Giza Pyramids Tickets, Hours and How to Visit

What changed at the Giza Plateau?

The old entrance beside the Mena House hotel has been replaced by a new main entrance, the Great Gate, on the Cairo–Fayoum road south of the pyramids. Inside, a visitor center offers self-service ticket machines, security screening and an exhibition hall, and a central bus terminal starts the shuttle route (CairoScene, April 14, 2025; Egyptian Streets, April 11, 2025).

Orascom Pyramids Entertainment, which leads the project, said it deployed more than 45 electric buses on a five-minute schedule. Private vehicles and tour buses are barred from the plateau, and camel and horse owners, moved to new zones, protested during the April 2025 pilot (Egyptian Streets).

The pages of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities carry no update date. We checked them on October 21, 2026; the sections below flag where sources differ. More on the city: our Cairo guide.

How much are tickets to the pyramids for foreigners?

The Ministry's EgyMonuments pages list an adult and a student fare for foreigners; the student fare is half the adult fare wherever both are listed below. The plateau ticket excludes the Great Pyramid, Khafre, Menkaure, the Tomb of Queen Meresankh III and the Workers' Cemetery (Ministry plateau page). The Sphinx is not on that list, and the Ministry's Sphinx page gives no price.

US dollar figures use 54.32 EGP per dollar, the five-bank average buying rate on October 20, 2026 (Amwal Al Ghad).

The Great Pyramid price differs by source. The Ministry's Great Pyramid page shows 1,000 EGP (students 500), and its Arabic version shows the same. Egypt Independent reported on August 26, 2024 that the Supreme Council of Antiquities approved 1,500 EGP (students 750) from January 1, 2025, and two September 2026 guides (Anywhere We Roam, Catching Auroras) quote 1,500. No Ministry page we opened shows 1,500, so confirm the price at the window; for budgeting, use 1,500 and treat 1,000 as the lower case.

Payment. On August 19, 2026, Khaleej Times reported that the Ministry sells tickets through its booking website and the Experience Egypt app, and that Giza's self-service machines take bank cards while existing sales outlets stay open. Guides disagree on cash (Catching Auroras says booths take cards only), so carry a credit or debit card and small notes (see our Egyptian pound guide).

What time do the pyramids open?

Official pages disagree, and none shows an update date. We found the noon closure only on the Arabic version of the Great Pyramid page.

Every source has the plateau open by 8 a.m., so treat 8 a.m. as the safe arrival time; one guide updated in September 2026 says the shuttle buses do not start until 8 a.m. Hours can change in Ramadan (see our Ramadan guide), so check at the gate on the day.

How do I visit the Giza Pyramids step by step?

1. Prepare. Carry your passport or a copy (the UK Foreign Office says police check ID regularly), a bank card and small notes. For an interior ticket, check which pyramids are open, and keep any online booking confirmation with you.
2. Go to the Great Gate, not the old Mena House entrance, which the new gate replaced. Private cars cannot enter the plateau, so your driver drops you and waits outside. One guide (Catching Auroras) found a small ticket office at the east-side Sphinx Gate while others say it has none, so use that gate only with a ticket in hand.
3. Buy or show your ticket at the visitor center, then pass security.
4. Ride the shuttle or walk. Buses serve stops from the Great Pyramid to the Sphinx. Guides such as Catching Auroras and the Cairo Tourism Guide report they are free with your ticket, but no Ministry page we read says so, so confirm at the window. Two guides add that the ticket is single-entry, so leaving means paying again.

How long should I allow, and when should I go?

Two visitor guides updated in September 2026 give about three hours (Anywhere We Roam) and three to four hours (Catching Auroras) for the plateau, and Anywhere We Roam says to allow 30 minutes for the Great Pyramid interior. The itinerary on our Cairo and Giza private tour page lists the Great Pyramids at 9 a.m., the Sphinx and Valley Temple at 11 a.m. and lunch at 12:30 p.m.

Go at opening, because heat builds through the day. The table gives average daily highs and lows for Cairo Airport, 1981–2010, from the World Meteorological Organization; it is airport station data, not the plateau.

June to August highs average 94–95°F (34.5–34.8°C); December to February highs average 66–69°F (19.0–20.4°C). For the wider picture, see our best time to visit Egypt guide.

For the edges of the day, our sunrise photography tour is a three-hour early-morning session, the private sunset tour is timed for the hours before sunset, and the sound and light show is a separate evening event.

Can I ride a camel, and how do I avoid scams?

The Ministry's Giza pages list no ride fees. One first-hand guide (Anywhere We Roam, updated September 18, 2026) reports 1,000 EGP for a 30-minute camel ride and 400 EGP for a horse-drawn cart (about $18 and $7 at the rate above). Agree the price, duration and return trip first; Catching Auroras says quotes are often per person and one way.

One July 31, 2026 Azernews report says Egypt is moving to end camel and horse rides around the pyramids; it names no official and gives no date. We found no Ministry statement, and September 2026 guides still describe rides, so confirm availability for your date before you book, including our camel and horseback ride. Skip any animal that looks thin, lame or sore.

Is the plateau suitable for kids and wheelchair users?

The Ministry's Giza pages list adult and student fares only and give no child fare, so ask at the ticket window what applies to your children and carry their passports. Our family tour page describes shorter walks and rest breaks, and our Cairo and Giza tour page notes that the ground is uneven and sandy and strollers are not practical.

Think twice about the Great Pyramid interior with small children or if you dislike tight spaces: PBS NOVA describes the climb as a tight passage where you must hunch over and scramble, and the King's Chamber holds only a granite sarcophagus. CairoScene reported in April 2025 that the visitor center is wheelchair accessible; we found no Ministry page on access for the shuttle buses or the plateau paths, so ask your operator to confirm what is available on your day.

Cairo & Giza

Giza Pyramids Family Fun Tour

A relaxed, kid-friendly journey through Giza's highlights, led by a family-savvy guide with built-in time for camel photo moments.

3 Hours Group

From

$69 / per person

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Is a private tour worth it compared with going alone?

The Ministry sets the entry fees; a private tour changes who handles transport, tickets and explanation. The table compares what our Cairo and Giza private tour page says it covers with what you handle yourself.

At the Ministry page's prices, one adult pays 1,700 EGP (about $31) for the plateau plus the Great Pyramid interior, or 2,200 EGP (about $41) at the 1,500 EGP fee, before transport, water, lunch and any ride. Current tour prices are on the trip card below.

Cairo & Giza

PrivateGroupFamilyIndividual

Cairo & Giza Pyramids Tour

Experience the magic of ancient Egyptian civilization on a journey through its most iconic landmarks, from the majestic Pyramids of Giza and the legendary Sphinx to the Egyptian Museum, where treasures and artifacts tell the stories of the pharaohs. Step into the heart of history and discover a civilization that has left its timeless mark on the world.

1 Day Private

From

$100 / per person

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