Booking choice: The half-day private Giza tour, from $30 per person. Check dates Tour details
For decades you drove up the hill from the Mena House hotel, past the Great Pyramid, with a taxi or tour bus stopping wherever it liked. That ended in 2025.
The main entrance is now a visitor centre on the Fayoum road, south of the plateau, and the plateau itself is served by electric buses. This post explains the layout, the bus stops and what it means for how you get there.
The quick answer
Since a pilot from 10 April 2025, the main gate to the Giza pyramids is the visitor centre on the Fayoum road. Private cars and tour buses park there; more than 45 electric buses run about every five minutes to the Panorama, Menkaure, Khafre and the Sphinx, included in the 700 EGP ticket. The Sphinx gate on the east side is still open as a second entrance.
Where is the new Giza pyramids entrance?
On the Fayoum road, on the south side of the plateau, at a new visitor centre. It replaced the old gate by the Mena House hotel.
The new entrance opened in a pilot on 10 April 2025, and on its second day Egyptian Streets counted 14,000 visitors. It is part of a roughly US$51 million revamp run by Orascom Pyramids Entertainment with the government, according to Euronews.
The visitor centre has parking for more than 1,200 cars and 200 buses, ticket counters and machines, cafés, toilets, a small exhibition of replicas and a cinema with short films. Tickets are card only, as everywhere at Giza since 2023. Opening hours did not change: 07:00, last entry 16:00.
How do the Giza shuttle buses work?
Electric buses loop from the visitor centre around the plateau, about every five minutes. They are included in the plateau ticket and you can hop on and off.
The fleet started with 45 buses. Most visitors use one main loop, and guides list the stops in this order, with a stop for the riding zone on some versions of the route. Buses start around 08:00 and get crowded after about 09:30, when the coach groups arrive.
One thing the map hides: distances are big. From the Khafre stop to the Great Pyramid entrance is a real walk on sand and stone, so wear proper shoes and carry water. Phone signal is weak on the plateau, so screenshot your e-tickets.
| Stop | What is there | Our tip |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor centre (Fayoum road) | Tickets, parking, cafés, exhibition | Buy interior tickets here too |
| Panorama | The view of all nine pyramids | Go first, before the haze lifts and crowds build |
| Menkaure | The smallest of the three, queens' pyramids | Interior closed since 11 Sep 2026 |
| Khafre | Middle pyramid; walk to the Great Pyramid | Khafre's interior is open |
| Sphinx | Valley temple and the Sphinx terrace | Exit here for the Sphinx gate |
| Riding zone (on some routes) | Licensed camel and horse operators | Agree the price before you mount |
Can cars and tour buses still drive onto the plateau?
No. Private cars, taxis and coaches stop at the visitor centre. Your tour guide comes on the shuttle with you, and the driver waits in the car park.
That is the core of the new system. Parking at the visitor centre is cheap (25 EGP for a car, 100 for a full-size bus, on the official portal). Visitors with limited mobility and some large groups can arrange other transport in advance, and some tour companies run their own electric vehicles on the plateau.
For a tour, this changes the value. The old pitch, a private car taking you between viewpoints, is gone. What you pay a guide for now is the tickets, the Great Pyramid queue, the history, the photos, and someone to wave off the touts. That still has value, but count it honestly.
A private Egyptologist meets you at the hotel, rides the plateau with you and sorts the tickets. Car and guide from $30; the 700 EGP ticket is on top.
Explore the half-day private Giza tour Tour detailsIs the Sphinx gate still open?
Yes. The Sphinx gate in Nazlet el-Semman, on the east side, is the second entrance, with a smaller ticket counter.
Independent visitors use it a lot, because it puts you right at the Sphinx and the valley temple of Khafre. The old Mena House gate no longer sells tickets.
A good plan without a tour: enter at the visitor centre, take the bus up to the Panorama and the pyramids, work down to the Sphinx, then leave through the Sphinx gate and order your ride home from there. Buy your ticket online on egymonuments.com first, since the Sphinx counter queues. The touts are thicker on the Nazlet el-Semman side; walk past anyone who says the gate is closed.
What happened to the camels, horses and hawkers?
Camel and horse operators were moved to designated zones away from the entrances, and many hawkers were removed. Rides still run.
The move was not quiet. Euronews reported that about 2,000 horse and camel operators were affected and protested during the trial. Orascom's Naguib Sawiris answered that the public's well-being and the site "is far more important than catering to the interests of 2,000 individuals".
On the ground it is calmer than before, not calm. A small vendor area remains on the Sphinx side, and the old trick of a "guard" steering you to a stable still happens. Camel rides are not banned as of October 2026, whatever viral posts say; the prices and tricks are in our camel ride guide.
What does the new entrance change for Uber riders?
Ask for the Grand Gate visitor centre on the Fayoum road, or for the Sphinx entrance. Uber, Careem and inDrive all work, about 150 to 300 EGP from downtown.
Drivers sometimes default to the old Mena House area. Pin the visitor centre on the map yourself. From Tahrir the ride takes 40 to 60 minutes and costs roughly 150 to 300 EGP ($3 to $6), longer at rush hour.
Leaving is easier from the Sphinx gate, where ride-hailing cars pick up on the street outside. If you started at the visitor centre and want to finish there, the bus brings you back. More on doing Giza alone in our no-tour guide.
Prefer not to deal with gates, buses and tickets? A private guide and car, back by lunch.
Check dates for the half-day private Giza tourFrequently asked questions
Where do you enter the Giza pyramids now?
At the visitor centre on the Fayoum road, south of the plateau, or at the Sphinx gate in Nazlet el-Semman on the east side. The old Mena House gate no longer sells tickets.
Are the Giza shuttle buses free?
Yes. The electric buses are included in the 700 EGP plateau ticket and run in a hop-on hop-off loop about every five minutes.
Can my driver take me to the pyramids?
Only to the visitor centre or the Sphinx gate. Private cars, taxis and tour buses can no longer drive onto the plateau.
Can you walk around the Giza plateau instead of taking the bus?
Yes, but distances are long and there is little shade. Most people combine the bus with walking between the Great Pyramid and Khafre.
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Half-Day Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, Private Guide
- Private Egyptologist guide and driver
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo or Giza
- Plateau ticket, camel and lunch only in the higher options
Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, Budget Private Tour
The cheapest guide and car; the top option adds entry, lunch and an interior
Half-Day Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, Private Tour
The flagship's twin: guide and car first, tickets in the higher options
