๐บ Private Tour ยท Step Pyramid ยท No Shopping Stops ยท Egyptologist Guide
Saqqara and Memphis Tour from Hurghada with Guide
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Updated: June 2026 ย |
โฑ๏ธ 18 min read ย |
๐ถ From โฌ140 / person ย |
โญ 4.9/5 rated ย |
๐๏ธ Step Pyramid + Ancient Memphis Included
A Saqqara and Memphis tour from Hurghada takes you to the two places where Egyptian civilisation truly began โ the ancient capital that ruled the world’s first great empire, and the desert necropolis where Egypt’s oldest monumental architecture still stands after 4,700 years. While Giza’s Great Pyramid draws the crowds, Saqqara and Memphis reward travellers who look deeper: this is where pharaonic Egypt was invented.
The Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara is the world’s oldest stone building and the direct predecessor of every pyramid ever built. Memphis was the capital of the united Egyptian kingdom for over 3,000 years โ a city so powerful that its very name gave us the word “Egypt” (from the ancient name Hwt-Ka-Ptah). Together, they form one of the most historically significant and under-visited day trips available from Hurghada in 2026.
This guide covers everything: the complete hour-by-hour itinerary, answers to the questions travellers ask most (Are Memphis and Saqqara the same? How far apart are they?), honest 2026 pricing, what you will see at each site, and insider tips from our licensed Egyptologist guides.
๐ก Why Saqqara and Memphis matter more than most visitors realise: The Step Pyramid of Djoser predates the Great Pyramid of Giza by 70 years. Memphis was the world’s largest city for centuries. These are not secondary attractions โ they are the foundation on which all of Egyptian history was built. Travellers who visit them consistently describe the experience as more moving than Giza.
Are Memphis and Saqqara the Same?
This is one of the most common questions travellers ask before booking a tour โ and the answer is: no, Memphis and Saqqara are not the same place, but they are deeply connected and almost always visited together because they are only 3 km apart and form two halves of the same ancient story.
Memphis was the ancient capital city โ the political, commercial, and religious heart of unified Egypt for over 3,000 years. Founded around 3100 BCE by the pharaoh Menes (also known as Narmer) when he unified Upper and Lower Egypt, Memphis sat on the west bank of the Nile at the junction of the Two Lands. At its height, it was the largest city on earth. Today, the ruins of Memphis are preserved in a small open-air museum at the modern village of Mit Rahina.
Saqqara was Memphis’s necropolis โ the vast desert cemetery where the city’s kings, nobles, priests, and officials were buried across 3,500 years. It covers approximately 7 kmยฒ of desert plateau overlooking the Nile Valley and contains dozens of pyramids, mastaba tombs, and underground galleries. The most famous structure here is the Step Pyramid of Djoser โ the world’s oldest stone building, built around 2650 BCE.
| Feature |
Memphis |
Saqqara |
| What it was |
Ancient capital city โ city of the living |
Royal necropolis โ city of the dead |
| Founded |
~3100 BCE by Menes/Narmer |
~3100 BCE โ used continuously for 3,500 years |
| Main attraction |
Colossal Ramesses II statue + Alabaster Sphinx |
Step Pyramid of Djoser + painted mastaba tombs |
| Distance from Giza |
~24 km south |
~27 km south |
| Distance from each other |
Only 3 km apart โ always visited on the same day |
In short: Memphis was where the pharaohs lived and governed. Saqqara was where they and their subjects were buried. The two sites together tell the complete story of Egypt’s most ancient era โ and together they are one of the most historically significant destinations on earth. Your Saqqara and Memphis tour from Hurghada visits both in a single day.
Why Is Memphis Associated with Egypt? The History Explained
Memphis is not merely associated with Egypt โ it is Egypt, in the most fundamental sense. The city’s ancient Egyptian name was Inbu-Hedj (“White Walls”), but it was also called Hwt-Ka-Ptah (“Temple of the Soul of Ptah”). When Greek traders arrived, they distorted this name into Aigyptos โ from which we get the word Egypt itself. The country is named after Memphis.
