Is Cairo worth it for art?
It is the start of the story. Within an hour of the city you can see how the Egyptians went from mud-brick tombs to the first stone pyramid and then to the pyramids of Giza, and the museums hold the statues, coffins and gold that came out of them. The guide to Memphis, the first capital, explains why so much is concentrated here.
What is really worth your time?
The Giza plateau
The Great Pyramid of Khufu, 146.5 metres high when it was finished and the tallest structure in the world for about 3,800 years, the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, and the Great Sphinx, carved from the bedrock itself. The area ticket covers the plateau but none of the interiors. The guide to how the pyramids were built is the best preparation.
Is it worth going inside the Great Pyramid?
Only if being inside matters to you. The ticket costs EGP 1000 on top of the area ticket, and what you see is architecture: narrow passages and, high in the masonry, the King’s Chamber with Khufu’s sarcophagus. For art, the better extra is the tomb of Queen Meresankh III, EGP 200, a granddaughter of Khufu, whose walls keep the best-preserved reliefs of the Eastern Cemetery: bread baking, brewing, herding and sculptors at work.
Saqqara
South of Giza, and the part of the trip most likely to surprise you. The Step Pyramid of Djoser is the first pyramid ever built and the oldest known Egyptian stone structure; around it lie the decorated tombs of high officials such as Mereruka, and the Serapeum. The inclusive ticket, EGP 1400, covers the site, the Imhotep Museum and the main tombs.
The Grand Egyptian Museum
Next to the plateau, the new museum holds the Tutankhamun Galleries, with the gold mask, the colossal statue of Ramesses II in the Grand Hall, the Grand Stairs lined with royal statues, and Khufu’s boats. It needs half a day; see the Grand Egyptian Museum guide for a plan.
The Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square
The old museum, opened in 1902, is still worth a morning. It keeps the Narmer Palette, which records the unification of Egypt (the guide to the First Dynasty reads it), the statues of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, the burials of Yuya and Thuya and the treasures of Tanis. Its crowded old halls are part of the experience.
What can you skip?
Skip the inside of the Great Pyramid if you are claustrophobic or on a budget. Skip trying to do Giza, Saqqara and a museum on the same day. And skip choosing between the two museums if you have three days: they complement each other.
How many days do you need?
Two days: Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum on day one, Saqqara and the Egyptian Museum on day two. Three days: the same at a human pace, with the Grand Egyptian Museum’s late opening on Wednesdays or Saturdays. Then continue south to Luxor and Abu Simbel.
When should you go?
From October to April the heat is manageable. The archaeological sites open early and close in the afternoon (Giza and Saqqara at 16:00), so start at opening time and keep the museums for the afternoon.
Cairo and Giza in brief
Giza plateau
- Ticket
- Area EGP 700; Great Pyramid interior EGP 1000 extra; tomb of Meresankh III EGP 200 extra
- Hours
- Opens 7:00 or 8:00 (the two official sites differ); last entry 16:00
- Time
- Half a day
Saqqara
- Ticket
- Area EGP 600; inclusive ticket EGP 1400 with the Imhotep Museum and the main tombs
- Hours
- Opens 7:00 or 8:00 (the two official sites differ); last entry 16:00
- Time
- Half a day
Grand Egyptian Museum
- Ticket
- EGP 1,570 for foreign adults; students and children EGP 790
- Booking
- Official site only: tickets.gem.eg, with an entry slot
- Hours
- Galleries 9:00-18:00; Wednesday and Saturday until 21:00; last entry one hour before
- Time
- Half a day
Egyptian Museum, Tahrir
- Ticket
- EGP 550
- Hours
- 9:00-17:00; ticket office closes at 16:00
- Time
- 2-3 hours
- Verified
- October 2026, on the official sites. Prices are for foreign adults. Prices and hours change: check before you go.
Questions
Is it worth going inside the Great Pyramid?
For the experience, perhaps; for art, no. The interior is bare. The tomb of Meresankh III, nearby and cheaper, has painted reliefs.
Is Saqqara worth it?
Yes. The Step Pyramid of Djoser is the oldest Egyptian stone monument, and the tombs around it have some of the finest Old Kingdom reliefs.
Grand Egyptian Museum or Egyptian Museum?
The Grand Egyptian Museum for Tutankhamun and the big statues; the Egyptian Museum for the Narmer Palette, the royal statues of Giza and the treasures of Tanis. Both, if you have time.
Sources
- Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, egymonuments.gov.eg: Giza Plateau, The Great Pyramid, The Great Sphinx, Tomb of Queen Meresankh III, Saqqara, Step Pyramid Complex of Djoser, The Egyptian Museum (October 2026).
- Grand Egyptian Museum, official ticketing site and collection pages.
