Giza & Cairo

Positioned on the edge of the desert plateau where the bustling metropolis of Cairo meets the sands of the Western Desert, the Giza Plateau is the defining symbol of ancient Egyptian civilization. Here, built during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom (c. 2580–2560 BCE), stand the monumental Pyramids of Giza—the only surviving monument of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—guarded by the enigmatic, recumbent limestone figure of the Great Sphinx.

The Wonders of the Giza Plateau

Marvel at the architectural genius that has confounded and inspired humanity for over 4,500 years:

• The Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops): Constructed from an estimated 2.3 million precisely chiseled limestone blocks weighing up to 15 tons each, originally clad in polished white Tura limestone that gleamed under the desert sun.
• The Pyramid of Khafre: Retaining its original smooth casing stones at its peak, creating the optical illusion of rising taller than its neighbor.
• The Pyramid of Menkaure & The Great Sphinx: The mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of Pharaoh Khafre, carved directly from natural limestone bedrock.

The Grand Egyptian Museum & Historic Cairo

Just two kilometers from the pyramids stands the state-of-the-art Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), the largest archaeological museum complex in the world, displaying for the first time in history the complete 5,000-piece treasure collection of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Across the Nile in central Cairo, explore the medieval treasures of Islamic Cairo—including the soaring Citadel of Saladin, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, and the intoxicating labyrinth of the 14th-century Khan el-Khalili bazaar.