Yes, one day is enough to comfortably visit multiple Egyptian pyramids and the ancient city of Memphis.
How Much Time Do You Need To See The Pyramids Of Egypt?
Even in the early spring, Cairo was warm and the idea of spending a full day or multiple days out in the sun did not suit me. So we consolidated our tour of the pyramids into one afternoon. Was it fast-paced? Sure. Was it too much? Not at all.
We began at 1:00 pm driving to Memphis, which houses the colossus of Rameses II and other ancient artifacts.
Next, we drove to the Pyramid of Djoser, also known simply as the Step Pyramid. My first time in Egypt, over a decade ago, my brother and I spent a lot of time here taking pictures but again, it was enough to see. While it would have been interesting to wander through the miles of labyrinth inside the pyramid, that is not allowed: you must enjoy it from the outside.
Following the Pyramid of Djoser came the main attraction, the Great Pyramid of Giza. There is something so majestic about these pyramids and the fact that they are the oldest so-called “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.” I find it amazing that these pyramids were constructed around 2570 BC (4,500 years ago) and continue to stand.
Isn’t it interesting that only this week a new corridor was found? What an enigma! 10 years ago, I did go inside but this time I did not.
We then hired a camel to take us on a trek to the Great Sphinx of Giza, also over 4,000 years old. To be precise, our Egyptian guide (from the Four Seasons Cairo) hired him. Far better to let an Egyptian negotiate with an Egyptian over pricing than to get the tourist price. It cost about $50 for each of us to have our own camel for about 45 minutes, including stopping whenever we wanted for pictures.
We ended at the Sphinx, where an enterprising young man grabbed my camera and took about two dozen “pose” shots for a couple of bucks. I’m not big on these type of photos, but I guess this is what the Instagrammers want?
CONCLUSION
I felt over four hours we accomplished a great deal and also learned about the history of these ancient places while driving from site to site. While I appreciated the extra time in Petra, Jordan I thought one afternoon was enough to explore the pyramids of Cairo. I do recommend the camel ride (if your ethics permit it) across the desert…you get a great view of the pyramids.
Egypt is building a massive new visitors center and museum. Once that is done, I suspect a full day or longer will be warranted.
That’s helpful. I would like to do a stop there but always find it’s 12-24 hours and I’ve never known if that’s “enough”, noting that I thought one day in Petra was perfectly worth it.
We did it in one day also. We hired an Egyptologist who was able to talk about the history when we were in the van and also at pyramids. This was very reasonably priced, and we learned a lot. Plus they have a specific plan that you can follow, so you can see everything you want to see.
Helpful! Thanks
Don’t need to go over there to see the pyramids. We have a superior one with a gigantic Bass Pro Shops logo right here in the south
And a river running through it and you can even stay at the hotel inside it!
And the Wahlburgers inside… everything is just so classy
Actually the pyramids near Mexico City are pretty impressive
@Mick. Yes these pyramids are impressive! Been there too. Had lunch inside a fantastic cave. Memorable & really hot. Was there in October- November. If you enjoy the those please put Cairo/ Giza on the bucket list. You’ll love it!
I haven’t been, but I agree, Central American pyramids are indeed cool and underrated
We did the same thing in one day, minus the camel ride.
I think time might vary on age, physical condition and time of year. I was staying in Giza Mena House so it was easy to slowly explore. And I was there in January. I was able to ride alone (Arabians) in the dawn then. Fabulous. ( they sold me a riding crop that pulled apart with about a 12″ knife) . Be sure to complement the decked out “beauty queen” animals. This is a big deal.
Back to the pyramid. Reminder you will be hunched over at times and I found it felt a bit confining also.
How exciting about the “new” corridor!
We’re just finishing our Egypt tour, one day was plenty for Cairo. We saw the Giza pyramids/Sphinx in the morning and the Egyptian Museum in the afternoon, plus a stop at a Bazaar (which we could have done without). Cairo was a must place to visit but then we flew to Luxor for a cruise from there to Aswan. Karnak and Luxor temples are fantastic. Then the Valley of the Kings (including sunrise balloon trip) and the Temple of Hatshepsut were incredible. On the boat to Edfu one day and Kom Ombo the next and finishing in Aswan today. Again, if we hadn’t seen Cairo I’d have regretted it. But the rest of the trip is sooooooo much better.
And we loved Petra and Amman even more. I don’t feel like I need to come back to Egypt but I’ll go back to Jordan in a heartbeat
If one is interested in visiting the large Mosque, the Synagogues and Coptic churches one needs another full day.
I noticed that the Nile cruises are expensive; $1,000 a day. However there are cheaper cruises boats.
Which boat did you take? Was it also in this price range?
Over 10 years ago ISIS killed many tourists at a Luxor temple which makes me somewhat nervous to go there.
I have pictures of my father there in the 30s and my mother in the 50s.
I would suggest spending one night at the Mena House a historic hotel right next to the pyramids.
For some strange reason the pyramids and sphinx did not leave any wow reaction.
There are also pyramids in Sudan I would be interested in seeing. There are tours there but I don’t have the courage.
That’s good to know (RE:Sudan). I hope to visit there one day.
Thanks for some great advice. We’re stopping there for two days next year on a cruise. I’ll bookmark this. Love the tip about riding the camel.
The sound and light show is worthwhile. It’s a bit cheesy, but something cool about sitting in the desert and watching.
I would also recommend going to Aswan to see the temples. And, to Karnak to wonder through the temple complex.
Well worth the trip.
Agree with Mike here — Going to Aswan for the day-trip to Abu Simbel is definitely worth it, as is the temples and Valley of the Kings in Luxor.
There is also the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza (formerly in Tahrir Square). Its worth going to if someone has more than one day in Cairo/Giza.
From downtown, you can take the metro to Giza, then take a shared minibus the last couple of kms to what is essentially an entrance to the Pyramids. That should cost less than USD 2. Once inside, if you ignore everyone and act indifferent for long enough, you can have a camel or horse tour for well under USD 20. Probably closer to USD 10.
Few people seem to visit the Pyramids independently, but it’s easy, and by the time you get back to your hotel, you feel like you’ve really earned your Stella/Sakara for the day