Memphis was founded at one of the most consequential moments in human history: the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt around 3100 BCE, when Menes/Narmer united the Two Kingdoms and created the world’s first large-scale nation-state. He chose the junction point of the two kingdoms โ where the Nile Delta begins โ as his capital, and Memphis stood at that strategic crossroads for the next 3,000 years.
Why Memphis Was the Most Important City on Earth
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Capital of the First Nation
Memphis was the capital of the world’s first unified nation-state, governing a territory of over 1 million kmยฒ from a single administrative centre.
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World’s Largest City
At the height of the Old Kingdom (2686โ2181 BCE), Memphis had a population estimated at 30,000โ100,000 โ the largest city on earth at the time.
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Centre of Industry
Memphis housed the workshops that built the Pyramids โ the quarrying operations, the administrative offices, the bakeries and breweries that fed 20,000 pyramid builders.
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Home of Ptah
Memphis was the sacred city of Ptah, the creator god who made the world through thought and spoken word. The great Temple of Ptah was one of Egypt’s most important religious centres.
Despite its extraordinary importance, Memphis today is remarkably modest โ the Nile floods, centuries of stone-robbing, and the building of modern Cairo on top of its ruins have reduced the once-mighty capital to a collection of statues and monuments in a palm-shaded open-air museum. What remains, however, is deeply moving: a colossal fallen limestone statue of Ramesses II that was once 13 metres tall, an alabaster sphinx of extraordinary craftsmanship, and the knowledge that beneath the fields and villages of Mit Rahina lies one of the greatest cities the ancient world ever produced.
How Far Is Memphis from Saqqara?
Memphis and Saqqara are approximately 3 km apart โ a 10-minute drive in your private vehicle. This is why they are almost universally visited together on the same day: the proximity makes combining them completely natural and efficient.
Here is the full distance context for travellers coming from Hurghada or the Giza Plateau area:
| Journey |
Distance |
Drive Time |
| Memphis โ Saqqara |
~3 km |
10 minutes |
| Saqqara โ Giza Pyramids |
~27 km |
35โ45 minutes |
| Hurghada โ Saqqara |
~430 km |
4.5 hours |
| Hurghada โ Memphis |
~427 km |
4.5 hours |
๐ก Planning tip: Because Saqqara and Memphis are only 3 km apart and both are located 27โ30 km south of the Giza Pyramids, many travellers combine all three on the same day. Our
Giza Pyramids and Saqqara combined tour is designed exactly for this. However, to give Saqqara and Memphis the time they genuinely deserve, a dedicated day for just these two sites is strongly recommended.
What to See in Saqqara and Memphis โ The Complete Guide
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of what you will see at each site on your private Saqqara and Memphis tour from Hurghada.
๐ What to See at Saqqara
๐๏ธ
Step Pyramid of Djoser
The world’s oldest stone building โ built around 2650 BCE by the architect Imhotep for Pharaoh Djoser. Six mastabas stacked in diminishing tiers to a height of 62 metres. This was the architectural revolution that made the Great Pyramid possible 70 years later. Recently reopened after 14 years of restoration.
๐จ
Painted Mastaba Tombs
The mastaba tombs of Old Kingdom nobles โ particularly Mereruka, Ti, and Kagemni โ contain the most vivid and detailed scenes of daily life from any ancient civilisation. Farming, fishing, hunting, music, and feasting: 4,500-year-old paintings as fresh as the day they were created.
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The Serapeum โ Tombs of the Apis Bulls
An underground labyrinth of tunnels containing the burial vaults of the sacred Apis bulls โ enormous granite sarcophagi each weighing 80 tonnes. Carved into the bedrock, lit by a single lantern, the Serapeum is one of the most atmospheric underground sites in Egypt.
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The Djoser Complex โ Full Enclosure
The Step Pyramid sits within a vast walled compound of 15 hectares โ the world’s first monumental stone complex. The entrance colonnade with its fluted proto-Doric columns predates Greek architecture by 2,000 years. Your guide explains what this complex represents architecturally.
