Embark with Mara’s expert team on an unforgettable journey from Safaga Port to Luxor, where history and ancient wonders await you.  Our team will personally greet you at your cruise ship in Safaga Port to assist you through the legalities of leaving the port, ensuring a seamless and comfortable start to your adventure.  The following are the most sought after sites on day tours from Safaga.  We will tailor make the right combination to suit your cruise ship’s arrival and departure time.

Dendera Temple

Your day will be an enchanting journey, brimming with awe-inspiring sights and enriching experiences.  Our first adventure today will be to explore the Mysteries of Dendera Temple, dedicated to the Goddess Hathor.  This Temple is a treasure trove of mysteries and unanswered questions, offering you the opportunity to explore its intricate carvings and delve into its secrets.  What ancient rites and ceremonies were enacted within these sacred walls?  Imagine yourself entering the secret room, its entrance once concealed high on the wall, or crawling through openings into one of the twelve hidden underground crypts.

Ceiling and top of the huge columns - Each column has Head of Hathor carved
Hathor Column at Dendera Temple

As you marvel at the cosmic revelations adorning the temple’s ceilings, you’ll find yourself awe-struck by the remarkable acoustics of this sacred space, transporting you to a time when a vibrant, spiritual community of priests and priestesses thrived here.  Our expert guides will unveil the numerous enigmatic secrets of this extraordinary temple, revealing the carvings ‘hidden in plain sight,’ often unnoticed by the ordinary visitor, where history and mystique converge in an unparalleled experience.

Valley of the Kings – Luxor’s West Bank

Next, we’ll escort you to Luxor’s revered West Bank, an area steeped in history and significance.  Here, you’ll have the extraordinary privilege of venturing deep inside the hallowed tombs where the Kings of Egypt were intended to rest in eternal peace, within the awe-inspiring Valley of the Kings.  Our chosen tombs to visit are those of Ramses IV, Ramses III and Merneptah.

Tomb of Sety I in Valley of the Kings, Luxor

You will also have the option to visit King Tutankhamun’s mummy, which is currently back in his own tomb.  A replica of the tomb has been made and is in the Valley of the Kings.  It is envisioned that soon the real tomb will be closed to preserve it and visitors will only be able to visit the replica.  Also, there is the option to visit the tomb of Sety I, previously only open to visiting royalty, celebrities, and heads of state.  It was opened to encourage tourism; however, the steady and unparalleled increase in tourism may mean this tomb could be closed again at any time.

Hatshepsut Temple – Luxor’s West Bank

Hatshepsut’s reign as one of the few female pharaohs in ancient Egypt during the 18th dynasty has captivated people throughout history, including Mara in 2003.  She had heard and read about so many pharaohs, queens, gods, and goddesses by then that it was all just a blurry mess without order in her mind.  Looking for a starting point, Mara found herself resonating with Hatshepsut’s position as a woman in a male-dominated society.

Despite her unconventional position, Hatshepsut left an indelible mark on Egypt’s history, characterized by her impressive building projects, successful trade expeditions such as to the Land of Punt, and her iconic portrayal in male pharaonic attire, all aimed at asserting her authority.  In the midst of all challenges, it is nice to see that Hatshepsut still had time for a personal life and a lover named Senenmut, which is alluded to in rude carvings by the workers, not on the Temple itself but nearby.   Hatshepsut was an exceptional figure during the 18th dynasty of the New Kingdom period (around 1479-1458 BCE).  She initially ruled as co-regent alongside her stepson Thutmose III but later became pharaoh in her own right.

Hatshepsut Temple on Luxor’s West Bank

While the inner chambers of her temple may remain off-limits to modern visitors, Hatshepsut’s Temple is an architectural masterpiece and Hatshepsut’s enduring legacy continues to inspire people, emphasizing her role as a symbol of strength and leadership.  Her Temple deserves a visit and her story serves as a reminder of the remarkable impact historical figures can have, transcending time and cultural boundaries to empower and inspire individuals across generations.

Colossi of Memnon – Luxor’s West Bank

To the uninitiated the Colossi of Memnon are just two big statues in the middle of a field.  They are much more than that.  In the warm touch of the morning sun, the colossal stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, loom over the Nile’s western bank near Luxor, Egypt.  These towering sentinels, each 60 feet tall and weighing 700 tons, once graced a magnificent temple complex that time has since eroded.  Renowned for their ancient “singing” at dawn, attributed to the stone’s reaction to temperature and humidity, the statues have fascinated travelers for centuries.  Though damaged by earthquakes and time, they remain a captivating testament to Egypt’s grandeur.  Many, like Mara, find themselves moved by the profound emotion evoked by these ancient sentinels when first encountering them.

Karnak Temple – Luxor’s East Bank

Our journey continues as we drive to the world-renowned Karnak Temple, a sprawling complex of ancient ruins and majestic columns that will leave you in awe.  Karnak Temple is not only an architectural marvel but also a testament to the enduring devotion of countless pharaohs who contributed to its expansion and embellishment over centuries including Hatshepsut and her stepson Thutmose III.  It served not just as a place of worship but also as a political and administrative center where Egyptian rulers would assert their divine authority and celebrate their conquests.

The Avenue of Sphinxes, a remarkable processional pathway lined with human-headed lion statues, once connected Karnak Temple to Luxor Temple, creating a symbolic link between the sacred and the secular aspects of Egyptian life.  By the way, when you stand at the entrance to Karnak Temple and face the river, you can see Hatshepsut’s Temple directly across the Nile, so the three Temples were visually connected to each other as well as to the peak that marks the Valley of the Kings on the West Bank.

Sacred Lake at Karnak Temple

Karnak Temple is the only Temple in Egypt which still has it’s sacred lake filled with water as in the ancient times – there is also an intact lake at Dendera Temple, which you will see, but it no longer has access to the waters of the Nile.

Scene 00.41 to 02.07 from the James Bond movie “The Spy Who Loved Me” were shot at Karnak Temple

Temple of Luxor

While Karnak Temple ticket offices closes at 4-4.30 depending on the season, Luxor Temple is open until 21.00.

The fabulous columns at Luxor Temple illuminated at night

Join us for this extraordinary day tour from Safaga Port to Luxor, and let us unlock the secrets of Egypt’s ancient past for you.  Contact Mara for availability, dates and pricing.

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