The historical expedition of Prince Kamal El Din Hussein

Under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism This is a historic event taking place from the 14th to 26th of March 2014.

Who is the Prince?

The Prince  Kamal El Din Hussain (son of Sultan Hussain) who was heading out into the deep desert with Citroen Kegresse Autochinelles in the years 1923 – 1926.  Massive camel caravans of up to 500 animals were carrying his fuel supply as the logistical backbone of his ventures. He was the one who found and named the Gilf Kebir Plateau.A memorial plaque was laid down by Count Lazlo Almasy – better known as – The English Patient. This plaque was placed in honor of the Prince at the southern tip of the Gilf Kebir Plateau in 1933 after his death. The Hollywood film “The English Patient”, won nine Oscars in 1996. The Prince was the first to introduce the automobile into deep desert explorations.After 1 year of the construction of the memorial Almasy returned with tourists to revisit the site. That expedition was sponsored by the Royal Automobile Club of Egypt which was represented by Prince Muhammed Abdel Moneim and by the Ahram Newspaper represented by Hassan Sobhi.

The preliminary agenda for passengers

13 March 2014 – Arriving Cairo
Overseas participants arrive in Cairo. We will assist with hotel bookings and we will be delighted to assist and organize transfers to the hotels (only hotels listed as participating in Kamal Expedition).

14 March 2014 – Opening ceremony – Flight – Drive heading to Gilf Kebir
We will have a transfer organized from the hotels of our choice to the Kamal Expedition Opening Ceremony which will be held at the Automobile & Touring Club of Egypt in Cairo. You also have the choice of joining us independently at the Club if you wish. After a brunch and the ceremony we will be heading to the Cairo International Airport to catch a charter flight to Dakhla Oasis.
At the airport of Dakhla the packed 4×4 cars will be waiting for us and will bring us to have lunch. Meanwhile the last formalities will be finished with the government to have
a fast start to the desert after lunch. Divided into several groups, the participants will be leaving the Oasis heading south on the Asphalt Road. Leaving the road, our first visit will be the Balise of Saviem Trucks which traversed the entire Sahara from West to East in 1977 (from the Atlantic ocean to the Nile). In the area of G-Hills we will be looking for a camping place. In the evening we will have the chance to listen to an interesting lecture on a chosen topic related to the desert by one of our top speakers.

15 March 2014 – Wadi Eight Bells
After breakfast, we will be continuing in groups crossing different desert landscapes to approach the Gilf El Kebir plateau. We will find some relics from the Second World War: broken down Cars which were used by the British Special Forces, the Long Range Desert Group. We will also cross some dunes to reach the landing ground of 8 Bells where we will set up camps nearby. Like every night we will have the chance to listen to an interesting lecture on the desert by one of our top speakers.

16 March 2014 – Gilf Kebir – Wadi Wassa – Kamal El DIn Monument
We will be traveling through the Wadi Eight Bells to reach the Wadi Wassa and the Rock paintings of the Mararet el Qantara which was found in 1935 by a British explorer group under the leadership of Shaw. From here we will be heading south to the southern tip of the Gilf el Kebir Plateau where Almasy erected the Kamal El Din Monument 81 years ago. Nearby, we will find a set up prepared for the group. It will be on that occasion were all the groups will be gathered together and we would have a longer entertaining program for you that evening including the screening of a documentary film. If you do not feel like attending the screening, you could enjoy the calm evening weather some hundred metres away.

17 March 2014 – Camil Crater
After a late evening, the starting of the groups will be delayed. They will be heading to the south to reach the meteorite crater of Gebel Kamil, where they will be camping nearby. The evening will once again be filled with an interesting topic of one of the speakers.

18 March 2014 – Gebel Uweinat – Karkur Talh
The groups will be heading towards Gebel Uweinat to arrive there after a few kilometers looking for camping places in the Karkur Talh area and will be exploring the different sites of the Gebel Uweinat. In the evening there will be a chance of attending another interesting lecture.

19 March 2014 – Rock cave near Peter & Paul
There will be a chance to have a short hike in the mountain in the morning before heading back north to reach some interesting rock art caves near the mountain of Peter & Paul. In the evening another interesting lecture will be organized.

20 March 2014 – Gilf Kebir – Wadi Sura
We will be reaching the area of Wadi Sura (the Cave of Swimmers) which became famous through the 1997 film The English Patient. We will be visiting the Clayton Cave and the Chinati Camp site exploring some rock paintings nearby. Before that, we will have a second gathering in front of the Cave of the Beast. Here all the groups will unite for a second time to watch a short film about the life of the late Egyptian Father of Environment, Prof. Mohammed el Kassas, who died on that day (March 21st) one year ago in Cairo. Through different presentations and a film we will have a second longer night in that area.