๐ฎ
The Pyramid of Unas
From the outside, a modest mound of rubble. Inside, the burial chamber walls are covered in the Pyramid Texts โ the world’s oldest religious literature, written in beautiful blue hieroglyphs. These texts are the direct ancestors of the Book of the Dead.
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The Desert Plateau Panorama
Standing on Saqqara’s elevated desert plateau, you see an extraordinary panorama: the Step Pyramid immediately before you, and in the distance โ the Dahshur pyramids to the south, and the Giza pyramids (including the Great Pyramid) on the horizon to the north. Nowhere else in Egypt offers this view.
๐ What to See at Memphis
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Colossal Statue of Ramesses II
The fallen limestone colossus of Ramesses the Great โ originally standing 13 metres tall, now displayed horizontally in a purpose-built museum. The craftsmanship of the face and body, even after 3,200 years, is astonishing. One of the finest statues from the ancient world.
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The Alabaster Sphinx of Memphis
An 8-metre sphinx carved from a single block of alabaster (calcite) โ smaller than the Giza Sphinx but far more refined in its detail and material. Its face, paws, and inscription are remarkably well-preserved. A genuinely beautiful piece of ancient sculpture.
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The Open-Air Museum Gardens
The Memphis museum grounds are shaded by palm trees and contain dozens of statues, architectural fragments, and inscribed blocks recovered from the ancient city. A peaceful, uncrowded site that gives you time to reflect on what once stood here.
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Temple of Ptah โ Ruins
The footprint of the great Temple of Ptah โ once one of the largest religious complexes in Egypt, rivalling Karnak. Almost entirely destroyed, but the few surviving blocks and your guide’s description bring it powerfully back to life.
10 Must-See Highlights of Your Saqqara and Memphis Tour
Your private Saqqara and Memphis tour from Hurghada with guide is built around these ten defining experiences โ each one unique to these two ancient sites.
๐๏ธ
1. Step Pyramid of Djoser
The world’s oldest stone structure โ the building that made the Great Pyramid possible. Standing at its base and understanding what it represents architecturally is a profound moment for any traveller.
๐จ
2. Mastaba of Mereruka
32 chambers of painted reliefs from 2340 BCE โ the largest Old Kingdom tomb at Saqqara. Scenes of hippo hunting, fishing, goldsmithing, and music that make the ancient Egyptians feel astonishingly real.
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3. The Serapeum Underground
The subterranean gallery of Apis bull sarcophagi โ each 80-tonne granite block moved into these tunnels with ancient engineering that still defies explanation. The silence and darkness here are extraordinary.
๐ฎ
4. Pyramid Texts of Unas
The world’s oldest religious literature, carved in turquoise-blue hieroglyphs on the walls of a burial chamber built in 2375 BCE. The direct ancestor of the Book of the Dead โ and still one of the most visually beautiful rooms in Egypt.
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5. Multi-Pyramid Panorama
The only place in Egypt where you can see multiple pyramid fields simultaneously โ Step Pyramid, Dahshur, and Giza all visible from the same desert plateau. Your guide explains the 1,000-year evolution of pyramid design visible in one view.
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6. Colossus of Ramesses II at Memphis
The fallen 13-metre limestone colossus of the greatest pharaoh in Egyptian history โ lying in its dedicated museum building, face perfectly preserved, royal cartouche still crisp after 3,200 years.
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7. Alabaster Sphinx of Memphis
Carved from a single block of calcite alabaster, the Memphis Sphinx is smaller than the Giza Sphinx but far more detailed โ the stone’s translucency gives it a quality of light unlike any other ancient sculpture.
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8. Djoser Entrance Colonnade
The 40-column entrance hall of the Djoser complex โ built 2,000 years before the Parthenon, its fluted columns are the direct architectural ancestors of classical Greek architecture. Your guide explains the connection that most visitors miss entirely.
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9. Nile Valley View from the Plateau
From Saqqara’s elevated position, the green Nile Delta stretches to the east โ a ribbon of cultivation against the desert, identical to what the ancient Egyptians saw from this same spot. The contrast between desert and cultivation is one of the most striking landscapes in Egypt.
