Cairo day tours at a glance
Cairo has two groups of sights. One is at Giza: the pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum. The other is in the city: the Egyptian Museum at Tahrir Square, the Citadel, Coptic Cairo and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar. Most day tours pick one group, not both.
A private half-day tour of the Giza Plateau takes about 4 hours. A full day that combines the plateau with the Grand Egyptian Museum takes about 8 hours. The city sights are better kept for another day, because museum tickets and transfers add up.
Our picks: Cairo day tours
Our take: the private day in Old Cairo with the Citadel covers the historic city with lunch. Take the walking tour for street food, and the full day with the museum if the pyramids are still on your list.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Grand Egyptian Museum, pyramids and Sphinx with lunch
- Plateau, Sphinx and GEM tickets
- Egyptologist guide
- Lunch
One day for the plateau and the museum with an Egyptologist, lunch and both entries. The inside of the Great Pyramid is extra.
Check availability →
Citadel, Old Cairo and Khan el-Khalili
- Egyptologist guide
- Entries of the sites visited
- Lunch
A private day in the historic city with lunch and the entries of the sites visited.
Check availability →Old Cairo walk with street food
- Entries of the sites visited
- Local snacks and koshary
- Egyptologist guide
Three to four hours on foot with an Egyptologist, local snacks and koshary.
Check availability →Cairo day tours with the pyramids
Half-day and full-day trips from Cairo to the pyramids, the museums and Old Cairo, with live prices and availability.
Private Giza tour prices per person in 2026
One private half-day tour as an example. It runs daily, takes about 4 hours and covers the pyramids, the Sphinx and the Valley Temple.
| Travelers | Half-day Giza tour per person |
|---|---|
| 1 | $180 |
| 2 | $106 |
| 3 | $82 |
| 4 | $77 |
| 5 | $74 |
| 6 | $71 |
These prices apply until 30 April 2027. The tour includes the hotel transfer, a private vehicle, an English-speaking Egyptologist, the named entry fees, water and taxes. Tips and extras are not included. A pickup in Heliopolis or 6th of October City costs $10 per person extra. Children under 6 travel free, children from 6 to 11.99 years pay 50 percent and everyone from 12 years pays the full price. Ask before you book whether the Great Pyramid interior can be added.
The full-day version with the Grand Egyptian Museum takes about 8 hours and includes lunch, water, taxes and shopping stops. It costs $352 per person for one traveler, $246 per person for two and $186 per person for six, also until 30 April 2027. The extra $10 for Heliopolis and 6th of October City pickups applies here too.
The sights and what they cost
Prices for foreign adults and students in 2026.
Giza Plateau
EGP 700 for adults and EGP 350 for students. Inside the Great Pyramid, the Khafre and Menkaure pyramids and the Meresankh tomb cost extra. Hours are 08:00–16:00 for the plateau and 07:00–17:00 for the Great Pyramid, so arrive early.
Pyramid tickets →Grand Egyptian Museum
Opened on 1 November 2025. Complex hours are 08:30–19:00 on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 08:30–22:00 on Wednesday and Saturday. The galleries close one hour earlier, and the last entry is one hour before they close. Foreign adult tickets cost about EGP 1,500 to 1,570 in 2026, and an increase to EGP 1,830 starts on 1 November 2026. Check the price on the museum's ticket site.
Grand Egyptian Museum →Egyptian Museum at Tahrir Square
A different museum from the Grand Egyptian Museum. It shows the Narmer Palette, the burials of Yuya and Thuya and the Tanis treasures. EGP 550 for adults and EGP 275 for students, free under 6 years. Phone photos are free, a personal video ticket costs EGP 300. Hours are 09:00–17:00, and during Ramadan 09:00–16:00 with the last ticket sold at 15:00.
Cairo Citadel
EGP 550 for adults and EGP 275 for students, daily 08:00–17:00. The Muhammad Ali Mosque, the al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque and several museums sit inside the complex. Their hours can differ from the gate hours.
Coptic Museum
EGP 280 for adults and EGP 140 for students, daily 09:00–17:00 with the ticket office closing at 16:00. During Ramadan, 09:00–15:00 with the ticket office closing at 14:00. The ticket is for the museum only, not for all of Coptic Cairo or its churches.
Khan el-Khalili
The bazaar has no general entry fee, and shop hours vary. Plan a shorter stop after a museum.
How to split your Cairo days
A simple plan by traveler type.
| Traveler | Suggested day | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First visit, short stay | Half-day Giza tour, then the Grand Egyptian Museum on the same or another day | The pyramids and Tutankhamun's collection are the two main sights |
| Two or more days | Day 1 Giza and the museum, day 2 Old Cairo with the Citadel, the Coptic Museum and Khan el-Khalili | Museum tickets and transfers are not rushed |
| Interested in older pyramids | Add the Saqqara and Dahshur tour | The Step, Bent and Red Pyramids show the earlier stages |
For most travelers, two days work better than one: Giza with the Grand Egyptian Museum on the first day, the city on the second. Do not plan to see every stop in one day. Book transfers and museum tickets as separate items so you can see what each one costs.
Luxor and the Valley of the Kings are not part of a Cairo day tour. They have their own guide: Valley of the Kings.
Plan the rest of your trip
Where the day tours fit.
Cairo day tours: frequently asked questions
How long is a Cairo day tour?
A private half-day tour of Giza takes about 4 hours. A full day with the plateau and the Grand Egyptian Museum takes about 8 hours.
Can I see the pyramids, the museums and the bazaar in one day?
That is a lot for one day. Museum tickets and transfers take time, so a split over two days is more comfortable. Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum make one day, the city sights another.
Does the tour price include the entry fees?
It depends on the tour. The private half-day tour above includes the named entry fees, but not the Great Pyramid interior and not tips. Check which entries each tour includes before you compare prices.
Is the Egyptian Museum the same as the Grand Egyptian Museum?
No. The Egyptian Museum is at Tahrir Square in the city centre. The Grand Egyptian Museum is near the pyramids and shows the Tutankhamun collection together.
What should I bring?
A student ID for reduced tickets, a bank card, water and sun protection. In summer, the plateau is hot, so go early.