Cairo layover tour: see the Giza pyramids between flights

How many hours you need

The table shows what you can see in each layover length. All times are approximate. They are our planning estimates.

Your time outside the airport is shorter than your layover. You need time for passport control and a visa on arrival, if you need one. You also need time for security and check-in before your next flight. Ask your airline when check-in closes for your next flight.

Except during Ramadan, you can enter the Giza plateau from 07:00, last entry 16:00. During Ramadan, you can enter from 08:00, last entry 15:30. If you cannot reach the plateau before the last entry, you cannot visit it that day.

Grand Egyptian Museum galleries:

• On Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, you can enter the galleries from 09:00, last entry 17:00.
• On Wednesday and Saturday, you can enter the galleries from 09:00, last entry 20:00.

Entry tickets are not the same as the tour price. Check if a tour price includes entry tickets. A plateau ticket costs EGP 700 for a foreign adult. An extra ticket to go inside the Great Pyramid costs EGP 1,500 for a foreign adult. You also need the plateau ticket. A Grand Egyptian Museum ticket costs EGP 1,830 for a foreign adult, for visits from 1 November 2026. See Pyramids of Giza tickets and Grand Egyptian Museum tickets for all prices.

Can you leave Cairo airport during a layover?

Yes, but only if Egypt gives you permission to enter. You go through passport control to leave the airport. The rules depend on your nationality. Ask your airline about your trip.

The facts below come from official pages. We checked each one on 28 October 2026.

What the official e-Visa portal says

The Ministry of Interior runs the Egypt e-Visa Portal (visa2egypt.gov.eg). An e-Visa is a visa that you get online before you travel. On 28 October 2026, the portal said this:

• "A citizen of a foreign country, wishing to enter The Arab Republic of Egypt, generally must first obtain an e-Visa via the Egypt e-Visa Portal."
• Only the nationalities on the portal list can get an e-Visa.
• You must apply at least 7 days before your departure.
• On arrival, you need a passport that is valid for at least 6 months from the arrival date.
• On arrival, you also need the e-Visa printout, a travel itinerary, and hotel bookings or details of the places that you will visit. The portal lists more documents.
• Even with an e-Visa, the officials at passport control can refuse entry.

Visa on arrival

Egypt has an official Visa on Arrival portal at apps.visaonarrival.gov.eg. Only travelers who meet its conditions can use it. It gives a QR code that you show to the officer.

For example, the UK government advice says that British passport holders normally need a visa. They can get it online, from the Egyptian consulate, or on arrival at approved airports. The advice also says that, from 1 August 2026, Cairo International Airport has a digital visa on arrival.

These rules are for British passport holders only. Other nationalities can have different rules.

Transit visas

EgyptAir announced a free transit visa of up to 96 hours on 23 June 2023. We could not find the current conditions on an official page on 28 October 2026. If your plan needs this visa, ask your airline first.

Cairo airport to the Giza pyramids

Cairo International Airport (CAI) is in Heliopolis, northeast of central Cairo. The Giza pyramids are approximately 13 km southwest of central Cairo.

The table shows the distances to the Giza plateau. CAI is Cairo International Airport. SPX is Sphinx International Airport.

We calculated the straight-line distances from the published coordinates of each place. The road distances and times come from an OpenStreetMap route calculation on 28 October 2026. They do not include traffic. Traffic in Cairo can make the drive much longer.

Sphinx International Airport (SPX) is a public airport on the western side of Cairo. Check your ticket to see which airport your flights use.

How a layover tour works

A layover tour company meets you at Cairo International Airport. It drives you to Giza and back to the airport before your next flight.

Before you book, ask the company these questions:

• What is the price, and is it for each person or for the group?

• Where does the guide meet you at the airport?

• How long is the tour?

• Does the price include transport, a guide and entry tickets?

• What is the shortest layover that the company accepts?

To request a layover tour, send your flight times with the tour request form. A licensed local tour operator replies with the price and what the tour includes. The reply names the company that operates the tour.

For a longer day in Cairo, see Cairo day tours.

Safety on a short trip

We do not make safety claims about your trip. Read your own government's travel advice for Egypt before you travel.

On 28 October 2026, the UK government advised against travel to some parts of Egypt. Cairo and the Giza pyramids area were not on its list of these areas. The same advice warns about regional tensions in the Middle East. Other governments can give different advice.

Next steps

1. Check the visa rules for your nationality on visa2egypt.gov.eg.
2. Ask your airline about leaving the airport during your layover.
3. Compare your layover length with the table above.

See also Pyramids of Giza tours.