Overview

Discover the Wonders of Al Minya: A Private Day Trip from Cairo

Unveiling Al Minya: Egypt’s Hidden Archaeological Gem

Al Minya, located in Upper Egypt, is one of the most significant archaeological sites in the country. This region offers a rich tapestry of history and culture, waiting to be explored. A private day trip from Cairo to Al Minya promises an unforgettable journey through time.

Today, Al Minya is a small city in Middle Egypt that doesn’t often feature on tourist maps. However, this unassuming town was once a powerful regional capital. During the First Intermediate Period, when the Old Kingdom’s central authority in Memphis collapsed, Al Minya emerged as a significant power center. It continued to wield influence throughout the Middle Kingdom, marking its importance in Egypt’s storied history.

An Underrated Destination

Al Minya is rarely included in most tourist itineraries. The town itself is not geared toward foreign visitors, lacking the tourist-oriented atmosphere found in more popular Egyptian destinations. Nevertheless, the old section of town, near the central midan, Tahrir Square, features interesting colonial-era buildings that hint at its historical charm.

Beni Hassan: Tombs Carved in Time

The tombs of Beni Hassan, located in the rocky cliffs on the east side of the Nile, date back to Al Minya’s peak of influence. There are 39 tombs in total, but only the four most impressive are open to the public. While these tombs are earlier and less grand than those in the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens in Luxor, they offer fascinating insights. The vivid wall paintings depict a variety of everyday activities from ancient Egyptian life, making them a captivating visit.

Speos Artemidos: Queen Hatshepsut’s Legacy

About a mile and a half from the tombs of Beni Hassan are the ruins of Speos Artemidos. This rock-cut temple was commissioned by Queen Hatshepsut and is dedicated to the goddess Hathor. Like Hatshepsut’s temple near Luxor, Speos Artemidos reflects the grandeur and devotion of ancient Egyptian architecture and religion.

Akhenaten Museum: A Glimpse into a Revolutionary Pharaoh

Al Minya also hosts a small museum dedicated to Akhenaten, one of the most unique figures in pharaonic Egypt. Born Amenhotep IV, Akhenaten ruled from 1352 to 1336 BC. Shortly after taking power, he changed his name and introduced the worship of Aten, the sun god, effectively establishing a form of monotheism. He founded a new capital called Akhetaten, known today as Tell Al Amarna, located 30 miles south of Minya. Akhenaten’s reign was marked by a distinct artistic style, which can be seen in the Amarna Period room at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Tell Al Amarna: The Legacy of the ‘Heretic’ Pharaoh

Today, only sparse remains of Akhenaten’s capital, Tell Al Amarna, exist. However, the legend of Akhenaten and his wife, Nefertiti, continues to captivate historians and visitors alike. Despite efforts by the priestly establishment to erase his legacy after his death, the site still offers valuable insights into his revolutionary era. If you find yourself in Al Minya, a visit to Tell Al Amarna is worthwhile to witness the remnants of Akhenaten’s ambitious city.

Discover Al Minya’s Hidden History

Though it may not be a common stop on most tours, Al Minya holds a wealth of historical treasures. From the tombs of Beni Hassan to the ruins of Speos Artemidos and the remnants of Tell Al Amarna, this small city offers a rich tapestry of Egypt’s past. Exploring Al Minya provides a unique opportunity to delve into a lesser-known chapter of Egyptian history, making it a hidden gem worth discovering.

 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Egypt Female Tour-Guide
  
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 Vahram D 
 
2024-04-29
 
 
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Egypt trip with private guide.
Where do I start. I found Nahla online after an intensive search and let me tell you what a blessing it was. I contacted her and told her exactly what places in Egypt I want to visit, within couple of days, she drew an exact itinerary for everything and all the cities that I needed to visit to see everything i wanted. . Her knowledge and personality are the best. Her heart is the biggest the way she treats stray dogs in Egypt and feeds them every time she’s in the area should tell everyone how big of a heart she has. herself and her team exceeded all my expectations and delivered everything to my expectations and beyond. I highly recommend her and her team for your trip to Egypt and believe me she’ll set up any customized itineraries you need. Thanks Nahla very much..
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 David H 
 
2024-04-29
 
 
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The Best Guide
Had an absolute blast in Egypt! It’s important to have a good guide! Nahla was amazing. She was very knowledgeable about history! Everything was organized so well from the time we were picked up from the airport, all the tours all over Egypt. Nahla was very helpful in literally everything …. she helped us a lot during the trip. Her love for animals was very touching! Thank you for being there for us during our trip!
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Henry Pennay 
 
2024-04-02
 
 
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The BEST Experience of My Life!
Going to Egypt has always been a dream for me. Once I knew my family and I was going, I was overwhelmed with excitement. Our tour guide, Nahla, made the trip I dreamed of since I was little so much more memorable and awesome. Over the four days we spent together, Nahla and I became good friends! She is someone I look up to. From the Pyramids of Giza to the huge Catacombs of Alexandria, I hope this adventure is the beggining to many more! Thank you! Henry Pennay
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Traveler22716049821 
 
