Is the Grand Egyptian Museum worth the extra cost over the Egyptian Museum on a Cairo day tour?

The old Egyptian Museum is also very large — impossible to see it all in one day, but it's cooler inside, with various boutiques and cafés where you can grab a bite and rest after visiting the pyramids.

A private individual tour for three people (pyramids, Grand Egyptian Museum) cost around $500 total — reportedly worth the money. Many offers available: bus tours from $45 per person, mini-group tours from $100+ per person.

If pyramids are the main interest rather than museums, some suggest skipping the museum and visiting Dahshur and Saqqara instead — potentially more interesting than the museum itself.

The Grand Egyptian Museum is right next to the pyramids, feels more modern and comfortable, with cafes to relax in — the hawawshi at Zooba café is recommended. The old museum is dustier but has unique pieces, such as a Saqqara sarcophagus that left a strong impression.

A large-bus group tour (pyramids, Sphinx, and the Grand Egyptian Museum) costs around $85 per person; a mini-group version costs $105.

Cairo is extremely hot in summer for a pyramids visit. For many travellers, the old Egyptian Museum in the city leaves an equally strong or even greater impression than the pyramids themselves — worth factoring in when planning your itinerary.

On a one-day group tour you'll only get a brief slot at the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is enormous — impossible to cover properly in a couple of hours even at a fast pace. The $75 option with the pyramids and the old Egyptian Museum is the more practical choice; save the Grand Egyptian Museum for a dedicated multi-day Cairo visit.

Prices for private guided tours covering the pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo vary considerably depending on the guide and itinerary — it's worth getting quotes from several operators before booking.