Day 01 - Stepping into Egypt’s Old Kingdom – Saqqara & Dahshur

What an incredible way to start our journey through Egypt! Today, we stepped back in time to explore the Saqqara and Dahshur, two fascinating sites that reveal the very beginnings of pyramid construction and the royal burial traditions of ancient Egypt.

Our first stop was Saqqara, the vast necropolis of Memphis, Egypt’s first capital. The highlight here was the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest stone structure in the world, dating back to around 2700 BC. It was surreal to stand before this massive pyramid, which started as a simple rectangular mastaba but evolved into the first monumental stone pyramid thanks to Imhotep, the genius architect behind its design. This was where pyramid-building began, and seeing it in person brought history to life in a whole new way.

Scattered throughout Saqqara were mastabas, the mud-brick tombs of high-ranking officials from the Third Dynasty. These rectangular structures marked the graves of Egypt’s elite and were a fascinating glimpse into early burial customs. We also learned that Saqqara remained a royal burial site well into the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties, making it a place of deep historical significance.

From there, we traveled to Dahshur, where we saw the bold and ambitious experiments of King Sneferu, the father of the Great Pyramid’s builder, Khufu. His first attempt at a smooth-sided pyramid, the Bent Pyramid, was a lesson in trial and error—the angle was too steep, forcing the builders to change course midway. The result? A distinctive pyramid with an unusual bent shape that we couldn’t help but marvel at.

This adventure was supposed to be “not that difficult” (or so we were told), but let me tell you—it was brutal and totally worth it. Picture this: an intense descent deep into the heart of Bent, followed by a serious stair climb— 259 feet one way!  at a 26° decent. Some of us even got to hold the mighty Red Pyramid in the palm of our hands… well, at least in a photo!

Next, we visited the Red Pyramid, also built by Sneferu. This was Egypt’s first true pyramid, a perfect precursor to the famous pyramids of Giza. Its smooth, sloping sides showed that Sneferu had finally mastered pyramid construction, paving the way for his son to build the Great Pyramid. Standing before it, we could appreciate the sheer determination and ingenuity of ancient Egyptian architects.

As we wrapped up the day, we reflected on what we had just seen—the very evolution of pyramid-building, from stepped designs to true pyramids, unfolding before our eyes. Seeing these ancient structures in person made us even more eager for the incredible sites ahead.

Tomorrow, we continue our adventure, but for now, we’ll let the wonder of Egypt’s Old Kingdom sink in.

Until next time!