Discovery Tours Egypt
Day TourCairo

Cairo Layover Tour from Cairo Airport – Private, Giza Pyramids & Sphinx

About 6 hours, private vehicle and Egyptologist, Giza ticket and light lunch included, starting and ending at Cairo International Airport.

At a glance

Departs
Daily

The short answer

A private tour of about 6 hours from Cairo International Airport to the Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx and back, with an Egyptologist and a light lunch. It suits a stop of about 8 hours or more, and you need to be eligible for an Egypt entry visa.
  • New
  • Private

Snapshot

Good to know

Destinations
Cairo · Cairo International Airport · Giza · Pyramids of Giza · Great Sphinx
Includes
Meet and greet at Cairo International Airport · Private air-conditioned vehicle and driver · Private Egyptologist guide who speaks English · Entrance ticket for the Giza Plateau · A light lunch or snack
Guide languages
English

Best time to go

Any time of year works. October to April is cooler on the plateau, and in summer a morning or late afternoon visit is more comfortable.

  • Arranged by Discovery Tours Egypt, an Egyptian tour operator working since 1988 with six offices
  • Travel licence ETAA 718 (Category A); IATA accredited agent

02Overview

A first look

This is a private tour of about six hours for travelers with a long stop at Cairo International Airport. Your guide waits for you in the arrivals hall after passport control, then you drive across the city to Giza, which takes about an hour depending on traffic. You spend time on the Giza Plateau with the Great Pyramid, Khafre and Menkaure, then visit the Great Sphinx and the Valley Temple. If time allows, you stop for lunch or a snack. The guide plans to have you back at the airport at least three hours before your onward flight. The tour suits a stop of about eight hours or more between flights. You must clear immigration, so you need to be eligible for an Egypt entry visa, which is not included. You can book online and get instant confirmation.

Background

The facts

Giza lies about one hour by road from Cairo International Airport, depending on traffic. A private layover tour goes straight from the arrivals hall to the Pyramids and Sphinx and back.

Named in this entry

Cairo International Airport·Giza·Great Pyramid·Khafre·Menkaure·Great Sphinx

Suited to

Is this for you?

Yes, if

  • Travelers with a long stop in Cairo who want to see the Pyramids and the Sphinx without leaving the timing to chance.

Maybe not, if

  • Not for short layovers, for travelers who cannot get an Egypt entry visa, or for anyone who cannot accept the risk of delays on the road.

What lingers

  • 01A private vehicle, driver and English-speaking Egyptologist for your party only
  • 02Meet and greet in the arrivals hall at Cairo International Airport
  • 03The Great Pyramid, Khafre, Menkaure and the panorama point on the Giza Plateau
  • 04The Great Sphinx and the Valley Temple
  • 05Timings planned around your onward flight

Honest assessment

Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.

Highlights

  • Meet and greet at the airport and a private vehicle throughout
  • Pyramids and Sphinx in one short tour
  • Timings planned around your flight

Things to Consider

  • Needs a long layover and an Egypt entry visa
  • Traffic can shorten the time at each stop

Stop by stop

Detailed itinerary

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The fine print

What's included – and what isn't

Included

  • Meet and greet at Cairo International Airport
  • Private air-conditioned vehicle and driver
  • Private Egyptologist guide who speaks English
  • Entrance ticket for the Giza Plateau
  • A light lunch or snack
  • Bottled water

Not included

  • Egypt entry visa
  • Gratuities
  • Entry inside the pyramids
  • Camel or horse rides
  • Luggage storage fees at the airport

Field notes

From our Egyptologists

  1. 01

    Send your flight numbers when you book so the guide can plan the day

  2. 02

    Keep your boarding pass and passport with you, and leave only carry-on bags in the vehicle

Before you go

What to pack & wear

Children & families

Children's prices are set from the ages you give when you book, and there is no minimum age. The day is about six hours with a lot of time in the car and walking on the plateau, so it works for most school-age children. Every traveler needs their own passport and, where required, an Egypt entry visa.

Indicative rates only – pricing and departure fluctuate. Please enquire for live rates on your specific dates.

On the ground

Your route

1Cairo2Giza

Asked & answered

Frequent questions

  1. 01How is this private tour priced?
    The price is per person, and it falls as the group grows, because the vehicle, driver and guide are shared. It covers the meet and greet, the transfers, the Egyptologist, the Giza ticket and a light lunch. The Egypt entry visa is not included.
  2. 02How do I book this tour?
    You can book it online and get instant confirmation. Choose your date and group size, and add your flight numbers and arrival time. We use these to plan the day around your onward flight.
  3. 03How long must my layover be?
    We suggest a stop of about 8 hours or more between flights. You need time to clear immigration, drive to Giza, see the sights and return at least three hours before your next flight. If the time left is too short, the tour does not run, and we tell you before you pay.
  4. 04Do I need a visa, and what about my bags?
    Yes. You must pass through immigration to leave the airport, so you need to be eligible for an Egypt entry visa, and the visa is not included in the price. Checked bags normally stay with the airline until your onward flight. Carry-on bags can stay in the vehicle with the driver.
  5. 05What if my flight arrives late?
    If your inbound flight is late, the guide shortens the tour, for example by dropping the lunch stop. If the remaining time is too short to do it safely, the tour does not run. We plan the timings around your flight, but we cannot guarantee that you make it, so please give us accurate flight details.
  6. 06What is the cancellation policy?
    If you cancel three days or more before the trip, you get a full refund. If you cancel less than three days but more than 24 hours before, half is refunded. After that, or if you do not show up, there is no refund.

If plans change

Plans change? We make it easy.

  • More than 72 hours before your tour: keep the full amount as credit toward future travel with us, or take a refund.
  • Between 72 and 24 hours: keep the full amount as credit, or take a partial refund.
  • Within 24 hours of the tour, or if you don't show up, we're unable to offer a refund or credit.
  • If we ever have to cancel, for weather or anything beyond our control, you lose nothing.

Credit is valid for 12 months from your original travel date and can be used on any tour, cruise or stay with us.Read our full cancellation and refund policy

Continue reading

From the archives

Product ID: EXC-CAI-092556

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