Our third day in Egypt started with the eagerly awaited Saqqara and Dahshur road trip from Cairo. Saqqara came across as a perfect Egyptian postcard at first glance. The desert, two date palm trees prancing on a patch of green, a donkey relishing the grass, and Djoser’s Step Pyramid visible at a distance – the setting was flawless. Armed with our tickets, we entered Saqqara’s extensive archaeological site. Here and there, we could see teams of archaeologists engaged in unearthing the treasures of the past. We drove past the ruins of Userkaf’s Pyramid and finally reached our first stop, the Step Pyramid.
Long before the Great Pyramid rose over the Giza plateau, the Egyptian masterminds were brainstorming on how to build eternity in stone. At Saqqara, the first move was played. A stepped pyramid emerged from the desert, a revolutionary creation of Netjerikhet Djoser and his chancellor Imhotep. A few centuries later, at Dahshur, Sneferu‘s architects experimented with angles, proportions and structural stability, producing first the remarkable Bent Pyramid and eventually the Red Pyramid, generally regarded as Egypt’s first successful true pyramid.
Together, Saqqara and Dahshur preserve the fascinating story of this architectural evolution. And the best part? Both can be explored as a day trip from Cairo.
In this guide, we will take you through the highlights of Saqqara and Dahshur, explain what makes each monument significant, and share everything you need to know to plan this fascinating Cairo day trip.
Saqqara: Where the Egyptian Pyramid Began
The word Saqqara is derived from Sokar, the falcon-headed god of the burial ground. The vast archaeological site of Saqqara is dotted with innumerable burial sites, the majority of which are yet to be unearthed. The skyline of Saqqara is dominated by the fascinating, 4800-year-old Step Pyramid of Djoser. Saqqara is where the ancient Egyptians moved on from the flat-roofed ‘mastaba’ tombs and sowed the seeds of pyramids.
If Giza showcases the monumental glory of ancient Egypt, Saqqara narrates how this monumentality began. That’s why this Saqqara day trip from Cairo is a must-do in Egypt.
Step Pyramid:
The ancient Egyptians had a penchant for monumentality, an attribute traced back to the prehistoric era at Nabta Playa. Experimentation went on, and the construction of a vast edifice of stone was first fully realised during the reign of Khasekhemwy, the last ruler of the Second Dynasty.
It was Netjerikhet Djoser, the heir of Khasekhemwy, who set the ball rolling, and his enthusiasm heralded the Step Pyramid. Djoser was fortunate that his aspiration was shared by Imhotep, a royal official who held the most prominent position in Djoser’s court. Now regarded as the epitome of ancient Egyptian wisdom and learning, Imhotep’s extraordinary vision led to the evolution of the royal tomb from a single-stepped ‘mastabas’ to a six-stepped form. Imhotep’s innovation signals the start of the Pyramid Age. Saqqara thus witnesses the birth of the Egyptian pyramid.
The Step Pyramid of Djoser was an ambitious project. It leaves in one single step, towering above the king’s burial chamber, a mountain of stone to replicate the primaeval mound of creation.
In the end, the Step Pyramid turned into a symbol of the Pharaoh’s absolute power.
Pyramid of Unas:
Near the Step Pyramid complex, there lies the Pyramid of Unas. From the outside, it is rather unimpressive. Unas, the last ruler of the Fifth Dynasty, reserved the most radical innovation for the chambers underneath the monument. Forgoing the stark simplicity of earlier undecorated walls, Unas planned a more decorative resting place for his afterlife.
The king’s coffin was painted black to symbolise the earth, while the ceiling was studded with golden stars against a dark blue background to mirror the night sky. The greatest novelty of all was decorating the walls with the so-called Pyramid Texts, a motley collection of prayers and spells to assist the king in his afterlife journey. It is the earliest surviving body of religious literature from ancient Egypt, and the only large corpus of inscriptions from the Old Kingdom.
Tombs of the Nobles:
Apart from the royal burials, the Saqqara necropolis has scores of private tombs belonging to the court officials. We visited two of them.
First, the tomb of Mehu, an Old Kingdom noble. Though incomplete, it is worth visiting as it gives an idea of how the carvings are made. Along with some exceptional artwork, Mehu’s tomb has the most beautiful false door in the entire Saqqara.
Next, we visited the tomb of Ptahotep. It is embellished with vibrant artworks. The ordinary aspects of the Egyptian life were brilliantly manifested here.
