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Ninety seconds on Panorama Point
From this rise of open desert south-west of the pyramids, you see all three in one frame with nothing but sand in front of them. It is the one place on the plateau where they line up like this.
Khafre's pyramid looks the tallest from here, though Khufu's is the bigger one. The trick is deliberate: Khafre built on slightly higher ground so that his tomb would appear as tall as his father's, and the effect still works from the viewpoint.
The three stand in a row against the sky, each the tomb of a 4th Dynasty king. Menkaure's pyramid is by far the smallest of them, and Menkaure used granite quarried at Aswan, far to the south. Look for the three small queens' pyramids standing beside it.
On a clear day the modern city shows behind the monuments, beyond the ancient desert. That contrast is the second thing to look for once you have the shot.
Riding the electric shuttle out from the visitor centre, get off at the Panorama stop before you see anything up close, while the light is still soft. The best frame is from the low hill behind the parking area, a two-minute walk. Harsh midday light flattens the view, so the early ride is the one that pays.
There is a café with toilets at the stop if you want a break before the next bus. When you are done, get back on the loop for Menkaure and Khafre.
You do not need a guide at the viewpoint. For the plateau as a whole, hire a licensed guide at the entrance and check the official ID badge before you agree anything.
Turn down anyone offering a tour once you are inside the gate. On a booked tour, the ride out to the viewpoint is normally part of the visit.
Bring a litre or two of water each, because there is little to buy out here, plus small cash for the toilets. For a frame with no people in it, walk a little way into the dunes, away from the parking area.
Camel and horse handlers may approach you near the stop and do not give up easily. A clear, polite but firm "La, shukran" (no, thank you) usually ends it. Ride arrangements on the plateau have been changing, so ask at the gate; if you take one, agree the price in writing before you mount, and weigh the reports of mistreated animals at the pyramids.
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