Tombs of El kab
Tombs of El kab
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Hyoga83
Bordeaux, France703 contributions
Mar 2022
Beautiful nobles tombs of the Middle Kingdom, totally off the beaten track and very vast (we just had time to visit the first, more accessible area).
Tombs are well conserved and beautiful, specially interesting if you have the luck to visit before Luxor area as it will be even more impressive.
For me the most important of the visit is the quietness of the area, and the views from the terrasses as you can see the old walls of the old capital. Must be extremely interesting to visit!
Tombs are well conserved and beautiful, specially interesting if you have the luck to visit before Luxor area as it will be even more impressive.
For me the most important of the visit is the quietness of the area, and the views from the terrasses as you can see the old walls of the old capital. Must be extremely interesting to visit!
Written April 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bielding
Liverpool147 contributions
Apr 2017 • Solo
The site of el-Kab is a bit off the beaten track - it makes a very long (but rewarding) day trip in a taxi from Luxor (I combined it with Tod, Moalla and Esna), and it would be quite a slog from Aswan too.
However, for anyone with more than a passing interest in Ancient Egyptian sites, I would highly recommend it. As you approach, you can see the massive mud-brick walls of the ancient city (currently not accessible to visitors). What you can see are four tombs belonging to local dignitaries - they are well preserved, colourful, and have some unusual scenes on their walls:
1. Paheri c. 1480 BC, lots of colourful scenes of 'daily life', with some interesting captions of workers' banter.
2. Ahmose son of Ebana c. 1500 BC (grandfather of Paheri), whose tomb contains a lengthy and very important biography explaining his part in the wars against the Hyksos at the start of the New Kingdom.
3. Setau, c. 1160 BC. Local priest, colourful scenes, clearly copying from some of the older tombs.
4. Reneni, c. 1520 BC. Fascinating tomb - it has detailed scenes of women mourning and lamenting over the deceased, and it shows in detail many esoteric aspects of Egyptian funeral rituals.
If you can convince your driver to go on an unmetalled desert road, a few miles into the desert behind the tombs are a number of desert mini-temples. The most beautiful of these is the most distant - a small temple to the local vulture goddess Nekhbet built by Amenhotep III (c. 1350 BC). Small, but superb quality reliefs, retaining vivid colour. Well worth a visit.
However, for anyone with more than a passing interest in Ancient Egyptian sites, I would highly recommend it. As you approach, you can see the massive mud-brick walls of the ancient city (currently not accessible to visitors). What you can see are four tombs belonging to local dignitaries - they are well preserved, colourful, and have some unusual scenes on their walls:
1. Paheri c. 1480 BC, lots of colourful scenes of 'daily life', with some interesting captions of workers' banter.
2. Ahmose son of Ebana c. 1500 BC (grandfather of Paheri), whose tomb contains a lengthy and very important biography explaining his part in the wars against the Hyksos at the start of the New Kingdom.
3. Setau, c. 1160 BC. Local priest, colourful scenes, clearly copying from some of the older tombs.
4. Reneni, c. 1520 BC. Fascinating tomb - it has detailed scenes of women mourning and lamenting over the deceased, and it shows in detail many esoteric aspects of Egyptian funeral rituals.
If you can convince your driver to go on an unmetalled desert road, a few miles into the desert behind the tombs are a number of desert mini-temples. The most beautiful of these is the most distant - a small temple to the local vulture goddess Nekhbet built by Amenhotep III (c. 1350 BC). Small, but superb quality reliefs, retaining vivid colour. Well worth a visit.
Written May 20, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
eLaReF
Scotland, UK20,398 contributions
I was very surprised at the toilet facilities in the Main Ticket office here – they were better than those at Karnak temple, although some tourists were using the Portakabin ones for some reason.
Having climbed the many steps to the tomb area, there are 4 main tombs to go into.
Afterwards, on going back down the steps and into our transport we drove off to the left down the wadi road for around 4km. We stopped at the 1st historic area and picked up the guardian, driving to the farthest point, a temple dedicated to Hathor.
As we returned down the road, the guardian stopped the vehicle and we walked to 2 rock faces – one either side of the road. These were covered in cartouches and graffiti – petroglyphs – you also have to be careful where you are walking - the rock faces have crumbled and many of these are under your feet. Some of these engravings are pre-dynasty. They were left by the various travellers as they navigated the river and camped for the night
We finally got back to the complex where we had picked up the guardian.
Here there is a walled complex with a small chapel called ‘The Bath’ (el-Hammam) and further up the rock face a temple to Nekhbet. This temple is not too well preserved, the roof having been totally collapsed in the past
I found all the information about this site on http://egyptsites.wordpress.com/ and it is thanks to Su Bayfield I was able to go or understand what was there
Any information that I gave would just be a copy of her work which I will not do
Being a believer in the saying that ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’, I have put up a few pictures on this but you can see more on my webshots page at http://community.webshots.com/user/elaref
Having climbed the many steps to the tomb area, there are 4 main tombs to go into.
Afterwards, on going back down the steps and into our transport we drove off to the left down the wadi road for around 4km. We stopped at the 1st historic area and picked up the guardian, driving to the farthest point, a temple dedicated to Hathor.
