Saqqara and memphis sit close enough together south of Cairo that almost every tour covering one also covers the other, usually as consecutive stops on the same half day. I’d treat them as a single combined decision rather than two separate bookings, since splitting them across different days means paying for the same drive south of Cairo twice. The full set of Cairo pyramids tours I stack up by price makes that comparison easy, since the one tour that covers both sites also happens to be the only one that goes beyond the Giza plateau entirely.
Ready to see prices? Giza Pyramids and Great Sphinx Private Tour with Camel Ride, from $54 See times Why do Saqqara and Memphis get paired together?
Saqqara and Memphis sit only a short drive apart, both roughly 30 kilometers south of central Cairo, and both belong to the same broader story: Memphis was Egypt’s first capital, and Saqqara was its royal necropolis. Visiting one without the other means seeing half of a connected history.
I’d go as far as saying Memphis makes far more sense once you’ve just stood in front of the Step Pyramid at Saqqara, since the two sites explain each other in a way neither manages alone. My silo overview of visiting Saqqara covers what the Step Pyramid itself involves if you haven’t read that page yet.
What does the Memphis stop actually add to a Saqqara visit?
Memphis is an open air site centered on the Colossal Statue of Ramesses II, a huge fallen limestone figure now displayed under a shelter, along with other scattered remains of what was once Egypt’s capital city. It’s a shorter stop than Saqqara, typically 30 to 45 minutes, but it adds real historical weight to the day.
Honestly, I think Memphis gets underrated simply because it’s smaller in scale than Saqqara or Giza. There’s no pyramid to climb or photograph from every angle, just the statue and a modest museum building, but the context it adds, this was the actual seat of power before Cairo existed, is worth the brief stop on its way to or from Saqqara.
Want a closer look? Giza Pyramids and Great Sphinx Private Tour with Camel Ride, from $54 See timesHow far is the drive between Cairo, Saqqara and Memphis?
Memphis and Saqqara sit close enough to each other that the drive between them typically takes 15 to 20 minutes, while the trip from central Cairo to either site runs 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic. Most tours route Saqqara first, then Memphis, before continuing on to Giza if that’s part of the itinerary.
I’d build in extra buffer for the Cairo leg specifically, since that’s where traffic is least predictable, while the short hop between Saqqara and Memphis rarely causes delays. My Dahshur guide covers the slightly longer drive to the two lesser known pyramids further south, if you’re considering stretching the day even further, and my page on the Step Pyramid of Djoser’s own history explains why Saqqara’s monument matters before you get there.
Short on time? Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx, Saqqara and Memphis Full-Day Tour, from $72.8 See timesWhich GetYourGuide tour actually covers both Saqqara and Memphis?
The Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx, Saqqara and Memphis full day tour is the product I’d point you to, priced at $72.80 per person for roughly eight hours. It’s built as a full day route rather than a short Saqqara and Memphis only trip, so Giza comes bundled in as well.
I’d check the included and not included lists closely before booking, since this tour covers pickup and drop off, transport, an Egyptologist guide, bottled water, and entry tickets to Saqqara, Memphis and the Pyramids-Sphinx area, with lunch included if you select that option. A camel ride and entry inside the Great Pyramid are not part of the base price, so budget those separately if either matters to you.
Is it worth adding Giza to the same day, or keeping it separate?
Adding Giza to the same day makes sense if you want the complete pyramid building story in one trip and don’t mind an eight hour day. Keeping Giza separate makes more sense if you’ve already visited the plateau or if a full day of sightseeing genuinely doesn’t suit your travel pace.
I’d default to the combined day for most first time visitors, mainly because the transport overlap makes adding Giza nearly free in terms of extra driving time. If you’d rather split the two, a standalone Giza only tour like the camel ride tour covers the plateau on its own for a shorter day.
Want a closer look? Giza Pyramids and Great Sphinx Private Tour with Camel Ride, from $54 See timesWhat should you expect timing wise for a full Saqqara and Memphis day?
