Before You Book the Pyramids of Giza: Every Cost, and What's Worth It
By the BeatTheCrowd team · Prices last checked 2 November · 3 min read
The Pyramids of Giza are cheap to see from outside and easy to overspend on. There's the plateau ticket, separate tickets to go inside each pyramid, camel and horse rides, guides, and plenty of people offering help you didn't ask for. Most of it sounds worth paying for. You don't need the most expensive option to have a great visit. In this guide we walk through what each option costs, what you really get, and how to choose the right one, whether that's a quiet early morning or a hot, busy midday.
At a glance
Plateau entry (foreign adult)
EGP 700, Sphinx included
Students (ISIC) and children 6-12
EGP 350
Inside the Great Pyramid (Khufu)
About EGP 900-1,500 extra
Inside Khafre or Menkaure
Lower extra fees
Payment
Visa and Mastercard accepted; carry some cash
Opens
Around 8 am
Quietest
Opening, 8-10 am
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The real total: basic entry vs what most visitors pay
The plateau ticket costs EGP 700 for foreign adults and covers the outside of the three pyramids and the Sphinx. Students with an ISIC card and children aged 6-12 pay EGP 350. Going inside the Great Pyramid is a separate ticket, quoted at EGP 900 by Egypt Tours Plus and up to EGP 1,500 by others, so check at the ticket office.
Visitor
What they buy
Price
Most visitors
Plateau entry
EGP 700
Student or child 6-12
Plateau entry
EGP 350
Inside the Great Pyramid
Plateau + Khufu interior
About EGP 1,600-2,200
Tickets: what each option gets you
Cost
Price (EGP)
Type
How to cut it
Plateau entry, foreign adult
EGP 700
≈ US$14
Unavoidable
Includes the Sphinx.
Plateau entry, student or child 6-12
EGP 350
≈ US$7
Unavoidable
Students need an ISIC card.
Khufu (Great Pyramid) interior
About EGP 900-1,500
≈ US$18-30
Optional
A cramped climb to an empty chamber. Skip if claustrophobic.
Khafre or Menkaure interior
About EGP 100-280
≈ US$2-6
Optional
Cheaper, similar experience.
Prices conflict between sources; there's no clear official online price list. Check the board at the ticket office.
Is going inside the Great Pyramid worth it?
Inside, you climb a long, steep, narrow passage to the King's Chamber, which is bare. It's hot and cramped. Our verdict: worth it once if you're curious and not claustrophobic; otherwise, a smaller pyramid's interior gives a similar feel for far less.
Which ticket should you buy? Our verdict
Most visitors: the EGP 700 plateau ticket.
Curious: add Khafre or Menkaure for a cheaper look inside.
Bucket list: the Great Pyramid interior.
What visitors say
Visitors say standing at the foot of the Great Pyramid is unforgettable, and the panoramic viewpoint is the best photo spot. The most common complaints are aggressive touts, camel-ride haggling and the midday heat, so the advice is to go at opening, agree prices in advance and say a firm no to unsolicited help.
Prices last checked: 2 November. Prices vary with the season, peak and off-peak dates and promotions, and we recheck them every month. Visitor-reported costs are marked as estimates, and US$ figures are rough conversions.
The crowd tax: what busy hours cost you
Our crowd data shows the Giza Plateau moderate from opening until about 9-10 am, then busy from about 10 am until about 2-3 pm, when tour buses arrive. Late afternoon is moderate again. Midday is also the hottest time, so the early slot wins on both counts.
When
Crowds (our data)
What to do
8 to 10 am
Moderate
Best time: cooler, fewer groups
About 10 am to 3 pm
Busy
Tour buses and heat
Late afternoon
Moderate
Softer light for photos
Crowds by day and time
From the typical weekly visitor pattern for Giza Necropolis, based on Google’s popular-times data.
Quietest time
Sunday, 8-9 am
Busiest time
Tuesday, 10 am-4 pm
Guides and tours: official, licensed or touts?
Licensed guides can be booked in advance. Inside the site, many people offer "help", directions or photos and then ask for money. Our verdict: book a guide beforehand if you want one, and politely refuse anyone who approaches you.
Short on time? What you'd regret missing
The Great Pyramid of Khufu, up close.
The Sphinx.
The panoramic viewpoint, for all three pyramids together.
Getting there
Giza is on the western edge of Cairo. Most visitors take a taxi or rideshare. The Grand Egyptian Museum nearby has its own ticket.
Scams and pressure
Camel and horse rides: agree the full price, in writing if possible, before you get on. Extras of about EGP 50-200 are common.
"The site is closed, come with me": it isn't.
Unofficial guides at the gate: decline.
Photos with props or animals: expect to be asked for money.
Rules and closures
Interior tickets may have limited daily numbers. Photography inside the pyramids may carry an extra charge. Check opening times on the day.
What can go wrong
You arrive at midday: busy and hot.
You pay for a camel without agreeing a price.
You assume cards work everywhere: carry some cash.
What one adult really spends
Level
What's included
One adult
Typical
Plateau entry
EGP 700
Curious
Plateau + smaller pyramid interior
About EGP 800-980
Bucket list
Plateau + Great Pyramid interior
About EGP 1,600-2,200
Before transport, guides and rides.
FAQs
How much are the Pyramids of Giza?
+
EGP 700 for foreign adults, and EGP 350 for students and children 6-12. The Sphinx is included.
How much does it cost to go inside the Great Pyramid?
+
About EGP 900-1,500 extra, depending on the source; check at the ticket office.
Is going inside the Great Pyramid worth it?
+
Once, if you're not claustrophobic. The chamber is bare and the passage is steep and narrow.
Can I pay by card at the pyramids?
+
Official ticket offices accept Visa and Mastercard. Carry some cash too.
When are the Pyramids of Giza least crowded?
+
In our data, from opening until about 10 am. It's busy from about 10 am to 3 pm. See our crowd forecast.
Heading to Giza Necropolis?
See how busy it is right now and the quietest hours for your date, then walk in when the line is short.
How we research: every guide is written by the BeatTheCrowd team from official sources and recent traveller reports, cross-checked against each other. Crowd figures come from our own crowd data. Prices last checked 2 November. Prices and rules change, so always confirm on the official site before you book.
When
What to expect
Verdict
Weekdays, 8-11 am
A steady flow of visitors, short waits at the main spots. Before the main crowds arrive.
Best
Weekdays, 11 am-3 pm
Peak crowds, queues at the entrance and main sights. Peak sightseeing hours, when most visitors are on site.
Worst
Weekdays, 3-4 pm
A steady flow of visitors, short waits at the main spots. Crowds thin out after the midday peak.
Best
Saturday and Sunday
Peak crowds, queues at the entrance and main sights. Similar to weekdays.
Worst
📍 Live crowd check
See how busy Giza Necropolis is right now, plus today’s hourly forecast.
