Visiting the Pyramids of Giza, Cairo - an experience of a lifetime

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Writer: Helena Bergström

Visiting the pyramids of Giza, in Cairo, is a bit of a once in a lifetime-experience. Something you might dream of experiencing once in your life. That's how it was for us and now we've been there, and seen these impressive ancient buildings for real. Wow, what an experience!

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Pyramids of Giza

The pyramids of Giza in Egypt include three large pyramids on the Giza plateau, as well as several smaller ones. In addition, several pyramids and tombs are located in the Sakkara burial area, nearby.

The three largest and best-preserved pyramids are named after the pharaohs Cheops (2620-2580 BC), Chefren (2570-2530 BC) and Menkaura (2530-2510 BC). Along with the Sphinx of Giza, which is also located here, these are some of the most famous buildings in the world.  

The Pyramids of Giza are located in the governorate of Giza, in the northern part of the country, 14 kilometres southwest of the capital Cairo.

The Pyramids of Giza - ancient burial monuments

The pyramids were built as burial monuments in ancient Egypt. Here the pharaohs were buried, in the form of mummies, in order to move on to the afterlife. The entrails of the deceased body were stored in special vessels, and the person was given a large number of exclusive artefacts to take with them to the next life.

Many of the tombs have been looted over the years, but there are still plenty of mummies, writings, pictures, furniture and artefacts preserved. In a way, it feels like the ancient Egyptians actually made it to the afterlife. If nothing else, they are remembered!

The Sakkara complex

We started our visit to Giza by going to the Sakkara (or Saqqara as it can also be written) complex. This is a vast burial area that for a long time served as a burial ground for kings and officials in the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis. There are many different burial chambers, small pyramids and other structures.

Tetis pyramid

We started by visiting the pyramid of King Teti - a ruler who ruled during the 6th dynasty, 2345 - 2323 BC. To go down into the burial chamber, you have to go down a staircase, through a narrow passageway, where you have to crouch to get through. If you just make your way through this narrow passage, you will soon reach much larger rooms, where you can move freely without any claustrophobic feelings.

Coming down here is an experience - not least to see all the walls filled with well-preserved hieroglyphic inscriptions. However, guides are not allowed down here, as guiding would stop the flow of people, so you are left to be fascinated on your own.

Kagemnis burial chamber

Our second stop was at Kagemni's burial chamber, which is housed in a mastaba, that is, a tomb superstructure. Kagemni was a judge and counsellor during the 6th dynasty, under the rule of King Teti. This chamber contains incredibly well-preserved inscriptions and images, and since the guide was allowed to accompany us inside, we also got a little more "meat on the bones".

It's especially interesting to see all the pictures that tell us about everyday life. For example, you can see how people danced, how they caught fish and what wild animals lived in Egypt at the time. On some of the walls, even the colours of the paintings remain. It's amazing that this has been preserved for more than 4 000 years!

Pharaoh Djoser's stepped pyramid

Djoser was the king of Egypt's Third Dynasty, reigning from around 2686 to 2648 BC. Djoser is best known for his Step Pyramid, which is considered the oldest pyramid in Egypt. The pyramid is also surrounded by a mighty entrance with walls and pillars.

The Step Pyramid of Djoser, built around 2680 BC, is the most famous funerary monument in Sakkara. The pyramid has six steps and reaches a height of 60 metres. It also boasts the distinction of being the world's oldest complete building made of carved stone.

The site also features two intriguing peepholes, which are original to ancient Egypt. The holes were made so that the statue of Djoser could look out, but also allow you to look in.

The statue of Djoser here is a replica, and the real statue is on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Pyramid of Cheops - with surrounding pyramids

The largest, and most famous, pyramid at Giza is undoubtedly Pyramids of Cheops (which can also be called the Pyramid of Khufu). This pyramid was built during the reign of Pharaoh Cheops, in the early 2nd century BC, and measures a whopping 138 metres in height.

Built with advanced geometric precision, the pyramid was originally covered by a smooth outer layer of limestone. Since 1979, the pyramid has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Close by are two other great pyramids (Chefren and Menkaura) and three smaller pyramids for the wives of Cheops.

