Pyramids of Giza Tours
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Pyramids and Grand Egyptian Museum in one day: a timetable

You can see the pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum in one day if you start early. Visit the pyramids in the morning, because the plateau has the earlier last entry. Then go to the museum with an entry time slot that you booked before the day of your visit.

Last checked · Source: egymonuments.com (Ministry e-ticketing): Giza Pyramids details (plateau hours, normal and Ramadan)

On this page
  1. Why the plans start with the pyramids
  2. Book the museum entry time slot first
  3. Example timetable: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday
  4. Example timetable: Wednesday or Saturday
  5. When to see the museum first
  6. Travel between the pyramids and the museum
  7. Tickets for the day
  8. Things to plan for
  9. With a guide or alone
  10. Questions
  11. Sources

Why the plans start with the pyramids

The two sites have different hours. Plan the day around the earlier last entry.

  • Giza plateau. Every day, except Ramadan, you can enter the plateau from 07:00, last entry 16:00.
  • Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. You can enter the galleries from 09:00, last entry 17:00.
  • GEM, Wednesday and Saturday. You can enter the galleries from 09:00, last entry 20:00.

The galleries close one hour after the last entry. The plateau opens earlier and has its last entry earlier. The morning is also cooler on the plateau, which has little shade. For these reasons, the example plans below put the pyramids first.

Book the museum entry time slot first

You must book a GEM ticket online before your visit. When you book, you select a date and an entry time slot. The slot is the time period when you can enter the museum. It does not limit how long you stay inside.

On 2 November 2026, tickets.gem.eg showed these slots:

Visit dateEntry time slots
Tuesday 3, Thursday 5, Friday 6, Sunday 8 and Monday 9 November 202608:30–11:00, 11:00–13:00, 13:00–15:00, 15:00–17:00
Wednesday 4 and Saturday 7 November 2026The same slots, plus 17:00–20:00

Slots can be different on other days. Look at the slots for your date before you plan the day.

Each GEM ticket is for one entry. After you leave the museum, you cannot enter again. Buy GEM tickets only on tickets.gem.eg. The museum says that this is its only official ticket website.

Example timetable: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday

This is an example plan, not a tour schedule. On these days, the galleries close earlier. Book the 11:00–13:00 entry time slot.

Example plan: the pyramids and the GEM on a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday
  1. 07:30 Arrive at the Giza plateau Example. Buy your plateau ticket first.
  2. 07:45–09:00 Optional: go inside the Great Pyramid Example. You need a separate ticket.
  3. 09:00–11:00 Panoramic viewpoint, then the Great Sphinx Example. Bring water and sun protection.
  4. 11:00–12:00 Travel to the GEM Example. Leave time for traffic and security checks.
  5. 12:00 Enter the GEM Example. Book the 11:00–13:00 entry time slot.
  6. 12:00–13:00 Lunch at a museum food outlet Example. You cannot bring food into the museum.
  7. 13:00–17:30 Grand Stairs, Tutankhamun Galleries, Main Galleries, Khufu's Boats Museum Example. The galleries close one hour after the last entry.

If you start later, book the 13:00–15:00 slot. You then have less time in the museum before the galleries close.

Example timetable: Wednesday or Saturday

This is an example plan, not a tour schedule. On these days, the galleries stay open later. You can have a slower morning and a longer museum visit.

Example plan: the pyramids and the GEM on a Wednesday or Saturday
  1. 07:30 Arrive at the Giza plateau Example. Buy your plateau ticket first.
  2. 07:45–11:30 The Great Pyramid, the panoramic viewpoint and the Great Sphinx Example. Add a separate ticket to go inside a pyramid.
  3. 11:30–14:30 Lunch and a rest Example. Use this time to get out of the midday sun.
  4. 14:30–15:00 Travel to the GEM Example. Leave time for traffic.
  5. 15:00 Enter the GEM Example. Book the 15:00–17:00 entry time slot.
  6. 15:00–20:30 Grand Stairs, Tutankhamun Galleries, Main Galleries, Khufu's Boats Museum Example. The galleries close one hour after the last entry.

