Join an El Minya day tour from Cairo and get into ancient Egyptian history in a way that feels a bit different, maybe less polished but more alive. You will wander through two exceptional archaeological places with your own private Egyptologist guide, not some group shuffle. The first stop is Tell el-Amarna, yes, the old capital where Akhenaten ruled, and you will hear about the Amarna Period too, along with the Aten worship and the royal family life of Akhenaten and Nefertiti.
With this Tell el-Amarna tour from Cairo, you will move through what is left of Akhetaten, including the Great Temple of Aten, the boundary stelae, and even royal tombs where the stories linger. Then the journey continues toward Beni Hassan, where the Middle Kingdom rock-cut tombs appear almost carved like a living notebook, with beautiful decorations and scenes showing ancient Egyptian daily routine.
A Beni Hassan tombs tour from Cairo is also an ideal choice for travelers who want to move past Cairo’s main highlights. Browse our Cairo Day Tour options and enjoy private transportation, lunch, and expert guidance.
Morning: hotel pickup & drive down to El Minya. Your Egyptologist guide will meet you at your hotel in Cairo or Giza early in the morning, and then we start a private El Minya tour from Cairo. We leave with a relaxed four-hour drive south, and along the way your guide explains the compelling Amarna Period and Akhenaten’s big religious shift that changed things quite a lot.
Tell el-Amarna: We reach Akhetaten, the ancient capital that Akhenaten set up around 1346 BC. Here you can stroll around the boundary stelae, walk among the remains of the Great Temple of Aten, and check the rock-cut royal tombs carved into the cliffs. You’ll also see a few still-standing reliefs, showing Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and their daughters as they offer gifts to the sun disk. It feels very close to the original moment, if you look carefully.
Beni Hassan: After that, we move to Beni Hassan, a cliffside necropolis. It includes about 39 rock-cut tombs belonging to Middle Kingdom nomarchs. You should focus on the best-preserved tombs first, then enjoy the carved episodes of ordinary life: wrestling, hunting, harvest scenes, and more. Many of these were made roughly 4,000 years ago, so yes, it’s old old.
Lunch & Return to Cairo: Later we take a lunch break at a local restaurant, then we drive back north toward Cairo. You’ll arrive at your hotel in Cairo or Giza in the evening, and that’s basically it for the day.
This is a full-day tour covering roughly 500 km round-trip, with about 8 hours on the road; comfortable clothing and walking shoes are recommended.
Tell El-Amarna and Beni Hassan both involve some walking over uneven desert and rocky terrain, and Beni Hassan requires climbing a set of stairs cut into the cliffside to reach the tombs; this tour is not well suited to guests with limited mobility.
Sun protection (hat, sunscreen) is recommended year-round, and extra water in summer.
Photography is generally permitted at both sites; a separate camera ticket may be required and can be purchased on-site.
Pickup times are arranged the evening before departure and are typically early morning to allow enough daylight at both sites.
tour.price_subtitle
| Group Size | Price |
|---|---|
| Single | $170 |
| 2-3 Person | $105 |
| 4-6 Person | $90 |
| 7-10 Person | $85 |
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In the tour package, you’ll find hotel pickup and drop-off, private transportation, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, lunch, bottled water, and taxes and service charges.
Yes, it’s a private El Minya tour starting from Cairo with your own private vehicle and an Egyptologist guide. You’ll also get to visit Tell el-Amarna and Beni Hassan.
Since the guide and vehicle are reserved for your group only, the schedule can be adjusted around your interests. Message us on WhatsApp before booking to discuss options.
Yes, lunch at a local restaurant is included, served on the return drive to Cairo. Beverages other than mineral water are not included.
Beni Hassan is a cliffside necropolis of around 39 rock-cut tombs belonging to Middle Kingdom nomarchs. A selection is open to visitors, decorated with roughly 4,000-year-old scenes of wrestling, hunting, and daily life.
Tell el-Amarna was the capital King Akhenaten built around 1346 BC to worship the sun disk Aten. You'll see the city's boundary stelae, the ruins of the Great Temple of Aten, and the rock-cut royal tombs, where reliefs of Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and their daughters are still visible.
The full round trip takes about 11 to 12 hours, including roughly 8 hours of driving and around 3 to 4 hours at Tell el-Amarna and Beni Hassan combined. Pickup is early morning, and return is in the evening.
