- Overview
- Itinerary
- Trip Includes
- Trip Excludes
- Gallery
- FAQ
Explore ancient Egypt on a full-day tour from Cairo to El Minya. Visit Tel El-Amarna and the painted tombs of Beni Hassan.
Escape Cairo’s crowds with Cairo Day Tours’s day trip to El Minya, home to some of Egypt’s most fascinating but lesser-known archaeological sites. Visit Tel El-Amarna, the ruins of Akhenaten’s revolutionary capital city, and explore the remarkable cliff tombs with their unique art and hieroglyphs.
Then see the impressive Middle Kingdom tombs at Beni Hassan, carved directly into limestone cliffs overlooking the Nile. We provide comfortable, air-conditioned transport for the 4-hour drive each way, making this adventure accessible and hassle-free. Perfect for history enthusiasts who want to experience authentic Egyptian archaeology away from the tourist crowds.
Itineraries
6:00 AM
Departure from Cairo
Begin the drive to El Minya through Egypt’s countryside. The route takes you along the Nile Valley with views of rural villages and farmland. We’ll make a rest stop after about 2 hours for refreshments and restroom facilities.
10:00 AM
Tel El-Amarna
Arrive at the ruins of Akhenaten’s ancient capital city, built in the 14th century BC. Explore the remains of this unique pharaoh’s experimental city, including:
Royal tomb sites carved into the desert cliffs
Temple foundations and palace ruins
Rock-cut tombs with distinctive Amarna period art
The site where the famous Nefertiti bust was discovered
You’ll have plenty of time to walk through the ruins and take photos of these rarely-visited archaeological treasures.
1:00 PM
Lunch at Local Restaurant
Enjoy traditional Egyptian cuisine at a carefully selected local restaurant. The menu features grilled meats, rice, vegetables, and fresh bread. Vegetarian options including stuffed vegetables, beans, and salads are available. Use this time to rest and prepare for the afternoon visit.
3:00 PM
Beni Hassan Tombs
Explore this remarkable necropolis containing 39 rock-cut tombs dating from the Middle Kingdom (2055-1650 BC). Key highlights include:
Beautifully preserved wall paintings showing daily life in ancient Egypt
Detailed scenes of wrestling, hunting, and crafts
Hieroglyphic inscriptions in excellent condition
Panoramic views of the Nile Valley from the cliff-top location
The tombs are carved directly into the limestone cliffs and offer some of the best-preserved Middle Kingdom art in Egypt.
5:00 PM
Begin Return Journey to Cairo
Start the drive back to Cairo. We’ll make another rest stop during the return trip for refreshments and to stretch your legs.
9:00 PM
Arrive in Cairo
Return to your hotel or any other preferred location in Cairo after a full day of archaeological exploration.
- Pick up and transportation services from/to your hotel
- All transfers are by a private A/C vehicle
- Private English-speaking Tour guide
- Entrance fees to all the mentioned sites
- Lunch meal at a local restaurant in Cairo
- Bottled water on board the vehicle during the tour
- Shopping tours in Cairo
- All taxes & service charges
- Entry visa to Egypt
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities
- Tipping
Up to 5 years: FREE
Ages 6 to below 12 years: 50% of the adult price
Ages 12 and above: Full adult price
Yes you can receive a refund if you cancelled within 30 days before the tour start date but 10% will be deducted from the deposit you paid. However, if you cancelled within 2 days or less you will not receive a refund.
Yes, you can change the tour start date if there are at least 10 days remaining for the tour start date.
You can ask your embassy because there are countries that can take the visa upon arrival and there are other countries that need to apply first before traveling.
You can book any of our tours by clicking the book now button, filling an enquiry or sending us a message on our WhatsApp number.
We offer our tours in a various selection of languages like: English, Spanish, Italian, German, French, Chinese and Japanese. If you want a specific language that we don’t offer we will do our best to make it available.
We accept US Dollars, EUR, and GBP.
You can let us know if you want a specific time schedule.
You can pay online with an online payment link but the price will increase by 5% due to bank tax/commission or you can pay with your card with the machine the tour manager has on the tour.
Our tours are completely private. You (and your group) will be alone with our tour guide and the driver and there will be no other passengers with you.
