What It’s Like to Climb Inside an Egyptian Pyramid

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Do you know that you can actually climb inside an Egyptian pyramid? Yes, you can literally climb inside the belly of the tomb and see the burial chamber that’s built deep inside. The Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt are one of the incredible marvels in the world.

The amount of sheer manpower and backbreaking work it took to build these ancient tombs is confounding. The Great Pyramid alone was built with 1.3 million limestone blocks that ranged in weight from 2.5 tons to 15 tons. The largest and most famous of all the pyramids, the Great Pyramid at Giza, was built by King Khufu.

Egyptian pyramids

» Check out these 25 Traditional Egyptian Food Dishes to Try.

There are two smaller pyramids nearby that were built for Khufu’s son, King Khafre and his successor Menkaure. You can go into the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure, but only two are open at any given time, and the lines for tickets can get rather long.

They only sell 150 in the morning and another 150 in the afternoon so you have to be one of the lucky few who get there early enough. The current cost is about $13 USD for the Great Pyramid and $8 USD for the smaller ones.

Check out our article on why you should plan a trip to Egypt. It’s not an unsafe place to visit as long as you take the proper precautions. Always book a tour with a reputable company so you have a tour guide at all times.

⇒ Book a tour of the Pyramids and climb inside one yourself to check it out!

egyptian pyramids
Gisa Pyramids

Where to Climb Inside an Egyptian Pyramid

While most tourists want to climb into one of the main Great Pyramids on the Giza plateau, these three are not the only pyramids in Egypt, and are not the only ones you can climb into. There are more than 100 pyramids in Egypt.

The first to be built was the step pyramid that was designed by King Djoser’s architect, Imhotep. At the time, Kings were buried in plateau-type mounds called mastabas, so Imhotep placed six ascending mastabas in a stack to form a rudimentary pyramid.

Step Pyramid of Djoser
The Step Pyramid of Djoser

Later, King Snefru improved upon the design and built what was the first smooth-sided pyramid at Medum, which was basically a step pyramid filled in with limestone to create the smooth sides.

Snefru built a couple of attempts at a truly smooth-sided pyramid, which resulted in two of the more famous pyramids in Giza – the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid at Dahshur.

The Red Pyramid at Dashur
The Red Pyramid at Dashur

What It’s Like to Climb Inside an Egyptian Pyramid

The Red Pyramid of Dahshur is by all means an impressive pyramid, though not as large as the Great Pyramid. The base is almost as big, but the sides slope at a 43 degree angle to the Great Pyramids 51 degree angle, so it’s not nearly as tall.

The good news is that the Red Pyramid is not as frequented by tourists, so no long lines to go inside, and it only costs 15 EGP, which is currently $1 USD. If you want to go inside an Egyptian pyramid, this is a good one to try!  

I also have to say that it was very uncomfortable and I’m not sure I would do it a second time. If you’ve never done it, you should definitely try it, because it’s an incredible and unique experience – truly one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. But once is definitely enough. You’ll understand why once you’ve climbed in.

steps leading up to the opening
Steps leading to the entrance (the Red Pyramid still allows visitors to climb up the outside).

First you must climb up the steep steps that lead to the entrance to the pyramid, which is about 90 feet up. When we visited, there was a man and his daughter at the entrance taking “donations”. We paid them for a photo and then began our decent into the belly of the pyramid.

waiting to go in
A photo in exchange for a donation

When I said it was uncomfortable, I meant that to the fullest extent. The space through which you crawl is very small and narrow. One side of the no more than 5-foot-wide ladder was for climbing in, and the other side was for climbing out, so if its a busy day, you may have no room to move once you’re on the ladder except to continue to descend with someone directly in front of and behind you.