The Pyramid of Cheops can be viewed from different angles and you can also "touch it". In the old days, people used to climb up quite a bit, but today it's a bit more "orderly" at the visitor centre. You are not allowed to climb in any way, but there is a corner with stairs, where you are allowed to go a bit up the pyramid.

Instead, once you've climbed the steps, you have a view of the tourists, the tourist buses and the bustling city.

Lunch at the Pyramids of Giza

We stopped for lunch at the restaurant 9 Pyramids Lounge. A very good choice of lunch restaurant! In addition to the food being good, the place offers a completely fantastic view. I'm almost tempted to use the word "magical", even though I know that word is a bit hackneyed. From the outdoor terrace, you have an absolutely perfect view of the pyramids of Giza. What other restaurant in the world can boast that?

What about the food? We were served traditional Egyptian food here. The meal started with some nibbles in the form of vine leaf dumplings and deep-fried cheese-filled dumplings (super good!) along with bread, hummus and tahini. The main course consisted of minced meat, lightly cooked vegetables and rice shaped like a pyramid.

Finally, a sweet dessert was served, which tasted a bit like rice à la malta. You can choose between water, soft drinks and juices - no alcohol is served here.

The Sphinx of Giza

There are many sphinxes in Egypt, but none as big and powerful as the one at Giza. Initially, only the head was sticking out of the sand, and no one had any idea what was underneath. When an excavation was carried out, the entire body of the huge lion was uncovered, along with other remains of buildings, pillars and statues.

The Sphinx of Giza measures 73 metres from paw to tail, 20 metres from the base to the top of the head and 19 metres in width. So this is no small statue we are dealing with!

Archaeologists believe that the Sphinx was built during the reign of Chefren, between 2558 and 2532 BC. Today, the statue, like the pyramids, is visited by tourists from all over the world. Tourists from Europe, the United States, Asia and other Arab countries are among them.

Right next to the sphinx is also an area of colonnades built of huge and massive boulders.

Once there was also a long line of granite statues here, and you can still see their holes. Today, only one is preserved in its entirety, and it can be seen in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

What is it like to visit the Pyramids of Giza?

So, what is it like to visit the pyramids of Giza? It's hard to describe, but we would like to use a word like dwindling. It's not just the size and architecture that impresses, but perhaps above all the time perspective. Imagine that people lived here more than 4,000 years ago, in a civilisation that in many aspects was at least as developed as ours. It almost makes you dizzy trying to imagine it!

In practical terms, we recommend travelling with a guide, partly because it makes it easier, but also because the visit is much more interesting when someone can tell you about the kings, the scriptures and everything that happened in these places throughout history.

More to see and do in Cairo

Visiting the pyramids of Giza is perhaps the biggest draw in Cairo, but there is much more to see and experience.

For starters, you won't want to miss the fascinating museums: the Egyptian Museum, the Grand Egyptian Museum and The National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. In these museums you can see both mummies and artefacts from the pyramids and burial chambers, and in some cases we almost thought this was yet more fascinating than the pyramids themselves.

Another thing you won't want to miss is discovering Downtown Cairo. This is a lively and bustling place, filled with bazaars, shops and crowds.

Where to stay in Cairo?

When choosing a hotel in Cairo, you first have to decide whether you want to stay in Giza (close to the pyramids, but further to Downtown) or Downtown (close to city life, but further to the pyramids). We stayed at Swiss Inn Pyramid Golf Resort in Giza - a nice hotel with a pool and a relaxed atmosphere. Here are some more suggestions for hotels.

Hotels in Giza

• Swiss Inn Pyramid Golf Resort
• Mövenpick Cairo Media City
• Hyatt Regency Cairo West
• Hyatt Centric Cairo West

Hotels in Downtown Cairo

• Cosmopolitan Plaza Inn, Cairo
• Semiramis Intercontinental Cairo

Dreaming of visiting the pyramids of Giza?

Do you dream of visiting the pyramids of Giza? Or maybe you have already been there? Tell us about your experiences!

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