The Serapeum:
A fascinating monument of Saqqara, the Serapeum is the subterranean burial complex of the sacred Apis bulls.
The Apis Bull was associated with Ptah, the Egyptian creator god and the patron deity of craftsmen, architects, and builders. Specially selected bulls were ordained as Apis Bull during their lives. After their death, they were mummified and buried in elaborate sarcophagi within the Serapeum.
In this way, Saqqara became a vast sacred landscape in which royal burial, private tombs, and animal cults co-existed.
Imhotep Museum:
This museum houses a host of artefacts excavated from Saqqara and helps to understand the archaeological works undertaken over the years.
TIPS FOR VISITING SAQQARA:
- Opening hours of Saqqara: The Saqqara Archaeological Complex remains open from 8 AM to 4 PM.
- Ticket price for Saqqara: For foreign adults, the ticket price is EGP 600, and EGP 300 for foreign students. For Egyptians, ticket prices are EGP 30 and EGP 10, respectively.
- How much time is required to explore Saqqara: You’ll need at least 4 hours to explore the vast expanse of Saqqara.
- Start early from Cairo, as the heat gradually becomes intolerable as the day progresses.
- Opt for comfortable shoes, as you have to walk a lot on uneven terrain and crawl inside tombs.
- For clothes, loose-fitted cotton and linen outfits in light colours are perfect.
- Don’t forget to carry water, and there are no shops or vendors inside the Saqqara Archaeological Complex.
Dahshur: Where the Egyptian Pyramids Evolved
Dahshur was a virgin site when Sneferu, the first king of the Fourth Dynasty, chose it for his final resting place. Sneferu was already experimenting with a bold, new architectural statement at Meidum. Though it mirrored the basic form of Djoser’s Step Pyramid, the Meidum Pyramid was grander in scale, soaring up in eight giant steps against Djoser’s six.
However, the Meidum Pyramid failed to quench the thirst of Sneferu’s vaunting aspiration. Driven by overweening ambition, he discarded the finished Meidum Pyramid and set his eyes on an even more audacious project. In Dahshur, Sneferu heralded a groundbreaking structure – Egypt’s first true geometric pyramid. As if it were an overt representation of a shaft of sunlight, rendered in stone on a monumental scale.
Thus, if Saqqara lets you witness the birth of the pyramid, Dahshur hums the story of how the ancient Egyptians learnt to build a new pyramid. To behold the Egyptian pyramid evolution, you must include the Dahshur day trip from Cairo in your itinerary.
Bent Pyramid:
It was Sneferu’s first attempt to create a smooth-sided pyramid, with sides rising at a steep angle of 60 degrees to a height of nearly five hundred feet. However, Sneferu’s drive could not compete with the forces of nature. When construction reached the halfway point, cracks surfaced in the outer casing. A telltale sign of subsidence, the subjacent sands and shales were not strong enough to support the enormous weight of the towering pyramid.
Sneferu’s engineers and builders took emergency measures such as extra blocks of stone laid around the base of the pyramid, reducing the angle of the sides to 54 degrees, and even used expensive imported logs to shore up the ceilings. But, to no avail.
Ultimately, to save the pyramid (and their own careers!), the architects agreed on a radical plan. For the upper half of the pyramid, the angle of incline was further reduced to 43 degrees and smaller blocks of stone were laid horizontally. Things somehow worked out, and the pyramid was completed, ascending 346 feet in height.
The Bent Pyramid, though it looks like a botched job, is a living record of all the permutations and combinations that Sneferu’s architects brainstormed. It was the stepping stone for the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza, which was the handiwork of Sneferu’s son and heir, Khufu. And that is what makes the Bent Pyramid so fascinating.
Interestingly, you can venture inside the Bent Pyramid. Braving the steep ascent and descent while slithering through cramped caverns and battling gruelling heat, it is nothing short of an adventure, making it one of the top things to do in Dahshur.
Red Pyramid:
The apparent failure of the Bent Pyramid could hardly dissuade Sneferu. He, along with his engineers and builders, started again from scratch. This time, the lessons learned from the bitter experience were rigorously applied. Sneferu was on the verge of perfecting the art of pyramid building.
First, the site was selected with stable underlying geology. The structure of the pyramid was planned with a reduced angle of 43 degrees, and the stone blocks would all be laid in horizontal courses. The Red Pyramid was completed at record speed, and the greatest pyramid builder in Egyptian history finally had a monument worthy of his name.