2024-03-24
 
 
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Unforgettable experience!
Thanks to the Guide du Routard, we found a comment from a tourist who had found Mona AMIN as a French-speaking guide. Thanks to the latter, she put us in touch with one of her 10 guides HOWAIDA MOUSSA. She is beyond a tourist guide: she loves her job, passionate about its history! Very endearing, it matched immediately. We stayed with her PDT for 5 days. She adapted to our group of 8 people (25 to 80 years old!❤️). Its driver was voted the most ZEN in Cairo. We left Howaida with a lot of emotions and the appointment is made for next year for Luxor, Aswan.... INCHALLAH ❤️
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 RB 
 
2024-03-17
 
 
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Excellent and we'd book again!
We had an excellent experience with Nahla and we fully recommend her as a tour guide!!! We wanted to support a woman in business and we are glad that we made this choice. Two of our family have read a lot about Egypt and one of us just has a basic knowledge. Nahla showed great depth of knowledge and the two of us enjoyed learning even more about fascinating Egypt. For the other member of our family, Nahla was just as courteous in answering simple questions about history and culture. One of the most notable things about Nahla is that she re-lives every experience as "new" because she lives them through her clients. You know she is always glad to show the sights of Egypt and delighted to retell the history of the world's greatest civilization! Our itinerary included the pyramids, camel ride, sphynx, the GEM, the Egyptian Museum, the sound and light show at the pyramids, the City of the Dead, the Khan El-Khalili bazaar, jewelry shopping, and a felucca ride on the Nile. Others will say the Giza complex can be stressful but Nahla made it easy for us to get the most out of the pyramid visit, camel ride, and sphynx. The GEM, although only partly open, was a great experience with Nahla guiding us through the artifacts. We could have spent days at the Egyptian Museum and Nahla gave us an expert walk-through of all the highlights that made us feel like we got the absolute best out of that visit. Nahla's connections gave us an "insider's" experience at the City of the Dead, and she timed the visit to the Khan El-Khalili bazaar so that we avoided the heavy crowds. She found a safe boat with an experienced sailor, so the felucca ride was enjoyable and worry-free. We truly believe that having Nahla as a tour guide meant that vendors weren't as pushy. It was easy to collect a few souvenirs when we stopped to do that and we could ask Nahla's advice about when to bargain or when to pay the price marked on the item. She also helped us navigate through line-ups and she communicated with security personnel on our behalf when needed. These small but meaningful actions show what an exemplary tour guide she is! We were transported by Wael, an excellent driver that Nahla arranged for the week. He took us around to all the sights with her, and picked us up and returned us to the airport. We asked Nahla for a good quality vehicle and safe driver, and that is indeed what we got. Another notable characteristic is that Nahla helped us manage our schedule without us ever feeling rushed. In fact, that is exactly why we opted for a personalized experience with her -- to NOT be part of a large tour group but instead to visit Egypt with a guide at a pace that suited us. Nahla made that experience perfect. Nahla showed kindness to many of the stray animals in the places we visited. She also showed respect to many of the underprivileged people in the community. All of these gestures demonstrate what a caring and kind person she is. Arranging the itinerary was easy and confirming final details was handled expertly. The deposit and final payment were handled without any trouble through a trustworthy e-payment platform. A final note of praise -- we had a few full days of activities at the beginning of Ramadan, and Nahla kept on going strong! If we are lucky enough to return to Egypt, we will happily book Nahla again!!!
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 carole 
 
2024-03-14
 
 
 Verified 
 
Absolutely amazing!!!!😃👍👍👍
The entire organization was simply top!!! :-D Nahla was extremely competent and very friendly!!! Nahla, the best driver with the most beautiful eyes ;-), and our very competent and friendly Egyptologist, Wahid, who was very close to our hearts, gave us the most beautiful days in Luxor that we could have wished for!!!😃👍👍👍 Highly recommended and gladly again at any time!!! Carole & Stephan from Switzerland
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Rachel H 
 
2024-03-03
 
 
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Great time in Cairo
We booked Nahla for day tour of the pyramids during our time on Cairo. It was easy to communicate with her to organize in advance. We liked supporting a woman-owned business and had a wonderful tour. Would highly recommend!
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Aatltd11 
 
2024-01-17
 
 
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The best guide!
Nahla was our guide in both Cairo and Luxor. She has so much knowledge to share and she shares in the most enjoyable way. After hearing that our hotel forget to send a car to pick us up upon arrival, Nahla took it upon herself to make sure every other pickup was arranged, no matter what city we were in. Her enthusiasm for Egypt was watershed early in. Not only did we learn about the county and its history, we met a new friend. Highly recommended!
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Daneris C 
 
2023-12-31
 
 
 Verified 
 
Journey of a lifetime with magnificent Nahla
Many thanks to you dear Nahla 🙏 you shepherded us through a beautiful and fascinating journey through Aswan and Cairo. Temples, the Nile, Egyptian precious perfumes like the blue lotus, light, beauty, the pyramids and deep spiritual connections🌹 It is difficult for me to describe how wonderful and grateful I am for your presence, work and efforts during the journey 💗 I could let go knowing that you had things in hand. No small thing with a group of 28. With love, blessings, and thanks 🙏
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Debbie S 
 
2023-12-28
 
 
 Verified 
 
3 Amazing Cultural Days
What an adventure with a fabulous, knowledgeable female historian Hagar. Personal tour guide is a must and our driver Rom making sure we were collected on time and in comfort, and there for the next stop. 3 Full days of amazing sights and things we didn’t know together with local cuisine pit stop. Now eager to return to another part of Egypt to explore with this great company. Thank you Nahla we will be back.
  
 
 
  
 
 
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