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10. Traditional Egyptian Lunch
A quality lunch at a local restaurant near the sites โ your guide selects based on food quality, not commission. Authentic Egyptian mezze, grilled meats, fresh bread, and cold drinks. Included in your tour price.
Full Day Itinerary โ Hour by Hour
Your private Saqqara and Memphis tour from Hurghada with guide follows this complete programme โ from hotel pickup to return drop-off.
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04:00 โ 05:00 AM
Private Hotel Pickup in Hurghada
Your private, air-conditioned vehicle collects you directly from your hotel lobby. Guests in central Hurghada depart at 04:00 AM; El Gouna and Sahl Hasheesh guests from 04:30 AM. Your licensed Egyptologist guide travels with you from pickup โ using the journey to give you historical context on Memphis, Saqqara, and the Old Kingdom before you arrive. Bottled water and USB charging are provided throughout.
โฐ๏ธ
04:00 โ 08:30 AM
Hurghada to Saqqara โ Private Transfer (430 km)
The drive from Hurghada to Saqqara covers approximately 430 km via the desert motorway and takes around 4.5 hours. The desert sunrise over the plateau as you approach Cairo is remarkable. Your guide covers the history of the Old Kingdom, the significance of Memphis as Egypt’s first capital, and a preview of the Step Pyramid’s architectural revolution. Comfort stops are made at service stations en route.
๐๏ธ
08:30 โ 11:30 AM
Saqqara โ Step Pyramid, Tombs & Serapeum โญโญโญ
The centrepiece of your morning. Your guide leads you through the full Djoser complex: the entrance colonnade with its 40 fluted columns, the vast walled enclosure, and the Step Pyramid itself โ the world’s oldest stone building, now fully restored after 14 years of work. You then descend into the painted mastaba tombs (Mereruka and Ti are the finest), where 4,500-year-old reliefs of daily life cover every wall in extraordinary detail. If available, the Serapeum underground gallery โ with its 80-tonne bull sarcophagi โ completes the morning. Three hours here gives you the time this extraordinary site deserves.
๐ฝ๏ธ
11:30 AM โ 12:30 PM
Lunch โ Traditional Egyptian Restaurant
A quality lunch at a recommended local restaurant between Saqqara and Memphis โ approximately 10 minutes’ drive from the Saqqara entrance. Authentic mezze, grilled meats, fresh bread, cold drinks, and vegetarian options. Your guide selects based on seasonal quality. Included in your tour price. A comfortable 60-minute rest before Memphis.
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12:30 โ 14:30 PM
Memphis โ Ramesses II Colossus, Alabaster Sphinx & Open-Air Museum โญโญ
A 10-minute drive from Saqqara brings you to the ruins of ancient Memphis โ the capital city that gave Egypt its name. Your guide leads you through the open-air museum: the fallen colossus of Ramesses II (a 13-metre limestone statue of extraordinary quality), the Alabaster Sphinx (one of the most refined pieces of ancient sculpture in Egypt), and the garden museum of recovered architectural fragments. Your guide brings Memphis alive โ not as a field of ruins, but as the greatest city of the ancient world, whose story you have been walking through all day.
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14:30 โ 15:00 PM
Optional: Add Dahshur Pyramids or Giza Pyramids
Because Saqqara and Memphis both finish by early afternoon, there is time โ if you wish โ to add a stop at the Dahshur pyramids (Red Pyramid and Bent Pyramid, 10 km south of Saqqara) or the Giza Pyramids (27 km north). Both are driveable within 30โ45 minutes. Discuss with your guide based on energy levels and interest. This optional extension does not add extra charge to the guide or vehicle โ only site entrance fees.
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15:00 โ 19:30 PM
Private Return Transfer to Hurghada
Your private vehicle takes you directly back to your Hurghada hotel โ door to door, no shared stops, no detours. The return drive takes approximately 4.5 hours. You arrive back by approximately 19:30โ20:00, with your evening free. Bottled water and charging ports throughout the return journey.
Private ยท No Shopping Stops ยท Egyptologist Guide
Secure your Saqqara and Memphis private tour from Hurghada โ the world’s oldest stone building and Egypt’s first capital in a single extraordinary day.
