The Great Pyramid of Khufu

5 min read Updated November 2026 Compare all tours

The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities dates the pyramid to the reign of Khufu, around 2589 to 2566 BC, and gives its original height as 146.5 m. UNESCO calls it the only surviving wonder of the ancient world. The core is built of local limestone. The outer casing was a finer stone brought by boat from Turah, south of today's Cairo, and the ministry puts the building time at an estimated 10 to 20 years, adding that the methods used are still uncertain.

Inside the pyramid

There are three chambers. One is cut into the bedrock under the pyramid, and two lie higher up in the masonry. The ministry describes the Grand Gallery as a majestic corbelled passage that climbs to the King's Chamber, and the king's sarcophagus is still there in that upper room.

The visit inside needs its own ticket, and the ministry states that an area ticket for the plateau is required as well. According to the official ticket portal, egymonuments.com, the interior costs 1,500 EGP for foreign adults and 750 EGP for students as of November 2026. An older ministry page still shows 1,000 EGP, a figure from before the rise in January 2025. The portal sells the Pyramid of Khafre as a cheaper extra at 280 EGP, students 140 EGP; Menkaure does not appear among its extras.

The interior is not always open. In May 2023 the ministry closed the Great Pyramid for maintenance and announced its reopening within a month, while the other two large pyramids stayed open. A closure of this kind can happen at short notice, so plan your day so that the rest of the visit still works without it.

Tours that include the interior

Most guided tours of Giza leave the inside out. The sunrise tour, the walking tour from the ticket area and the long tour that combines the pyramids with the Grand Egyptian Museum all list the Great Pyramid's chambers as not included. One reviewer of the museum tour points out that you do not go inside any pyramid on it. Reviews of a popular private tour mention that there is no queue-skipping at the interiors.

The tour above has the interior ticket for the Great Pyramid built in, along with the three pyramids, the valley temple and the Sphinx, a private air-conditioned car from Cairo or Giza and a guide on site who can speak English, Arabic, German or Spanish. The half-day tour by Saladino Tours offers the interior as an option, along with a small-group or private format and a stop at a panorama viewpoint. Its description adds that tickets bought at the gate must be paid by card. General admission to the plateau and parking are included, guides speak English, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish or Arabic, and drones, alcohol and large luggage are not allowed. The listed four hours include the hotel pick-up and drop-off, so the time on the plateau itself is shorter.

From Hurghada, one day trip lists the inside of Khufu's pyramid as an option. It runs for 22 to 24 hours, includes a stop in Old Cairo and a bazaar, and makes papyrus and oil stops while the group waits for the convoy. The operator lists claustrophobia and limited mobility as reasons not to book it, and pushchairs are not allowed. Our page on day trips from Hurghada and Sharm compares the bus and flight options.

The boats of Khufu

Two large boats were found dismantled in pits on the south side of the pyramid. They are now shown at the Grand Egyptian Museum, whose standard ticket includes the boat museum, so you do not need to look for them on the plateau.

When to go

The plateau opens at 7am and the official portal gives last entry at 4pm, as of November 2026. The plateau ticket that you need in any case costs 700 EGP for foreign adults and 350 EGP for students up to 24 with a valid card, and children under six enter free. Last entry at the plateau is also the latest time to start, which matters if you plan the interior late in the day. During Ramadan the plateau opens at 8am, with last entry at 3:30pm. Early in the day the air is cooler; from May to September average highs at Cairo airport sit between 32 and 35 °C. If you would like to compare the Great Pyramid with an older design, the Red Pyramid at Dahshur was built by King Sneferu and can also be entered.