Overview
- Features:
- Opening Times: 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, daily
- Best Time to Visit: Early morning
- Duration: 1 to 2 hours
- Travelled By: On the Go Tours
- Cost:
- Address: Giza Necropolis, Egypt
- Type: Monument
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Summary
The Egyptian Pyramids need no introduction. They are at the top of everyone’s list when they visit Egypt and for good reason. Their extraordinary shape, impeccable geometry and sheer bulk make them an icon of the ancient world and one of a kind not seen anywhere else on earth.
Egyptian Pyramids
The Egyptian Pyramids need no introduction. They top everyone’s list on a visit to Egypt and for good reason. Their extraordinary shape, impeccable geometry and sheer bulk make them an icon of the ancient world and one of a kind not seen anywhere else on earth. They represent the power, wealth and god-like attributes of the Egyptian pharaohs and seeing them is like being transported back 4000 years. It is hard to imagine that they have survived for so many decades which is a clear testament to their architectural genius.
Below you can read about some interesting facts, top things to do and tips for visiting the Egyptian Pyramids.
10 Interesting Facts about the Egyptian Pyramids
- The Egyptian Pyramids are the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to survive
- Three successive generations built these monumental structures during the 4th Dynasty of the Old Kingdom (2686-2181 B.C.)
- It was their belief in eternal life and their desire to be at one with the cosmos that led the ancient Egyptians to build such incredible mausoleums as the pyramids
- The Egyptian Pyramids are a feat of architectural genius – the Great Pyramid of Khufu is estimated to contain over two million blocks of stone weighing on average around 2.5 tonnes, with some stones at the base weighing as much as 15 tonnes
- The Pyramids were once topped with gold-covered pyramidions (pyramid-shaped capstones) which caught the first rays of the sun
- The Egyptian Pyramids were built by a workforce of Egyptian farmers who were redeployed during the annual flood season when the Nile covered their fields
- The Egyptians Pyramids are actually plonked in the middle of the congested city suburb of Giza
- You can enter the Egyptian Pyramids for an extra fee (two of the three are open on a rotating basis)
- For preservation purposes each of the pyramids is closed for a spell on a rotating basis and the number of visitors allowed inside is limited
- Climbing the pyramids is forbidden since the 1980s in order to protect the monuments and to prevent injury and even death to climbers
Top things to do at the Egyptian Pyramids
- Entering inside the pyramids – A visit to the pyramids is incomplete without entering inside one of them. On any given day, two of the three pyramids at Giza are open for visitors to enter for an additional fee. The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the most popular as it is the oldest and largest of the three. While the inside is bare, the journey into the pyramid is an experience you will never forget. While smaller than that of Khufu, you can see the sarcophagus of Khafre inside his pyramid.
- Camel or horse ride – A camel or horse ride is a quintessential experience while visiting the Pyramids of Giza. In addition to the amazing photo ops, it is a great way of traversing the long distances between the three pyramids. If you’re planning on taking a camel or horse ride from the guys in front of the pyramids make sure you negotiate with them first as most will put forward an inflated price. You can also hire camels and horses from the blocks just behind the Sphinx-side entrance and there’s also a smaller stable area by the Mena House entrance.
- Sound-and-Light Show – Every evening the Sphinx and the Egyptian Pyramids come alive in a colourful display of sound and light. It is worth making another trip here just to see the Pyramids so dramatically lit. The Sphinx narrates the somewhat cheesy sound-and-light show. There are shows in English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, Japanese and Arabic. Shows run at 6:30pm, 7:30pm and 8:30pm in winter and 9:30pm and 10:30pm in summer and during Ramadan. However, it’s best to check the website (www.egyptsandl.com) for the latest.
Tips for visiting the Egyptian Pyramids
- Do not give your camera to an unknown person to take your photo at the pyramids. Many visitors have been forced to pay to retrieve their camera
- Ignore the touts who will try to sell you everything from souvenirs to horse and camel rides
- Note that genuine tickets have a hologram seal, and ignore everyone until you get one in your hands from the official ticket office
- Only Egyptian pounds are accepted at the ticket offices
- Cameras are not allowed into the pyramid – you must surrender them to the guards at the entrance, who will ask for baksheesh for before returning them (E1 is fine). If you have your own transport, it is best to leave your camera in the vehicle
- You can find bathrooms at the café at the base of the Sphinx, as well as in a very dodgy trailer on the plateau itself, adjacent to the ticket office for the Great Pyramid (pay the ‘attendant’ 50pt max)
- Before visiting, you could check www.guardians.net/hawass, antiquties director Dr Zahi Hawass’ website, which usually posts news about tomb and Pyramid openings