๐บ Book Saqqara & Memphis Tour โ From โฌ140
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure
2026 Pricing โ Saqqara and Memphis Tour from Hurghada Cost
Complete transparency on the Saqqara and Memphis tour from Hurghada price. Here is exactly what you pay and what you receive.
Best Value
Private Car Tour
โฌ140
per adult ยท ~ยฃ120
โ Private ยท โ Egyptologist Guide ยท โ All Sites
Children (under 12): โฌ80 ยท Solo supplement: +25%
By Plane + Private Car
โฌ165
per adult ยท ~ยฃ141
โ Flight HurghadaโCairo ยท โ More Sightseeing Time
Includes return flights + private transfers
Shared Bus Tour
โฌ50
per adult ยท ~ยฃ43
Shared coach ยท Group guide ยท Budget option
Shared with 30โ45 other passengers
What Is Included โ Private Car Tour (โฌ140)
โ Private round-trip air-conditioned vehicle (Hurghada โ Saqqara/Memphis) โ your group only
โ Licensed English-speaking Egyptologist guide (dedicated full day)
โ Entrance fees: Saqqara complex + Memphis open-air museum
โ Lunch at a quality local restaurant
โ Bottled water throughout the day
โ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure
What Is Not Included
โ Mastaba tomb individual entry fees (~โฌ5โโฌ8 each โ payable on site)
โ Serapeum entry (~โฌ8 extra โ highly recommended)
โ Optional Dahshur or Giza extension (entrance fees only โ guide and vehicle are included)
โ Tips for guide and driver (optional โ โฌ10โโฌ15 per person appreciated)
Private Tour vs Group Bus โ Full Comparison
| Feature |
Private Tour (Our Tour) |
Group Bus Tour |
| Time at Saqqara |
โ 3 hours โ relaxed, your pace |
โ 60โ75 mins (rushed) |
| Mastaba tombs |
โ 2โ3 tombs with full context |
Often 1 tomb with rushed guide |
| Serapeum visit |
โ Included if open |
Often skipped for time |
| Shopping stops |
โ Zero โ guaranteed |
Often 1โ2 stops added |
| Guide ratio |
โ 1 guide for your group |
1 guide for 30โ45 people |
| Optional add-ons |
โ Dahshur/Giza available on day |
Fixed itinerary โ no changes |
| Price per person |
From โฌ140 |
From โฌ50 |
| Best for |
Couples, families, history enthusiasts |
Solo travellers, tight budgets |
The Step Pyramid of Djoser โ Essential Visitor Guide
The Step Pyramid is the centrepiece of your Saqqara visit and one of the most important monuments in human history. Built around 2650 BCE by the architect Imhotep for Pharaoh Djoser of the Third Dynasty, it was the world’s first large-scale stone construction โ and the invention that made everything that followed possible.
Before Imhotep, Egyptian monumental architecture used mud brick. The mastaba tombs at Saqqara were low, flat, rectangular structures. Imhotep’s genius was to stack six mastabas of diminishing size โ each cut back slightly from the one below โ creating a stepped structure 62 metres tall. The result was transformative: a building that reached toward the sky, visible for miles across the desert, and made entirely from carefully cut limestone blocks.
๐ Dimensions
62 metres tall ยท 125 m eastโwest ยท 109 m northโsouth. Six steps. Built in approximately 19 years โ remarkably fast for a structure of this ambition.
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Age
Built around 2650 BCE โ approximately 4,670 years ago. It predates the Great Pyramid of Giza by 70 years and Stonehenge’s major construction phases by 400 years.
๐ Restoration
Closed for 14 years of restoration, the Step Pyramid was reopened in 2020. The restoration was a major UNESCO project โ it is now more accessible than at any point in the modern era.
๐๏ธ Imhotep’s Legacy
Imhotep was the first named architect in history. He was later deified as a god of medicine and wisdom โ worshipped for 2,000 years after his death. The Greeks identified him with Asclepius, god of healing.