When to see the museum first

You can also see the museum first. Book the 08:30–11:00 slot. Arrive when the galleries open. Leave the museum by early afternoon. Then get to the plateau well before its last entry.

This plan has two problems. You are on the plateau in the hottest part of the day. You also have less time at the pyramids before the last entry. Use it only if you cannot get a midday or afternoon museum slot.

Travel between the pyramids and the museum

The GEM is approximately 2 km northwest of the pyramids, in a straight line. It is at El Remayah Square, on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road. The museum website tells drivers to use Gate 2.

The road route is longer. A route calculation with OpenStreetMap data on 2 November 2026 gave approximately 5 km and 10 minutes without traffic. The real time depends on the traffic and on the plateau gate that you use. The plateau has more than one gate, including a gate on the Cairo-Fayoum road.

A tourist walkway of approximately 1.3 km links the museum and the pyramids area. News reports from September 2025 describe it. We could not confirm that it is open to visitors now. Plan to go by car or taxi. For transport options, see how to get to the pyramids from Cairo.

Tickets for the day

You need two separate tickets: one for the plateau and one for the museum. The plateau ticket does not include the inside of the pyramids. These are the official prices for foreign visitors.

Tickets for the pyramids and the GEM, foreign visitors
TicketAdultStudentChild
Giza plateau ticket You cannot go inside the Great Pyramid, the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, the Tomb of Meresankh III or the workers' tombs with this ticket.Students: show a valid student ID. Students must be age 24 or less.EGP 700EGP 350—
Grand Egyptian Museum Adults: age 25 or more. Price for visits from 1 November 2026.Students: age 13 to 24, with a valid student ID.Children: age 6 to 12. Children under 6 do not pay.EGP 1,830EGP 920EGP 920
Inside the Great Pyramid (Khufu) EGP 1,500EGP 750—

Last checked · Source: egymonuments.com

Last checked · Source: tickets.gem.eg

A foreign adult pays EGP 700 for the plateau and EGP 1,830 for the museum. You can buy the plateau ticket on egymonuments.com, the Ministry e-ticket website. For all Giza tickets, see Pyramids of Giza tickets. For all GEM ticket types, see the Grand Egyptian Museum page.

Things to plan for

  • Food. You cannot bring food or drinks into the museum, except a small bottle of water. The museum has food and drink outlets.
  • Bags. Put bags larger than 40 × 40 cm in the museum lockers. The museum says that the lockers are free.
  • Heat. The plateau has little shade. Bring water, a hat and sun protection.
  • Ramadan. During Ramadan, you can enter the plateau from 08:00, last entry 15:30. We did not find Ramadan hours for the museum. Look at tickets.gem.eg before your visit.
  • Time in the museum. The museum's standard guided tour takes approximately 2 hours. The museum also has an audio guide in English.
  • Your energy. This is a long day with much walking. If you have more days, think about two separate visits. See how long to see the pyramids.

With a guide or alone

You can follow this plan alone, with a taxi or a ride app. A tour can include the transport between the two sites and a guide at each site.

Before you pay for a tour, ask these questions:

  • Does the price include the plateau ticket and the GEM ticket?
  • Who books the GEM entry time slot, and which slot is it?
  • Does the price include a ticket to go inside a pyramid?
  • Does the price include lunch? Does the tour stop at shops?

For more questions to ask, see Pyramids of Giza tour cost.

Questions

How long do you need at the Grand Egyptian Museum?

The museum gives no official visit time. Its standard guided tour takes approximately 2 hours. By our estimate, plan 3 to 4 hours for a first visit.

Should you see the pyramids or the Grand Egyptian Museum first?

On most days, see the pyramids first. The plateau has an earlier last entry than the museum. The morning is also cooler on the plateau.

Which Grand Egyptian Museum entry time slot should I book for a day with the pyramids?

If you visit the pyramids in the morning, book a midday or afternoon slot, such as 11:00–13:00 or 13:00–15:00. The slot is the time period when you can enter. It does not limit how long you stay.

Sources