Visiting the Pyramids of Giza: What to Expect

Visiting the Pyramids of Giza is an experience most people fantasize about ticking off their travel bucket list. If you’re reading this, I’d bet you likely fall into that category.

Aside from standing in the desert and marveling at three imposing pyramids built over 4,500 years ago, have you ever stopped to think about what exactly you’d be doing on this much-anticipated day?  I know I sure didn’t! After recently experiencing this iconic bucket list item for myself, I’m here to share exactly what you can expect on your “Pyramid Day” while visiting Egypt on a Vaya Adventures trip.

A Grand Egyptian Journey

In October, my mom and I embarked on a trip to Egypt encompassing equal parts extravagance and education to indulge in our shared passion for learning and celebrate my mom’s recent birthday. Our 10-day trip featured visits to five different cities – Cairo, Giza, Luxor, Aswan, and Alexandria and loosely followed Vaya’s popular Grand Egyptian Journey itinerary.

Our customized itinerary focused on all things ancient Egypt and featured visits to some of Egypt’s most iconic and best-preserved temples, tombs, and museums amongst other sites. Our touring schedule was carefully crafted and dedicated to learning about and understanding the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms of ancient Egypt as well as the subsequent occupations that have shaped Egypt into what it is today. By the conclusion of our tour, our minds were spinning with all the new information we acquired, and we felt that we had left no topic uncovered or question unanswered.

Our interest in visiting Egypt started with the simple desire to see the Great Pyramids of Giza. However, it ended with a deep appreciation for Egypt’s culture, food, ancient and modern history, antiquities, and welcoming people.

Pyramid Day Magic

Like most trips to Egypt, our very first day was based in Giza and completely centered around visiting the last-standing ancient wonder of the world – The Great Pyramids of Giza.

In my opinion, the magic of the much-anticipated “Pyramid Day” revolves around the fact that the entire day is spent looking at or admiring the pyramids from every angle across multiple settings. Not only will you stand outside AND inside the pyramids; but you’ll also sip your morning coffee, enjoy your mid-day lunch, and wind down with a drink at the end of the day ALL while gazing out at the pyramids in the distance. When I say that you’ll be viewing the Pyramids of Giza almost every minute of your entire Pyramids Day, I’m not exaggerating.

We experienced our first pyramid view of the day when I threw back the curtains and stepped out onto the balcony of our hotel room at the iconic Marriott Mena House – arguably the best-situated accommodation in Giza. Glowing in the soft morning sun the pyramids of Khufu and Kafre stood tall and proud; framed on either side by the palm trees in the Mena House’s central courtyard. I sipped my first coffee and basked in this “pinch-me” moment. Our bucket list day was off to a wonderful start.

Breakfast with a Pyramid View

Our morning only got better as we arrived at the Mena House’s 139 Pavilion restaurant for breakfast. Arriving early granted us a prime table for two on the patio with a million-dollar view of the pyramids and ample time to peruse and enjoy the impressively robust breakfast buffet. We sipped our respective coffees and enjoyed a leisurely meal while excitedly contemplating the day to come.

Shortly after breakfast, we met our guide, Ibrahim, in the hotel lobby. After a brief introduction, he ushered us into our private vehicle and began rattling off the day’s very full itinerary. First, we’d make the trip out to Memphis to visit the Necropolis of Saqqara and see the Step Pyramid, the first pyramid ever built, before returning to the Pyramids of Giza where we would tour the entire complex. Afterward, we’d take a break for lunch at the 9 Pyramids Lounge before wrapping up the day with a stop at the Sphinx and a brief visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum – which was not yet fully open to the public.

We had a very busy and very full day ahead!

Saqqara

Visiting Saqqara first, we avoided the inevitable rush of tourists queuing to enter the Pyramids of Giza complex immediately upon its opening. Instead, we enjoyed a much more relaxed tour of Saqqara which large groups typically visit after the pyramids. Starting at Saqqara also laid a great educational foundation for what we would see and learn about while visiting the Pyramids of Giza without enduring the tourist hoards or peak heat of the day.

