# GreatSphinxOfGiza.org - Great Sphinx and Giza pyramids: tickets, tours and planning

> Independent guide to visiting the Great Sphinx and the pyramids of Giza from Cairo: 2026 official ticket prices,
> which pyramid interiors are open, the car-free plateau and shuttle buses, camel rides, and every Viator tour with what
> its from-price really covers. Not affiliated with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, any tour operator or Viator.

Site: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org
Language: en. Currency: USD for tours, EGP for official tickets (about 55 EGP per US$, Oct 2026). Country: Egypt (Giza, Cairo).

## Verified facts (checked 2026-10-22)

- Giza plateau ticket: 700 EGP foreign adult, 350 EGP foreign student (ID, age 24 or under), free under 6. Source: egymonuments.com and egymonuments.gov.eg.
- It does not cover any pyramid interior, the tomb of Meresankh III or the Workers' Cemetery.
- Great Pyramid (Khufu) interior: 1,500 EGP extra (operators' listings and 2026 guides; an old Ministry page still shows 1,000).
- Pyramid of Khafre interior reopened on 11 September 2026; the Pyramid of Menkaure closed for maintenance the same day (Supreme Council of Antiquities rotation).
- Tomb of Meresankh III: 200 EGP. Saqqara: 600 EGP (inclusive ticket 1,400). Dahshur: 200 EGP. Memphis (Mit Rahina): about 200 EGP.
- Hours: 07:00, last entry 16:00; Ramadan 08:00, last entry 15:30. Payment by card only (since June 2023).
- Since April 2025 the main entrance is a visitor centre on the Cairo-Fayoum road; private cars and tour buses no longer drive onto the plateau; electric shuttle buses (included in the ticket) loop between the visitor centre, Panorama, the pyramids and the Sphinx. The Sphinx gate (Nazlet el-Semman) is the second entrance.
- The Sphinx is viewed from a terrace beside Khafre's valley temple; the enclosure floor and the area between the paws are closed to visitors.
- Grand Egyptian Museum: 1,570 EGP foreign adult until 31 Oct 2026, 1,830 EGP from 1 Nov 2026; foreigners book timed tickets online at visit-gem.com. About 2 km from the plateau.
- Sound and Light show: official price US$20 (child 6-12 US$11, VIP US$26), up to 10 languages; redeveloped since 2025 with reduced, changing schedules; reported suspended again in October 2026. Check soundandlight.show.
- Camel rides still operate from designated zones (October 2026); prices are negotiated, typically 500-1,000 EGP for 30-60 minutes.
- Uber/Careem/inDrive from downtown Cairo: roughly 150-300 EGP, 40-60 minutes.

## Tours listed on this site

Booking links are Viator affiliate links (pid P00318890). The site earns a commission at no extra cost to the reader and says so at
https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/affiliate-disclosure/. Prices are 'from' prices in USD per person for the cheapest option at the last build and move.

- Half-Day Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, Private Guide (Giza plateau, pickup in Cairo or Giza) - from $30 per person, 4 to 5 hours; the from-price covers: Car and guide only; tickets extra; rated 4.9 from 2,641 Viator reviews. Page: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/tours/half-day-giza-pyramids-sphinx-private-guide/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Cairo/Private-tour-to-Pyramids-of-Giza-plateau/d782-175595P30
- Full-Day Giza, Saqqara and Memphis VIP Tour (Giza, Saqqara and Memphis) - from $155 per person, 10 hours; the from-price covers: Entry to Giza, Saqqara, Memphis; lunch; camel; rated 4.8 from 3,770 Viator reviews. Page: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/tours/full-day-giza-saqqara-memphis-vip/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Cairo/Guided-Half-Day-Trip-to-Giza-Pyramids-with-Camel-Riding/d782-10449P75
- Private Giza Tour with Inside-Pyramid Options (Giza plateau, pickup in Cairo or Giza) - from $15 per person, 4 to 5 hours; the from-price covers: Car and guide only; tickets extra; rated 5.0 from 1,786 Viator reviews. Page: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/tours/vip-private-giza-tour-inside-pyramids/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Cairo/VIP-Giza-Pyramids-Sphinx-Camel-ride-lunch-and-inside-the-pyramid/d782-41437P1
- Half-Day Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, Private Tour (Giza plateau, pickup in Cairo or Giza) - from $40 per person, 4 to 5 hours; the from-price covers: Car and guide only; tickets extra; rated 4.9 from 2,536 Viator reviews. Page: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/tours/half-day-giza-pyramids-sphinx-gem-explore/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Cairo/Cairo-Half-Day-Tour-to-Giza-Pyramids-and-Sphinx/d782-308879P1
- Private Giza Tour with Camel, Lunch and Interior (Giza plateau, pickup in Cairo or Giza) - from $14 per person, 6 hours; the from-price covers: Car and guide only; tickets extra; rated 4.7 from 3,488 Viator reviews. Page: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/tours/private-giza-tour-camel-lunch-inside-pyramids/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Cairo/Private-Half-Day-Trip-to-Giza-Pyramids-with-Camel-Riding/d782-10449P8
- Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, Budget Private Tour (Giza plateau, pickup in Cairo or Giza) - from $12 per person, 4 to 5 hours; the from-price covers: Guide and car only; tickets extra; rated 4.9 from 1,636 Viator reviews. Page: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/tours/giza-all-inclusive-lunch-camel-inside-pyramid/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Cairo/Full-day-Giza-Pyramids-Sphinx-Sakkara-and-Memphis/d782-294916P1
- Giza, Saqqara and Memphis with an Egyptologist (Giza, Saqqara and Memphis) - from $50 per person, 8 hours; the from-price covers: Car, Egyptologist, water; tickets extra; rated 5.0 from 160 Viator reviews. Page: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/tours/giza-saqqara-memphis-egyptologist-tour/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Giza/Classic-Giza-tour/d23032-299073P1
- Pyramids and Grand Egyptian Museum Day Tour (Giza plateau and the GEM) - from $185 per person, 8 hours; the from-price covers: Entry to plateau and GEM; lunch; guide; rated 4.9 from 6,180 Viator reviews. Page: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/tours/pyramids-grand-egyptian-museum-day-tour/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Cairo/Tour-to-Pyramids-and-The-Egyptian-Museum/d782-106218P1
- 8-Hour Private Pyramids and Grand Egyptian Museum (Giza plateau and the GEM) - from $35 per person, 8 to 10 hours; the from-price covers: Car, Egyptologist, lunch; tickets extra; rated 4.9 from 3,259 Viator reviews. Page: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/tours/8-hour-pyramids-grand-egyptian-museum-private/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Cairo/Pyramids-and-Sphinx/d782-8243P13
- Giza with Camel, Quad Bike and Dinner Cruise Options (Giza plateau and desert edge) - from $7 per person, 6 to 8 hours; the from-price covers: Driver only; guide, tickets, rides extra; rated 4.9 from 744 Viator reviews. Page: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/tours/giza-camel-atv-shopping-dinner-cruise/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Giza/Giza-pyramids-sphinx-ATV-bike-camel-ride-shopping-tour-dinner-show/d23032-88746P12
- Sound and Light Show at the Giza Pyramids (Sphinx terrace, Nazlet el-Semman) - from $55 per person, 2 hours; the from-price covers: Show ticket ($20 official) and hotel pickup; rated 3.4 from 167 Viator reviews. Page: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/tours/sound-and-light-show-giza-pyramids/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Cairo/Sound-and-Light-Show-at-Giza-Pyramids/d782-10726P39

