Memphis was once the greatest city in the ancient world — the capital of a unified Egypt for most of the Old Kingdom, the administrative center from which the pyramids at Giza and Saqqara were organized and built.

Almost nothing above ground remains. What does remain — including the colossal limestone statue of Ramesses II and the alabaster sphinx — is housed in an open-air museum at the site of the ancient city.

This tour places the pyramids in their political and geographical context: Saqqara was the necropolis of Memphis. Giza was built by the pharaohs who ruled from Memphis. Standing at all three in one day connects the monuments to the civilization that produced them.

Who This Tour Is For

• Travelers interested in ancient Egyptian civilization beyond the monuments themselves
• Those who want to understand Egypt's Old Kingdom as a functioning society, not just as a building project
• Visitors who have already seen Giza and want to add depth on a second visit

How the Day Flows

Morning: Giza Plateau — pyramids, Sphinx, panoramic viewpoint. Your guide sets the Old Kingdom context here that will inform the rest of the day.

Late morning: Drive south to Saqqara. The Step Pyramid complex, the mastaba tombs, and the surrounding necropolis.

Midday: Memphis open-air museum. The colossal Ramesses II statue, the alabaster sphinx, the remains of the ancient temple precinct.

Afternoon: Return to Cairo.

✦ Memphis was founded around 3100 BC by the pharaoh Menes, who unified Upper and Lower Egypt for the first time. It remained the capital of Egypt for over 800 years. Your guide will stand you before the remains and explain the extraordinary gap between its ancient significance and its current visibility — almost nothing left of a city that once housed hundreds of thousands of people.

Sites You Will Visit

• Giza Plateau — all three pyramids and the Sphinx
• Saqqara — Step Pyramid of Djoser and surrounding necropolis
• Memphis — open-air museum, Ramesses II statue, alabaster sphinx

Common First-Time Questions

Is Memphis worth visiting if I am short on time?

 It depends on your interest level. Memphis adds about 90 minutes to the day and requires driving past Saqqara. For travelers with genuine curiosity about ancient Egyptian civilization as a culture (not just its architecture), it is worth it. For travelers focused primarily on the pyramids themselves, the GizaSaqqara-Dahshur combination may be a better fit.

Will I be pressured to buy anything? 

No. This is a private tour. We do not include commission-based stops and your guide will not redirect the itinerary for shopping.

Can the pacing or order be adjusted? 

Yes. This is private — the schedule adapts to you. If you want to spend longer at one site or skip something, tell your guide.

Is this suitable for travelers arriving from a long flight? 

We recommend scheduling your first full tour after at least one night of sleep in Egypt. If you are booking for the arrival day, we can discuss a gentler start time.