UnchartedX Egypt Tour Journey Through Ancient Egypt
Ben van Kerkwyk of UnchartedX is known for his research into ancient civilizations and engineering mysteries, which he shares on his YouTube channel. As part of that work, he organizes guided tours of Egypt that visit both the famous monuments and a number of lesser known sites rarely included on typical itineraries.
The UnchartedX Egypt Tour covers many of the iconic locations you would expect while also gaining access to places that are normally closed to the public or require special permission.
Should you go on the UnchartedX Egypt Tour?
What is it actually like to travel through Egypt on the UnchartedX Egypt Tour. Let’s explore the highlights from the journey led by Ben van Kerkwyk together with the Snake Bros, Russ and Kyle Allen, and Yousef Awyan of the Khemit School. This experience is based on the 2021 tour, while the program continues to evolve with the 2025 tour, 2026 tour, and upcoming 2027 tour.
Why go to Egypt?
I was originally planning to visit my lifelong dream site Machu Picchu in Peru after it reopened, but they kept shutting down areas and adding new restrictions. Around that time I happened to watch one of Ben van Kerkwyk’s YouTube videos about ancient Egypt where he mentioned that, due to cancellations, a few spots had opened on his upcoming UnchartedX Egypt tour. The catch was that the tour was leaving in about ten days.
I had always been curious about the pyramids and ancient Egyptian sites, but it never crossed my mind that I would actually go to Egypt. After thinking about it for a few days, I bought a refundable ticket on Qatar Airways while I decided if I was really going to commit. That left about a week before departure.
The next few days turned into a scramble to prepare for the trip and order last minute gear. When I tried to pay for the tour, my credit card kept rejecting the charge despite the bank claiming they had fixed it. With only a few days left before departure I finally used another card and secured my spot on the tour.
Who goes on these Egypt tours?
The goal of the tour was to examine the evidence firsthand. Many people interested in ancient Egypt have seen the debates online about advanced ancient technology, megalithic stone construction, and whether the dynastic Egyptians built the pyramids themselves or inherited earlier structures.
A lot of that curiosity starts on YouTube. One video leads to another, and before long you find yourself deep in discussions about ancient engineering, lost civilizations, and massive stone construction.
That curiosity brought together a group of about thirty guys on this tour, along with four wives who may or may not have realized exactly what they had signed up for.
“We covet what we see every day.”
— Dr. Hannibal Lecter
It started with a fascinating TED talk by Graham Hancock on ancient history that sent me down the rabbit hole. From there came Jimmy Corsetti at Bright Insight, Brien Foerster at Hidden Inca Tours, and more recently Ben van Kerkwyk from UnchartedX.
After consuming hours and hours of videos on ancient engineering, megalithic construction, and lost civilizations, curiosity eventually turned into action. This trip to Egypt was the result.
Flight from San Francisco to Egypt
Getting from San Francisco to Cairo was a journey in itself. The trip started with a 15 hour flight to Doha, Qatar, followed by a 12 hour layover, and then another 3.5 hour flight to Cairo. By the time I finally arrived in Egypt, about 30 hours had passed just getting to the starting point of the tour.
A few moments from the journey are shown below.
With everyone finally assembled in Cairo and introductions complete, we settled in for a good night’s sleep before the Ben van Kerkwyk Egypt tour began the next morning.
Cairo Pyramids and the Road to Luxor
The tour started off with a bang, visiting a couple of massive pyramids including the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid. We climbed into the inner chambers, navigating narrow passages and emerging into surprisingly large stone rooms deep inside these ancient structures.
After a stop at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the journey continued south. A short flight took us to Luxor, where temples, tombs, and some of Egypt’s most impressive ancient sites awaited along the Nile..
The UnchartedX Egypt tour had only just begun, yet we had already seen pyramids, temples, tombs, and museums across Cairo and Luxor. The next leg of the journey would continue further south along the Nile.
Nile River Cruise to Aswan
After exploring the temples and tombs around Luxor, the tour continued south along the Nile. For the next several days our home would be a river cruise ship traveling toward Aswan.
Along the way we stopped at several ancient temple sites including Edfu and Kom Ombo, before continuing on to some of the remarkable monuments and archaeological sites around Aswan.
By the time the cruise reached Aswan, we had spent several days drifting along the Nile and visiting temples and archaeological sites scattered along its banks. From here the journey would turn back north toward Cairo to explore several more ancient sites.
Saqqara Pyramids and the Mysterious Serapeum
After reaching Aswan, the tour returned north to Cairo via a short flight to explore several lesser known but fascinating sites around Saqqara and Abu Sir. These locations are not always included on typical Egypt itineraries, but they contain some of the most intriguing structures in the country.
The stops included the Sun Temple at Abu Ghorab, the Step Pyramid complex at Saqqara, the massive granite boxes of the Serapeum, and several unusual pyramids scattered across the desert landscape.
