Saqqara & Dahshur Pyramids Tour

For anyone who wants the fuller story of how Egypt got to the Great Pyramid, this day trip covers the sites that came before it. Saqqara is home to the Step Pyramid of Djoser, generally considered the world's oldest large-scale stone monument and the direct architectural ancestor of Giza's smooth-sided pyramids.

Dahshur adds two more milestones: the Bent Pyramid, whose angle changes partway up as ancient builders corrected an early design mistake, and the Red Pyramid, Egypt's first successful true smooth-sided pyramid. Both sites see a fraction of Giza's crowds, so you can often explore almost alone.

This pairs well as a second full day after the Pyramids of Giza and Grand Egyptian Museum, for travellers who want the deeper archaeological context.