At the Necropolis of Saqqara, we experienced our first exposure to all things Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt – entering the complex via a traditional hypostyle hall, laying our eyes on the traditional royal tombs topped with a mastaba instead of a pyramid, entering the tombs of nobles, and contemplating early hieroglyphics and pharaonic scenes.

We also entered our first pyramid, the Pyramid of Unas, climbing through a narrow downward-sloping tunnel that led into a small tomb filled with alabaster walls and beautiful blue hieroglyphics. Following Unas, we went inside the Step Pyramid which was a completely different experience and required an additional ticket. The entrance tunnel was tall and wide enough to feel like a normal corridor and ended with an overlook into the burial chamber located at the end of a 90-foot shaft which was surrounded by a labyrinth of halls and rooms not accessible to the public.

Throughout our tour, Ibrahim explained the Old Kingdom’s traditions, lifestyles, and burial beliefs for death and the afterlife in great and impressive detail. At this point only two hours into our trip we felt absolutely dumbfounded by Ibrahim’s level detail and insightful delivery. Upon interrogation of our humble guide, we learned that he had earned his master’s degrees in Egyptology and Archeology. From that moment, we knew we were in the best of hands for the remainder of our 10-day trip.

The Pyramids of Giza

Next, we made the 45-minute drive back to the Giza Plateau and entered the Pyramids of Giza complex. Immediately upon entry, I was struck with simultaneous feelings of awe and disbelief at finally arriving at the last remaining Ancient Wonder of the World.

Of course, at 11:00 a.m. during high tourist season, my mom and I were FAR from the only visitors on site. However, that did not detract from our overall excitement of finally standing before and seeing the infamous Pyramids of Giza up close with our own two eyes.

Ibrahim introduced us to the three great pyramids in order of their resurrection, Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, and explained that all three are named after the kings who built them. We walked around the entire complex while Ibrahim regaled us with more stories and facts about the Old Kingdom and pointed out examples and details along the way.

We learned how they were built, why they were built, and ultimately why pyramid construction effectively ended with the Old Kingdom. Although most of this information sounded familiar to us from the various books and documentaries we’d consumed in preparation for the trip, we found it so special and memorable to learn about the pyramids and ancient Egyptians while experiencing it firsthand from our exceptionally knowledgeable and passionate guide.

Entering the Great Pyramids

While visiting the Pyramids of Giza, you’ll have the opportunity to enter one, two, or all three pyramids if you’re interested and physically able. (Assuming they’re not closed for restoration of course).

However, I want to caution that entering the pyramids is not for the faint of heart. The entrance tunnels are small, narrow, dark, and sloping upward or downward. Entrance is only restricted by ticket, not capacity, so there are often large numbers of people entering and exiting the pyramids at the same time causing them to get hot and crowded inside. There is only one entrance/exit and it’s only wide enough for one person to pass through at a time, which can cause further congestion.

As someone who struggles with claustrophobia, I opted NOT to enter any of the famous pyramids despite desperately wanting to. I started descending the tunnel into Menkaure and attempted to suppress my feelings of fear in lieu of the FOMO I knew I’d feel later. However, ten steps descended into the tight entrance, I felt that all too familiar panic sensation rising in my chest and decided that the journey into the center of the pyramid just wasn’t for me. Thankfully, no one had yet entered behind me, and I easily turned around and returned to the open, spacious desert.

If you also suffer from claustrophobia or have mobility limitations but still want to enter a pyramid while in Egypt, I recommend purchasing the additional entry into the Step Pyramid while visiting Saqqara. The tunnel is wide, tall, and relatively short in length making it the most accessible and least claustrophobic pyramid.  I also entered the Pyramid of Unas earlier in the day which felt like a much more manageable pyramid experience for me due to its shorter tunnel length and slightly wider size. Arriving at Saqqara early in the day also helped because the crowds had not yet arrived and we had the small pyramid interior mostly to ourselves.

