Exploring Egypt

“I don’t care about history” I used to lament. Give me great food, show me impressive architecture but please don’t drone on about historical significance.

Luxor is a location of undeniable historical significance and the Valley of the Kings is downright humbling with its rich history. Lead by our guide Ehab we rose just before dawn to begin our journey to the resting place of many pharaohs of ancient Egypt.

Though many people scoff at the idea of having a guide, the knowledge that Ehab shared with us was irreplaceable. In Egypt where the guides are often Egyptologists, the breadth of their knowledge will make a significant difference to your trip.

Surprisingly at 5 am the air was cool and dry, and our drive seemed unremarkable. Grumpy from the early morning wake-up call I was disappointed to lay my eyes on the dusty flat land that lay ahead. The only focal point was a pyramid shaped mountain that the kings used as a north star of sorts to guide them to the valley.

Ehab instructed us to choose between the four best tombs in his opinion; Rameses I, III, or IX or Merenptah. The tombs contain the sarcophagi of each pharaoh and all of the worldly possessions they wished to take to the afterlife. After years of pillaging many are now empty save for the dazzling paintings and hieroglyphics adorning the walls.

The tomb of Merenptah is etched in my memory. Entering was panic inducing as I am incredibly claustrophobic. The opening is narrow; eager visitors must enter on the right, while others squeeze past to exit on the left. Once inside you face a dim sloping corridor. Despite the cool temperatures outside, the air was warm and thick, with temperatures rising as the day grew hotter. Clearly our early start was necessary; had it been any hotter inside the cramped chamber I surely would have fainted.

Exiting tourists make the decent tight and uncomfortable but enticed by the intricate illustrations on the wall and the cavernous beauty that the chamber ahead promised, I trekked onward. The corridor is deceiving as the chamber housing Merenptah’s four stone sarcophagi is actually quite spacious. The warm uplighting surrounding the boxes containing the sarcophagi felt inviting. Forgetting my initial claustrophobia I was able to explore the tomb, marvelling at the detail of the scenes on the walls.

I left feeling pensive. The wondrous tombs will sway even the most ardent of history haters; certainly worth the short night’s sleep.