By this point we had visited several unusual pyramid sites scattered across the desert around Cairo. But for our UnchartedX Egypt Tour, the most famous monuments in Egypt were still ahead.
The Giza Plateau and the Great Pyramids
The Uncharted Egypt tour saved the most famous site in Egypt for last: the Giza Plateau and its three great pyramids. Here we explored the monuments of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, along with the surrounding temples and the enigmatic Sphinx.
The group also visited the Osiris Shaft and the Khafre Valley Temple before entering the Great Pyramid itself. For those who wanted to continue the adventure, an optional extension included a trip to the ancient city of Tanis.
With the Giza Plateau and the Great Pyramid explored, the main tour had come to an end. After visiting many of Egypt’s most famous monuments and several lesser known sites, it was an unforgettable journey across the country.
A few additional photos from the UnchartedX Egypt tour and the journey home are included in the following section.
Bonus: A Few More Moments from the Trip
These are a few extra photos from the trip that didn’t quite fit into the main sections, including the final morning at Giza and the long journey home. Feel free to skip if you’re just here for the ancient sites, lol.
And with that, the final bonus section brings the UnchartedX Egypt tour journal to a close. What an amazing trip!
UnchartedX Egypt Tour Review
After seeing Ben van Kerkwyk’s videos on the pyramids and ancient technology, I knew I had to check it out for myself. While I like to plan my own trips, Egypt is complex and some sites are by permit only.It’s also a refreshing change and relief to have someone else worry about the transportation, tickets, meals, and handle all the unexpected problems that come up.
With Ben’s tour, being in the company of like-minded individuals is a plus. We all passionately want to experience the same things and it was fun to share finds and observations with each other.
It’s one thing to watch videos. It’s another to experience in person: to gaze at massive pyramids, crawl passageways, feel the vibrational resonance, and touch the ridges of tubular drill holes. Truly amazing.
Ben and his Egypt crew are well organized and come with security, water, snacks, and medicine. They make sure you see the good stuff – things you might miss on your own, and they explain the story behind what you are seeing.
it was a refreshing change to have someone else worry about the transportation, tickets, meals, and handle all the unexpected problems that come up.
YouTuber Bonus: After the trip, you can check out Ben’s videos of the tour to relive the experience and catch occasional glimpses of yourself in them.
Ben’s team delivered the once-in-a-lifetime experience I was seeking in Egypt. Highly recommended, and am hoping to get in on the Peru tour when it opens up.
Thanks Ben!
If you are interested in upcoming Egypt tours from Ben van Kerkwyk , the Snake Bros, and UnchartedX see Ancient Sites Tours Schedules.
Khemit School Review, Yousef Awyan Review
Most Egyptian guides simply regurgitate what you can read in books – it’s boring and something you can do on your own. Yousef Awyan is a master stone mason and offers the perspective of someone with hands-on knowledge. It’s practical insights that you won’t find in the library. Yousef is the second generation of Khemitology with many interesting stories from growing up in the shadows of the great pyramids.
To see the Egyptian statues and temples is amazing in itself, but to have Yousef fill in the how and why things were carved and shaped, and their meanings add another dimension. Even during the down times when most would just rest, Yousef brings out his Egyptian flute to entertain and add to the ambience.
Yousef’s passion is insane. We went to the Luxor museum, and he’s been there many times before, but there he is studying the artifacts and taking photos like a tourist. He says he learns something new every time. What guide does this?
Suffice to say, Yousef from Khemitology Tours is the best guide to have on your Egypt tour.
Mo Taha, our tour coordinator, is a master organizer, planner, and expediter that makes sure everyone on the tour has a great time. He’s also the medic, pharmacist, and currency exchange, too. Our tour was amazing and the flights, hotels, river cruise, tickets all went smoothly.
UnchartedX Egypt Tour Epilogue
This was truly a trip of a lifetime for me, and the UnchartedX Egypt Tour was absolutely worth it. If you’ve ever been thinking about visiting Egypt, I highly recommend making it happen.
What’s next? Hopefully Machu Picchu opens up fully again soon. I’m also interested in seeing Göbekli Tepe, Karahan Tepe, and Derinkuyu in Turkey. Another stop on the list is touching the KT Boundary in Gubbio, Italy, the thin layer in the rock that marks the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs and made way for mammals, and eventually us.
Update: I did end up traveling to Turkey on the Megalithomania Turkey Tour. Those sites are older than the pyramids!
If you’re planning a trip to Egypt or just thinking about it and have questions, feel free to reach out
And if you’re serious about going, check out these Egypt Tour Tips and Tricks.
Finally, I’ll leave you with this gem. It’s an amazing, well-organize, presentation by Ben UnchartedX on the evidence to rewrite human history.