๐ก Our guide’s perspective: Most visitors to Egypt see the Great Pyramid as the pinnacle of achievement. But the Step Pyramid came first โ and in some ways, the leap it represents is more extraordinary. Imhotep did not refine an existing tradition. He invented one from nothing. Standing at the base of the Step Pyramid and understanding that no stone building of this scale had ever existed before โ anywhere on earth โ changes how you see everything that follows.
What to Pack โ Saqqara and Memphis Day Trip Checklist
๐งด
Sun Protection
SPF 50 sunscreen, wide-brimmed hat, UV sunglasses. Saqqara is a fully exposed desert plateau โ significantly hotter than Hurghada in summer months (MayโSeptember: 35โ42ยฐC). Reapply every 90 minutes.
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Closed-Toe Walking Shoes
Saqqara involves sand, rubble, uneven surfaces, and descending into tomb shafts. Comfortable, closed-toe shoes are essential โ no sandals for the Serapeum descent. You will walk 4โ7 km across the plateau.
๐ฐ
Cash (EGP) for Extras
Individual mastaba tomb tickets (~EGP 150โ200 each) and the Serapeum (~EGP 500) are paid separately on site. Bring approximately ยฃ25โยฃ40 in EGP for optional extras and tips. Exchange at your hotel or Hurghada airport before departure.
๐ฆ
Torch / Phone Torch
The Serapeum underground gallery is dimly lit and the mastaba tombs can be dark in corners. Your guide carries a torch but having your own ensures you can examine the wall paintings at close range. A phone with a good torch works well.
๐ท
Camera & Power Bank
The mastaba tomb paintings photograph extraordinarily well in good natural light. A 10,000 mAh power bank keeps you covered for the full day. Photography is permitted throughout Saqqara and Memphis โ bring extra storage.
๐งฃ
Light Layer for Early Morning
The desert pre-dawn can be cool โ particularly October through March when temperatures drop to 8โ12ยฐC before sunrise. Bring a lightweight jacket or scarf for the early morning vehicle departure. It will be unnecessary by 09:00 AM.
Is the Saqqara and Memphis Tour Suitable for Families?
Saqqara is genuinely one of the most engaging sites in Egypt for children โ walking into a real ancient tomb with painted walls, seeing the world’s oldest building, and descending into the underground Serapeum are experiences that engage younger visitors in a way that museums rarely can.
โ Children under 12: โฌ80 per child (vs โฌ140 for adults)
โ Child car seats available on request โ mention at booking
โ Guides use story-based narration for children โ the Step Pyramid’s construction story captivates young visitors
โ The mastaba tomb paintings of animals, fishing, and daily life are universally engaging for children aged 7+
โ Memphis’s open-air museum is shaded by palm trees โ pleasant and manageable for all ages in any season
๐จโ๐ฉโ๐ง Family Tip
The Serapeum descent involves steps, low ceilings, and confined underground passages โ suitable for children over 8 who are comfortable in enclosed spaces. For younger children, skip the Serapeum and spend the extra time at the mastaba tombs instead. The painted walls at Ti and Mereruka are far more visually engaging for young visitors. Discuss with your guide before you arrive.
10 Insider Tips from Our Egyptologist Guides
Tip 1 โ Arrive at Saqqara early. The site opens at 08:00 AM. Arriving by 08:30โ09:00 means you have the Step Pyramid complex almost entirely to yourself. Group buses from Cairo typically arrive between 09:30 and 11:00. The early morning light on the Step Pyramid is also dramatically beautiful โ flat-lit by midday.
Tip 2 โ Visit the Mastaba of Ti before Mereruka. Both are exceptional, but Ti (built around 2400 BCE) is slightly less visited and its painted scenes of daily life โ including a spectacular hippo hunt โ are among the finest in Egypt. Your guide will take you to the less-crowded tomb first.
Tip 3 โ The Serapeum requires a separate ticket โ bring EGP cash. The Serapeum is not included in the general Saqqara ticket and is paid for separately at the entrance. Bring EGP cash specifically for this. At approximately EGP 500 (~ยฃ8), it is the single most atmospheric underground experience in Egypt and should not be skipped.
