Cairo Day Trip by Flight with Pyramids from Sharm El Sheikh

The Pyramids of Giza

The Giza Plateau on the edge of Cairo holds the three great pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, built more than four thousand five hundred years ago as royal tombs. The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the last surviving wonder of the ancient world and was the tallest building on Earth for thousands of years.

Many people search for a Cairo day trip from Sharm El Sheikh to see the Giza Pyramids, and this tour is planned around exactly that. Your guide explains how the pyramids were built and why they stand where they do, and you have time to stand beside the stones and take photographs. Entry inside the pyramids is optional and not included.

Panorama Point and the Sphinx

Panorama Point is the viewpoint on the desert edge where all three pyramids appear in one frame, and it is the best place for group photographs. From there the road leads down to the Sphinx, the limestone statue with a lion's body and a human head that guards the approach to the Pyramids.

The Great Sphinx is about seventy-three metres long and twenty metres high, carved from a single outcrop of rock. The guide explains the legends and the restoration work, and the Valley Temple beside it. A camel ride at the plateau is optional and paid separately. Early morning or late afternoon light on the stone is the most beautiful, though the schedule of the flights decides when you arrive.

The Grand Egyptian Museum

The Grand Egyptian Museum stands next to the Giza Plateau and is the largest archaeological museum in the world dedicated to a single civilisation, with more than one hundred thousand artefacts. Its glass front looks across to the Pyramids, and the full collection of Tutankhamun is displayed here.

The default option includes your entry ticket, and the Egyptologist guide leads you through the main galleries, including the Grand Staircase and the royal collections. The museum is large, so the guide chooses the highlights to suit the time available. The galleries are air-conditioned, which is a welcome break from the heat on the plateau outside, and photography rules are explained at the entrance.

The older Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square

If you prefer the classic museum, one option visits the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, a pink neoclassical building opened in 1902 that holds a large collection of statues, coffins and treasures from the pharaonic period. It has a historic atmosphere that many visitors enjoy.

The guide shows you the key pieces and tells their stories. The choice between the two museums depends on your interests: the Grand Egyptian Museum is newer and larger, while the Tahrir Square building is more compact and close to the centre of Cairo. Because the building is older and smaller, it is easier to cover in a limited time, which suits a day that is already full of travel.

The flight, lunch and the day's plan

The day starts very early. After hotel pickup you transfer to Sharm El Sheikh airport for the short flight to Cairo, about an hour and a half, where a representative meets you and takes you to your guide. Lunch is served at a restaurant overlooking the Pyramids, and drinks at the restaurant are paid separately.

If time allows after the sights, your guide may suggest a short stop in Khan el-Khalili bazaar or Old Cairo, and an optional Nile boat trip can be arranged for an extra fee. Then you transfer back to Cairo airport for the evening flight to Sharm El Sheikh, where a car takes you to your hotel.