• Abydos - Begin your journey with a pickup from your hotel in Safaga by a Marsa Alam Tours guide. Travel to the Dendera Temple, arriving at 08:30, where an Egyptologist guide will share the temple’s rich history.

Dendera Temple

The Temple of Hathor was primarily built during the Late Ptolemaic period, under the reigns of Ptolemy XII and Cleopatra VII, with later additions from the Roman era. Despite being constructed by non-native Egyptian rulers, the temple’s design aligns with traditional Egyptian architecture, except for the hypostyle hall’s facade, which an inscription credits to Emperor Tiberius.

The temple complex also features scenes depicting Ptolemaic rulers. Notably, a large relief on an external wall shows Cleopatra VII and her son, Ptolemy XV (Caesarion), dressed in Egyptian attire and making offerings.

Hathor, revered as a healing goddess, is honored with a sanatorium in the temple complex. Pilgrims sought cures here, using sacred water poured over inscribed statues for bathing, receiving unguents from Hathor’s priests, and sleeping in quarters hoping for healing dreams from the goddess.

Travel to Abydos Temple from Dendera Temple

Abydos Temple

Abydos is one of Ancient Egypt’s most significant archaeological sites, home to many ancient temples, including Umm el-Qa’ab, a royal necropolis for early pharaohs. These tombs became highly esteemed, increasing the town’s importance as a cult site.

Today, Abydos is renowned for the memorial temple of Seti I, featuring the Abydos King List, a chronological record of pharaohs from Menes to Ramesses I, Seti’s father. The Great Temple and much of the ancient town lie beneath modern buildings north of the Seti temple, with many original structures and artifacts lost or destroyed.

Located about 2.5 hours by car north of Luxor, Abydos was a vital religious site for ancient Egyptians, akin to a pilgrimage to Mecca for modern Muslims. The Temple of Seti I, the largest and most significant, was completed by his son, Ramesses II, after Seti’s death.

Seti I, who came to power 30 years after Akhenaten’s controversial rule, aimed to restore faith in the traditional gods. His temple includes chapels for major deities: Ptah, Re-Harakhte, Amun-Re, Osiris, Isis, Horus, and one for Seti himself. Although much of the complex is gone, including the pylon and first two courtyards, visitors enter through a doorway into the hypostyle hall. The well-preserved wall reliefs, especially those completed during Seti’s reign, are among Egypt’s finest.

Abydos is less frequented due to its remote location, though occasionally visited by tour buses from beach resorts or cruise ships. With good timing, visitors might enjoy the temple complex in solitude.

Lunch at Abydos Temple

Savor an Egyptian lunch near the Abydos temple.

Return to Hurghada

Travel back to your hotel in Hurghada from the Abydos temple.

• Lunch
• In-vehicle air conditioning

• tipping

Embark on a personal day excursion to the temples of Dendera and Abydos from Hurghada. Check out the temple of Hathor - the deity of affection, melody, and recovery, and then continue to Abydos to explore the temple of Osiris. Abydos held profound religious significance for the ancient Egyptians, similar to how modern Muslims view a pilgrimage to Mecca as a major life goal. For them, Abydos was closely tied to the gateway to the afterlife.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.