A Camel Ride Through the Sahara Desert

Afterward my failed pyramid entry, Ibrahim introduced us to a local camel mahout named Ricky. Following a brief orientation, we climbed aboard his two well-behaved and cared-for camels – Bob Marly and Cleopatra. From there, we embarked on a short 30-minute journey through the Sahara Desert to our restaurant for lunch.

My mom initially had ZERO interest in climbing aboard a camel, but Ibrahim convinced her to go on the 30-minute ride. To quote him directly “If you’re not going to ride a camel at the famous Pyramids of Giza when else would you? Please, Cheryl! This is the most appropriate time!” This was the first of many endearing directives from Ibrahim encouraging both of us to step out of our comfort zones and try new things.

Leaving the camel camp behind, we bobbed along the sand dunes and approached the pyramids. Slowly but surely all three came into view one right after the other as our ride through the desert progressed. I loved the contrasting view of these ancient structures set against the modern sprawl of Giza and Cairo in the background.

Naturally, when we arrived at the most-photogenic spot on our journey we stopped to take the cliché tourist photos in front of the pyramids while atop our camera-ready camels. At this point, my mom’s nerves had finally worn off and she could finally enjoy herself for the remainder of the ride across the desert complex.

Lunch at the 9 Pyramids Lounge

Our ride ended at the entrance of our restaurant for lunch. After disembarking our camels and waving farewell to our mahout we settled into the plush outdoor seating at the 9 Pyramids Lounge overlooking, you guessed it, the nine pyramids of the Giza Plateau.

We enjoyed a leisurely lunch and stuffed ourselves with traditional Egyptian appetizers of tahini and baba ghanoush, fresh mint lemonade, and an entrée of assorted barbequed meats. Although the 9 Pyramids Lounge has indoor, air-conditioned seating we sat outdoors for the view, which I highly recommend if temperature and weather allow.

Sphinx

Re-energized after lunch and a rest in the shade, we briefly stopped at two different locations to admire the Sphinx. Although it’s often pictured as an icon of ancient Egypt, we found it rather underwhelming after all the other wonderfully impressive and interesting sites we had seen that day.

The lackluster impression likely has something to do with the recently changed tourist access areas which are now further away from the Sphinx itself. Standing on a viewing platform 100 meters away from the structure is much less awe-inspiring than having the opportunity to stand between its paws and marvel at its size and construction from up close.

Even though the Sphinx didn’t quite live up to our expectations, that didn’t deter us from delighting in Ibrahim’s knowledge about the Sphinx’s construction, prophesies, and relevance to the Old Kingdom before posing for an optical illusion photo kissing the Sphinx.

The Grand Egyptian Museum

Our last stop of the day was to the brand-new Grand Egyptian Museum for a brief trial visit. At the time of our trip, the GEM was not fully open to the public. However, our limited access ticket granted us access to enter and marvel at its impressive structure and design, wander around its multiple atriums, and peruse the monumental staircase gallery filled with artifacts and statues and features a massive glass window presenting a panoramic view of the Great Pyramids.

The museum itself is a work of art and will be a treasure of Egypt for decades to come. The Grand Egyptian Museum is currently the largest in the world and features hundreds of ancient Egyptian artifacts and treasures – including the full trove found in King Tutankhamun’s tomb.

The opening dates for the Grand Egyptian Museum have remained quite lofty and frequently changing since its originally scheduled opening date in 2021. However, the museum celebrated its official grand opening in November 2024. If you’re currently planning a trip to Egypt, the much-anticipated GEM will be open and ready for a full tour by the time you’re reading this.

The Perfect End to a Perfect Day

Leaving the museum, we shuffled the short two miles through Giza’s notoriously horrendous traffic back to the Mena House where we bid Ibrahim a good evening and thanked him profusely for the first of many incredible days together.

We ended the day sitting on our private balcony at sunset reliving our favorite moments from the day while gazing out at the imposing Pyramids of Giza yet again. It felt like a fitting end for the most perfect Pyramid Day.

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