These plans are for preparation — not for tickets
GEM Guide is an independent visitor guide service. We do not sell museum entry tickets, and we are not affiliated with the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, or any ticket platform. The fees described below cover the planning, routing and preparation work we do — the research, personalisation and document production. You purchase museum entry separately, directly from the museum's official channels, at the museum's published price. Nothing here carries a markup on ticket costs or a commission from any booking service.
The value of what we provide is not the ticket — it is the difference between arriving at the world's largest archaeological museum with a tested route, calibrated timing and a clear sense of priorities, versus arriving and hoping the day works itself out. For the majority of visitors, that preparation is what turns an exhausting and partial visit into a satisfying one. See the full guide overview for what the museum actually contains and why the planning question matters.
Self-Guide Pack
A complete, regularly updated route document for the GEM. All the essential preparation in a single PDF — designed for independent visitors who want structure without a personal consultation.
- Full-day route PDF with gallery sequence
- Timing estimates for each section
- Object highlights per gallery (50+ objects flagged)
- Tutankhamun wing walk-through in sequence
- Khufu boat gallery and Grand Staircase coverage
- Ticket tier explainer (current at date of download)
- Transport overview from central Cairo
- Half-day and full-day versions included
- Print and mobile-optimised format
- Updated within 2 weeks of any major museum change
Planned Visit
A personalised plan built around your specific party, available time and interests. We take the information you provide and produce a route document that fits your actual visit, not a generic one.
- Everything in Self-Guide Pack
- Personalised route based on your party size and ages
- Timing calibrated to your available hours
- Priority sections chosen around your stated interests
- Dining timing and rest stop recommendations
- Specific ticket tier advice for your party composition
- Best arrival time recommendation for your visit date
- Transport recommendation from your Cairo base
- One follow-up question answered by email post-visit
- Delivered within 48 hours of receiving your details
Group & Family
Full planning service for parties with children, mixed ages, accessibility requirements, or groups of five or more. The most thorough preparation we offer — built around the specific dynamics of your group.
- Everything in Planned Visit
- Children's museum routing and timing
- Step-free and accessible route variant (if needed)
- Energy management and rest stop planning for children
- Object selection prioritised for mixed ages
- Group entry sequence advice (avoid bottlenecks)
- Communication template for group leader pre-visit
- Lunch reservation timing and dining recommendation
- Optional: pyramid visit integration in same day
- Two follow-up questions answered post-visit
What's included in each tier
| Feature | Self-Guide Pack | Planned Visit | Group & Family |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-day route PDF | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gallery-by-gallery object highlights | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tutankhamun wing sequence | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Khufu boat and Grand Staircase coverage | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ticket tier explainer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Personalised to your party | No | Yes | Yes |
| Timing calibrated to your hours | No | Yes | Yes |
| Dining and rest stop timing | No | Yes | Yes |
| Best arrival time for your date | No | Yes | Yes |
| Children's museum routing | No | No | Yes |
| Step-free accessible route variant | No | No | Yes |
| Group entry sequence advice | No | No | Yes |
| Group leader communication template | No | No | Yes |
| Optional pyramid integration | No | No | Yes |
| Post-visit follow-up questions | — | 1 | 2 |
| Delivery time | Immediate download | Within 48 hours | Within 72 hours |
| Price | EGP 149 | EGP 390 | EGP 750 |
The process from request to visit
Send us your visit details
Use the contact form to tell us your planned visit date, party size and composition (adults, children and ages, any accessibility requirements), how many hours you have, and which parts of the museum interest you most. For the Self-Guide Pack, just request it by email — no consultation details needed.
We prepare your document
For Planned Visit and Group and Family tiers, one of our team — usually Mostafa Kilany or Yasmin Adel depending on your party type — reviews your details and produces the route document. We check the current gallery configuration and any recent operational changes before producing your plan. For the Self-Guide Pack, the current version is sent immediately.
You receive the plan by email
Your route document arrives as a PDF formatted for both print and mobile viewing. We include a short covering note explaining any specifics we factored in for your party and any time-sensitive information about current museum conditions. Read it before you go, ideally the day before — thirty minutes of preparation the evening before your visit is worth more than trying to read it at the museum entrance.
Visit, use, follow up
Take the document into the museum. The route works best as a reference rather than a rigid script — if you find yourself spending longer than planned in the Tutankhamun wing because it holds you, let it. The timing estimates are baselines, not constraints. After your visit, use the follow-up allowance for your tier to ask any questions about what you saw. Some visitors find the visit raises questions that the guide answers; others just want to confirm they understood what they were looking at.
Frequently asked questions about the planning service
No. GEM Guide planning services do not include museum entry tickets. We are an independent guide service, not a ticket reseller. You buy your entry directly from the GEM's official booking channels at the official published price. Our service covers the planning, routing and preparation work — the research, personalisation and document production. Nothing here carries a markup on ticket costs or a commission from any booking service. For current ticket prices and how to buy, see our tickets and hours page.
The Self-Guide Pack is a fixed PDF document: a complete route through the museum with object highlights, timing estimates and practical notes. It is the same document for all visitors using that tier, updated regularly for accuracy. The Planned Visit is personalised: we take your specific party details, interests, available time and any special requirements and produce a bespoke document tailored to your visit. If you are travelling with young children, have only four hours, or want to focus heavily on the Tutankhamun wing, the Planned Visit reflects that. The Self-Guide Pack does not.
Within 48 hours of receiving your completed visit details. For visits scheduled within 72 hours of your request, contact us directly via the contact page and we will make every effort to turn it around faster. We do not guarantee same-day delivery for the Planned Visit tier unless confirmed in advance. The Group and Family tier standard delivery time is 72 hours, reflecting the additional complexity of that planning.
No. The Group and Family tier is designed for any visit where the standard route logic needs adapting: families with children under ten, parties of four or more with mixed ages and interests, visitors with significant mobility requirements, or groups larger than eight people. The complexity of the planning increases with party size, but the tier is appropriate for a family of five with a six-year-old just as much as for a school group of thirty. If you are unsure which tier fits your party, describe your situation on the contact form and we will advise.
Yes. Contact us within 30 days of your Self-Guide Pack purchase and we will apply the Self-Guide Pack payment as credit toward the Planned Visit fee. You only pay the difference between the two tiers. The same upgrade path applies from Planned Visit to Group and Family. We do not offer refunds on completed plans, but we do address any significant errors or outdated information in the document if you raise them before your visit.
Yes, and they are particularly useful for repeat visits. The GEM is large enough that most first-time visitors cover less than half the collection in a single day. If you have already been and want to see the sections you missed — perhaps the Late Period galleries, the Khufu boat, or the full chronological sequence — or want to explore a specific part of the collection in more depth, the Planned Visit tier can be focused entirely on those areas. Tell us what you covered on your previous visit and what you want to prioritise this time, and we will build the route accordingly.
Tell us about your visit
Send us your date, party and how much time you have. We'll confirm which planning tier fits and have your document to you well before your visit day.
Send visit details