Day 4 - Egypt - Desert tour
Day 4 - Desert tour
There was a little sandstorm in the desert last night, but we were snugly warm in our camel-hair blankets and could calmly listen to the melody of the wind.
We crawl out of our tent early in the morning, because we don't want to miss anything. It's pretty cold, but we are rewarded with a spectacular sunrise in the desert.
Of course Khalid and Essa also thought of our breakfast.
We let ourselves be pampered again before we hunt through the desert one last time. Unfortunately it is time to say goodbye to Khalid and Essa, because we have to continue. 
In our car we go south on the desert road towards the oasis town of Dachla. Shortly before the place we meet with our friends Eslam, Mohamed and Yasser. You will be our companion for the next 3 days. Eslam, also called Eslam Safari Safari, has a lot on our program.
After a few kilometers, we can already see the Deir el-Haggar sandstone temple, which dates from the Roman era. The Theban gods Amun-Re, Mut and Chons were worshiped here. In addition to the Theban gods, the scribe god Thot and his companion Nehemet-awai, the goddess of protection for justice were also worshiped.
The Baschandi burial mound is also within sight of the temple. The small, tranquil town of Baschandi was largely built on Roman tombs.
We have the opportunity to visit one of the well-preserved graves, that of a priest. The paintings are really impressive and colorful. Many scenes from the pharaonic era are shown here. Which, of course, cannot hide the fact that they are not from the pharaohs' time. Easily recognizable from the Pharaoh's grave, when he was laid out on a wagon. The car has wheels with spokes, which definitely didn't exist in Pharaoh's time.
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Shortly afterwards we reach our hotel: the Desertlodge in Dachla. A fascinating complex on a hill on the edge of the desert. Built entirely of sandstone, it blends harmoniously into the Arabian landscape. We are already expected, because .... we are the only guests here. As I said: no "tourists" far and ready. The facility is still very well maintained and we are warmly welcomed. |
The day is coming to an end, but Eslam has another surprise in store for us. It brings us to a thermal bath from Roman times, which we reach in the deep darkness. It is reserved for us alone and a real blessing after these 2 desert days.