21 March 2014 – Gilf Kebir Aqaba Pass
The groups will split up again to move over the Three Castles to the Aqaba Pass to drive on top of the Gilf Kebir Plateau and to cross some dunes which are on top of the plateau. Here we will be looking for different camping areas and have the chance to another interesting lecture.

22 March 2014 – Gilf Kebir – Wadi Hamra
We will reach the higher level of the Plateau and have a nice view at Belle Vue
onto the southern plane. Driving along the edge of the plateau we will reach a passage which will get us to the southern tip of Wadi Hamra. Here, we will be visiting different engraving sites and have a special look at the different Fauna of the Gilf el Kebir area. We will be camping at the northern exit of the Wadi Hamra where each group will get a chance to listen to an interesting lecture.

23 March and 24 March 2014 – Crossing Great Sand Sea
These 2 days we will be crossing the dunes of the Great Sand Sea having exciting passages crossing the dunes from west to east.

25 March 2014 – White Desert
We will be back near the Wadi Obaid and we will be entering the National Park of the White desert. Here a buffet will be waiting for all the participants. The groups will be spread in the National Park and a last evening with lectures will end our evenings in the desert.

26 March 2014 – Cairo – Closing Ceremony in Mena Hous
We will be leaving the White Desert National Park heading back to the road in a northerly direction reaching Baharya Oasis where a lunch will be prepared for everyone. After lunch, a 300 kilometre drive to Gizeh will bring us to the Mena House Hotel at the foot of the Pyramids. After a welcome coffee and cakes, the closing ceremony will be held in the hotel and will include a dinner. The anniversary of the Prince Kamal el Din monument will come to the end of its journey.

for more info visit : http://www.kamalexpedition.com

under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism This is a historic event taking place from the 14th to 26th of March 2014. – See more at: http://en.egypt.travel/events/id/371#sthash.aYWVe1KJ.dpuf

Replica Tutankhamun tomb set to open in Luxor

A painstakingly accurate replica of King Tut’s tomb is set to open in Egypt – Luxor

Its existence will present visitors with the moral dilemma of paying to see the original tomb or helping to preserve its future existence by visiting the facsimile version instead. 

The Supreme Council of Antiquities commissioned carefully-crafted replicas of the tombs of Seti I, Nefertari and Tutankhamun back in 2009.

The move was a bid to stave off further irreparable damage caused by decades of tourists flocking to see the boy king’s burial chamber and other ancient tombs.

Changes in temperature and humidity, say experts, is causing the intricately painted plaster to crumble away from the walls. Visitors could soon be completely banned from entering them

A Madrid-based company, Factum Arte, which has worked with museums all over the world to produce facsimiles of endangered art, used high-tech 3D scanners to create the replica of King Tut’s tomb in a process that has taken several years to complete.

November will see the new version of the tomb of Tutankhamun installed just outside Howard Carter’s house, around half a mile from where the original lays in Luxor‘s Valley of the Kings.

On November 4th 1922, after years of toiling away in the Valley of the Kings, British archaeologist Howard Carter sensationally discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb and revealed one of the most significant Egyptian excavations of all time.

The fascination with Carter’s story and the perpetual promise of more discoveries has seen tourists pouring into the sun-drenched site although there has been a significant dip in tourism this year as the country has suffered from ongoing political protests.

One of the Factum Arte team, Briton Adam Lowe, is hopeful that the replica will become as popular as the orginal as visitors ‘become part of the force that protects it [the original] rather than a force that is leading to its destruction.’

He told the BBC: ‘They will have the thrill of visiting something they know is 3,000 years old and they have the guilt of knowing, as they look at it, that their presence is part of the reason why it won’t be there in another 100 years’ time.’

Source: dailymail

Classic Egypt back on map as FCO relaxes advice for tourists visiting Luxor and Aswan

British tourists wishing to visit the Valley of the Kings, home to Tutankhamun’s famous tomb, can once again do so safe in the knowledge that they will be covered by travel insurance after the British government relaxed long-standing advisories.

The FCO is still warning against all but essential travel to a large part of the country including Cairo and the North Sinai but destinations such as Luxor, Aswan and the Abu Simbel temples in Nubia are back on the map.

