Historical Day Tour Visit Memphis Saqqara and Dahshur

Saqqara (Sakkara) Pyramids

Starts with Pickup from your hotel in either Cairo or Giza By Tour guide to Start your full day tour visiting Sakkara. Located 40 km southwest of Cairo, Saqqara is one of the most important cemeteries of Memphis, which was itself one of the most important cities in ancient Egyptian history. The name of the site most likely derives from the god of this necropolis, Sokar. Saqqara is truly an open-air museum, one that has all of ancient Egyptian history on display. Kings and noblemen from the very first two dynasties (c.3040–2686 BC) were buried here, and this is also the location of the Step Pyramid of Djoser (c.2686–2667 BC). The pyramids of some of the most important kings of the Old Kingdom Fifth (c.2494–2345 BC) and Sixth (c.2345–2181 BC) Dynasties are located in Saqqara. One of these, the pyramid of Unas (also known as Wenis; (c.2375–2345 BC), features the oldest pyramid burial chamber decorated with texts. These are the so-called Pyramid Texts.

Memphis, city and capital of ancient Egypt and an important centre during much of Egyptian history. Memphis is located south of the Nile River delta, on the west bank of the river, and about 15 miles (24 km) south of modern Cairo. Closely associated with the ancient city’s site are the cemeteries, or necropolises, of Memphis, where the famous pyramids of Egypt are located. From north to south the main pyramid fields are: Abū Ruwaysh, Giza, Zāwiyat al-ʿAryān, Abū Ṣīr, Ṣaqqārah, and Dahshūr. The Memphis archaeological zone was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.

Dahshur was the southern part of the cemetery of Memphis, the capital of ancient Egypt. Pyramids of the kings of the Old and Middle Kingdoms were erected on this hill. The first king of the 4th Dynasty Sneferu chose the rocky plateau of Dahshur to establish his first pyramid to compete with the pyramid of King Djoser in Saqqara but failed to complete it. This first attempt turned into a broken shape, but he built a complete pyramid at a distance from it, called the Red Pyramid. Nearby, the pyramids dating to the Middle Kingdom, starting from the pyramid of King Amenemhat II, stand although in a bad state. The pyramid of King Senwosret III is surrounded by the tombs of the princesses Sit-Hathor and Ment. As for the Black Pyramid of King Amenemhat III, it is also in poor condition of conservation. Despite the erosion of its stones, it is still standing at a distance from the pyramid of Sneferu. At the end of the Tour you will be transferred back to your Hotel.