from 0 review
1 day
Daily Tour
1 person
___
The “Temple Pilgrimage”: Dendera & Abydos Day Trip. This itinerary is for the spiritual traveler and the art lover. You will leave the busy streets of Luxor behind and drive north into the Egyptian heartland to visit two of the most spectacular, yet often overlooked, temples in Egypt.
This journey takes you to the House of Osiris in Abydos, considered the holiest site in ancient Egypt, and the Temple of Hathor in Dendera, famous for its vibrant blue ceilings and astronomical mysteries. If you want to see the finest art Ancient Egypt ever produced, this is the tour for you.
07:00 AM | The Journey North Your guide picks you up early from your hotel or Nile Cruise. We begin the 3-hour drive north to Sohag Governorate.
The Drive: This is a scenic route through the "real" Egypt. You will pass through lush green farming villages, watching farmers work the fields and donkey carts share the road, giving you a glimpse of rural life unchanged for centuries.
10:00 AM | Abydos: The Gate to the Afterlife We arrive at Abydos, the pilgrimage center for the cult of Osiris, god of the underworld.
Temple of Seti I: This temple is an art gallery. The reliefs here are not deeply cut but raised (bas-relief) and incredibly smooth. You will see the Seven Chapels dedicated to different gods, preserving their original colors.
The King List: Your guide will show you the "Abydos King List," where Seti I and his young son Ramses II are shown offering incense to their ancestors.
The Osireion: Behind the temple lies the Osireion, a strange, sunken structure built with massive granite blocks. Note: General entry tickets allow you to view it from above (which offers a great view). Entering the water/structure itself requires a special, expensive permit arranged weeks in advance.
The "Helicopter": Yes, you will see the famous "helicopter" hieroglyphs and learn the rational explanation behind them!
01:00 PM | Countryside Lunch We break for lunch. Since this area is less touristy, we typically provide a high-quality boxed lunch (grilled chicken/sandwiches) or stop at a simple, clean local rest house between the two cities.
02:30 PM | Dendera: The Temple of Joy We drive back south (approx. 1.5 hours) to Qena to visit the Temple of Hathor at Dendera.
The Experience: Unlike the ruined open-air temples of Luxor, Dendera is almost intact. You walk into a dark, cool Hypostyle Hall where the ceiling is a vibrant blue, decorated with the goddess Nut swallowing the sun.
The Crypts: We descend into the claustrophobic but fascinating crypts beneath the floor, where the famous "Dendera Lightbulb" relief is carved.
The Roof: We climb the ancient stairs (spiraling square staircase) to the roof. Here, you visit the chapel of Osiris and see the replica of the Dendera Zodiac (the original is in the Louvre).
05:00 PM | Return to Luxor We embark on the final leg of the journey (approx. 1.5 hours), arriving back in Luxor around sunset.
06:30 PM | Drop-off Transfer back to your hotel or cruise ship.
Q: Is the long drive worth it? A: Absolutely. While 6 hours of the day is spent driving, the temples are the best preserved in Egypt. If you appreciate art and want to see temples with roofs and colors intact, it is worth every minute.
Q: Is it safe to drive this far? A: Yes. The route to Abydos and Dendera is a secured tourist corridor. We pass through several police checkpoints, which is standard procedure in Egypt to ensure traveler safety.
Q: Can I go inside the Osireion water? A: Not with a standard ticket. The standard ticket allows you to walk around the top edge and look down into it. To walk down among the granite blocks requires a special government permit that costs significantly more and must be arranged weeks in advance.
Q: Can we do this tour in half a day? A: No. If you are short on time, we recommend visiting only Dendera (which takes about 5 hours total). Abydos is too far for a half-day trip.
Member Since 2024
Leave a review