A spokesperson for the FCO said: ‘We continue to urge British nationals already in Egypt to follow the instructions of the local authorities and obey curfews where they are in place. There remains a high threat from terrorism throughout Egypt. This has not changed.’

They continued: ‘As always, the safety of British nationals is a priority. We continue to follow developments carefully, and keep our travel advice under continuous review.

‘British nationals should continue to monitor FCO travel advice closely for any updates and stay away from any demonstrations or protests.’

Speaking at a holiday industry conference in London last week, Egypt’s minister of tourism Hisham Zaazou told journalists: ‘More than 18 countries have lifted the travel advisory on Luxor and Aswan. As soon as the FCO revises its travel advice for the UK, we will work tirelessly with our valued media, travel agent and tour operator partners to communicate that the whole of Egypt is open.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2500039/Egypt-map-FCO-relaxes-advice-tourists-Luxor-Aswan.html#ixzz2kdoGTpIN

Minister of Tourism said : Egypt open for tourism

 

 

Egypt will end its state of emergency and lift all curfews in the country by November 14, according to Egypt’s Minister of Tourism Hesham Zaazou Speaking at World Travel Market at London’s Excel, he said, ‘Over 18 countries have now lifted their negative travel advice to key regions of the Red Sea, Luxor and Aswan. Egypt’s compass is now pointing in the right direction.’

Apart from the Red Sea resorts, the UK government currently advises against all but essential travel to most of Egypt including Luxor and Aswan, but the Minister hopes this is reviewed and expects to meet with the Foreign Office in the coming days.

 

Following this summer’s revolution and subsequent protests, Egypt has seen a huge drop in tourist arrivals. ‘It’s been a challenging time as over 4 million Egyptians work in tourism,’ he said. ‘In the last week of September, we saw a drop of 90% compared to last year which is huge. However, while the media has focused on negative images of Cairo, I want to stress that not one single tourist has been targeted.’

 

As part of the mission to win back tourists, the tourist board has launched their ‘Egypt Now’ initiative with live streams of key tourist hot spots in Egypt available on their website, as well as an ‘Egypt Travel’ mobile application  for visitors to plan their holiday.

 

‘One million British tourists visited Egypt last year and 1.46 million in 2010. We must be doing something right and we’re adamant we can retrieve these figures.’

 

A message From the Minister of tourism in Egypt

The official message of H.E. HISHAM ZAAZOU, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism. The Message is addressed to the tour operators (Egypt’s professional partners).

on the official YouTube Channel

Resignation of the Minister of Tourism

Mr. Hisham Zazoua the Minister of Tourism  request of the Prime Minister to accept his resignation on objection to the assigning of Luxor New Governor who has a terrorist background and has been accused in  participating in  Luxor massacre in 1997, and all  the tourism sector Supporting the position of the Tourism minister

Dahshour World Heritage Site for Community Development

UNWTO is currently implementing the tourism component of the project “Mobilization of the Dahshour World Heritage Site for Community Development”. The project, which was launched in April 2009 and will conclude in March 2013, is financed through the contribution made by the Government of Spain to establish the Millennium Development Goals Fund (MDG-F). Five UN Agencies (UNESCO, UNDP, UNIDO, ILO and UNWTO) are collaborating with national institutions (Ministry of Tourism, Supreme Council of Antiquities, Social Fund for Development, Industrial Modernization Centre and Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency) to support the reduction of human development disparities, with special reference to addressing the gender gap and achieving environmental sustainability.

The project strategy works in two dimensions; first to reduce poverty of the local communities in Dahshour, and second to enhance the national institutional capacities so as to better protect and manage the archaeological and natural resources of the area.

 Dahshour is an agricultural community comprising five traditional villages to the South of Cairo which is home to the incredible Black, Bent and Red Pyramids (Sneferu Pyramids). Moreover, Birket Dahshour, a seasonal wetland, is situated directly to the southeast of the Dahshour Pyramids and attracts wintering birds. This unique mix of natural and cultural resources provides great potential for Dahshour to become a self-contained, high quality tourism, holiday and resort destination easily reachable from Cairo. Therefore, tourism development is central to all the main project activities, since it can play a fundamental role in creating sustainable livelihoods for the local communities, and provide the framework for the sustainable use and management of cultural and natural resources, as well as fostering the practice of local lifestyles.

