Best Egypt Attraction Ticket Prices and Opening Hours Guide

Standing before the Great Pyramid or walking the painted corridors of a royal tomb is worth every pound, but it helps to know how many pounds before you go. Ticket prices in Egypt have risen several times in recent years, opening hours differ from one site to the next, and the rules on payment and passes are not always clear at the gate.

This guide covers Egypt tourist attraction ticket prices and opening hours across Giza, Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Alexandria. It also explains how to pay, who gets a discount, whether the Luxor and Cairo passes are worth it, and how Ramadan and holidays change the schedule. Here are all things you need to know about Egypt ticket prices and opening hours:

How Egypt's Ticket System Works

Every state-run site and museum in Egypt is priced by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, which publishes separate rates for Egyptians and foreigners. The prices below are foreign rates in Egyptian pounds, taken from the ministry's official lists and recent updates, and they can change at short notice.

Payment. Most major sites, including the Giza Plateau, the Egyptian Museum and Karnak, now take Visa or Mastercard at the ticket office, and some no longer accept cash at all. Smaller sites and museums may still take cash only, so carry some Egyptian pounds as well. Tell your bank before you travel so your card is not blocked.

Online tickets. Many sites can be booked in advance on the ministry's official ticketing website, and the Grand Egyptian Museum works best with online booking, since time slots can sell out. Be careful with copycat websites that resell tickets at a markup.

Students and children. Foreign students under 30 with a valid international student card pay about half price at most sites. Children under six usually enter free, while older children often pay the student rate.

Photography. Phone photos without flash are free at most sites. Tripods, drones and professional cameras need a separate permit, and photography is banned in a few places, such as the Royal Mummies Hall at NMEC and some tombs.

Extra tickets. Many sites sell the main entrance and special areas separately. At Giza, for example, the plateau ticket does not include going inside the Great Pyramid, and in the Valley of the Kings, the tombs of Tutankhamun and Seti I need their own tickets.

Cairo and Giza Ticket Prices and Opening Hours

Cairo and Giza hold the country's most visited sites, and their tickets are among the most expensive.

At the Giza Pyramids, tickets for the Great Pyramid are limited each day, so arrive early if you want to go inside. The Grand Egyptian Museum raised its prices on 1 November, so double-check the online price before you book. A combined ticket for all of Saqqara and its special tombs costs about EGP 1,000, which suits travelers who want to see the Serapeum and the newer tombs in one visit.

In the city, the Egyptian Museum, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and the Salah El Din Citadel cost the same for foreign adults. Our Cairo travel tips explain how to move between them without wasting time in traffic.

Luxor Ticket Prices and Opening Hours

Luxor has more ticketed sites than any other city in Egypt, so costs add up quickly here.

Karnak Temple opens at 6 am, and the first hour is the coolest and quietest of the day. Luxor Temple stays open into the evening, so it is the best site to save for after dark. On the West Bank, the Valley of the Kings ticket covers three tombs of your choice from those open that day, and the tomb of Tutankhamun is extra. Across the hills, the Valley of the Queens is cheap, but the Tomb of Nefertari is the most expensive single ticket in Egypt.

The Temple of Hatshepsut has little shade, so visit it early. The Luxor Museum has traditionally opened in a morning session and an evening session, with a break in the afternoon, so check its hours before you go.

Aswan, Alexandria and Other Regions

South of Luxor, the Nile Valley temples are cheaper than the big sites in Cairo and Luxor, and Alexandria has some of the lowest prices of all.

The Abu Simbel temples are priced differently in different recent lists, so expect about EGP 750 to 820. On the mornings of 22 February and 22 October, a special ticket of about EGP 1,200 covers the Abu Simbel Sun Festival. Philae Temple closes earlier than most sites, and the boat to the island is paid separately.

On a Nile cruise, the Temple of Edfu and Kom Ombo are usually included in the cruise price. Kom Ombo's late closing makes it a popular evening stop. North of Luxor, the temples of Dendera and Abydos are excellent value for their size and condition.

In Alexandria, the Qaitbay Citadel and the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa each cost EGP 200, making the city one of the cheapest to explore.

