Cairo Outskirts & the Nile Delta travel

Cairo aerial View and Nile River in Egypt
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Cairo Outskirts & the Nile Delta

If you want to dig a little deeper into Egyptian culture and history, the area surrounding the capital is home to several intriguing and important sites rarely included on typical Egypt itineraries. Although few can honestly be put in the 'must-see' category – except of course for the majestic ancient site of Saqqara, which lies on the city’s southern edge – those with time up their sleeve will enjoy delving into this lesser-seen region.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Saqqara
Cairo Outskirts & the Nile Delta
Covering a 7km stretch of the Western Desert, Saqqara, the huge cemetery of ancient Memphis, was an active burial ground for more than 3500 years and is…
Mastaba of Ti
Cairo Outskirts & the Nile Delta
The Mastaba of Ti was discovered by Auguste Mariette in 1865. This grand and detailed private tomb is not only Old Kingdom art at its best but also one of…
Imhotep Museum
Cairo Outskirts & the Nile Delta
In the complex at the entrance to the Saqqara site is this beautiful collection of some of the best finds from Saqqara, and one of the finest small…
Wadi Al Hittan
Al Fayoum
This Unesco World Heritage Site is home to the earliest prehistoric whale fossils ever discovered. The more than 400 basilosaurus and dorodontus (both…
Serapeum
Cairo Outskirts & the Nile Delta
The Serapeum, dedicated to the sacred Apis bull, is one of the highlights of visiting Saqqara. The first Apis burial took place in the reign of Amenhotep…
Red Pyramid
Cairo Outskirts & the Nile Delta
The world’s oldest true pyramid, the Red Pyramid probably derives its name from the red tones of its weathered limestone, after the better-quality white…
Birqash Camel Market
Cairo Outskirts & the Nile Delta
Egypt’s largest camel market is held at Birqash (pronounced Bir’ash), a small village 35km northwest of Cairo, just on the edge of the Delta’s cultivated…
Step Pyramid of Zoser
Cairo Outskirts & the Nile Delta
In the year 2650 BC, Pharaoh Zoser (2667–2648 BC) asked his chief architect, Imhotep (later deified), to build him a Step Pyramid. This is the world's…

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History

Archaeologists have discovered a treasure trove of ancient Egyptian coffins

Oct 5, 2020 • 1 min read

The discovery was made in Saqqara, also the location of the world's oldest pyramid and an area that still hasn't revealed all its archaeological secrets.