| Duration |
2 Days |
|---|---|
| Tour Location |
El Minya |
| Tour Type |
Daily Tour |
| Pickup |
Your Hotel |
A 2 day El Minya tour from Cairo takes you south into Middle Egypt to visit Tell El-Amarna, Tuna El-Gebel, and the Beni Hassan Tombs over one overnight stay. The tour departs from Cairo hotels by private vehicle and returns to Cairo hotels on the evening of day two. It is the only Cairo overnight itinerary built around these three Middle Egypt sites in a single two-day route.
Day one starts with pickup from your Cairo hotel and a private vehicle drive south to Middle Egypt, arriving first at the Great Plain of Akhetaton at Tell El-Amarna, followed by lunch near the Nile, then a visit to Tuna El-Gebel to see the Tomb of Petosiris and the underground galleries of mummified ibis and baboons, before checking into a hotel in El Minya for the night.
Day two continues after breakfast with a visit to the Beni Hassan Tombs, lunch at a local restaurant, a return stop at Tell El-Amarna to see the palace and residential zones, then the drive back to Cairo, arriving in the evening.
No other El Minya overnight tour from Cairo combines Tell El-Amarna, Tuna El-Gebel, and Beni Hassan across a single two-day, one-night route with a private Egyptologist guide throughout. It fits naturally within a wider collection of Best Cairo overnight tours, while travelers who prefer to stay closer to the capital may also consider a classic 2-day Cairo tour as an alternative.
Only on this route
Most Cairo overnight history tours focus on better known destinations they skip Middle Egypt because the sites require a longer southbound road journey. This route spends two days in El Minya, combining Tell El Amarna and Tuna El Gebel on day one with Beni Hassan on day two.
This 2 day El Minya tour from Cairo begins with a private vehicle pickup from your Cairo hotel in the morning. The drive south into Middle Egypt takes four to five hours, with your Egyptologist guide narrating the shift from city to Nile Valley farmland along the way.
You arrive at the open desert plain of Akhetaton, the capital Akhenaten built for his new religion centered on the Aten sun disc. Boundary stelae and scattered foundation remains mark the scale of the abandoned city against the cliffs beyond.
Your guide walks you through the underground galleries where ibis and baboon mummies were placed as offerings to Thoth, then into the Tomb of Petosiris with its mix of Pharaonic and Greek-style relief work. From here, you settle into a hotel in El Minya for the night.
Lunch
After breakfast at your El Minya hotel, your guide and driver set out for the Beni Hassan Tombs, the first stop of the day before the return drive to Cairo.
Visit the renowned Beni Hassan Tombs, carved high into limestone cliffs. Their colorful wall scenes depict wrestling matches and ceremonies, offering rare insight into Middle Kingdom society.
From Beni Hassan, the route continues to a local restaurant for lunch before returning to Tel El-Amarna to see the palace and residential quarters left out of the first day's visit. Your guide points out the boundary markers and mudbrick foundations that outline where Akhenaten's officials once lived and worked.
After an enriching day of discoveries, begin the drive back to Cairo in the late afternoon, arriving at your hotel in the evening. For travelers planning further exploration, this journey pairs well with other cultural Day tours in Egypt or, for a contrasting landscape, an adventure like the Bahariya & White Desert Safari Tour.
Breakfast & Lunch
The tour includes private transport, a private Egyptologist guide, entrance fees to Tell El-Amarna, Tuna El-Gebel, and the Beni Hassan Tombs, two lunches, and one night's hotel stay in El Minya with breakfast.
The drive from Cairo to El Minya generally takes around 4 to 5 hours each way, depending on traffic and road conditions. The overnight format makes the journey more comfortable and unhurried.
The tour visits Tell El-Amarna (the Great Plain of Akhetaton) and Tuna El-Gebel on day one, then the Beni Hassan Tombs and a return stop at Tel El-Amarna on day two.
Yes, a private air-conditioned vehicle and a private Egyptologist guide are included for both days. The tour runs as a private booking, not a joined group.
Yes, this tour suits travelers who want historical depth beyond Cairo's main sites. It works well alongside a standard Cairo itinerary rather than replacing it.
Xmas window: 21 Dec – 7 Jan / Easter window: 29 Mar – 11 Apr
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Tripidays Egypt Tours has been offering an exceptional range of Egypt tours, vacation packages, Nile cruises, day trips, and shore excursions tailored to meet the diverse interests of travelers worldwide for over 45 years.
