Pyramids of Giza

Where it is & how to get there

• Taxi or ride-hailing: About 40–60 minutes from central Cairo depending on traffic; the main gate is by the Mena House.
• Metro + taxi: Metro Line 2 to Giza, then a taxi to the plateau.
• Tours: Half-day tours combine the pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum.

The story of the Pyramids of Giza

The Great Pyramid was built for King Khufu around 2560 BC and stood about 146 metres tall, the tallest man-made structure on Earth for nearly 4,000 years. Next to it stand the pyramids of his son Khafre and of Menkaure, with smaller queens' pyramids.

Tens of thousands of skilled workers, not slaves, built them over decades; their villages and tombs have been found nearby. The pyramids are the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• Arrive at opening and go to the Panorama viewpoint.
• Buy tickets online or at the gate; entering the Great Pyramid needs an extra ticket.
• Agree prices before any camel or horse ride, and decline unofficial "guides".

What's around the Pyramids of Giza

• The Great SphinxAt the foot of the plateau, by Khafre's valley temple.
• Grand Egyptian MuseumHome of Tutankhamun's treasures, 5 minutes away.
• Panorama pointViewpoint for all the pyramids together.
• SaqqaraThe Step Pyramid of Djoser, 40 minutes south.

Questions travellers ask