“Amarna Egypt Tour with Beni Hasan”

An Optional Extension Tour

After the November 2024 “Time & Space” Egypt Tour

Touring Monday-Tuesday, Nov 18-19, 2024. Departures Nov 20, 2024
2 extra days/2 extra nights

SMALL GROUP TOUR: Limited to 10 Travelers

Full November Tour Itinerary • Prices and What’s Included • Registration Form

DAY 15 – Sunday, Nov 17, 2024: FINAL DAY OF SIGHTSEEING included in the “TIME & SPACE IN THE TEMPLES & PYRAMIDS” Tour
Museum Day in Cairo, Farewell Dinner.
Hotel: Novotel Cairo Airport Hotel or similar, night #2. Meals: BB, L, D.

Mon, Nov 18, 2024: Drive to Middle Egypt, visit the Beni Hasan Tombs, overnight in Minya.
Hotel: Savoy Hotel, El Minya or similar. Meals: BB, L, D.

We leave Cairo early this morning and travel south via our own private A/C bus to Middle Egypt. We drive through the rural areas of Egypt to a place near Mallawi. We are now far from the big city of Cairo. Very few people visit the sites in Middle Egypt (not like the thousands that visit Giza each day), so this is quite an opportunity.

The Tombs of Beni Hasan are very different from the other tombs we have seen so far. These are from the Middle Kingdon – 2020-1640 BCE – and were for nobles during that time period. Situated on a cliff up on the eastern bank of the Nile (unlike the other tombs which were always on the western bank), they are full of paintings that portray scenes of the daily life. They are well-preserved, full of color, and quite fascinating.

Acrobatics, dancing, and military sports are emphasized. But there are also scenes of making flour, baking bread, weaving cloth, and even a husband and wife on their wedding night! There are many animals portrayed – both those that were domesticated and those that were hunted. There are also a few “mystic” beasts to speculate about, a unicorn… or what do you think?

One interesting scene shows immigrants coming from the east (often referred to as the “Asian enemies”) probably coming to Egypt to escape famine in their own lands.

After our visit to the Beni Hasan tombs, we drive to the city of Minya where we overnight at a hotel there.

View of the Nile from the Beni Hasan Tombs

Tues, Nov 19, 2024: Touring Tell el Amarna, drive back to Cairo Airport.
Hotel: Novotel Cairo Airport or similar. Meals: BB, L. D.

For a FULL INFORMATION ABOUT AMARNA, visit the Amarna Project website.

We will spend most of the day visiting the different sites at Amarna. Then we will be driving back to our hotel near the Cairo Airport. The hotel is included tonight so you will have a room to refresh yourself if your flight leaves in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

AKHETATEN

NEFERTITI & AKHENATEN

AKHETATEN

NORTHERN PALACE

AKHENATEN

AKHETATEN

AKHENATEN

Wednesday, Nov 20, 2024: Departures
Meals: BB.

Breakfast is included this morning at the hotel. Each person can leave at a time that is convenient for them. The hotel is right within the airport perimeter and there is a shuttle that will take you to whichever terminal you need to leave from.

*Note that there may be changes to the above itinerary due to circumstances beyond our control. However, every effort will be made to maintain this program as it is stated.

Prices & What’s Included

2-Day/2-night “Amarna & Beni Hasan” Extension Tour

NOTE: These tour prices are for travelers who are also participating in the November 3-18, 2024 tour.
If you are not participating in that tour, but would like to join us for these 2 days, please CONTACT US for prices.

= This tour is limited to 10 participants. =

$795 USD per person in DOUBLE or TRIPLE occupancy.

$895 USD per person in SINGLE hotel rooms

Make your DEPOSIT here:

INCLUDED in the 2-Day/2-night “Amarna & Beni Hasan” Extension Tour

HOTELS – 2 nights

Minya Hotel: Savoy or similar, 1 night

Cairo Airport hotel: Novotel or similar, 1 night

MEALS

2 Buffet Breakfasts at the hotels and dahabiya, 2 Lunches, and 2 Dinners.

DRINKS

Bottled water is provided at all meals and during sightseeing.

Tea & Coffee are provided with breakfast.

Note that any other drinks are not included.

SIGHTSEEING – Sites Not Included in Most Egypt Tours, but They Are in Ours!

All the entrance fees are included as per the day-by-day itinerary unless otherwise noted.

FEES INCLUDED:

–Tombs at Beni Hasan (Middle Kingdom Nobles)

–Tell el Amarna – all sites that are currently open

BUSES

All transportation is by private A/C buses.

TOUR GUIDES

Ruth Shilling is your American Tour Leader/Guide

Top-notch Egyptologist Tour Guide

PORTERS/MOVING YOUR BAGS

There will be porters who will move your bags from place to place, both inside and outside the hotels. These tips are included.

TIPPING

Tipping is an integral part of the Egyptian culture. This can be both confusing and frustrating for travelers. For this reason, we have included almost all the tips in your tour cost.

TIPS INCLUDED:

-bus drivers

-porters

-waiters at meals

-hotel staff: baggage, waiters, kitchen, housekeeping, reception desk

-antiquities guards at the sites, ticket sellers

-police, any escorts we may have

*Note the tip for our Egyptologist and Tour Leader is not included.

NOT INCLUDED in the 2-Day/2-night “Amarna & Beni Hasan” Extension Tour

EXTRA HOTEL NIGHTS

If you depart after the tour ends. Contact Us if you need additional hotel nights.

DRINKS

Drinks, other than water, are not included (coffee and tea are included at breakfast). Soft drinks are also included on the cruise boat.

SHOPPING

Any shopping you do during this tour is not included.

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS to/from Cairo

Your international flights to/from Egypt are not included.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Travel insurance and health insurance are not included. The government website says that proof of health insurance is required to enter Egypt. Note that this has never actually been checked for any of our travelers.