Expect roughly an hour to ninety minutes at Saqqara, 30 to 45 minutes at Memphis, and the remainder of the day at Giza if that’s included, plus transport and a lunch stop somewhere in the middle. The full combo tour runs about eight hours door to door once all of that is added up.
I’d treat eight hours as a genuinely full day, not a light half day stretched out, and I’d plan a relaxed evening afterward rather than stacking more sightseeing on top of it. If an eight hour day feels like too much, that’s a legitimate reason to split Saqqara and Memphis from Giza across two separate, shorter outings instead.
Short on time? Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx, Saqqara and Memphis Full-Day Tour, from $72.8 See timesIs the Saqqara and Memphis pairing worth it if you’ve already done Giza?
Yes, if your first Cairo trip only covered the Giza plateau, Saqqara and Memphis fill in a part of the story most visitors miss entirely. You don’t need to redo Giza to make the trip worthwhile, a dedicated half day covering just Saqqara and Memphis works fine on a return visit.
I’d rank this pairing high on a second Cairo trip specifically because it rewards people who already have the Giza basics covered and want the deeper history. If you’re coming back to Egypt after already seeing the pyramids once, I think Saqqara and Memphis deliver more new context per hour than almost anything else within easy reach of Cairo.
Ready to see prices? Giza Pyramids QR Code Entry Ticket, from $17 See timesWhat should you pack for a Saqqara and Memphis day?
Closed shoes and sun protection matter at both sites, the same way they do at Giza, since Saqqara’s ground is sandy and uneven and Memphis offers little shade around its open air statue display. I’d pack exactly what I would for a Giza day: a hat, sunscreen, and water as backup even if your tour provides bottled water.
I’d also bring small bills in Egyptian pounds for Memphis specifically, since the site has a modest gift shop area and the odd vendor nearby, though none of this is required to see the main statue itself. Comfortable layers help too, since an eight hour combo day covers three sites with very different amounts of walking.
Want a closer look? Giza Pyramids and Great Sphinx Private Tour with Camel Ride, from $54 See timesMy honest take on the Saqqara and Memphis pairing
If I were planning this myself, I’d book the full day combo rather than hunt for a standalone Saqqara and Memphis product, since the combo covers more ground for a price gap that’s smaller than booking two separate half day trips. The extra time at Giza on top of Saqqara and Memphis is the better use of a single day south of Cairo.
I wouldn’t skip Memphis just because it’s the smaller of the two stops, since the Colossal Statue alone is worth the short detour, and skipping it to save twenty minutes is a poor trade against how rarely most travelers get back to Cairo for a second visit. Treat the pairing as one connected half day within a longer full day tour, and the logistics mostly take care of themselves. If you’re weighing this against other options for a longer Egypt trip, my round-up of the best day trips from Cairo lays out how it compares to Luxor, Alexandria and the rest.
For background on the ancient capital’s role in Egyptian history, Wikipedia’s overview of Memphis, Egypt is a solid starting reference before you travel.
Short on time? Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx, Saqqara and Memphis Full-Day Tour, from $72.8 See timesFrequently asked questions
Can you visit Saqqara and Memphis without going to Giza?
Yes, a private driver can arrange a Saqqara and Memphis only day, though most packaged GetYourGuide tours bundle Giza in as well rather than selling the pairing alone.
How long does a combined Saqqara and Memphis stop take?
Roughly two hours total for both sites, an hour to ninety minutes at Saqqara and 30 to 45 minutes at Memphis, not counting the drive from central Cairo.
What’s the main thing to see at Memphis?
The Colossal Statue of Ramesses II, a large fallen limestone statue displayed under a shelter, along with scattered remains of what was once Egypt’s ancient capital.
Does the Saqqara and Memphis tour include lunch?
Lunch is included if you select that option or add it at checkout on the full day combo tour, rather than being part of the base price automatically.
Is Memphis worth visiting if you’re short on time?
Yes, even a brief 30 to 45 minute stop adds meaningful context to the Saqqara visit, since Memphis was the capital city Saqqara served as a necropolis for.
Ready to see prices? Giza Pyramids QR Code Entry Ticket, from $17 See times