From your hotel, at any hotel in Cairo or Giza, one of our expert representatives with an Egyptologist guide will be waiting for you to take you in a private air-conditioned car to Saqqara to enjoy every moment of your full-day private tour.
We will explore at the beginning of our excursion to Saqqara the Pyramid of Unas dates from the 5th Dynasty and, despite its small size, is of great importance because it has the oldest funerary writings, referred to as the Pyramid Texts, which were written on the tomb's walls to help the monarch who had passed away get to another world. The pyramid complex of King Unas includes two temples (the Funerary Temple and the Valley Temple) connected by a long ascending causeway. The present-day Saqqara entryway displays the remnants of the Valley Temple.
The second step of our journey will be the pyramid of Djoser, which is one of the most famous monuments in Egypt and constitutes an important historical turning point in the funerary monuments of ancient Egypt, as well as a revolution in stone architecture and royal burial. In addition to its enormous size, it is the first pyramid built by the ancient Egyptians and the oldest known stone construction. It is known as the Southern Tomb, considered a symbolic tomb for King Djoser that may have reflected his role as king of Upper and Lower Egypt, and the pyramid group contains some distinctive elements, such as the courtyard in front of the pyramid, intended for a dam-building ceremony.
Next, we will head to Teti's pyramid. Some remains of Teti's funerary temple have been discovered, although most of its parts were stolen in ancient times, and the valley temple has yet to be found. In front of Teti's pyramid is a large burial mound for Teti's officials, containing some of the most magnificent tombs of the Old Kingdom, such as the mastabas of the ministers Meriruka and Kagemni.
Our next step will be to the tomb of Meriorka, whose walls contain many interesting scenes that show us daily life during the Old Kingdom era, such as scenes of cattle grazing, hippo hunting, hunting, and birding, all shown in amazing vivid detail. We also see scenes of animal feeding, including a unique scene of feeding hyenas. One of the uncommon and intriguing sceneries shows the three seasons of the year according to the ancient Egyptian calendar. The focal point of the tomb is the so-called mock door, and one of the tomb's highlights is a life-size statue of Meroka stepping forward to receive the offerings presented to him on the sacrificial table.
We will conclude our unforgettable excursion to the museum of Imnhotep which was built in honor of Imhotep, architect of the pyramid tomb of King Djoser and the first to use stone on a large scale in the construction of a complete pyramid complex. Six rooms make up the museum, which features a variety of statuettes, sarcophagi, paintings, jars, architectural features, and other artifacts from the Saqqara archaeological site's excavations.
Finally, you will head back to your accommodation in Giza or Cairo.
Australian English
English
Español
Français
Italiano
Deutsch
Português
русский
