Dahshur Pyramids: Where Pyramids Were Perfected

Escape the crowds at the Dahshur Pyramids, a true "hidden gem" just south of Saqqara. This is where the pharaohs learned how to build! You'll see the famous Bent Pyramid (the "beautiful mistake") and then go inside the Red Pyramid—the world's first true, smooth-sided pyramid. It's an unforgettable adventure on your Cairo day trip.

EFT Team
August 15, 2021
Updated: November 11, 2025

Want to escape the crowds of Giza and feel like a true explorer? Welcome to Dahshur pyramids, one of the most important and least-visited “hidden gems” in all of Egypt.

Located just a short drive south of Saqqara, Dahshur is an ancient, windswept royal necropolis. This is not just another field of pyramids; this is the “research and development lab” where the pharaohs learned how to build a true, smooth-sided pyramid.

Here, you will stand in awe before two of the most important pyramids ever built—the “beautiful mistake” and the “first great success.” Best of all, you can do it in near-total peace, and even venture deep inside one… often, all by yourself.

Why Visit Dahshur Pyramids? The “Hidden Gem” Advantage

A visit to Dahshur is an essential part of any Cairo tour. It offers a unique, adventurous, and authentic experience you can’t get at Giza.

Escape the Crowds: This is the #1 reason to visit. Dahshur sees a tiny fraction of the visitors of Giza. You can explore this vast site in peace, take photos with no one in the background, and feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
Go Inside the First True Pyramid: This is the “insider’s tip.” You can climb down a long, narrow passage and go deep into the heart of the Red Pyramid. It’s an unforgettable adventure that feels far more “real” than the crowded Giza experience.
Witness Evolution in Real-Time: Dahshur is a history textbook in stone. You can literally see the “before” and “after” of pyramid-building, side-by-side. You’ll see the pharaoh’s first failed attempt (the Bent Pyramid) and his first perfect-ed success (the Red Pyramid).

What You Will See: The Two “Must-See” Dahshur Pyramids

Dahshur is the story of one great pharaoh: Sneferu, the founder of the 4th Dynasty and the father of King Khufu (who built the Great Pyramid at Giza). Sneferu built three pyramids, but his two at Dahshur are the most famous.

1. The Bent Pyramid (The “Beautiful Mistake”)

This is the most unique and visually stunning pyramid in Egypt.

What It Is: This was Sneferu’s first attempt at building a smooth-sided pyramid.
The Story (The “Bent”): The architects started building at a very steep, ambitious 54-degree angle. About halfway up, the engineers panicked. The angle was too steep, and the tomb’s inner chambers were showing signs of stress and cracking.
The “Quick Fix”: To save the structure from collapse, they abruptly changed the angle to a much safer, gentler 43 degrees for the top half. This change is what gives the pyramid its iconic “bent” or “blunt” shape.
Why It’s Special: This is the best-preserved pyramid in Egypt. It’s the only one that still retains most of its smooth, polished outer casing, giving you a true sense of what all the pyramids looked like 4,600 years ago. (You cannot go inside this one, but you can get right up to it).

2. The Red Pyramid (The “First True Success”)

This is the main event and the one you can explore!

What It Is: Having learned from his “mistake,” Sneferu ordered a second pyramid built just a kilometer away. This time, they used the safe 43-degree angle from the very start.
The Result: The world’s first successful, true, smooth-sided pyramid. This was the masterpiece that perfected the art and directly led to his son, Khufu, building the Great Pyramid at Giza.
Why “Red”? Its name comes from the reddish, oxidized limestone core that is exposed today.
The Adventure Inside: This is the highlight. Your Egypt Fun Tours guide will wait outside as you embark on the climb. You will climb a modern staircase up the side of the pyramid and then descend down a long, narrow, 63-meter (200-foot) passage deep into the earth. You’ll duck into a low-roofed corridor before emerging into two massive, corbelled-roof chambers in the very heart of this 4,600-year-old tomb.

The “Black Pyramid” (A Bonus)

In the distance, you may also see a third, “melted” looking pyramid. This is the Black Pyramid, built over 700 years after Sneferu by a Middle Kingdom pharaoh, Amenemhat III. It was made of mud-brick and has collapsed, but it’s a fascinating contrast to the Old Kingdom masterpieces.

How to Visit: The “Pyramid Evolution” Tour

Dahshur is located about 40 km (25 miles) south of Cairo, but it is not visited alone. It is the essential third stop on the perfect “Pyramid Evolution” day trip.

An Egypt Fun Tours specialty is showing you the full story of the pyramids in chronological order:

Memphis (The Capital): Start in the ancient capital city, where you’ll see the colossal statue of Ramesses II.
Saqqara (The “Blueprint”): Next, see where it all began: the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the first pyramid ever built.
Dahshur (The “R&D Lab”): This is your final stop. You’ll see the “beta test” (the Bent Pyramid) and the first perfect “version 1.0” (the Red Pyramid).

After this day, when you visit the Giza Pyramids (the “perfection”), you will understand the entire 100-year journey of trial, error, and genius that it took to build them.

Let us take you off the beaten path and show you the real adventure of the pyramids!

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You’re in “GREAT HANDS” with Egypt Fun Tours!

We first went to Egypt in July 2010. We were to pass through Cairo on our way to Africa, and we had arranged to be picked up from the Cairo airport and shown around the city during our 6-hour layover. This was arranged through emails with Hamada, of Egypt Fun

Very Considerate and Helpful

Guide and driver were on time, open to my requests and took care that I felt safe and saw the Pyramids and parts of old cairo during my less than 24 hour stay between flights. Office staff were great in communicating by email before and during the trip.

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THE MOST AMAZING TRIP

Hi Hamada! Sorry, we were so quick to say goodbye—my mom was fading 🙂 I just wanted to say thank you for THE MOST AMAZING trip… You thought of every detail, improvised, adapted, overcame every challenge, multitasked personalities, and did it all with grace, intelligence, and kindness. From the bottom

Amazing layover Tour

We had 12 hour layover in Cairo, and our guide Hani waited patiently for us when we had a few visa issues entering the country! We got on our tour, and had the best experience ever! We saw the pyramids, the sphinx, Islamic Cairo and rode through the city! We

Hani Was our Awesome Tour Guide!

We had an 11-hour layover in Cairo on 12/15/2011. We wanted to go to see the Pyramids, Tahrir Square, and possibly the museum. We were so lucky to have a guide, Hani from Egypt Fun Tour, who made it possible to see all the above, plus the Bazaar, and time