Is the Great Pyramid of Giza a Scam?

October 29, 2024

Is the Great Pyramid of Giza an Ancient Wonder or a Tourism Scam?

Both. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only standing Ancient Wonder of the World, and one of the most likely tourist attraction to be totally scammed in the world. We were scammed recently, but still managed to save money when compared to licensed tour operators. The scam also let us reflect on the nature of economic trade and how to improve your chances of making more money in the current practically infinite (PI) world economy.  

Why visit the Great Pyramid of Giza?

Bragging rights. Visiting the Great Pyramid of Giza is on the bucket list of many aspiring world travelers. Built around 4,500 years ago for Pharaoh Khufu, the Great Pyramid of Giza is the only remaining wonder of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Great Pyramid of Giza is definitely a must visit tourist site. The way we see it, there are two type of world travelers: those who have visited the Great Pyramid and those who haven't. 

Why was the Great Pyramid of Giza built?

The primary purpose of pyramids in ancient Egypt was to serve as tombs for pharaohs and high-ranking officials. Ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife. The tomb would help the rulers transcend in style into the next life.  

Prior to the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza, around 20 pyramids had been built. The most notable were the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara (the earliest pyramid structure), the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid of Pharaoh Sneferu at Dahshur, which were early prototypes that helped perfect the pyramid architecture and design. 

How was the Great Pyramid of Giza built?

The construction of the Great Pyramid remains one of history’s great mysteries. It definitely involved precise architectural design, skilled labor, quality materials, clever logistics, and remarkable engineering techniques. 

• Design. The pyramid’s design was incredibly precise, closely aligned with the cardinal points. It may have been designed by the architect Hemiunu, a high-ranking official and relative of Khufu.  Ancient Egyptian design tools included levels, right-angle tools, and weighted plummets (plumb bob).

• Labor: The workers are now believed to have been mostly skilled laborers that were not necessarily slaves. Archaeological discoveries of workers' villages suggest they were well-fed, received medical care, and had homes nearby. It’s believed the labor force was organized into specialized teams with a division of labor for quarrying, transporting, lifting, and finishing stones.

• Materials: The pyramid consists of around 2.3 million limestone and granite blocks. Most limestone blocks were quarried nearby, while granite blocks (for the inner chambers) were transported from Aswan, over 800 km away.
  
  
• Logistics: Granite blocks were likely transported by boat from Aswan, while limestone blocks could have been floated from nearby quarries. Recent discoveries suggest that a series of canals or a harbor may have existed near the construction site, allowing materials to be delivered closer to the pyramid.

• Engineering Techniques. The biggest enigma is how ancient Egyptians managed to get all those heavy stones up to the pyramid without the use of modern cranes. Current theories focus on the use of ramp systems including linear ramps from the ground to the low heights; spiral ramps goind around the pyramid; and internal ramps inside the pyramid structure, winding upwards and allowing builders to construct the upper levels without obscuring the pyramid’s face. Scholars also believe levers and counterweights were used to maneuver large blocks into place, especially for the upper sections and granite blocks in the King’s Chamber.

All told, the Great Pyramid of Giza reflects an astounding understanding of mathematics, astronomy, and engineering for its time.

The Great Pyramid of Ancient Egypt and the Great Scams or Modern Egypt 

When visiting the Great Pyramid of Giza, tourists will encounter scams or high-pressure sales tactics. That Instagram photo on a camel back kindly offered by the local guide may cost you way more that you'd think. The only way to avoid these scams is to hire a local guide, either from a reputable company or solo practitioner, who has solid social media reviews.

1. Affordable, All-Inclusive Horse or Camel Rides.

• The Most Common Scam: Layered "all-inclusive" tours. A random local vendor offers a low (e.g. $25 per person) "all-inclusive" price for a 1-hour tour that includes horse cart transportation and horseback and/or camelback ride around the pyramids. Naively, you agree to the $25 bargain "all-inclusive" price. The first guy hands you off to the horse cart operator. Once you are inside the complex, the horse cart operator "explains" that his service costs $50 per person. You waste your time explaining that the other guy had quoted $25 per person. He "explains" that he was not bound that agreement. The other guy is nowhere to be found because now you are in the middle of the pyramid complex. Naively, you think everything was an honest confusion and end up agreeing to the new "all inclusive" price of $50 person. They repeat the trick (the joke is on you). The horse cart guy hands you off to the horse back or camel back ride operator. At the middle of the horse or camel ride, the guy "explains" that his service costs $100 per person. You refuse to agree. The tour continues. At the end, it's the three of them asking for their money. In total you "owe" them $175 when you thought that you had agreed to $25. It is up to you and your negotiation skills to get you out of the mess.  
• Tip: Do not hire a random local guide. Hire only reputable companies or individuals that you can verify online and who have good reviews. 

