Millions of tourists visit Giza, Egypt, every year for a quick in-and-out to see the Pyramids. For most, this is a one-night stay before heading to a luxury cruise along the Nile or a longer stay in Luxor. But for me, an off-the-beaten-path traveler who likes to dig deeper, I wanted to experience the real Giza. In this blog, I’m sharing my experience exploring Giza City.
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I Booked my Giza City Tuk-Tuk Tour Through my Hotel
This tour isn’t something you’ll find online or through a tour company; it happened completely by chance. I checked into the Grand Pyramids Inn in Giza for a three-night stay. Like everyone else, my main goal was to see the Pyramids. The hotel manager was trying to sell me everything he could, from perfumes to local chocolates, and even offered to let me spend the night inside the Great Pyramid of Giza. No joke, he seriously said he could hook that up.
The tour that intrigued me, though, was a tuk-tuk tour of the real Giza. This wasn’t an official tour, but rather an evening adventure in Giza arranged by a friend of the hotel manager who owned a tuk-tuk, for 400 EGP, which is about $8 USD. So, if you want to try this tour, you can either head into Giza city and hire a tuk-tuk driver for the evening or just stay at the Grand Pyramids Inn. Of course, you’ll need to take a taxi to reach the city center, so I think staying at the Grand Pyramids Inn makes more sense—do that.
I met my Tuk-Tuk Driver at the Pyramids Entrance
Before the tour, I decided to attend the Pyramids of Giza Sound and Light Show. The hotel arranged for a driver to drop me off at the Pyramids and make sure I found the tuk-tuk. After the show ended, I met my driver, and we headed to the city centre for an unforgettable adventure.
If you’re visiting Giza to see the Pyramids, check out my blog, Pyramids of Giza – How I Explored Them With a Free Guided Tour.
The Giza City Vibe
The city was filled with chaos. I didn’t think any city could be more chaotic than Cairo, but I believe Giza managed to surpass it. The city was vibrant, and it seemed as if all of the city’s entertainment was happening on the streets. Giza is a very poor city, one of the poorest I have visited. There was no visible middle or upper class in the city centre. This was remarkable to me, considering they have the Pyramids, a wonder of the world, in their backyard.
Local Transportation in the Giza City Center
Transportation in Giza is anything but modern. It’s as if there are no laws, and locals do as they please. When I say chaos, I saw people with horses halting traffic, tuk-tuks cutting people off, cars parking in the middle of the street, horns honking constantly—people doing whatever they felt like. There are families of four heading out on the town on a single motorbike. Oh, and of course, people getting around on camels in the city centre. The atmosphere was intense, but I don’t recall seeing any accidents or mishaps during my tour.
A family heading into town and a horse halting traffic in the middle of the street. There were many animals used as transportation in Giza. Horses and camels are visible throughout the city as a means of transportation.
The Giza City Infrastructure
The easiest way to describe the infrastructure is that it is ancient, like the pyramids. Well, not exactly like the pyramids, but very old and underdeveloped. Overall, the infrastructure in Giza is quite poor. Many of the roads were dirt and unpaved, while others might have had some form of pavement, but they weren’t in very good condition. There seemed to be a lot of dust flying up when driving around in the tuk-tuk. The main road heading into the city was decent but other than that they were poor.
Left: The main road heading into the city. You can see that part of it is paved. Other than that, all of the streets I saw were either dirt roads or in need of serious repair.
In the city, I didn’t notice any modern developments, such as new buildings, shopping malls, or hotels. I’m not sure how old the infrastructure in Giza is, but it’s certainly outdated, which explains the lack of tourists. Unless you’re a traveler like me who likes to get off the beaten path, I saw nothing that would draw your typical tourist. Clearly, the revenue generated from the Pyramids isn’t being reinvested in the city that houses them.
Giza Shopping and Nightlife
Throughout the city, signs of nightlife are everywhere, and people are out and about doing their daily tasks even late into the evening. There is no alcohol in Giza, but hookah bars line the streets. The hookah bars are bustling, and the markets remain lively even late at night. They say New York is the city that never sleeps. That slogan also rings true for Giza, Egypt.
If you’re heading to Cairo and want ideas for things to do before visiting Giza, check out my blog, Cairo, Egypt: Ultimate 2 Day Itinerary.
We Passed By a Funeral Service on the Street
It amazed me how much the locals carried out their daily activities on the street—tasks that would usually take place at home or in a church, for example. We passed by a group of locals dressed in traditional Muslim attire. They were organized in a circle, and I was very curious about what was happening. My tuk-tuk driver told me it was a funeral, which I had never seen before—celebrated this way, right out in the open on the street, as a celebration of life.
Locals Dump their Garbage on the Streets in the City Center
In Giza, they don’t have a dump outside the city like developed cities do. Instead, it’s integrated into the city centre. I first noticed a section of one of the main streets where people were dumping their garbage. As we got closer, it was a long stretch of garbage piled up on the side of the street. I couldn’t grasp the concept of people just throwing their trash on the streets.
Next, we went to the area where my tuk-tuk driver lived, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Right in the middle of the city was a large field filled with garbage. This was the only part of the tour where the driver asked me to put my phone away and stop recording. Clearly, this wasn’t something the locals were proud of and didn’t want the world to see. Just imagine a huge field in the middle of your city, filled with garbage, where you live.
Egypt Has a Garbage City
I was told that garbage dumps in the city center aren’t uncommon in Egypt and that they even have a garbage city called Manshiyat Nasser. Seriously, a city built around a dump whose economy revolves around garbage collection, with almost no infrastructure, lacking running water, sewers, and electricity. My understanding is that the garbage from Cairo is dropped off in Manshiyat Nasser. I believe this represents the slum part of the city and doesn’t reflect the whole city, but it’s still crazy to me.
I Visited My Tuk-Tuk Drivers House
We finished the tour by visiting my driver’s house, where there appeared to be an extended family living. The area was quiet and away from the hustle and bustle. I sat on the front step and reflected on my experience when two adorable kids who lived across the street came over to say hello. They took the opportunity to practise their limited English on me, which was fun for all of us. I think an older sibling was coaching them. I could tell they were very curious, as if they had never seen a foreigner before. Honestly, they probably hadn’t.
I Met My Drivers Family
I had the chance to briefly meet my driver’s family, which was a pleasant experience. His parents came out to greet me, and then his siblings said hello. They were very kind and friendly.
The Family Had A Camel Stall Inside The House
Now, this is something you don’t see every day. They had a camel stall in the lower half of their house. It was like a basement, and there were two beautiful white camels inside. He told me they raised camels and sold them, and that this was their family business. I’m not sure if they had others, but the two I saw were incredible. What a perfect end to perhaps the most eye-opening tour I have ever been on.
We then headed back to the meeting point outside the Pyramids entrance to meet my driver from the hotel. But not before making a stop along the way at a bridge with the city of Giza as the backdrop.
I Hope You’re Inspired to Travel Differently
This is the real Giza. I know I didn’t sugarcoat it, but this is what I observed during my tour. When sharing my journey, I love sharing my experiences through my eyes. It’s not always about the Wonders of the World, fine dining, and beautiful beaches. Sometimes, it’s about digging deeper and experiencing a destination through a different lens. In this case, that lens was from a Giza local’s point of view, which happens to be the same city that is home to the Pyramids of Giza, one of the world’s top tourist destinations. I hope this inspires you to consider traveling differently.
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