UNWTO, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism has elaborated a Strategic Spatial Framework for Sustainable Tourism Development in Dahshour which goes in line with the National Sustainable Tourism Development Plan of Egypt and the Greater Cairo Development Project and provides guidance to the national institutions for the development and management of tourism plans for the natural and cultural resources of Dahshour, including the traditional rural lifestyles. It contains an in-depth analysis of the current tourism situation in Dahshour; evaluates its potential; identifies tourism products and markets for the short, medium and long term; and, recommends the creation of the Dahshour Rural Tourism Cluster. The Framework was approved by unanimous acclamation at a validation Workshop which brought together over 120 stakeholders, thus generating wide participation and ownership of the project with local community leaders including parliamentarians, senators and mayors of the five villages. In fact, as a result of the approval of the Strategic Spatial Framework, TDA has committed LE 50 million towards improved infrastructure for tourism in Dahshour including the setting up of a Visitor’s Centre and paving of roads and highways.

Moreover, UNWTO is contributing to the development of sustainable tourism activities. Initially, a training needs analysis was carried out following a participatory approach which provided guidance on the skills more needed by the tourism sector. Train-the-trainer sessions followed for 82 local experts (43 men and 39 women) and training materials were developed. Subsequently, training courses were carried out on waste management, English language, customer care, hospitality skills, tourism awareness and tourism SME development, which involved over 3,000 people (2,067 men and 1,176 women, representing over 50 SMEs). Additionally, in-depth trainings for 25 tour guides were carried out. Recent missions by UNWTO have concentrated on readying the touristic assets for the domestic and international marketplace. Tour circuits have been designed and the infrastructure required, predominantly signage and landscaping, has been mapped and costed, with the implementation stage set to begin shortly. Lastly, approaches have been made to key national tour operators to not only promote Dahshour to their international markets, but to actively participate in the implementation and testing of the circuits, thereby utilising the commercial skills of a key section of the target market to maximise the attractiveness of the Dahshour circuits. These circuits form a base from which to promote half day, full day and multi-day itineraries to the domestic and international tourism markets. Therefore, it is envisioned that the Dahshour Rural Tourism Cluster will soon become an integrated living and viable nature, history, rural and village culture sanctuary; a prime destination on the Greater Cairo Tourism Circuit.

Imhoteb Museum

Officially inaugurated on April 20, 2006, the Imhoteb Museum  located at the foot of the Saqqara necropolis complex, near Memphis,venerates both the Ancient Egyptian architect Imhotep and the notable French Egyptology Jean Philippe Lauer.

The name Imhotep means the one who comes in peace; he was a genius architect who constructed the first stone pyramid ever in the Ancient Egyptian history- the step pyramid of Sakara plateau dating back to the third dynasty around 2700 B.C. Imhotep held diverse posts and titles, amongst which was the vizier and architect of the king, the physician, chancellor to the pharaoh, high priest of the sun god Ra at Heliopolis and administrator of the palace. The Greeks also considered him as the god of medicine as Aesculapius.The museum’s major theme is to display the most significant artifacts discovered on the Sakara site. Prior to the entrance on the right hand side visitors are first welcomed into a visitor’s center or the so called visual setting hall where they watch a 10-minute documentary movie on Sakara’s history called Sakara Hidden Path to Eternity presented by the National Geographic Television and Film, in cooperation with the Supreme Council of Antiquities and narrated by renowned Egyptian and international actor Omar El Sherif. Upon entering the first of six halls, visitors will encounter a remaining pedestal of King Zoser’s statue found at a small sanctuary south of the entrance colonnade of his funeral complex. The feet steps over nine bows representing foreign countries. On the base is an inscription with the names and titles of King Zoser; besides which Imhotep was granted the privilege of carving his name. To the right is the second gallery called Sakara’s Mission, showing the most recent discoveries unearthed in Sakara by various archaeological missions. Among the collection is the famous well preserved and gold cased anthropoid coffin, which was among the excavations of Dr. Zahi Hawas Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities dating back to the late period around the 30th dynasty.In addition to copper surgical instruments from a 5th -6th dynasty tomb of Qar who was a physician of the palace and keeper of the secrets of the king. Near his tomb other bronze objects were found including a statue of Imhotep that was found in a cache dating to the late kingdom, which is currently on show in another hall of the museum. In this room is a TV screen showing a short documentary film under the name of Imhotep narrated in different languages. On the right hand side next to the Sakara Mission room is the third Sakara Styles hall presenting a collection of stone vessels used for cosmetic mate -rials and ointments from the early dynastic period. Among these are a collection of clay and alabaster vessels in various shapes. More than 40,000 vases carved from hard stone were  found in galleries beneath the Step Pyramid. Many of these were from the first and second dynasties and it is believed that Zoser placed them in his tomb. Moreover one could see a different collection of instruments and tools, a collection of limestone and vividly painted wooden statues. After the Sakara styles gallery the visitor will pass through another fourth hall designed mainly to exhibit remains of diverse architectural styles from Zoser’s funeral complex at  the site. Items include remains of columns form the colonnade, remaining frieze of cobras brought from the facade of the southern tomb’s cult chapel for protection, a headless statue of King Zoser, a large model of the blue tiled wall of the step pyramid’s southern tomb, showing king Zoser in a ceremonial dress for his jubilee festival known as the Heb-Sed Festival. Also on show in this room is the famous bronze statue of Imhotep.A doorway from the fourth gallery leads to the fifth entitled Sakara tombs providing a general idea of a tomb’s content. On show is a wooden coffin with remains of blue colors and has religious coffin texts inscribed on its inner sides painted in black on a yellow coating. Above the coffin was found a wooden rowing boat which is now on show above the coffin. An offering table and a false door are also on display close by the coffin.

