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Overview
Great Pyramid of Khufu
The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids on the Giza plateau and the only surviving monument of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Built around 2589–2566 BCE during the reign of Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops in Greek), it originally stood 146.5 meters tall — a record it held as the world’s tallest man-made structure for 3,800 years. Today, after the loss of its outer casing stones, it stands at 138.8 meters.
The precision of the construction is extraordinary: the base is level to within 2.1 cm across its 230-meter sides, the sides are oriented to the cardinal directions with an accuracy of 0.05 degrees, and the four base sides deviate from perfect equal length by no more than 4.4 cm. The pyramid was built from approximately 2.3 million stone blocks averaging 2.5 tonnes, with some internal granite ceiling beams exceeding 80 tonnes.
The interior consists of three main chambers — the subterranean chamber cut into the bedrock, the Queen’s Chamber in the pyramid’s core, and the King’s Chamber of red Aswan granite — connected by ascending and descending corridors and the Grand Gallery, a corbelled ascending passageway 8.7 meters tall and 46.7 meters long. Ventilation shafts extend from both the Queen’s and King’s chambers toward the pyramid’s exterior faces.
Photo Gallery
Interesting Facts
The Great Pyramid was the world's tallest structure for 3,800 years, from its completion around 2560 BCE until Lincoln Cathedral surpassed it in 1311 CE
The base is aligned to true north with an accuracy of 0.067 degrees — a precision not matched by any modern compass-based construction of its era
In 2017, cosmic-ray muon imaging detected a large previously unknown void above the Grand Gallery, approximately 30 meters long, whose purpose is still under investigation
The Wadi al-Jarf Papyri, discovered in 2013 and dating to Khufu's reign, are the world's oldest known papyri and document the logistical operations of the pyramid's construction
The King's Chamber granite sarcophagus is larger than the passages leading to it and must have been positioned inside the chamber before the pyramid was completed
History & Significance
Khufu was the second pharaoh of the 4th Dynasty and ruled for approximately 23–27 years. His pyramid was the largest construction project in human history to that point and represented the administrative, logistical, and technical peak of the Old Kingdom state. Evidence from the workers’ village at Giza and from administrative papyri found at Wadi al-Jarf — the world’s oldest papyri, dating to Khufu’s reign — confirm that the workforce comprised tens of thousands of skilled and rotating conscripted laborers, organized into named teams and well supplied.
The pyramid has three known chambers and was entered by Arab caliph Al-Ma’mun around 820 CE, who tunneled through the core to find the interior passages. The King’s Chamber contained only the lidless red granite sarcophagus, which is too large to have been brought through the passageways and must have been placed during construction. The chamber was certainly robbed in antiquity — the exact timing is unknown.
In 2017, scientists using muon radiography detected a previously unknown large void above the Grand Gallery — approximately 30 meters long — designated the ‘Big Void.’ Its purpose and whether it contains any chambers or artifacts remains under investigation.
What to See
Grand Gallery
A 46.7-meter corbelled ascending passageway rising 8.7 meters in height — one of the most impressive interior spaces in any ancient monument, accessible via interior ticket.
King's Chamber
The burial chamber of red Aswan granite, containing the lidless sarcophagus that was set in place during construction; ceiling relieving chambers above it prevent collapse.
Descending Passage
The original entrance passage, cutting at 26 degrees through the pyramid's core to the subterranean chamber in the bedrock below.
Solar Boat Museum
Adjacent to the pyramid, this museum houses a fully reconstructed 43-meter cedarwood funerary boat buried in a sealed pit on the pyramid's south face.
Pyramid Exterior Base
Walking the base perimeter gives a direct sense of the structure's scale; remnant casing stones are visible at the base corners.
Great Pyramid Tickets and Prices (2026)
Going inside the Great Pyramid needs its own ticket on top of the Giza plateau entry ticket. Prices are for foreign visitors, October 2026; they change from time to time, so check at the gate.
| Ticket | Adult | Student |
|---|---|---|
| Giza plateau (includes the Sphinx) | EGP 700 | EGP 350 |
| Inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu | about EGP 1,500 | about EGP 750 |
Buy both at the plateau entrance; payment is by bank card. Students need a valid student card. Phone photography is allowed.
Opening Hours and the Best Time to Visit
The Giza plateau opens daily at 7:00 AM and closes at 5:00 PM. Go inside the pyramid first thing in the morning: the passages are cooler, the queue is shortest, and you can see the rest of the plateau afterwards. From May to September the passages are hot and humid by midday.
What It Is Like Inside
The visit follows the ancient passages up to the burial chamber, about 45 minutes there and back:
- The entrance is the tunnel cut by the caliph al-Ma'mun's men in the 9th century, below the original doorway on the north face.
- The Ascending Passage is low and steep: you walk bent over, holding the rails, for about 40 metres.
- The Grand Gallery suddenly opens up: about 47 metres long and 8.6 metres high, with a corbelled roof, it is the most impressive space in any pyramid.
- The King's Chamber is lined with red Aswan granite and still holds Khufu's empty granite sarcophagus.
It is not for anyone who is claustrophobic or has trouble with steep climbs; the rest of the plateau, including the Great Sphinx and the Pyramid of Khafre, can be enjoyed without going in. Khufu's 4,500-year-old cedar boat, once displayed beside the pyramid, now has its own hall in the Grand Egyptian Museum.
How to Get There and How Long You Need
The Great Pyramid stands at the north end of the Giza plateau, about 13 km south-west of central Cairo, closest to the main entrance by the Mena House. Allow about one hour for the inside and the base, and half a day for the whole plateau.
| How | Best for |
|---|---|
| Giza Pyramids day tour | The pyramids and the Sphinx with a private Egyptologist and car. |
| Grand Egyptian Museum tour | Pair the plateau with Khufu's boat and Tutankhamun's treasures next door. |
| Cairo day trip from Hurghada | A long day from the Red Sea. |
Great Pyramid Tours
Every one of our Giza tours and Egypt packages visits the Great Pyramid; ask us to add the inside ticket when you book.
Great Pyramid of Khufu: Common Questions
Can you go inside the Great Pyramid?
Yes. A separate ticket of about EGP 1,500 takes you up the Ascending Passage and the Grand Gallery to the King's Chamber.
Is it worth going inside the Great Pyramid?
For the Grand Gallery, yes. There are no paintings or carvings inside, so if you dislike tight, steep spaces you lose little by staying outside.
How old is the Great Pyramid?
It was built for King Khufu of the 4th Dynasty around 2560 BC, and was the tallest building on earth for nearly 4,000 years.
Where is Khufu's solar boat now?
It was moved in 2021 to the Grand Egyptian Museum, where it is shown in its own boat museum.
Great Pyramid of Giza Tours
Every Great Pyramid of Giza tour we run covers the whole plateau: the three pyramids, the Sphinx, the Valley Temple and the Panorama Point, with a private Egyptologist guide and hotel pick-up in Cairo or Giza. Compare half-day and full-day options on our Giza Pyramids tours page.
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