When you say ‘The seven wonders of the world’, the Great Pyramids is one among the top to pop up in our minds. But visiting the pyramids was not welcoming. Due to a big fall in tourism, taxi drivers, sellers, camel, and horse riders outnumber the tourist count. There are several things you didn’t know about the Pyramids of Giza
In this blog, you will know
- Uber rides in Cairo and Giza
- Accommodation
- Camel & Horse riders around the Pyramids
- Laser and Sound Show at the Pyramids
- Souvenirs
- Restaurants and WC
- Map of Pyramid region
↪️ Download the free Pyramid guidebook ↩️
Blog Contents
Uber rides in Cairo and Giza
Arguably the longest river in the world, Nile separates Cairo and Giza. Public transport is not very convenient. So, Uber is safe and affordable. The buzzing city of Cairo is on one side and Giza on the other side. It takes about 45 mins – 1 hour to reach Giza if you are staying in Cairo. Personally, it is better to stay in Cairo and visit Pyramids for a day trip.
- The streets are narrow in Giza. Sometimes the Uber drivers can’t locate your place of residence. Walk a few meters and then try.
- The taxi drivers hardly speak English, so there are more chances of an argument regarding the final amount. One good way to avoid this is to learn basic Arabic numbers.
Keep in mind the heavy traffic in the city. Generally, it takes about an hour to travel a few kilometers. We have a few tips and tricks to make your travel better. I hope it helps.
Accommodation
My accommodation was at Mondy Pyramids view. This was by far the most terrible apartment I ever been to. Booking.com has an 8+ review. But it turned out to be a nightmare. Never ever try Mondy Pyramids view and Tripadvisor also has negative reviews.
If you are opting to stay in Giza with a Pyramid view, choose expensive accommodation. Just because sites like booking.com or Airbnb has an 8+ star rating doesn’t mean the accommodation is great and the surroundings are clean. There are many renowned hotels in the city center which also offer a Pyramid view. So go in for safe and expensive accommodation.
Even though our accommodation was in Giza, the main entrance to the Pyramids was quite far. We hired a 15 mins Uber to reach the entrance.
Camel & Horse riders around the Pyramids
The surrounding of Giza is not clean. There are countless horse & camel riders in and around the Pyramids. They use all the trumps cards to scam a tourist. Few possible ways are
- Inside the Pyramid premises, be ready for these riders. They force you to take a ride. The most famous scam goes like ‘Sir, very cheap camel ride’. You agree for it; he goes somewhere far inside the desert and demands a lot of money for the return. So make sure that the price he mentions includes a round trip.
- Bargain half the price. Ensure sure it is in the official currency, Egyptian pounds (EGP). Sometimes they say, ‘Just five pounds sir’. The price makes you happy and in the end, he demands, ‘It was in British pounds’. This happened to me in Luxor.
- If you are more than one, make sure the price includes for all. The number magically multiples post-ride.
- The Pyramids has two entrances. At both the entrance, riders try to trick you saying, ‘The entrance here is closed, come with me. I will take to another entrance’
Laser and Sound show
Other than the camel ride, another interesting activity is the laser show. The ticket price is 15.24 USD per adult and 9.15 USD for children between 6-12 years of age. The show lasts an hour. I didn’t opt for this activity as I was not interested. Where to buy the tickets? Here are the sound and light show link.
Tip: Consult your host if the Pyramid view accommodation gives the best view of the Laser show. You can easily save some bucks.
Souvenirs
Just beside the laser show area, there are many shops to carry memories back home. You must bring out your bargaining skills here. The starting price of all the articles will be more than 100 EGP but start with 20 EGP or even lesser. All types of souvenirs are available throughout Egypt. Don’t settle for a higher price.
Restaurants and WC
There are no restaurants and WC inside the premises. Carry food and lots of water to help you from dehydrating.
Pizza hut
If you are craving for some food, then Pyramid View Pizza Hut is a must-visit. This is located just opposite to the Sphinx entrance. You can enjoy cheese burst pizzas with the world wonder view from the 26th century BC.
Map of Pyramid region
It can be confusing when you enter the Pyramid area. You will feel the sun since there is hardly any place to rest. To visualize the entire region, I have a map to help you out. This map is for reference.
I hope these tips help you while visiting the Pyramids. Nevertheless, you forget all these bitter experiences when the giant Pyramids appear in front of you. The sight is surreal. Go, live it yourself.
Time of visit: May 2019
”With age, comes wisdom. With travel, comes understanding.”– Sandra Lake