Tip 4 โ Ask your guide about Imhotep’s achievement in context. Most visitors understand that the Step Pyramid is old. Very few understand how radical it was in its moment. Your Egyptologist can explain why Imhotep’s invention of monumental stone architecture was the equivalent of the Industrial Revolution โ a paradigm shift that changed what human civilisation believed was possible.
Tip 5 โ Do not skip Memphis because it looks modest. The Memphis open-air museum is small and unassuming โ just a few statues and ruins in a palm garden. Many group tour visitors dismiss it quickly. Your guide transforms it: standing beside the fallen colossus of Ramesses II in the context of what Memphis was โ the capital of the world’s first nation-state โ is a moving experience that cannot happen without knowledge.
Tip 6 โ Photography tip for the mastaba tombs. The best photographs of the painted walls are taken in the first 15 minutes after entering โ before other visitors crowd the space. Have your camera or phone ready as you descend. The paintings of animals (cattle, geese, ibis) photograph particularly well in the natural light that filters from the entrance shaft.
Tip 7 โ The Pyramid of Unas is often overlooked and almost never crowded. The exterior looks like a rubble mound โ nothing impressive. But inside, the Pyramid Texts are among the most beautiful and significant objects in the ancient world. Ask your guide to include a visit if it is open on your day.
Tip 8 โ Carry more water than you think you need. Saqqara is at elevation on a desert plateau with no shade between monuments. In summer months, dehydration is a genuine concern. Your vehicle carries water and more is available at the site entrance โ but carry at least 1.5 litres on your person at any time during the outdoor sections.
Tip 9 โ The best view of the multi-pyramid panorama is from the northwest corner of the Djoser complex. From this point, the Step Pyramid is to your right, the Giza pyramids visible on the horizon to the north, and the Dahshur pyramids (Red and Bent) visible to the south. Your guide will show you the exact spot โ and explain the 1,000-year timeline of pyramid evolution visible in a single 180-degree view.
Tip 10 โ Allow time to sit at Memphis. The Memphis open-air museum’s palm-shaded gardens are one of the most peaceful spots in the greater Cairo area. After the intensity of Saqqara, taking 20 minutes to sit beside the Alabaster Sphinx in the dappled afternoon light โ with almost no other visitors around โ is one of those quiet travel moments that stays with you long after the photographs fade.
Real Reviews โ Saqqara and Memphis Tour from Hurghada
Verified reviews from travellers who completed this private Saqqara and Memphis tour from Hurghada with guide.
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“I had visited the Giza Pyramids on a previous Egypt trip and wanted something different this time. Saqqara was the right choice. The Step Pyramid is extraordinary โ and the painted mastaba tombs genuinely moved me. Our guide’s knowledge was exceptional. Memphis was unexpectedly beautiful. Zero shopping stops as promised.”
Michael & Jane R. โ Birmingham, UK ยท May 2026
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“We did the Saqqara and Memphis tour as a family with two children (ages 10 and 13). The Serapeum was the highlight for the kids โ they have talked about those giant sarcophagi ever since. Our Egyptologist guide was superb with the children. The early start from Hurghada was completely worth it.”
Amanda T. โ Leeds, UK ยท March 2026
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“I am an architect and came specifically to see the Step Pyramid and the entrance colonnade. Our guide understood exactly what I wanted and spent extra time at the architectural elements that matter to a professional. The colonnade predating Greek architecture by 2,000 years โ I knew it intellectually, but standing inside it was something else entirely.”
Peter S. โ London, UK ยท January 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Memphis and Saqqara the same place?
No โ Memphis and Saqqara are two distinct sites located approximately 3 km apart. Memphis was ancient Egypt’s capital city โ the political and commercial heart of the united kingdom for over 3,000 years. Saqqara was Memphis’s royal necropolis โ the vast desert cemetery where the city’s kings and nobles were buried. They are deeply connected (Saqqara exists because of Memphis) and almost always visited together because of their proximity. Your private tour includes both sites in a single full day.
Why is Memphis associated with Egypt?
