The Sphinx, Saqqara & Beyond: Day Trips from Giza

Guests often plan two nights in Giza — one for the Pyramids, one for the GEM — and are surprised how much more is within an hour's drive. Here's our team's local list, in the order we recommend adding them.

1. Saqqara — the world's oldest pyramid

About 35 minutes south of our hotel by car. Saqqara is home to the Step Pyramid of Djoser, built around 2670 BCE — older than the pyramids at Giza.

• Half a day is enough.
• Go inside the pyramid if it's open on the day (it opens and closes for restoration; ask reception).
• Combine it with Memphis, the ancient capital, 15 minutes further south.

We usually arrange a private car + driver for around $40–60 for a half-day, which is much cheaper than a bus tour and lets you leave whenever you want.

2. Dahshur — the pink and bent pyramids

Another 20 minutes south of Saqqara. Dahshur is quieter, cheaper and often has almost no other tourists — you can climb a few metres into the Red Pyramid without a crowd.

Two must-see pyramids:

• The Bent Pyramid — halfway through construction the builders realised the angle was too steep and pivoted.
• The Red Pyramid — Egypt's first successful smooth-sided pyramid, and the model for Khufu's later Great Pyramid at Giza.

Great combo: Saqqara + Dahshur + Memphis = one full day. Bring water and a hat.

3. Sphinx Sound & Light Show

Back in Giza, 5 minutes from our hotel. In winter the show starts around 19:00 and in summer around 20:00, in various languages depending on the night.

It's a little cheesy — projected lights, a booming narrator — but the pyramids at night are unforgettable. Check the language schedule the day before; ask us at reception, we'll tell you which night is your language.

4. Old Cairo & Khan el-Khalili

45 minutes to 1 hour by car in Cairo traffic. This is the medieval Islamic and Coptic heart of the city, one of the densest concentrations of medieval Islamic architecture in the world (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

Recommended for an afternoon and evening:

• Walk Al-Muizz Street at sunset — the mosques light up.
• Get lost in Khan el-Khalili bazaar — buy tea glasses, spices, silver.
• Dinner at Naguib Mahfouz Café inside the bazaar, or koshari at Abou Tarek in downtown.

Take an Uber back to Giza — cheaper than a taxi and quieter than a bus.

5. Wadi el-Hitan (Whale Valley) — for the adventurous

3 hours west of Giza in the Fayoum desert. A UNESCO site with 40-million-year-old whale fossils in the sand. Full day trip; we arrange 4x4s with lunch.

Add on:

• Magic Lake at Wadi el-Rayan
• Sandboarding
• A stop at Fayoum's old villages

Expect $120–180 per person including private 4x4, driver and lunch. Book at least a day ahead.

6. Alexandria on the coast

2.5–3 hours north by car or train. Roman ruins, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, seafood on the Corniche. Long day trip — leave at 07:00, back by 22:00.

Better as an overnight if you have the time.

How to arrange transport

For all of these, the easiest option is a private car + driver for the day. Our travel service page has fixed prices and 24-hour booking, and reception can arrange everything at check-in.

Where to base yourself

Every trip on this list starts and ends at our door in Al Haram, Giza — the same base you'd use for the Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum. See our rooms and rates, or WhatsApp to hold a room.