Private Tour to Tomb of Mereruka Pyramid of Unas The Red Pyramid

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

• 1
  Saqqara (Sakkara) Pyramids

  Start 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.

  1 hour • Admission ticket not included
• 2
  Pyramid of Unas

  The pyramid of Unas was built in the 5th Dynasty. Despite its size, this pyramid is very significant for having the first example of funerary texts known as Pyramid Texts. These texts were inscribed on the walls of the burial chamber and assisted the deceased pharaoh in his journey to the afterlife through instructive spells. As with most pyramids, two temples linked by a long causeway compose part of the pyramid complex. The remains of the valley temple can be seen at the modern entrance to the site of Saqqara. Much of the causeway, which was elaborately decorated, has been removed and reused by later kings, but a part of it still remains offering visitors a glimpse of what it once looked like.

  30 minutes • Admission ticket not included
• 3

  Mereruka was vizier during the reigns of Kings Teti (c.2345–2323 BC). As vizier, the highest-ranking official, and husband of a daughter of Teti’s, Mereruka was a very powerful and wealthy man. It is all the more significant that he held this title during the reigns of the first two rulers of the Sixth Dynasty, a time when the elite’s power had grown substantially. Mereruka was buried in a mastaba to the north of the pyramid of Teti in Saqqara. Reflecting his status, it is among the largest in the Teti cemetery, and among the most exquisitely decorated tombs of the Old Kingdom (c.2686–2181 BC). The rooms inside the mastaba were often the venue for the performance of the cult for the soul of the tomb owner. Mereruka’s massive mastaba contains a total of thirty rooms, including six for his wife, and another five for his son. Many beautiful scenes adorning the walls of this tomb provide insight into life during the Old Kingdom.

  30 minutes • Admission ticket not included
• 4

  Then transferred to Memphis, the city and capital of ancient Egypt and an important center 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.

  1 hour • Admission ticket not included
• 5

  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. The Bent Pyramid is one of the pyramids built by King Sneferu, the first king of Dynasty 4. It was called “bent” because of its broken lines due to a change of angle, an engineering issue in its design.

  30 minutes • Admission ticket not included
• 6

  The Red Pyramid is the highest in Dahshur, and its name “Red” is due to the reddish rusty color of its blocks. It was not this color originally, but a beautiful pure white of limestone of Tura, south of modern Cairo. All pyramids had a casing made of white limestone, which was reused in medieval times. It is the third-largest Egyptian pyramid after those of Khufu and Khafre at Giza. The Red Pyramid was one of three pyramids built by King Sneferu after the Bent Pyramid, located one kilometer to the south, and the so-called Meidum pyramid. This pyramid may have been started in the 13th year of his reign, taking 10 years to be built. The visitor can enter the pyramid from an entrance on the northern side, leading to a passageway (a meter in height and a meter in width). It then slopes down to another gallery into a chamber with a corbelled roof, similar to an inverted stairway. At the end of the Tour, you will be transferred back to your Hotel.

  30 minutes • Admission ticket not included
• 7
  Mastaba of Ti

  The Mastaba of Ti is one of the most important archaeological sites of Saqqara. The mastaba was discovered by Auguste Mariette. The mastaba contains two serdabs. The walls of the tomb show various scenes of everyday life.

  30 minutes • Admission ticket not included
• 8
  Pyramid of Unas

  Unas built his pyramid between the complexes of Sekhemket and Djoser, in North Saqqara. Anchored to the valley temple at a nearby lake, a long causeway was constructed to provide access to the pyramid site.

  30 minutes • Admission ticket not included
• 9
  Pyramid of Teti

  The pyramid of Teti is a smooth-sided pyramid situated in the pyramid field at Saqqara in Egypt. It is the second known pyramid containing pyramid texts.

  30 minutes • Admission ticket not included

Additional info

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

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