Saqqara Necropolis | Step pyramid of Saqqara
Saqqara is famous mainly for having been the royal necropolis of the ancient Kingdom up to the third dynasty, and for hosting the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest pyramid ever built among those attributed to Egyptian civilization that attracts many tourists to visit during their Egypt tours.
Saqqara is one of the vast cemeteries and things to do in Cairo, it covers an area of around 7 by 1.5km approximately. An ancient funeral area served as the necropolis for the Ancient Egyptian kings and aristocrats as well. The most important feature of Saqqara is that it had numerous pyramids, including the famous word Step pyramid of Djoser. Sometimes referred to as the Step Pyramid due to its rectangular base (shape), as well as several mastabas (Arabic word meaning 'bench'). Placed around 30 km (19 mi) south of current-day Cairo.
The Step Pyramid is the most important monument to see during many of our customized Egypt Day Tours. If you start your Egypt Travel Packages in Luxor or Hurghada, make sure to book your Cairo Day Tours to get there. Or even book a round-trip flight to Cairo and enjoy a variety of Cairo Day Tours from the Airport.
The famous Saqqara Pyramid dates from the 3rd dynasty (2667-2448 BC). A couple of hundred years before the Great Pyramid, and was the first complex ever built entirely out of stone. Also, it reveals an extensive structural innovation for the formation of the Giza Pyramids and other later pyramids in the 4th dynasty and later. As it is the first (stepped) Pyramid made of 6 mastabas or steps and is sometimes referred to as the Step Tomb due to its rectangular base.
The area is a must-see site if you are booking any of the tours to Egypt or from our variety of Cairo half-day tours.
Popular attractions of Saqqara
The location of cemetery is to the south of Abusir and Dahshur is to the South. Some scientists believe that the name (Saqqara) is not derived from the Ancient Egyptian funerary deity, Sokar, but seemingly, from a local Berber Tribe called ( Beni Saqqara ). The working area from Dahshur to Giza has been used as a necropolis by the citizens of Memphis several times, and it was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. These sights are the most popular attractions in Cairo and in Egypt in general and it considered among the top-rated luxury tours in Egypt due to their secrets.
More than ten other pyramids and a large number of tombs and burial temples are scattered around the area of Djoser's Step Pyramid you can visit with our Egypt classic tours. The entire site of Saqqara Necropolis is a witness to the greatness of the early dynasties in Ancient Egypt.
You can book one of the tours listed in Egypt budget tours to explore the gigantic Step pyramid in Saqqara and a lot of other monuments like the Pyramid of King Teti and King Unas as well as the beautifully decorated tombs of the Nobles buried here in the famous Cemetery that is considered as a gateway to heaven for both royalty and high officials.
Tombs of Nobles at Saqqara
Among the tombs of the nobles in Sakkara is the tomb of Kagemni who was the son-in-law of King Teti himself during the 6th dynasty.
Despite your tours in Saqqara, you can explore the archeological sites of the ancient Egyptians through Luxor day tours. As Luxor is the mother of historical attractions and religious temples. Also, you can relax in Aswan after wrapping Luxor by booking Egypt Nile cruises to head to Aswan to enjoy its quiet and more Aswan day tours.
If you want to know about a place called Giza and see what it looks like, there's a special website called How Many Pyramids Are In Egypt. It has a lot of information and pictures that can help you learn more about Giza and its history.