- Duration
- 10 hours
- Starts from
- Cairo
- Group size
- Up to 12 guests
- Difficulty
- Easy
Overview
A long day from Cairo into Middle Egypt: the painted tombs of Beni Hassan, the necropolis of Tuna el-Gebel and Tell el-Amarna, Akhenaten's capital. Car and driver only.
Middle Egypt sees a fraction of the visitors of Luxor or Giza, which makes its sites all the more rewarding. Be ready for a long day: El Minya is roughly three and a half to four hours' drive south of Cairo, so we set off early from your hotel.
At Beni Hassan, rock-cut tombs of Middle Kingdom governors look out over the Nile valley, their walls painted with wrestlers, hunters and scenes of everyday life. Tuna el-Gebel, the burial ground of ancient Hermopolis, holds the tomb of Petosiris, with its mix of Egyptian and Greek styles, and long catacombs once filled with mummified ibises and baboons sacred to the god Thoth.
Tell el-Amarna is where the pharaoh Akhenaten built a new capital for the sun disc Aten, abandoned soon after his death; today you visit the tombs cut into the cliffs above the plain. Your driver knows the roads well, but there is no guide on this trip, so a good guidebook is worth bringing.
Highlights
- Painted Middle Kingdom tombs at Beni Hassan
- Wrestling and hunting scenes on the tomb walls
- The tomb of Petosiris at Tuna el-Gebel
- Ibis and baboon catacombs sacred to Thoth
- Tell el-Amarna, Akhenaten's short-lived capital
- A full day in rarely visited Middle Egypt
Itinerary
- 1
Day 1
Cairo → Beni Hassan → Tuna el-Gebel → Tell el-Amarna → Cairo
Early pickup in Cairo and the drive south to El Minya, roughly three and a half to four hours. Visit the rock-cut tombs of Beni Hassan, the necropolis of Tuna el-Gebel and the cliff tombs of Tell el-Amarna; your driver may change the order to suit the roads. Then comes the long drive back to Cairo, arriving in the evening after a day of around ten hours, often a little more.
What's included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo
- Air-conditioned car with driver for the whole day
- All driving between Cairo and the three sites
- Shared small-group tour
Not included
- Tour guide
- Entry fees to the sites
- Lunch and drinks
- Tips for the driver
What to bring
- Passport for police checkpoints on the road
- Sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
- Comfortable shoes for uneven ground and steps
- A small torch for dim tombs
- Snacks and water for the long drive
Pickup & meeting point
Early-morning pickup from your hotel in Cairo; the exact time is confirmed the day before.
Children up to 11 pay the child rate
Photos
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