Everyone visits the Great Pyramids of Giza, but if you want to truly understand how the ancient Egyptians learned to build them, you have to leave the city behind. Located just a short drive south of Cairo, the ancient necropolises of Saqqara and Dahshur are where pyramid building was actually invented!
If you have a spare day in Cairo, this historical day trip is an absolute must. Here is what you will discover.
1. Saqqara & The Step Pyramid of Djoser
Saqqara is a massive, sprawling ancient burial ground that served the ancient capital of Memphis. It has become Egypt's most exciting archaeological site, with new, perfectly preserved tombs from the New Kingdom continuously being opened to the public in 2025 and 2026!
The Step Pyramid: Built by the genius architect Imhotep in the 27th century BC, this is the oldest monumental stone building in the world. Following recent restorations, you can now walk deep into the underground corridors beneath the pyramid to see its famous blue faience tiles!
2. Dahshur: The Red & Bent Pyramids
Further south lies Dahshur, a much quieter, desert site that feels like a true Indiana Jones adventure. This is where King Sneferu figured out how to build a smooth-sided pyramid.
The Bent Pyramid: The very first attempt at a smooth pyramid. Halfway up, the ancient engineers realized the angle was too steep and it was going to collapse, so they abruptly changed the angle, giving it its famous "bent" shape!
The Red Pyramid: The third-largest pyramid in Egypt. The best part? You can actually go inside! You will descend a long, steep, narrow wooden tunnel deep into the heart of the structure to explore the ancient echo chambers. (Tip: Not recommended if you are severely claustrophobic!)
3. Memphis: The First Capital
Round out your day trip by visiting the open-air museum at Memphis, the very first capital city of unified Egypt. The highlight here is standing next to the colossal, breathtakingly detailed limestone statue of Ramses II lying on its back.
Book Your Saqqara & Dahshur Day Trip with Romantic Travel
Navigating the desert roads between these three massive sites requires a local expert. Let Romantic Travel handle the logistics! We provide private, air-conditioned transport, secure all the necessary entrance tickets, and provide a brilliant Egyptologist guide who will bring the evolution of the pyramids to life.
Click here to contact our team today and let’s secure your private Cairo day trip!