As we returned down the road, the guardian stopped the vehicle and we walked to 2 rock faces – one either side of the road. These were covered in cartouches and graffiti – petroglyphs – you also have to be careful where you are walking - the rock faces have crumbled and many of these are under your feet. Some of these engravings are pre-dynasty. They were left by the various travellers as they navigated the river and camped for the night
We finally got back to the complex where we had picked up the guardian.
Here there is a walled complex with a small chapel called ‘The Bath’ (el-Hammam) and further up the rock face a temple to Nekhbet. This temple is not too well preserved, the roof having been totally collapsed in the past
I found all the information about this site on http://egyptsites.wordpress.com/ and it is thanks to Su Bayfield I was able to go or understand what was there
Any information that I gave would just be a copy of her work which I will not do
Being a believer in the saying that ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’, I have put up a few pictures on this but you can see more on my webshots page at http://community.webshots.com/user/elaref
Written October 23, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chachapuma
UK105 contributions
Mar 2014
This was my second visit to the tombs of El Kab and I was not disappointed. The colours remain vivid and the array of scenes is a wonder to see. The guardians was quite happy for me to linger in each tomb as long as I wanted. The guardians were very interested in the tombs and kept asking questions about the wall scenes. After the tombs, I ventured further up the wadi to visit the Chapel of Thoth, the Ptolemaic temple and the Temple of Amenhotep III. The Chapel of Thoth is petite, but is interesting. The Ptolemaic temple looks ruinous from a distance, but the interior is extremely beautiful and has some interesting artwork. At the end of the wadi stands the Temple of Amenhotep III. It may look nothing from the outside, but the quality and level of preservation inside will surprise.
Tickets are bought at the entrance to the site.
I cannot recommend a visit to this site enough!
Tickets are bought at the entrance to the site.
I cannot recommend a visit to this site enough!
Written March 6, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dirk W
Alexandra Headland, Australia10,147 contributions
Apr 2018 • Couples
Our felucca moored and we walked through the fields to this site ; before you cross the railroad you will see the imposing remnants of the citywalls of Nekheb and then on the other side is the site where the guards will let you visit 4 tombs. With the usual small baksheesh you can wander as long as you like and take plenty of photos. The frescoes are amazing, displaying the buried person's life, family and friends in vibrant colours. Also lots of colourful hieroglyphs that your guide can decipher for you. A real gem to visit - better keep this a secret !
Written May 27, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shirley S
Reading30 contributions
Feb 2013 • Couples
Due to the lack of tourists in Luxor, everywhere you seem to go there is someone holding out their hand for money. I began to feel like the walking £ sign until I met Hamdy who waits outside the Sofitel Karnak in taxi number 4, speaks excellent English, with a long list of "different places to go" and who agrees the price up front. One of the trips he took us on and was a thoroughly good day out was to El Kab, El Todd and Moalla. These are tombs and temples situated on the East Bank of the Nile the furthest being around 80 kms outside of Luxor. If you have never heard of them do some research before you go but even if you are not too bothered about dynasties and which Pharoah reigned when then go along for the pleasure of the peace and quite of the stark mountain rock and the honey yellow of the terrain. Be driven along with the river on your right and the railway on your left and watch the life of the ordinary Egyptian tending the land, or going about their business in the little villages you pass through. The Guardians of these tombs and temples who unock the doors for you will be happy with a E£5 tip (50pence) and can wander around for as long or as little as you like.
Written February 21, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kimberly S
Martinez, CA140 contributions
Nov 2014 • Solo
4 great tombs, 2 of them very important historically. The tombs of Ahmose son of Ibana and Ahmose pen Nekheb have a lot of information of the beginning of the 18th Dynasty and the expulsion of the Hyksos. All 4 tombs have wonderful decoration of daily life scenes. From the tombs, look across the road and admire the city walls of Nekheb, one of the very ancient capitals. Don't miss the small temple of Amonhotep III a bit further out in the desert.
Written December 28, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Superkatt
Sweden6,727 contributions
Jan 2013 • Family
The site is easy to reach if travelling through Edfu-Esna road. Tombs (17-18 and 20 Dynastier )lie 80 steps up the hill and are well-preserved. Wery warm location with direct sun the most part of the day. Temple and Chapel were unfortunately closed in the time of our visit, they lie appr. 2 kilometers inland by gravel road from Tombs area. Toilets available near the entrance.
Written February 1, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cwfan
brasschaat, belgium206 contributions
Jul 2016 • Couples
On one side of the railroad one can see the remainings of the citywalls of Nekhab, and on the other side of the railroadtrack one can visit the rocktombs which once belonged to the local governors. In all only 4 of them are accessible to the general public. The vivid colors are astonishing. Take your time to enjoy.
The nocropolis extends over a very large area, but all excavation work has still to be done.
The nocropolis extends over a very large area, but all excavation work has still to be done.
Written July 29, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jean-Sebastien9276
Saint-Leu-la-Foret, France4,680 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
The first capital of Egypt, the city of El-Kab now only has a surrounding wall and the tombs of a prefect (from the royal family).
4 tombs can be visited, while research continues to try to find others.
The colors are remarkably well preserved and depict religious scenes (mummification and life after death) as well as scenes of everyday life (agriculture, fishing, etc.).
4 tombs can be visited, while research continues to try to find others.
The colors are remarkably well preserved and depict religious scenes (mummification and life after death) as well as scenes of everyday life (agriculture, fishing, etc.).
Written March 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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