Memphis and Sakkara, Cairo

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Founded in 3000BC, Memphis is the capital city of ancient Egypt - during the old kingdom. It's the center for commerce and trade, so it used to be full of business activities during its glory days. Located 20 kilometers south of Cairo, Memphis is near and around the cities and towns of Mit Rahina, Dahshur, Abusir, Abu Gorab, and Zawyet el Aryan.

But what was left of the old kingdom capital is just a small open-air museum and the huge statue of Rameses II laying on its back located inside a 2-level building structure and surrounded by blocks of other historical findings in the ancient capital.

Around the courtyard of the open-air museum surrounds several huts selling souvenir stuff.

Memphis was the first stop of my full-day private car tour.

Traveling from Cairo to this place alone is not really a good idea, so people normally book tours that include this and Saqqara + Pyramids.

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It's not easy going to Saqqara on your own or by public transport, so I booked a full-day tour that include the necropolis of Saqqara.

This is our second stop, coming from Memphis, and we drive through dates or palm plantation, got in the gate of the complex and my driver bought the ticket at EGP60 for the Imhotep Museum and the vast Saqqara necropolis.

The place is home to the very first pyramid - The Pyramid of Djoser, or popularly known as the Step Pyramid of Saqqara. There's a museum which I found out later that my driver did not inform me so I was not able to see it. In fact I discovered that this driver - that was provided by my hotel in Cairo (Museum View Hotel) skipped a lot of amazing sights.

Anyhow, Saqqara is a vast area of mostly desert with the step pyramid as its center attraction. There are other pyramids mostly ruined and like a small enclosure or ancient settlement just near the parking area.

There was an underground that you can explore, just be careful not to bump your head as I did. The local caretaker or maybe not will insist on guiding you for a tip.

The step pyramid is under reconstruction during my tour. (See pic).

There weren't much tourists around, in fact, I was the only one walking around the desert -- the wind blowing the sands, some got into my eyes -- or maybe they don't want to explore the area under the heat of the sun? I dunno, but the whole desert wass mine, then I saw some vehicles on the other parking lot near the mortuary area which again, my driver did not tell me - that there was some sights on the other side of the step pyramid, damn!

Wir waren auf einem Kurztrip in Kairo und um in die paar Tage moeglichst stressfrei zu verbringen buchten wir bei Habibi Tours ein Programm welches die wichtigsten Sehenswuerdigkeiten beinhaltete. Und es sollte stressfrei werden...liebenswuerdig und sehr niveauvoll wurde unser Urlaub organisiert. Danke dafuer.

Less known and visited than Giza's pyramids, this is the older one discovered in Egypt. The adjacent temple is interesting and well displayed. there are also a few and beautiful mastabas open to visit.

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Saqqara is a huge area that has been used as a burial ground for thousands of years although much of it sill lies beneath the desert sands. Excavations have been carried out over some two hundred years.

The feature of the site is the step pyramid of Djoser, recogniseda s the world's oldest major stone structure. The pyramid, built in the 3rd Dynasty (aroaund 2630 BC), is set within a large complex. The only entrance is through the mortuary temple. A 10.5 meter wall, built of finely cut limestone and over a mile long, surrounds the complex.

Saqqara can be a 1/2 day trip from Cairo passing (or not if you wish) carpet schools, or can be added to a day at Giza.

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Memphis or Mit-Rehineh, is 30 minutes south of Cairo. Memphis was founded by King Menes (3100 B.C.) of Upper Egypt when he conquered Lower Egypt. Memphis lost it's status as the capital of Egypt during the rule of the Middle Kingdom. The Colossus of Ramses II lies in the right entrance of the museum's hall. He is 33 ft tall carved from a single slab of Limestone!

The angle and the shape of the beard of Pharoah Ramses suggests that he was alive at the completion of ths statue. If the beard were curved up at the bottom, it would suggest that he had died before the statue's completion. Supposedly, the feet were broken off when the British tried to take the statue to England in 1888. This statue of Pharoah Ramses stood in front of Cairo's main railway station from 1955-2002.

In the center of the outside courtyard is the Alabaster Sphinx which was excavated in 1912 it dates back to the 13th Century B.C. At the foot of the courtyard stands a statue of Ramses II wearing the double crown representing a united Upper and Lower Egypt.

Open daily
Price: 35.00 L.E. (6.00 USD)

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Saqqara is located near the beginning of the Nile Delta. Saqqara is the burial grounds for the kings of the 3rd and 4th Dynasties

The Step Pyramid of King Djoser at Saqqara was built by the vizier Imhotep and was literally constructed in stages. King Djoser was the 2nd king of the 3rd Dynasty, he ruled from 2267-2648 B.C.

The shape of the pyramid is called a Mastaba, meaning it is a mud-brick tomb with a rectangular base and sloping sides with a flat roof. It stands 203 ft high and weighs over 200,00 tons. The base is 358 ft by 410 ft and sits on a total of 37 acres. Inside is a burial chamber with a vertical shaft leading to it. The entrance to the chamber was sealed with a 3-ton piece of granite

Behind the pyramid is a Serdab (meaning cellar in Arabic). the Serdab served as a chamber to house the Ka statue of a dead Pharoah. If you look inside you will see a statue of King Djoser.

The mummy of Mutnojmet, the sister of Queen Nefertiti was found here in Saqqara around 30 years ago. No one is clear how she got here.

Open daily.
Price: 60.00 L.E. (10.39 USD)

"Wow! This trip was truly a unique experience, filled with plenty to see: the Black Desert, the Send Desert with its picture perfect dunes, water springs, remote beduin villages, the sparkly Chrystal Mountain and the White Desret with its amazing rock formations. My favourite part of the trip was the night in the desert: after setting out our camp we had a tasty beduin dinner, followed by dancing around the camp fire and spent the night under the open sky. Far away from the lights of any City it was amazing to see millions of stars above us and we even had clear view of the Milky Way - I only saw this in books before.
The journey was overall very well organized and felt safe at all times so I can only recommend this fantastic, one-off experience and habibitours as well ."