How much does it cost to enter the Giza pyramids?
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' Giza Plateau page sets the area entry ticket at EGP 700 for foreign adults and EGP 350 for foreign students. Egyptians pay EGP 60 and EGP 30. This gets you onto the plateau, the views of all three pyramids and the walk around the site.
The same page states what the area ticket does not cover: the Great Pyramid, the Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure, the Tomb of Meresankh III and the Workers' Cemetery. Each of these needs its own ticket on top of the plateau entry.
If you arrive by vehicle, the plateau page also lists vehicle entry charges: EGP 25 for a car or taxi, EGP 50 for a microbus, EGP 75 for a coaster and EGP 100 for a bus. If you come by taxi or with a tour, ask whether the quoted price already includes it.
Which extra pyramid tickets are worth buying?
Every interior ticket is added to the plateau ticket, so the real choice is between totals. The gap between the two interiors is large enough to decide on price alone.
| Ticket | Foreign adult | Foreign student | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plateau entry only | EGP 700 | EGP 350 | Photos, the Sphinx view, a short visit |
| Plateau + Menkaure interior | EGP 980 | EGP 490 | Going inside a pyramid on a budget |
| Plateau + Great Pyramid interior | EGP 1,700 | EGP 850 | Going inside the largest pyramid |
| Plateau + both interiors | EGP 1,980 | EGP 990 | A long visit with no claustrophobia |
The Great Pyramid page gives EGP 1,000 for foreign adults and EGP 500 for students, and marks the area entry ticket as required. The Menkaure page gives EGP 280 and EGP 140 on the same basis. The ministry's Khafre page does not currently publish a price, so check at the ticket office if you want to go inside the middle pyramid.
What are the opening hours?
The ministry's own pages do not agree. The Giza Plateau page gives 08:00 to 16:00 every day. The Great Pyramid and Menkaure pages each give 07:00 to 17:00 every day. Treat the shorter plateau hours as the safe window and arrive by the late morning if you want time inside a pyramid, then confirm the day's hours at the gate.
The UK FCDO's safety advice warns that scammers and touts target foreign visitors in tourist areas. At Giza that usually means people offering rides, guides or "tickets" before the official ticket office. Buy only at the ticket office and agree any camel or horse price before you get on.
How much is the Grand Egyptian Museum ticket?
The GEM's official ticketing website takes bookings but shows prices only inside the booking flow, and we could not read them from the public pages. Egypt Independent reported on 1 November 2025 that foreign non-resident adults pay EGP 1,700 and foreign students and children EGP 850, with lower rates for Egyptians and for residents. Check the current price on the ticketing site before you budget on it.
What the official site does confirm is what the ticket covers and how it works:
- Your visit includes the Tutankhamun Galleries, the Main Galleries, the Grand Hall, the Grand Stairs, Khufu's Boats Museum, the commercial area and the gardens.
- Tickets are for a timed entry slot. The slot controls when you go in, not how long you stay.
- Tickets are single entry: once you leave, you cannot go back in. They are non-refundable and non-transferable.
- No outside food or drinks, no flash photography and no tripods.
| Day | Complex open | Galleries open | Last entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri | 08:30 to 19:00 | 09:00 to 18:00 | 17:00 |
| Wednesday and Saturday | 08:30 to 22:00 | 09:00 to 21:00 | 20:00 |
Last entry is one hour before the galleries close, according to the ticketing site.
A one-day plan that fits both
Combining the ticket rules with the opening hours gives a clear order. The plateau closes at 16:00 on the ministry's area page, while the GEM stays open until 21:00 on Wednesdays and Saturdays. On those days, do the pyramids in the morning and the museum in the afternoon and evening, without needing to rush either.
Worked example: two foreign adults and a student
- Plateau entry: 2 × EGP 700 + EGP 350 = EGP 1,750
- Great Pyramid interior for the two adults: 2 × EGP 1,000 = EGP 2,000
- Menkaure interior for the student instead, at the student rate: EGP 140
- Pyramid total: EGP 3,890
- GEM at the prices reported by Egypt Independent: 2 × EGP 1,700 + EGP 850 = EGP 4,250
- Day total before transport and food: EGP 8,140
Bring the student card you will show at the ticket office, since the student rate is a separate category. On other days of the week, the GEM galleries close at 18:00, so start at the museum at 09:00 and move to the plateau by early afternoon, or split the two across days.
The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir
The older museum in central Cairo still sells its own ticket. The ministry's Egyptian Museum page lists EGP 550 for foreign adults and EGP 275 for students, open 09:00 to 17:00 daily. During Ramadan, hours shorten to 09:00 to 16:00, with the ticket window closing at 15:00.
The ministry has introduced electronic tickets there that carry a QR code, are used once at smart gates and are issued through an electronic system. Have a bank card ready and see our guide to paying in Egypt for when cash is still needed. If you have not sorted entry yet, start with the Egypt visa on arrival and e-visa guide.
What to do if something goes wrong
- The Great Pyramid ticket is not on sale when you ask: buy Menkaure's instead, which is cheaper and works with the same plateau ticket.
- You missed your GEM time slot: the slot controls entry time only, but tickets are non-refundable. Ask at the museum's ticket desk before buying a new one.
- You left the GEM and want to go back in: re-entry is not allowed, so finish the Tutankhamun Galleries before you step out for lunch.