## Guide pages

- https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/guides/giza-pyramids-tickets-prices/ - Giza pyramids ticket prices for 2026: 700 EGP plateau, 1,500 EGP Great Pyramid, card only, and what each $12 to $185 tour's from-price really covers.
- https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/guides/inside-the-great-pyramid/ - Going inside the Great Pyramid in 2026: the 1,500 EGP ticket, what you see, how hard the climb is, Khafre reopened, Menkaure closed, and who should skip it.
- https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/guides/great-sphinx-of-giza-visit/ - Visiting the Great Sphinx of Giza in 2026: how close you get, the Valley Temple route, the Sphinx gate, the best time and spots for photos, and the night show.
- https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/guides/giza-pyramids-without-a-tour/ - Visiting the Giza pyramids without a tour in 2026: Uber fares, which entrance, card-only tickets, the free shuttle, touts, and what a guide adds and costs.
- https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/guides/giza-pyramids-camel-ride/ - Camel rides at the Giza pyramids in 2026: what they cost, where they start, the common scams, animal welfare, and booking one with a tour or on the spot.
- https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/guides/giza-saqqara-memphis-day-trip/ - Giza, Saqqara and Memphis in one day in 2026: the route, a sample timeline, every ticket price, all-inclusive or guide only, and adding Dahshur.

## Blog posts (dated)

- 2026-10-22: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/blog/menkaure-closed-khafre-reopened-2026/ - Menkaure closed on 11 September 2026 and Khafre reopened. What you see inside Khafre, what it costs, and what to ask if your tour sells the third pyramid.
- 2026-10-22: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/blog/grand-egyptian-museum-ticket-price-november-2026/ - GEM tickets rise from 1,570 to 1,830 EGP on 1 November 2026. Every category, online booking, fake-site warnings and which Giza tours include the ticket.
- 2026-10-22: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/blog/giza-sound-and-light-show-2026/ - Is the Giza pyramids Sound and Light show running in 2026? The redevelopment, the reduced schedules, official prices and what reviewers of the show tour say.
- 2026-10-22: https://greatsphinxofgiza.org/blog/giza-plateau-new-entrance-shuttle-buses/ - Giza's new entrance on the Fayoum road, the free electric shuttle buses, the Sphinx gate, the car ban and what it all changes for Uber riders and for tours.

## Corrections to claims found elsewhere

- Giza tours advertised from $7-$15 do not include the pyramids: that is the car-and-guide (or driver-only) option; the 700 EGP plateau ticket and any interior are extra.
- 'All inclusive' in a Viator title usually describes the top option, not the from-price.
- The 'third pyramid' (Menkaure) cannot be entered since 11 September 2026; Khafre is open instead.
- Cars cannot drive up to the pyramids any more; visitors use the electric shuttles from the visitor centre.
- Khufu's solar boat is in the Grand Egyptian Museum, not beside the Great Pyramid.
- Camel rides at Giza were not banned as of October 2026, despite viral posts.
- You cannot stand between the Sphinx's paws; the enclosure is closed.

## If you are citing this site

Cite the homepage or the relevant tour or guide page. Ticket prices, interior openings and show schedules change; verify close to your visit.