Cairo Pass and Luxor Pass: Are They Worth It?

The ministry sells two passes for foreign visitors, both valid for five consecutive days and priced in US dollars or euros.

The Luxor Pass comes in two versions. The standard pass costs USD 130, or USD 70 for students, and covers almost every site in Luxor except the tombs of Nefertari and Seti I. The premium pass costs USD 250, or USD 130 for students, and adds both of those tombs.

The Cairo Pass covers the archaeological sites and museums of Greater Cairo, including Giza and Saqqara, but not NMEC. Its price has changed several times, so confirm it at the ticket office before you buy.

To buy either pass, bring your passport, a copy of it and a passport photo. The passes are sold at major ticket offices, including the Egyptian Museum, the Giza Plateau, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings. Payment rules vary, and some offices have asked for cash in dollars or euros, so bring both a card and some foreign cash. If you buy one pass, the other is sold at half price within the same calendar year.

Is it worth it? At roughly EGP 50 to the dollar, the standard pass costs about EGP 6,500. Single tickets for Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings with Tutankhamun, Hatshepsut, Medinet Habu, the Valley of the Queens and the Luxor Museum add up to about EGP 3,800, so the pass only saves money if you plan to see many more sites over four or five days. The premium pass, about EGP 12,500, makes sense mainly for enthusiasts who want both premium tombs and almost every other site in Luxor. For a typical two or three-day visit, single tickets cost less.

Opening Hours, Ramadan and Public Holidays

Most archaeological sites open between 6 and 9 am and close around 5 pm, with the last ticket sold about an hour before closing. Luxor's sites open earliest, while museums usually open at 9 am.

Fridays. Tourist sites open as normal on Fridays, though some small museums close for midday prayers.

Ramadan. During the holy month, most sites keep shorter hours, often closing around 3 or 4 pm, and the last ticket is sold earlier. Restaurants outside tourist areas may close until sunset. The dates move about 11 days earlier each year, since they follow the Islamic calendar.

Public holidays. Tourist sites and museums generally stay open on public holidays such as Revolution Day on 23 July and Armed Forces Day on 6 October, while banks and government offices close. During Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, sites are open but crowded with local visitors, and trains and flights fill quickly.

Seasons matter as much as hours. Summer heat in Upper Egypt makes early mornings essential, as our guide to the best time to visit Egypt explains.

Plan Your Egypt Sightseeing With Trips In Egypt

Egypt's monuments have stood for thousands of years, and a little planning makes sure your time with them is spent looking, not queuing. With the right tickets and a sensible order of visits, every day becomes a smooth journey through history.

Our Egypt tour packages include all entrance fees, an Egyptologist guide and private transport, so you never handle a ticket queue yourself. We can also build a tailor-made tour around the sites you most want to see. Book us now or contact our operation department today.

5 Days Cairo And Hurghada Trip

Amazing 4 Nights Cairo and Hurghada Trip Itinerary 5 Days Cairo and Hurghada trip wil...

• Duration 5 Days / 4 Nights
• Location Cairo & Hurghada
• Type Historical & Recreational Tour

From$690/per person

View Tour

6 Days Cairo, Alexandria & Faiyum Tour

Unforgettable Cairo, Alexandria & Faiyum Adventure in Six Days 6 Days Cairo, Alex...

• Duration 6 Days / 5 Nights
• Location Cairo - Alexandria - Fayum
• Type Historical Tour

From$720/per person

View Tour

10 Days Cairo, Faiyum & Nile Cruise Holiday

Breathtaking 10 Days Journey of A Lifetime in Egypt 10 Days Cairo, Faiyum & Nile...

• Duration 10 Days / 9 Nights
• Location Cairo, Luxor, Aswan & Faiyum
• Type Classic Tour

From$1350/per person

View Tour

SOLD OUT

Ultimate 7-Day Egypt Solar Eclipse Experience with Hurghada 2027

Enjoy a 7-Day Egypt Solar Eclipse Tour with Hurghada 2027 6 Nights Egypt Solar Ecli...

• Duration 7 Days / 6 Nights
• Location Cairo / Giza / Luxor / Hurghada
• Type Astronomical Tour

Sold Out

View Details