The ceiling is no more than a few inches above your head as you bend to climb the ladder. For a better look inside, check out this website, which details the pyramid’s entrance and chambers with photos and diagrams.

looking up to the opening
Inside an Egyptian Pyramid

Once you get all the way down to the bottom (about 200 feet), you can walk upright again. There are three chambers inside. The first is a small room with a dramatic corbelled ceiling.

It leads to a second small chamber from which you can ascend an installed staircase to the final chamber, which is believed to be the actual burial chamber.

This far into the tomb, with no real ventilation, the air is thick with the smell of ammonia and it’s difficult to stay in there for any length of time. You’ll want to get out quickly.

deep inside a pyramid
Heading deep into the pyramid

Despite feeling rather stuffy and claustrophobic, I’m really glad I went in and saw the inside of the pyramid. I can’t imagine missing an experience like that. I’ve seen pictures of the inside of the Great Pyramid and I think that would be great to do as well.

However, I did like that there were very few people at the Red Pyramid and you didn’t feel so rushed to look around. Most people visit Egypt on a guided tour, and many of these tours don’t go to the Red Pyramid. I would suggest going there if you can. It’s a little slice of history that can’t be missed.

⇒ Book a tour of the Pyramids and climb inside one yourself to check it out!

Final Thoughts on Climbing Inside a Pyramid

If you’re looking for a unique experience you can’t do anywhere else in the world, climbing inside one of the Great Pyramids of Egypt is something you absolutely should do. Just be aware that it’s uncomfortable and quite smelly in there!

If you know what to expect, it won’t be a problem. Have you been inside an Egyptian Pyramid? Tell us about it in the comments.

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What It’s Like to Climb Inside an Egyptian Pyramid

32 thoughts on “What It’s Like to Climb Inside an Egyptian Pyramid

  1. Karina Noriega says:

    What an incredible experience, and for relatively low cost too. I know I would feel claustrophobic but I NEED to experience this once in my life. I highly recommend checking out the Mayan pyramids in Guatemala. You won’t be climbing inside them, but standing back and admiring them will leave you feeling inspired.
    Thanks for sharing your story.

    • Laura Lynch says:

      I’d love to check out the pyramids in Guatemala. The sheer determination it took to build these wonders of the world make them completely fascinating just to stare at and admire.

  2. Lindsay Nieminen says:

    what an amazing experience! i can’t image how dark it must have been inside! it must feel like being under-ground!

  3. Jennifer @ Made all the Difference Travel Blog says:

    The Pyramids are on my Bucket List. I can’t wait to get the opportunity to go. Looks amazing to get to go inside.

  4. Elaine J. Masters says:

    It does sound like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I felt that way about diving a Cenote and it was claustrophobic in a different way. I’m glad I did it and would love to explore the inside of a pyramid one day too.

    • Laura Lynch says:

      Elaine, I did the cenote swim too and thought it was fantastic. It’s just so dark in there! Spooky.

  5. Tanj from A Travelogue says:

    When we visited Cairo and the pyramids, we did not do this because claustrophobic! Lol!

    • Laura Lynch says:

      I can definitely see why you wouldn’t want to do this if you were claustrophobic. It was really tight in there!

  6. Valerie says:

    I would like to think that I would be adventurous and go into a pyramid, but that last picture made me so nervous! It looks so small and confining! That’s nice that there are fewer people there, it would give you more time to appreciate the history and all the work that went into building the pyramid. I hate feeling rushed when I know I’m visiting somewhere special but can’t savor it because there are so many other people around.

    • Laura Lynch says:

      Valerie, I would recommend doing it because it’s such an amazing thing to do, but it is certainly confining. You just have to remember how cool it is and you forget how tight it is in there. 🙂

  7. Emme @ Green Global Travel says:

    Wow, this looks amazing! It does look a little tight and uncomfortable, probably best for claustrophobic visitors to take a pass. But the Egyptian history and culture is so unique and is displayed in incredible ways at the pyramids. It sounds like the experience of a lifetime! Thanks for the post.

