Down inside the Red Pyramid
Climb to the entrance, then descend a low passage into Sneferu's corbelled chambers.
- Where
- Dahshur, south of Cairo
- Proposed length
- Half day from Cairo
- Nerve
- Nerve: Bold
The story
The Red Pyramid was built for Sneferu, and its entrance passage slopes down at 27° for about 61 m to chambers roofed with corbelled vaults about 12 m high (Wikipedia; Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities).
Its neighbour changes angle halfway up. The Bent Pyramid's interior opened to visitors in July 2019, with a passage of about 79 m (Egyptian Streets, 2019). Together they show a king's builders learning, in stone, how to build a true pyramid.
Our judgement: Most Giza days never go inside a pyramid. Dahshur puts the effort, the quiet and the engineering in the same morning.
What happens
- Climb the steps on the north face to the entrance, high above the desert.
- Descend the long, low passage bent over, holding the handrail.
- Stand in the first corbelled chamber and look up at the stepped roof.
- Walk on to the burial chamber, then outside to see the Bent Pyramid, whose own passages opened to visitors in 2019.
A proposed shape, not a fixed programme. The host sets the order on the day.
What it asks of you
- Nerve: CuriousAnyone who is curious. You sit, watch, try and ask.
- Nerve: BoldPhysically demanding or unnerving: steep, tight, deep, hot or remote.This experience
- Nerve: QualifiedA certificate is required before you start. We ask for it, and so will the operator.
A long crouch in a hot, airless passage, down and back up. Not for anyone with claustrophobia or knee or back trouble. The descent is steady, not technical.
What we confirm before you go
- That both pyramids' interiors are open on your date
- Current ticketing at Dahshur, which we confirm rather than quote
- A guide who can explain the building sequence at the site
Where it fits
More in stone
Ask about it
Tell us your dates and where you will be. We confirm the host, the timing and the terms before anything is booked.
Your Egypt, your pace
Request a quote
Tell us your dates and party size. A quote will confirm the itinerary, total price, inclusions and cancellation terms before you decide.
Sending a request does not make a booking or reserve availability.
Sources and review
Reviewed on by Deluxe Trips Egypt. Facts are attributed to their sources; where we give a judgement, we say so. This page names no host, school, boat or workshop.
Photo: Olaf Tausch, CC BY 3.0
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