid the handler $1,000 EGP (including tip) for my roundtrip ride, which took around an hour to complete. While you are going up, pan to your right for a similarly splendid view of the pyramids.
4. Walk the causeway from the Sphinx to the pyramids
Once you step off your camel and pay the handler, continue along the footpath past the Sphinx. It soon intercepts the ancient causeway that leads west to the Pyramid of Khafre. The roadway runs for around a quarter mile (~400 m) uphill. It’s uneven in several spots, so watch your step.
The Pyramid of Khafre is just southwest of the Great Pyramid. I recommend walking around both of their bases to get a full appreciation of their enormity. Archeaologists estimate that they each took between 10-20 years to build; many of the details regarding their construction are still unknown.
After walking around the Great Pyramid, I got in line to go into its interior. The hot, steep, and often cramped walk up the Grand Gallery terminates at the room where King Khufu was laid to rest.
Emerging from the Great Pyramid, I weaved through the Eastern Cemetery, which is (as its name suggests) directly to the east. The graveyard is bordered by the miniature pyramids dedicated to Hetepheres I, Queen Meritetis I, and Queen Henutsen. The tomb of Merensankh is in the cemetery, which (as I mentioned earlier) requires a separate ticket to enter.
I finished my tour by walking southwest to the Pyramid of Menkaure. As I previously described, you can also enter the pyramids of Menkaure and Khafre. My research prior to the trip, however, suggested that the interior of the Great Pyramid was the only one really worth the time and effort. (The ticket prices to go into the other two pyramids is only a fraction of Khufu’s pyramid, which I think validates the reviews I read.)
It’s important to note that camels and horses are available to ride throughout the pyramids’ general area. I walked everywhere I went, but sitting in a saddle is a great option for those with disabilities and/or struggling in the heat. If you think you may need (or want) to pay for a ride, make sure you bring along some extra cash.
5. Catch the sound and light show
Whether it’s the night before or after your tour of the Giza pyramid complex, I strongly recommend attending the Pyramids Sound and Light Show. I referenced the presentation earlier when I was explaining how to navigate to the field in front of the Great Sphinx. Due to the close proximity of the seating to the famous statue, you may hear it informally referred to as the “Sphinx sound and light show.”
The English show that I attended began at 8:30 p.m. and cost $1,000 EGP. I bought my ticket at the windows that are designated for the presentation; they are on the same street (Abou Al Hool Al Seiahi) as where you enter to tour the necropolis. You can also purchase your tickets online at the show’s official website.
The presentation, which lasts under an hour, gives a dramatized history of the Sphinx and the pyramids. It’s accentuated by multicolored lighting that’s timed to the narration. Projectors are occasionally used to display images that go along with the storytelling.
My favorite parts were ironically the brief intervals when the lights were out and the speakers were silent. The luminance of the moon and stars outlined the pyramids against the sky, creating an almost mystical setting befitting the Giza Plateau’s magnificent monuments.
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