Thanks for making it all the way to the end. If you have any thoughts or questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below.
I am wondering which to take, with Uncharted X or Brien Forester
Do you have any comparative info?
Hi Nancy,
As far as the places that are covered, both tours go to the same places. Both partner with Khemit School for the tour logistics, and they have everything running smoothly. You will not be disappointed either way.
For the differences, and this part may change, but check out the itinerary details.
For example Brien’s last tour did not include the Nile River Cruise – so you’ll be on the bus instead. Also look at the private access tours – Brien Foerster’s tour included a Sphynx enclosure option.
Next, there are different Khemit people who co-host the tours. Yousef Awyan is master of the stone, and your best choice.
Finally, on Brien’s tours, he does have some evening slide show presentations.
My impressions are that Ben’s tours are a bit more fun and informal. Brien’s got more experience and the deep knowledge from writing many books. They are both excellent and you’ll have an amazing experience either way.
I’m thinking of doing this tour in 2023. The 2022 tour is sold out. Can you comment on a couple of things for me?
1. This tour covers a lot of ground. Is there time to dig into questions with the guides as you go or are you shuffled along in order to keep on schedule? In other words, is the goal to cover the most ground or to dig into the things seen?
2. Are there morning or evening Q&A sessions, lectures or other types of information sharing beyond the tours?
3. Would you say this tour is designed for the scientist, the engineer, the technician or the layman?
Thanks for the review! Very informative.
2023 is good, also get on the 2022 wait list : The UnchartedX one, as it has more special permission sites. The last thing you want to do is to spend a lot of time and money to get to Egypt then skimp on the good stuff – the places that you could never get to on your own.
1. There is tons of time to ask questions. Firstly each site is huge and there is ample time at each site. You can choose to wander off on your own or hang near one of the guides as you wish. Choose Yousef if you like masterful storytelling and insights. Choose Ben if you want technical analysis and critical thinking. Choose the professor / academic guide, if you want the textbook history and hieroglyphics meanings.
Personally, I wandered a lot so I could see the things that interested me at my own pace, and stayed with guides when they were talking about something that I wanted to know more about. It’s all your choice.
2. There was no formal Q&A sessions or lectures, aside from the initial meet and greet. You can sit with the guide of your choice at dinner if you want. I found though, that talking with other guests was also very interesting. It’s a unique dynamic to be in a group with like-minded ancient Egypt enthusiasts, with each person having a different background and a unique viewpoint. There will be various experts among you.
3. This tour is designed for people who are interested in ancient Egyptian technology. There are scientists, engineers, technicians, and laymen on the tour – that’s secondary. Some engineering-types bring tools that measure the precision construction. Others just want to see and experience these wonders of the world. As I mentioned, because the sites are large, each person can focus on what aspect they are interested in.
The tour isn’t for people who want to know about the current culture, arts, shopping / bazars, foodies / restaurants, night life. There isn’t time for all that. And you should be comfortable walking 10,000 – 15,000 steps per day.
Thanks for your comment, and let us know if you have any more questions.
Hi Alex,
Really enjoyed looking at all your pictures and reading your most informing tips and comments.
I am on the 2022 tour with Ben, so found it all incredibly useful. I even followed your advice and ordered some sun cream off Amazon. Thank you kindly.
Best Wishes
Jon ( from Wales, UK )
Hey Jon,
Thanks for the message, I hope you enjoyed Egypt as much as I did and took tons of photos. The ancient architecture in Egypt just boggles the mind.
Next stop – Gobekli Tepe or Machu Picchu?!
Alex
This was very complete and informative. I am planning on going on the 2024 Feb trip. I am planning on traveling alone (never ventured across the globe alone before) Do they do a good job of accounting for all members of the group?
Another question is laundry. Are there places to do laundry on such a long trip?
thank you,
Brian
Thanks Brian, good luck with your trip, you’re sure to experience many mind-blowing moments.
Everyone is taken care of, and no one is left behind. Some of these sites are massive. About 2/3 of the people stick with the guide and listen to all the stories. The rest of us wander off to explore on our own. The group lingers near the exit to give everyone time to do their thing and rejoin. Once we had to wait for 10-15 minutes for a wandering couple, while we sent out some scouts to go find them.
For laundry, all the hotels have laundry service. Check the itinerary for places you stay for multiple nights. That’s your opportunity to drop a load off when you arrive and get it back the next evening. You just need clothes to last between that, plus spares (or shampoo in the sink). I think I brought 7 days of clothing and spare underwear. Also, plan to buy some souvenir shirts along the way to supplement your wardrobe and support the local economy.
Went on the 2023 tour…. excellent! You must enter Egypt with at least 30 Cipro antibiotic tablets! You will get several parasites that will destroy your vacation … nuke ’em with Cipro!
That and ivermectin, which is readily available there.