The Step Pyramid – Northern Entry Exclusive Access

$3500 per permit per visit , excluding tour costs.

Experience the Step Pyramid of Djoser like few ever can. This exclusive access tour allows you to enter through the northern entrance, normally off-limits to the public. Explore the pyramid privately, at any time of day or night, walking through its ancient chambers, tunnels, and galleries without crowds.

Tour Video

What’s Actually Beneath the Step Pyramid of Djoser

The Step Pyramid you see above ground is only part of the structure. Below it lies a labyrinth of tunneled chambers and galleries stretching nearly 6 kilometers, connected to a central shaft roughly 7 meters square and 28 meters deep. This underground network is where the real complexity of Egypt’s first pyramid lives, and it’s largely invisible from the surface.

The Layers Beneath the Surface

At the base of the central shaft sits the granite burial chamber of King Djoser, sealed after burial with a stone plug weighing around 3.5 tons. Around it, four surrounding galleries connect to each other by corridors, some finished, some left incomplete, a maze so extensive that even 1930s excavation teams didn’t investigate every section of it in full detail. On the eastern side, a separate set of eleven deep shafts, roughly thirty meters down, are believed to have been built for the wives and children of the king.

The Blue Chambers

Several of these underground rooms are lined with vivid blue faience tile, arranged to imitate the woven reed-mat hangings of a royal residence — a detail that has led Egyptologists to conclude the decoration of these underground rooms was likely modeled on the real palace at Memphis. Nowhere above ground at Saqqara gives you this — it’s a part of the complex most standard tours never mention exists.

H3: Why This Level of Access Is Limited

The subterranean network beneath the Step Pyramid isn’t part of the standard visitor circuit, and much of it remains structurally fragile or only partially studied. Coordinating a private descent requires:

Specific written approval from Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities for underground access
An antiquities inspector accompanying the visit at all times
Confirmation that the relevant sections are structurally accessible on your travel dates, since availability can vary

Standard Saqqara Tour or Northern Entrance Access?

You want…	Best fit
A guided tour of Saqqara, viewing the burial chamber from the standard platform	Saqqara Full Access Egyptology Tour ($345)
To physically descend underground through the original entrance and galleries	Step Pyramid VIP Northern Entrance Tour ($3,500)

As with other permit-based access, the core cost is largely fixed regardless of group size; ask about coordinating a small group on your dates to reduce the per-person cost.

Step into history with an exclusive journey inside the Step Pyramid, crafted over 4,600 years ago by King Djoser and his legendary architect Imhotep. Your access through the northern entrance, closed to the general public, allows you to explore the pyramid at your own pace, day or night, free from crowds and distractions.

Descend into the labyrinth of tunnels and galleries stretching over 6 km, built to house the king, his family, and their sacred offerings. Admire walls lined with blue faience, panels depicting Djoser performing royal rituals, and shafts that held over 40,000 stone vessels, preserving Egypt’s earliest royal legacy.

Enter the granite burial chamber, sealed with a 3.5-ton block, featuring the earliest star motifs that connect the Pharaoh to the eternal North Stars, symbolizing rebirth and immortality.

The visit date will be scheduled based on the availability of the requested site and should be arranged at least 2-3 weeks prior to the visit.
The pyramid can be opened at any time day and Night, subject to availability
The base permit fee is around $3500 USD per visit depending on the selected site, (1-30 Persons) with a duration of 2 hour.
Site entry fees, transfers, meals, and guide fees are not included in the base price.
A wide range of vehicle options is available, including minibusses, coasters, and large buses. For a more luxurious experience, high-end vehicles such as Mercedes, BMW, and Maybach are also offered.
A non-refundable full payment of all costs will be required once the booking is confirmed.