Your Marsa Alam tours guide will collect you from your hotel in Cruise in Safaga for a drive to Dendera temple. The tour guide, an Egyptologist, will educate you on the temple’s history upon arrival at 08:30.

Dendera temple

Primarily constructed during the Late Ptolemaic period under Ptolemy XII and Cleopatra VII, Dendera - The Temple of Hathor, saw further additions in the Roman era. Though it was built by rulers who were not native to Egypt, its architectural design is in line with traditional Egyptian temples, with the exception of the hypostyle hall front. An inscription cites Emperor Tiberius as its builder.

The temple complex also features scenes highlighting rulers from the Ptolemaic period. For instance, there’s a large relief of Cleopatra VII and her son-caesarion (Ptolemy XV), dressed in Egyptian clothing and performing sacrifices.

As a goddess of healing, Hathor is seen through the presence of a sanatorium in the complex. Pilgrims would visit here for healing, using sacred water for bathing, receiving treatments from Hathor’s priests and sleeping in quarters intended for dreams of the goddess to assist them.

After visiting Dendera temple, we’ll drive to the Abydos temple.

Abydos temple

Recognised as one of Egypt’s most significant archaeological sites, the sacred city of Abydos houses numerous ancient temples, including Umm el-Qa’ab, a royal necropolis that was a burial ground for early pharaohs. Over time, the area’s import grew due to its significance as a holy burial place.

At present, Abydos is home to the memorial temple of Seti I, featuring the Abydos King List - a chronological review of powerful pharaohs from Menes to Ramesses I, Seti’s father. The majority of the ancient town and the Great Temple are considered lost, buried beneath modern buildings to the north of Seti temple.

Abydos, located approximately 2.5 hours by car from Luxor to the north, held religious significance for ancient Egyptians. The locals would aspire to visit Abydos, much like modern Muslims hope to visit Mecca. They believe Abydos is the gateway to the afterlife.

Though many temples were built here, the most celebrated is the Temple of Seti I - built by Seti I and his son Ramesses II. After the religious turbulence experienced during the rule of Akhenaten, also known as the Amarna Period, Seti I aimed to restore faith in the older gods. His temple, as a result, houses chapels dedicated to numerous major gods such as Ptah, Re-Harakhte, Amun-Re, Osiris, Isis, Horus, and one dedicated to Seti himself.

A range of wall reliefs, many preserved well and completed during Seti’s reign, can be found towards the rear of the temple. These are considered to be some of Egypt’s finest temple reliefs.

Being one of the less accessible sites, Abydos isn’t frequently visited. However, with careful timing, you might be able to exclusively explore the temple complex.

Lunch by the Abydos temple will be a delightful Egyptian meal.

After that, we’ll return to your hotel in Hurghada from the Abydos temple.

• Lunch
• In-vehicle air conditioning

• tipping