The word “Egypt” itself derives from Memphis. The city’s ancient name Hwt-Ka-Ptah was distorted by Greek traders into Aigyptos โ from which came the Latin Aegyptus and our modern word Egypt. Memphis was founded around 3100 BCE by the pharaoh Menes/Narmer when he unified Upper and Lower Egypt, creating the world’s first large-scale nation-state. The city served as Egypt’s capital for over 3,000 years and was the world’s largest city during the Old Kingdom period.
How far is Memphis from Saqqara?
Memphis and Saqqara are approximately 3 km apart โ a 10-minute drive. Both sites are located approximately 25โ30 km south of central Cairo and 27โ30 km south of the Giza Pyramids. The drive from Hurghada to either site is approximately 430 km and takes around 4.5 hours in a private vehicle.
What is the best thing to see in Saqqara and Memphis?
At Saqqara: the Step Pyramid of Djoser (the world’s oldest stone building), the painted mastaba tombs of Mereruka and Ti (extraordinary scenes of ancient daily life), and the Serapeum underground gallery (80-tonne Apis bull sarcophagi in a subterranean labyrinth). At Memphis: the fallen limestone colossus of Ramesses II and the Alabaster Sphinx โ both exceptional examples of ancient sculpture. Your Egyptologist guide will prioritise based on what interests your group most.
How much does a Saqqara and Memphis tour from Hurghada cost?
The private car tour starts from โฌ140 per adult (approximately ยฃ120). Children under 12 pay โฌ80. The by-plane tour with flights included starts from โฌ165 per adult. The shared bus tour starts from โฌ50 per adult. All private tours include a licensed Egyptologist guide, vehicle, Saqqara and Memphis entrance fees, lunch, and bottled water. Individual mastaba tomb tickets (~โฌ5โ8 each) and the Serapeum (~โฌ8) are paid separately on site.
Can I combine Saqqara and Memphis with the Giza Pyramids on the same day?
It is possible โ and we offer a dedicated
Giza Pyramids and Saqqara combined tour. However, combining all three sites in a single day from Hurghada is very full โ you get approximately 90 minutes at each site rather than the 3 hours that Saqqara really deserves. For travellers who want to experience Saqqara and Memphis properly, a dedicated tour is strongly recommended. The combination with Giza works better on a 2-day Cairo trip with a hotel overnight.
When is the best time of year to visit Saqqara and Memphis from Hurghada?
October to April is ideal โ temperatures at Saqqara range from 12ยฐC (January dawn) to 25ยฐC (April afternoon), making the exposed desert plateau comfortable. May and September are warm but manageable with early starts. June through August is the hottest period (35โ42ยฐC on the plateau) โ the mastaba tombs and Memphis museum are shaded, but the walk between monuments at Saqqara requires careful sun management. Early morning arrival is essential in summer months.
Is the Step Pyramid of Djoser currently open to visitors?
Yes. The Step Pyramid and the surrounding Djoser complex were fully reopened in 2020 following a 14-year UNESCO restoration project. The complex is now more accessible and better presented than at any point in the modern era. The restoration has stabilised the structure and opened areas previously inaccessible. The entrance colonnade, the Djoser enclosure, and the pyramid itself can all be visited.
Book Your Saqqara and Memphis Private Tour Today
Secure your private Saqqara and Memphis tour from Hurghada. Licensed Egyptologist guide. All entrance fees included. Zero shopping stops. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
๐บ Book Saqqara & Memphis Tour โ From โฌ140 Per Person
Final Thoughts โ Why Saqqara and Memphis Deserve a Full Day
Giza gets the visitors. Saqqara and Memphis get the historians โ and, increasingly, the travellers who have been once before and know that Egypt’s story starts much earlier than the Great Pyramid.
The Saqqara and Memphis private tour from Hurghada takes you to the place where Egyptian civilisation was founded, to the world’s oldest stone building, to underground galleries of colossal scale, and to the palm-shaded ruins of the city that gave Egypt its name. With a licensed Egyptologist guide who understands not just the facts but the meaning, these sites become more than a checklist โ they become a story you feel rather than simply observe.
Book your private Saqqara and Memphis tour from Hurghada today โ and discover the Egypt that existed before the pyramids became famous.
