Egypt for First-Timers: An Honest, Been-There Guide to the Pyramids

Egypt · First-Timer's Guide
a childhood dream, finally real

Egypt for First-Timers: An Honest, Been-There Guide to the Pyramids

walking up to the Sphinx

If Egypt has lived on your bucket list for as long as you can remember, this is your permission slip. I went, I figured out the parts nobody tells you, and I wrote it all down so your first time feels less like a gamble and more like the trip you have been dreaming about.

Where to stay in Giza

Stay in Giza at least two nights, and make pyramid views your one non-negotiable. Waking up to the Great Pyramid outside your window is the whole feeling.

  • A boutique hotel with panoramic pyramid-view suites and breakfast, around $120 a night for the top room.
  • A stylish Airbnb through my Superhost host with 28 properties, around $90 a night.
the pyramid view from our room
My free trick
Switch to an airport hotel for your very last night. It turns a stressful morning flight into a calm one, and the how-to is in the full guide.
the Giza plateau

Getting around

  • Use Uber, always pick Comfort for a newer car with AC. About $8 to $12.
  • No negotiating, ever. The price is set, so you skip the haggling.
  • Prefer to drive yourself? Calmer than people say. Big sites sit about an hour apart.
  • Want a guide for the pyramids? I have one I know and trust.

Your pyramid day

  • Do the Step Pyramids at Saqqara first, then head to Giza.
  • Giza is revamped and easy to do yourself. A free shuttle comes with your ticket.
  • Make one stop a full, wide pyramid view. That is the shot you came for.
  • Give it three hours minimum. No power walking, this is a moment to soak in.

The Grand Egyptian Museum

The GEM can hold you all day if you let it. Give it three hours at the very least, and do not be surprised if it swallows your whole afternoon. Worth every minute.

inside the GEM

Good to know

  • ATMs and pharmacies are everywhere, you are never far from what you need.
  • Get an eSIM or local SIM. The internet can be a little choppy.
  • Keep Google Translate handy for Arabic, and carry small bills for little tips.
  • Every toilet has a bidet, so leave your portable one at home.
  • People are friendly but a touch pushy. A calm no thank you and keep walking works every time.

For my Black travelers

You are going to feel so welcome. People stop just to say hi and tell you you are beautiful. Little kids practice their English with you, and it is the most adorable thing.

My insider hookups (in the full guide)
The free airport-hotel trick for your last night, how to enter Egypt without paying the $30 arrival visa if you stay a few days, and my trusted guide for the pyramids.

Want the beautiful printable version?

Get my full Egypt First-Timer's Guide as a designed PDF you can save to your phone and take with you, plus my tested stays and insider hookups.

Get the printable guideHave me plan your Egypt trip

Questions before you go? Email me at support@mamedeeworld.com. cannot wait to watch your dream come true