The Red Pyramid was not only perfect in outward form, but its interior chambers showed a new sophistication of design. It is generally regarded as the first successful true pyramid, with straight and smooth sides from bottom to apex. To put it differently, the Red Pyramid is not simply another pyramid. It is the bridge between experimentation and mastery.
The Red Pyramid can also be entered through an opening on its northern face. The experience is, however, physically demanding. Nonetheless, it is one of the best places to visit near Cairo.
Black Pyramid:
Built nearly a thousand years after Sneferu perfected the geometric pyramids, the Black Pyramid was built by Amenemhat III. One of the greatest rulers of the Twelfth Dynasty, Amenemhat III’s choice of Dahshur for his pyramid demonstrates the continued prestige of this ancient funerary landscape.
Unlike Sneferu’s pyramids, the Black Pyramid was erected largely from mud brick, making the construction more economical and practical. The name of the pyramid comes from the dark appearance of its surviving mud-brick core.
However, the use of mud brick contributed to its deterioration. At present, it looks far from a perfect geometric pyramid and rather a battered archaeological mound.
TIPS FOR VISITING DAHSHUR:
- Opening hours of Dahshur: The Dahshur archaeological site remains open from 8 AM to 5 PM.
- Ticket price for Dahshur royal necropolis: For foreign adults, ticket is EGP 200, and EGP 100 for foreign students. For Egyptians, its EGP 10 and EGP 5 respectively.
- How much time required in Dahshur: If you’re planning to visit inside the pyramids, set aside at least 3 hours for Dahshur. Else, you can wrap up in an hour.
- Wear comfortable shoes, as exploring Dahshur involves lots of walking on uneven ground. Also, comfortable footwear becomes even more important if you go inside the pyramids.
- Opt for comfortable clothes made of cotton and linen.
- Carry water, as there is no shade in the desert and it’s roasting inside the pyramids. We found a vendor selling chilled water at the mouth of the Bent Pyramid.
IS IT WORTH VISITING SAQQARA & DAHSHUR:
Without a doubt, YES! The Pyramids of Giza, the colossal achievement of the Old Kingdom, are the perfected end product. Their origin can be traced in Saqqara, and the eventual experiments and evolution in the architecture are visible in Dahshur. If you want to understand the evolution of the construction of Pyramids, then it is definitely worth visiting Saqqara and Dahshur. They also provide a glimpse into the Old Kingdom architecture.
SAQQARA & DAHSHUR ITINERARY:
The Saqqara and Dahshur day trip from Cairo is a wonderful opportunity to experience the wonders of ancient Egypt. You can follow our Saqqara and Dahshur itinerary:
- 7 AM: Start from Cairo.
- 8 AM: Reach Saqqara.
- 8 AM to 12 PM: Explore Saqqara.
- 12 PM to 1 PM: Lunch break.
- 1-30 PM: Reach Dahshur.
- 1-30 PM to 4 PM: Explore Dahshur.
- 5 PM: Reach Cairo.
IMPORTANT FAQS:
- How far is Saqqara from Cairo?
From Cairo, Saqqara is 32 kms away, and it takes around an hour to reach by car. - How far is Dahshur from Cairo?
The distance between Cairo and Dahshur is 41 kms. Its an hour drive from Cairo. - What is the best way to visit Saqqara and Dahshur?
Hiring a private car and driver for this Saqqara and Dahshur day trip is the most convenient way. You can also use public transport, but that would make covering both sites in one day nearly impossible. - Are there any places of accommodation in Saqqara and Dahshur.
You won’t find decent accommodation in Saqqara and Dahshur as the two sites are basically hamlets. Its best to stay in Cairo and visit them as part of a day trip. - Are there any eateries in Saqqara and Dahshur?
You’ll find some basic eateries on the way. Don’t expect anything fancy. If you’re not comfortable with local street-side food stalls, it’s better to take packaged food with you. - Can you visit Saqqara and Dahshur in one day?
Yes, absolutely. Both can be visited as a day trip from Cairo. - Best time to visit Saqqara and Dahshur?
Winter months (November to February) are perfect for exploring these archaeological sites. It is also the high season of Egypt’s tourism, so expect the sites packed with tourist groups. The shoulder season (September-October, March-April) is also convenient if you’re willing to avoid the crowds. - For more information, you can visit the official website of Egypt’s monuments.
