Pyramids Tour around Cairo (Giza, Saqqara, and Dahshur Pyramids)

Pyramids of Giza - Explore the Giza Pyramids Tour, visiting the Pyramids and the Sphinx. The Giza Pyramids are almost synonymous with Egypt itself. Their immense size continues to amaze millions of visitors each year, as they try to fathom how three kings, Khafre, Khufu, and Menkaure, managed to build such colossal structures so long ago.

Great Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu) - The only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing today is the Pyramid of Khufu at Giza, Egypt’s Great Pyramid. His son, Khafre, and another pharaoh, Menkaure, are credited with building the other two pyramids at Giza, but neither is as large or impressive as Khufu’s Great Pyramid, completed around 2560 BC and originally standing 481 feet tall (455 feet today due to the removal of its outer casing and capstone).

Great Sphinx - Enjoy the mystical Sphinx and embark on a camel adventure in the Sahara desert. These types of statues first appeared in Egypt as two-dimensional representations at the beginning of the dynastic period. However, the first representation of a king as a sphinx was in the middle of the 4th dynasty.

The first king to have a sphinx statue was King Djedefre, the successor of King Cheops. It is considered the first royal representation in the form of a sphinx. It was discovered near his pyramid at Abu-Rawash in El Giza and is now kept in the Louvre Museum.

While the largest representation is the Great Sphinx at the Giza plateau, the Great Sphinx itself is considered the first representation of a royal sphinx in ancient Egypt, based on the belief that the Great Sphinx belongs to King Cheops, not Chephren, when comparing the artistic features of the sphinx statue with those of Cheops.

Pyramids of Dahshur - Marvel at the Red Pyramid and the Bent Pyramid, the oldest pyramids in Egypt.

Located about 40 kilometers southwest of Cairo, the village of Dahshur marks the southern end of the vast pyramid field that begins at Giza. Excavations at Dahshur have revealed the remains of seven pyramids, as well as extensive tomb complexes built for queens and nobility from Memphis up until the 13th Dynasty in the Middle Kingdom.

Two of the later pyramids constructed here have been completely destroyed by time and the elements, and several others, such as the Black Pyramid (12th Dynasty, 1929-1885 BC), are badly damaged. However, Dahshur also boasts two of Egypt’s best-preserved early pyramids. Both built during the reign of King Sneferu (2613-2589 BC), the founder of the 4th Dynasty, the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid at Dahshur are massive evidence of the architectural development that led to the construction of the Great Pyramid and its companions at Giza.

Bent Pyramid - The Bent Pyramid at Dahshur was built at the end of the 27th century BC by Sneferu, the father of Khufu, who built the Great Pyramid at Giza. It is an important milestone in the development of pyramid construction. Sneferu built more than one pyramid at Dahshur, but the Bent Pyramid was the first.

Saqqara (Sakkara) Pyramids - Saqqara, where you can explore the Step Pyramid and several ancient tombs.

Step Pyramid of Djoser - The most famous structure at Saqqara is Djoser’s Step Pyramid. Dating from the 3rd dynasty (2667—2448 BC), it was the first all-stone complex ever built on earth. It also represents an important architectural innovation for the construction of the Giza Pyramids and other later pyramids in the 4th dynasty and beyond.

Djoser’s pyramid was the first to use multiple mastabas (rectangular tomb structures) stacked on top of one another to form a step pyramid. This construction set the stage for the smooth sides of the Giza Pyramids and the smaller 5th and 6th dynasty pyramids found at Saqqara and other nearby sites, such as Dahshur and Abu Sir.

Cairo City Sightseeing

The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities - Enjoy around 2 hours of a guided tour around the Egyptian museum with your private guide to see the best artifacts.

Coptic Cairo - Coptic Cairo is a unique area within Old Cairo that has a concentration of Christian churches and other sites dating from the centuries between the decline of the pharaonic religion and the arrival of Islam when Egypt had a Christian majority. Coptic Cairo is largely built around the fort of Babylon upon the remains of its walls.

Hanging Church (El Muallaqa, Sitt Mariam, St Mary) - The most famous site in Coptic Cairo is the Church of the Virgin Mary, better known by its nickname, the Hanging Church. This name comes from the fact that it was built atop the walls of the 4th century BC Roman fortress of Babylon, the remains of which are still visible in Coptic Cairo.

Synagogue Ben Ezra - A synagogue is best described as a place where Jews perform their prayers. In ancient Greek times, a synagogue was a place where Jews received religious teachings and worshipped God.

The Synagogue of Ben Ezra in Cairo was originally known as El-Shamieen Church and is located today behind the famous Hanging Church in the area of Old Cairo.

Cairo Citadel - Salah El Din (known as Saladin to European historians) overthrew the Fatimid dynasty in 1171 AD, establishing the new Sunni Ayyubid Caliphate. Given the threat of invasion by European crusader armies, Saladin decided to improve the fortifications of the city and in 1176 AD began constructing a wall that would encircle both Al-Qahira (today Islamic Cairo) and Fustat (Old Cairo).

Salah El Din was born in 1137 AD in Tikrit, Iraq. He studied the Quran, theology, astronomy, mathematics, and law. As a member of the military at that time, he was trained by his uncle Asad-al-Din Shirkoh, a commander of the Zengid Dynasty.

Mosque of Muhammad Ali - When Muhammad Ali came to power, he was determined to erase the influence of the Mamluks, who had controlled Egypt for six centuries before him, and demolished their palaces within the fortress. He also built one of Cairo’s most recognizable landmarks.

His Alabaster Mosque, built in memory of a deceased son, towers over the rest of the complex. Its silhouette is the most dominant feature of Cairo’s eastern skyline. In addition to these two mosques, the Citadel also contains the National Military Museum, full of uniforms and weapons from Egypt’s long history, a Police Museum, and several more museums dedicated to the palace of Muhammad Ali.

Khan Al-Khalili - Enjoy the best shopping tour with a qualified guide around the biggest bazaar.

Nile River Valley - Ride your Felucca for 1 hour and enjoy the sailing Felucca ride on the Nile River.

Alexandria Day Tour

Alexandria - The Pearl of the Mediterranean has an ambiance more in keeping with its neighbors to the north than with those in the Middle East. Site of the Pharos lighthouse, one of the Wonders of the World, and of Anthony and Cleopatra’s tempestuous romance, the city was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE.

Bibliotheca Alexandrina - Discover the history of the oldest library.

Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa - An ancient circular staircase leads down into these tombs that were tunneled into the bedrock during the age of the Antonine emperors (2nd century AD).

Pompey’s Pillar - Pompey’s Pillar.

• Entry/Admission to iconic sites including Giza Necropolis, Khan Al-Khalili, and more
• Convenient hotel pickup and drop-off
• Experience Egypt intimately on a private tour
• Sail the Nile with a 1-hour felucca ride
• Enjoy a complimentary lunch during your tour
• Stay hydrated with provided bottled water
• Unique 30-minute camel ride in Giza
• Explore deep history with entry to Saqqara Pyramids, Dahshur, and more
• Discover ancient knowledge with a qualified Egyptologist guide

• Gratuities
• Accommodation

Cover all the main Attractions around Cairo and Alexandria Take the strain out of itinerary planning on this action-packed 3-day private tour of Cairo and Alexandria. See the pyramids at Giza, Saqqara, and Dahshur, and ride a camel across the desert; explore the Egyptian Museum, the Alabaster Mosque, and the Khan Al-Khalili bazaar, and ride a felucca on the Nile; admire the library, the catacombs, the Citadel of Qaitbay, and Pompey’s Pillar. Tour includes lunch and door-to-door round-trip transfers.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.