Sakkara is one of the most amazing places I've visited in Egypt.
I've been itching to get out of the city and take some day trips to explore parts outside of Cairo. Of the various attempts previously made, this was our first successful adventure, which made it all the more exciting. I packed a picnic, set my playlist, and off we went.
Located just under 45 minutes from Zamalek, Sakkara is a nearby destination to really make you feel like you're in a completely different country. Once you pass Haram, or the pyramids, it's about 25 minutes down a 2-lane road that parallels the Maryouteya Canal. Parts are paved, parts are not. The streets are lined with small, 2-story brick homes, with the occasional shop here and there. Everything takes on the same shade of sand-colored beige, from the canal, to the road, to the homes. The only break in the monochromatic scene is the random accumulation of plastic bags and bottles that litter the walls of the canal.
Life is quieter here, and much slower. It really reminded me of the
balad, or the country, where I used to spend parts of my summers with my grandmother. Of the few women I did see, most of them were cleaning large platters outside their homes, all were completely covered with the niquab. Chickens and dogs were roaming around homes, and children were playing in the street. I have to confess that I wasn't expecting to see this at all. I had just imagined that the Sakkara site was going to be located outside of Cairo, but still resemble Cairo along the route. But this was straight-up balad.
As we turned off the main road and towards the site, we found the land is lush with beautiful palm trees. There is a mixture of both large villas and small farmhouses scattered between the trees, but it is all very serene. When we finally arrived at the site, it was a ghost town. We felt like the only two there, and maybe we were accompanied by a total of 20 other tourists. Just 20! It was really sad to see how empty it was, and how few tourists are visiting the country. What is possibly sadder was the accumulation of litter around these stunning, ancient sites. For God's sake Egypt, tourism is (was) your livelihood. Treat these sites with better respect!
Sakkara is a massive site that was once a necropolis, or the graveyard, for the Ancient Egyptians. They resided and flourished in Memphis, the city to the East of the Nile River, but were buried in Sakkara, the West of it. What's been uncovered today is said to hardly even be 10% of what still remains buried in the sands. But what we did see, and what exists there, is absolutely incredible. This site is better than the pyramids of Giza, and perhaps better than Luxor as well. Yet it is completely underrated and often unvisited by tourists, which is such a shame given its close proximity to Cairo.
Sakkara is home to the oldest pyramid on earth, dating back to 2800 BC. Several pyramids still lie throughout the site, with what's assumed to be hundreds of tombs still buried beneath. From a peak on the site, not only can you see the expanse Sakkara site, but you can also see as far out to the Giza pyramids, and the pyramids of Darshur as well. It's breath taking. With the help of our fantastic guide, we toured various tombs belonging to the Architect, Manicurist, Hair Stylist, Accountant, etc., of the King. The details carved into the walls of the tombs reflected the person's wealth, all telling us stories of their lives and hobbies, over 4,000 years ago. It is truly remarkable and left me open jawed and "wow"-ing the entire time.
But perhaps the best part of the trip was the Serapeum, a network of arched tunnels that buried the bulls that were assumed to be God-like. Solid granite sarcophagi no smaller than the size of my bedroom enclosed their mummified bodies. This tomb is stunning. It used to be open privately, upon request, at the cost of $1,000. However in effort to encourage tourism, this site was opened to the public just 2 months ago. We felt very lucky to have visited it.
Sakkara needs a full day to really get the most out of the site. And I would imagine that going in the summer heat must be close to unbearable, because it is all out in the open in the desert, and there is a lot of ground to cover. Our trip couldn't have been more perfect. The weather was sunny, breezy, and beautiful. After hours of trekking through the sands, we sat for a picnic made by yours truly, which was just the perfect way to wrap up a perfect day. I highly encourage everyone to visit the site.