2. "Tickets" to Enter Restricted Areas

• The Scam: Local scammers may offer "extra" tickets for "exclusive" access to certain areas of the site or "advise" you that special tickets are required. 
• Tip: Politely decline any extra tickets. They're a scam! Only buy tickets at official ticket booths, and familiarize yourself with what’s included in the standard entry ticket.

3. "Free" Photos

• The Scam: Vendors or local "helpers" offer help taking photos with your phone or camera. Beware that the they will demand money for the service, sometimes a lot of money and sometimes aggressively. They may refuse to return your phone or camera until you pay them. 
• Avoidance Tip: Politely decline photo offers and, if possible, rely on fellow tourists or bring a selfie stick/tripod for photos. Do not hand your phone or camera to local "helpers". Most of them are scammers! 

4. Fake Souvenirs and Papyrus "Art"

• All street vendors without exception, and many stores, sell low quality souvenirs (e.g. papyrus art, jewelry, or statuettes) at inflated prices.
• Avoidance Tip: Buy souvenirs at reputable shops or government-approved stores with fixed prices, often found in main tourist areas.

5. Money Exchange Scams

• The Scam: Some vendors quote prices in one currency and then "convert" it to another, inflating the price. In other cases, they may give incorrect change.
• Avoidance Tip: Always clarify the currency, double-check change, and try to carry smaller bills to avoid needing large amounts of change.

6. Exaggerated "Tips" or Baksheesh

• The Scam: Local attendants or guards may help with directions or allow access to certain areas (like a better viewpoint) and then demand an unusually high tip for their "assistance."
• Avoidance Tip: Politely refuse unsolicited assistance and set clear expectations on tips if you accept help.

7. Inflated Prices for Food and Drinks

• The Scam: Vendors near tourist sites often charge significantly higher prices for water, snacks, or drinks, sometimes four or five times the regular cost.
• Avoidance Tip: Bring your own water and snacks, or buy items outside the main tourist area to avoid inflated costs.

Is this a good time to visit the Great Pyramid of Giza?

Yes, despite the many scams, this is a good time for Americans and Europeans to visit Egypt and the Pyramids. Fall weather is nice in Cairo and Giza. The Egyptian pound has lost almost half of its value against the US dollar and the Euro in the last two or three years. However, maybe for that very same reason, local scammers seem to be more aggressive than ever. 

Word to the wise, if you don't hire a verified guide with good reviews on social media, you are poised to be scammed. We don't recommend that you try to wing it with the locals. However, if you want the experience and the bragging rights have at it. The scammers know that they are scamming you and that there is no enforceable agreement. It is up to you to negotiate the proper value of the experience. Regardless of how you fare in the negotiation, the experience can help you understand the nature of money, the virtues of money, and techniques to make more money in the current economy.  

• Nature of money. Money is a human invention. Money is a technology (tool and method) that facilitates economic valuation (an opinion of value), trade (satisfaction of debts), and storage of value (credit and deposits). Unless artificially restricted and manipulated by the powerful, money spreads and multiplies like information. The more it is used or "spent", the more total money there is. Ultimately, money is derivative of economic value, which is nothing but a human opinion. 

• Virtue of money. The virtue of money is that like god, it's a fiction that works. Provided that both the buyer and the seller have faith and believe in the value of money, the fiction does the trick. It facilitates  valuation, payment, and credit or storage of value. Money facilitates economic trade, which is the exchange of goods (products and services) between humans. 

• Techniques to make money. Money comes from trade. To make money you have to trade goods (products or services) in exchange of money. Anyone can be a trader by offering something of value in return for money. Now, to be a successful trader over time you must deliver what you promise so that you can build a solid reputation over time. In today's review economy, reputations are built based on online and social media reviews. 

In conclusion, visiting the Great Pyramid of Giza will give you lifelong bragging rights. Not only it is the only ancient wonder of the world still standing, but it is also such an "advanced" travel destination scam-wise that you will "graduate" as a tourist. Staying aware of scams, being assertive, and planning ahead can help you enjoy a safer visit with less hassle. 

Now you know it.

Live well. Die better. Enjoy.

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