On the right hand side of the room is most probably the mummy of Merenre discovered by Gaston Maspero in 1881 dating back to the 6th dynasty around 2297-2292 B.C. The room exhibits the work of Jean Leclant and Audran Labrousse at the Pyramid Complex of Pepi I and Pepi II, including on show the viscera of King Pepi I as well as remaining preserved parts of a kilt. Back heading towards the exit we see the Lauer’s library marking the sixth and ultimate gallery. The French Archaeologist Jean Philippe Lauer devoted his life to Sakara, which has always been and remains a place of attraction with all what it has to offer visitors; he especially consecrated his efforts to the restoration of the Step Pyramid. In 1926, he was invited by the Egyptian Antiquities Service to Egypt on a mission for eight months; but ended up staying in Egypt until he died in 2001. He excelled in introducing modern restoration techniques, which served as a model for work still used by the Supreme Council of Antiquities. On display are some of his books, publications, tools, his hat, camera and compass. 

Directions:

Straight down El Mounib ring road from C o r n i c h e E l M a a d i , t a k e t h e Marrioteya-Sakara exit passing the Cataract Pyramids Resort Hotel on the left hand drive for approximately 22 km south west of Cairo. Upon reaching the Sakara plateau entrance, you will have to stop for a security check,after which you can purchase tickets to the Sakara plateau. Take the first right exit immediately after the ticket office to visit the museum, located right at the foot of the plateau. A separate ticket office for the museum is right nextto its entrance. Entrance fees for cost LE15 for adults and LE10 for students.Cameras are free of charge; however the use of flash is prohibited.

the 90th anniversary of the discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun

Today is the anniversary of the entry into the tomb of Tut-ankh-amun (4th November was the discovery of the steps) and there is going to be an event in the valley of kings today starting at 10:00. The tomb of Merenptah is going to be opened at 10:30 then a visit to Tutankhamun finishing off with a viewing of photos in the visitors center.

Related articles

• Visitors to Egypt will pay to see fake tombs in future as tourism takes its toll on originals (egyptourism.wordpress.com)

Catherine Ashton unveils replica Tomb of Tutankhamun at start of EU-Egypt Task Force

In Cairo today on the occasion of the launch of the EU-Egypt Task Force, Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission, together with Mohamed Hisham Zaazou, Minister of Tourism of the Arab Republic of Egypt, unveiled a near-perfect facsimile of the Tomb of Tutankhamun. 

Catherine Ashton said: “I am so excited to be here. For those of us who have the privilege of visiting this country, this is a wonderful symbol of the richness and the culture and the heritage that exist in Egypt.  It is also a wonderful expression of what we are trying to do here in Egypt with the Task Force: bring Europe and Egypt closer together and promote Egypt, this rich and great country, to show that it is a place to invest, a place to visit, a place to feel welcome at and the place we want to see succeed.”

The unveiling coincides with the 90th anniversary of the discovery of the original tomb. The technology behind the facsimile was developed by Factum Arte, based in London and Madrid, who worked for two years on the project together with the University of Basel and under licence from the Supreme Council of Antiquities. It is a gift to the Arab Republic of Egypt from the Factum Foundation and the Society of Friends of the Royal Tombs, facilitated by the EU Delegation in Egypt.

@European Commission

Golden funeral mask of king Tutankhamun (Photo credit: Wikipedia)