The Giza pyramids and the Sphinx
Pyramids of Giza · Giza Governorate, Egypt
The three Great Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure and the Sphinx — humanity's first great state project, 4,500 years ago.
Antes de ir · Know before you go
- Don't climb the pyramids (it's illegal and dangerous)
- ask before photographing local people, especially women
- during Ramadan avoid eating and drinking in public by day.
Este artículo está «Sin verificar». Consulte los avisos oficiales sobre precios, horarios y fechas.
Stories & people
Historias y personajes
Historia
The pharaoh who built the largest pyramid left behind only a tiny ivory statue
Khufu was the second pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty and is generally thought to have ordered the building of the Great Pyramid of Giza — one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Yet astonishingly few records of his reign survive: his only fully preserved portrait is a small ivory statuette found in 1903 in the ruins of a later temple at Abydos; his other statues and reliefs survive only in fragments.
Culture
Cultura y costumbres
Contexto cultural
The three pyramids belong to three Fourth Dynasty pharaohs: Khufu (the largest, originally about 146 m high), Khafre and Menkaure, built around 2580–2510 BC. The Sphinx is generally thought to represent Khafre, guarding his pyramid. The pyramids are the ultimate expression of the pharaohs' divine kingship and belief in the afterlife, and the organisation behind their construction still astonishes. They became a World Heritage Site in 1979.
Costumbres locales
- Many people around Giza make their living from tourism
- camel drivers and vendors are friendly but persistent. Egyptians are generally hospitable and often greet you with 'Welcome to Egypt'.
Religión y creencias
- Ancient Egyptian religion died out long ago
- modern Egypt is mainly Sunni Muslim, with Coptic Christians the largest religious minority. There are no active religious services at the site, and ordinary respect is all that's needed.
Etiquette
Normas y tabúes
Normas que se aplican aquí
Egypt: drink only at licensed venues
- Drink in licensed restaurants, bars or within resorts
- Drinking in the street or other public places
Drinking outside licensed premises is illegal and can lead to arrest.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Egypt travel advice
Egypt: no drones without a permit
- Leave your drone at home
- Bringing in or using a drone without Ministry of Defence permission
Up to 7 years in prison, or a fine of EGP 5,000 to 50,000.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Egypt travel advice
Egypt: ask before photographing people, and don't photograph children
- Ask local people before photographing them
- If in doubt, ask before taking a photo
- Photographing children
- Photographing military installations (including the Suez Canal)
- Taking or sharing photos that could harm the country's image
Tourism ministry rules require written permission to photograph Egyptian citizens, and photographing children is banned; photographing military installations is illegal.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Egypt travel advice
Egypt: dress modestly and avoid public displays of affection
- Dress conservatively in villages, mosques and markets
- Kissing or hugging in public (holding hands is usually fine)
Behaviour accepted in resorts may be seen as offensive elsewhere.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Egypt travel advice
No lo haga DON'T
- Don't climb the pyramids (it's illegal and dangerous)
- ask before photographing local people, especially women
- during Ramadan avoid eating and drinking in public by day.
Lo que aprecian los locales DO
- Egyptians love chatting and joking and are extremely proud of their ancient civilisation
- tipping (baksheesh) is widespread and seen as polite.
Plan your visit
Información práctica
Consejos de viaje
- Vendors at the site can be persistent, so go with an official guide or agree a car hire in advance
- agree camel-ride prices first and confirm what's included. Entering a pyramid needs a separate ticket, and the passages are narrow, hot and stuffy — not for the claustrophobic. The evening sound-and-light show is worth seeing
- check prices on the official website.
Eat nearby
Qué comer cerca
Imprescindible
- Koshari
- Stuffed pigeon
- Egyptian kebab
Kushari (rice, pasta and lentils with spicy tomato sauce — the national staple), hamam mahshi (pigeon stuffed with rice and roasted), Egyptian kebab / kofta, ful medames (mashed fava beans), sugar-cane juice
| Dónde comer | The restaurant area outside the gates of the Giza pyramids (with a view premium), old restaurants in central Cairo |
|---|---|
| Normas en la mesa | Egypt is mainly Muslim — avoid drinking or being rowdy in public, and eat discreetly by day during Ramadan |
| Precio orientativo por persona | EGP 200–400 ≈ CNY 30–60 |
| Consejos | Around the sights, agree prices first (camels, carriages, meals); bring your own bottled water. |
Los precios son orientativos a octubre de 2026, no presupuestos exactos; en zonas con tipos de cambio muy variables solo se da un intervalo aproximado en yuanes.
Dina Said · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photos
Fotos
kallerna · CC BY-SA 3.0
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Petar Milošević · CC BY-SA 4.0
KennyOMG · CC BY-SA 4.0
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