The Pyramids are Egypt’s most iconic archaeological structure and the only remaining Wonder of the Ancient World.
The Pyramids at Giza are located just on the outskirts of Cairo. We suggest visiting them later in the afternoon when all the tour groups have left for the day, or after about 10:30 am. They were constructed about 4,500 years ago, between 2550 and 2490 B.C. They were the tombs of the Old Kingdom Pharaohs, who ruled from nearby Memphis.
The main Pyramid is Khufu’s Great Pyramid, dating from 2570 BC. It stands at 146m high and is estimated to have 2.3 million stone blocks weighing between 2.5 and 15 tons each. Khufu’s son (also known as Cheops), Khafre, built a second structure here. His necropolis also included the Sphinx. This iconic limestone monument features the body of a lion and a pharaoh’s head. The third Pyramid is smaller and built for Menkaure in about 2490 BC. As with Luxor, the Pyramids are located on the West Bank of the Nile. This is because the sun rises in the east (so there for the living), and sets in the west (the dying).
A private tour of the Giza Pyramids takes about two hours. You can go in one of the Pyramids, but it is fairly humid in there, and you will see far better tombs in Luxor. While in Giza, a visit to the Solar Boat Museum is highly recommended.