    • Laura Lynch says:

      Hi Emme. It really was the experience of a lifetime – and I definitely don’t plan on doing it again! Ha. It was really small and hot, but incredible nonetheless.

  8. dgg32 says:

    Hi Than you Laura for the writing. I went in the Red Pyramid today. Totally agree with you about the uncomfiness. I was wondering what was the smell. Compartible with your „ammonia“ theory, I thought it was a toilet of some sort. But yeah, it is a nice experience and now I can compare it to the interior of Khufu‘s pyramid.

  9. Pingback: 6 Reasons to Start Planning an Egypt Vacation | Savored Journeys

  10. Tommie Sanders says:

    I climbed inside the large pyramid at Giza. Your experience is right on track with what I experienced. I must admit though, that I did not complete the entire ascending stairway. I was in my late 60’s, a bit overweight, and definitely not in shape. It was hot, no air circulation, smelled of sweat and amonia. I made it to the one and only area to step aside and/or turn around. I’m not sure how high but I guess 10-15 stories. Climbing bent over! With all this said, I cherish that memory! It really was amazing! My cousin completed the climb! I was so amazed and proud of her! Upon exiting the attendants joked that I could go again for free if I wanted. Uh, NO! Once was amazing and definitely enough!!!

    • Laura Lynch says:

      It is quite a unique experience, isn’t it? I can’t blame you for turning around. It’s definitely claustrophobic, damp and smelly. Thanks for sharing your experience!

      • Judith Silverman says:

        Hi Laura
        Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have validated a decision I made 40 years ago! I visited Egypt with my elderly (very adventurous ) parents. They were both in their 70s. We went the largest pyramid in Giza and started to go in. It was narrow and required us to bend at the waist. It was SUMMER….. IT WAS HOT….. and the guide had his hand on my mother’s rear to “help” her. After 4-5 steps I said NO and we were able to back out (fewer visitors then).
        We did go into the Step pyramid and saw wonderful painting including a hippo giving birth with a crocodile with open mouth below. Amazing. And of course visiting the Valley of the Kings was wonderful. But I always wondered about my decision not to continue into the pyramid. I was right!

        • Laura Lynch says:

          It’s not for everyone, for sure. It’s tight and hot. I’m sure you made the right decision for yourselves.

  11. Joanna Cristina says:

    I was inside the big piramid of Khufu and it was the best experience ever! Much better than ChickenItza where I couldn’t go inside.Even if it’s tight you can breathe ok and I felt claustrophobic in many situations in my life but not inside the pyramid. Probably because I wanted to do this very much and I only experienced an amazing feeling. It is something that I recommend very one to do it.

  12. Joanna Cristina says:

    I forgot to mention that once I reached the King’s Chamber inside the Khufu pyramid the air got cool and fresh,the energy was amazing,I got goose bumps,the feeling of peace was overwhelming.I don’t remember the way back out,probably I was so excited that I didn’t experience no discomfort.I advice every one to try to get inside the pyramid.

  13. Lynne Bebout says:

    We just returned from a trip to Egypt, and we did climb inside the Great Pyramid at Giza. It was crowded, SO SO hot and stuffy, and claustrophobic. I was hard to find enough oxygen to keep from feeling faint, and we nearly had to crawl the last few feet to reach the actual tomb. While I couldn’t wait to get out, I’m still glad I did it and lived to tell the tale! I am 71 years old and my husband is 74 — and we DID IT!

    • Laura Lynch says:

      That’s fantastic, Lynne! I’m glad you enjoyed it, even though it is pretty daunting getting in there.

  14. DJC says:

    How safe is it to wait for your group outside, if you don’t climb inside. I’d like to see them but don’t care to climb in.

  15. Phuquerepublicans says:

    Well 40 or so years ago I climbed up to the king’s chamber and yes it was awe inspiring. My impression was sadly the chamber was a 5000 year old graffiti scared latrine, that is the impression that remains.

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