Abydos Dendera Individual Trip Hurghada is a fascinating personal tour to see the attractions of Abydos and Dendera from Hurghada, Red Sea Governorate – Egypt!
We recommend the excursion because it allows tourists to see many attractions. These attractions exist in two cities: Dendera and Sohag. These monuments are from two eras of Egyptian history—ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire. It lets you have much fun and learn more about the country’s history.
Highlights on Individual Trip to Abydos & Dendera from Hurghada
- See the Temples of Abydos.
- Lunch at a restaurant.
- Also, admire the Temple of the goddess Hathor in Dendera.
Program of the Private Trip to Dendera-Abydos
- Landious Travel representative will pick you up from the hotel in Hurghada around 04:00 am.
- After picking you up, the bus (limousine or minibus) will head towards the city of Qena. It passes the town of Safaga on its way to Abydos. The resort town of Safaga lies 45 miles south of Hurghada on the Red Sea coast. At the same time, Qena lies 220 km away in the Nile Valley. The journey from the centre of Hurghada to Qena takes about 3 hours. From Qena, you will drive further north towards the Sohag governorate to get to the village of Abydos. It will take about one more hour to get to Abydos.
Schedule in Abydos
- Once you arrive at Sohag governorate, you will begin your excursion to the Abydos Temple Complex. It is a vast complex of temples and buildings in Abydos. The complex combines different temples and towers. Abydos is one of Ancient Egypt’s most significant archaeological sites, with the memorial Temple of Seti I as its most notable feature. It features a chronological list that shows the cartouches of most dynastic pharaohs of Egypt, called the Abydos King List. Seti I was the father of Ramesses II, who completed most of the Temple’s construction after his father’s death. The Temple he built contains small chapels dedicated to each of the major gods and is regarded as one of the best temples in Egypt. Abydos was closely associated with the gateway into the afterlife and was a significant religious site for the ancient Egyptians.
- Your guide will explain the place in this Temple. And then, he will show the frequently visited sites of this large complex. Of course, your guide will show you all these temples. Also, he will give you free time to take pictures.
Agenda in Qena
- As soon as you get Qena, you will have lunch. Then, you will drive back to Qena. It will be your first stop in this city.
- Following lunch, you will drive to the nearby village of Dendera, where you can visit the Dendera Temple Complex. You will arrive at Dendera at 10:30 am, where an Egyptologist tour guide will join you and explain the Temple’s history. The Temple of Hathor was primarily built during the Late Ptolemaic period and is modelled after other classic Egyptian temples. You will also find depictions of the Ptolemaic rulers, including Cleopatra VII and her son, Julius Caesar, Ptolemy XV.
- Once again, your guide will explain and show the frequently visited places of this large complex. This complex has different temples and buildings, so your guide will have to show all these temples. He will also give you free time to take pictures.
Departure to Hurghada
- Finally, you return to Hurghada after a fantastic trip in Abydos – Dendera.
- The Individual Trip to Abydos & Dendera from Hurghada ends at approximately 08:00 pm.
What does the Price of Abydos & Dendera Individual Trip Hurghada include?
- Tickets for visiting temples.
- Lunch.
- Drinks.
- Private guide.
- Also, a private vehicle will be taken to Abydos-Dendera and back to the hotel.
What does not the Program of individual Trip Hurghada include?
- Additional excursion programs, if not included in the above program.
Items to take with you for the individual trip to Abydos from Hurghada
- Breakfast box.
- Also, bring suitable clothes for the season.
Abydos & Dendera Individual Trip Hurghada Booking Days
- Daily from 04:00 – 20:00.
What is expected to be seen during an individual trip to Abydos & Dendera from Hurghada?
Dendera Temple Complex
The Dendera Temple complex is a vast site with a basilica, two birth houses, a sacred lake, and various other temples and shrines. The structures in the complex are from different eras in ancient Egyptian history, with monuments from the Middle Kingdom, the Ptolemaic Era, and the Period of Roman provincial rule.
Archaeological evidence suggests that the site was initially constructed around 2250 BCE, with vertical structures mostly dating from the Ptolemaic Era onward. The oldest existing network is the Mentuhotep II monument, which is believed to have been constructed in 1995 BCE.
Although the monument has since been moved to Cairo, the oldest form at the Dendera complex is from Nectanebo II, built around 345 BCE. However, the Temple of Hathor, the most prominent structure at the Dendera complex, was built starting in 54 BCE.
The Temple of Hathor is considered one of the best-preserved ancient sites in Egypt and is an excellent example of traditional Pharaonic architecture. It was primarily constructed during the Ptolemaic Dynasty while Greece ruled Egypt, but the Roman emperor Trajan completed it.
Trajan is even depicted on the complex walls, making offerings to Hathor. The temple complex also includes a monumental gateway constructed by Trajan and Domitian, another Roman emperor.
Cult of Hathor
The Dendera complex was the centre of the cult of Hathor. During the Happy Reunion, Hathor would journey to her husband Horus’s Temple in Edfu. This yearly event signalled the official beginning of the Nile flood season when Hathor would return to Dendera.
Zodiac of Dendera
The Temple of Hathor originally housed the famous Zodiac of Dendera. The bas-relief depicted a night skyscape with human and animal figures. It was found on the ceiling of a chapel where the mysteries of the resurrection of the god Osiris were celebrated.
The Zodiac of Dendera is interpreted as a map of the sky rather than a horoscope or astrological tool. It is particularly unique because the configuration of the planets among the constellations shown in it occurs only about once every thousand years.
Two astrophysicists dated it between June 15 and August 15, 50 BCE, and two eclipses are represented on the Zodiac exactly where they occurred.
The Zodiac of Dendera represents the merging of Egyptian cultural elements with Babylonian and Greek astronomical and astrological theories due to various invasions and deportations throughout history. It was taken to France in 1821 by permission of Mohamed Ali Pasha, the Turkish ruler of Egypt at the time and is currently on display at the Louvre in Paris. However, the Egyptian government has requested its return.
Location of Temples of Abydos
The Abydos Temple Complex is in Abydos Village, in the modern Egyptian town Al-Balyana, south of Sohag governorate. It lies about 11 kilometres west of the Nile River at latitude 26° 10′ N. During ancient Egypt, Abydos was the capital of the eighth Nome.