The Pyramids and the Sphinx

 

Do not want to miss one of the main attractions of Egypt, the last survivor of the seven wonders of the world, the Great Pyramid of Giza. There are in fact three main pyramids of Giza, the Great Pyramid of Khufu (or Cheops), the pyramid, the smaller the Kafhre Menkaure Pyramid. Each pyramid is a tomb of a different king of Egypt. In front of the pyramids lies the Sphinx, or Abu al-Hol in Arabic, "Father of Terror." Carved from a single block of stone, this sculpture huge cat has fascinated millions of visitors.
The three Giza pyramids and the Sphinx were thought to have been built in the fourth dynasty of Egypt Old Kingdom, probably the first great civilization on earth. For most of us that translates into about 5000 years ago. Although there is still debate about how the pyramids of Giza were built, most agree it was not by aliens. An estimated 20,000 workers were used and approximately 2 million blocks of stone, each weighing 2.5 tons, just to build the Pyramid of Cheops. For an in depth account of how they were constructed and a virtual tour inside the Great Pyramid (Cheops), explore the pyramids with Nova and PBS.
How to get around and go inside the pyramids
Walking around the pyramids is fairly easy, you can walk, take a horse and buggy or take a camel ride. A couple of suggestions on the camel ride:
Negotiating before getting on the camel. Do not take a picture of the camel unless you're willing to pay. If you feel persecuted and then grab the nearest policeman to help Antiquities. Enjoy the ride, it is once in a lifetime experience and well worth a few dollars. Climbing Up Super 8 I have some shaky footage of myself as a child of six years, they go up Cheops, but the practice has been prohibited since 1980. Some intrepid people attempt to climb the sides of the Pyramids late at night, but really, it's not worth ruining a wonder of the world just for the thrill of it.
Going In You can go inside the pyramids, but be careful if you suffer from claustrophobia. The climbs are very steep and narrow so that the knees should be in good shape. Here's a guide to decent experience of a person inside of Khufu (Cheops). You must get a separate ticket to enter the pyramids and were limited to 300 per day so get there early.
Sound and light
A spectacle of sound and light show centered around the Sphinx is a night event. Although it may seem too touristy for some, everyone ends up learning some interesting facts about the Pyramids and the shows are in different languages.
How to get to the Pyramids:
A taxi ride from the center of Cairo is probably the easiest way to get to the pyramids, although micro and mini buses also make frequent trips. An air-conditioned bus departs regularly from Midan Tahrir. For advice on how to reach the pyramids from other parts of Egypt visit this site.
Saqqara
If you are interested in seeing the precursor to the head Great Pyramid of Saqqara to see the 'Pyramid'. E 'considered the first pyramid ever built, dating back to around 2800 BC.