UNCHARTEDX · BEN VAN KERKWYK
UnchartedX Tours.
Travel with Ben van Kerkwyk.
Ben van Kerkwyk of UnchartedX leads small-group tours to ancient sites in Egypt, Peru and Bolivia, Turkey and beyond. Here’s the current schedule, how to get a spot, and what it was like when I went.
UNCHARTEDX TOURS · SCHEDULE UPDATED WEEKLY
I WENT: EGYPT, OCTOBER 2021
THE SHORT VERSION
Who is Ben van Kerkwyk?
Ben van Kerkwyk is the researcher and filmmaker behind UnchartedX, a YouTube channel about ancient civilizations, precision stonework, tool marks and megalithic sites that don’t fit neatly into the standard story. He’s also been a guest on Joe Rogan’s podcast more than once.
A few times a year he takes viewers into the field. Egypt is the regular one, usually with private-permission visits to sites normal tours can’t get into. He has also led tours to Peru and Bolivia and to Turkey, and talks about future trips to places like Greece, Malta, India and Japan.
Are UnchartedX tours worth it?
For me, yes. I went on the Egypt tour in 2021, booked about ten days before departure, and came back wondering why I had waited so long. These tours are for people who want to examine the evidence and talk about it with people who care as much as they do. If you just want the highlights, a standard tour is cheaper.
Tour details
HOST
Ben van Kerkwyk, UnchartedX
DESTINATIONS
Egypt (regular), Peru and Bolivia, Turkey, with more planned
CO-HOSTS
Vary by tour. Egypt: Yousef Awyan, Kyle and Russ Allen
BOOKING
Channel supporters get early access 10 days to 2 weeks before the public. Tours sell out fast, with a waitlist
EXAMPLE PRICE
Egypt, December 2026: $9,200 shared, plus $1,845 for a single room
NEXT TOUR
See the live schedule below
Details from UnchartedX’s own tour pages. In 2021 I paid $6,150 plus $600 for a single room on the Egypt tour. Prices have gone up.
UNCHARTEDX TOUR SCHEDULE
Upcoming tours with Ben.
Here’s the current schedule of UnchartedX tours, wherever they’re headed. Use the details link for booking information, and check Ben’s UnchartedX site for the latest updates.
2026 UnchartedX Primordial Egypt Tour – December 6-21 Wisdom of the Ancients Tour 16 days, 7 Special permission ‘private visits,’ 5* hotels, 4 night Nile Cruise
Join myself ( Ben van Kerkwyk from UnchartedX ), Kyle and Russ Allen from The Brothers of the Serpent Podcast , as well as expert guide Yousef Awyan on an epic journey exploring the varied mysteries of ancient high technology across the iconic sites of Egypt on the annual UnchartedX Primordial Egypt Tour! Full itinerary details below . Tour details
as of: 2026-10-20
WHERE BEN GOES
UnchartedX tour
destinations.
Egypt is the regular. The rest come and go, and Ben is clear that future plans are rough until a tour is announced.
THE REGULAR
Egypt
Usually at least once a year, with Nile cruise, Upper and Lower Egypt, and private-permission visits to closed sites. This is the one I did.
2025
Peru and Bolivia
Ben’s Peru tour sold out in 15 hours, with only supporters having access. Expect megalithic walls and precision stonework.
PAST TOURS
Turkey
Ben has run a couple of tours in Turkey in the last five years and expects to go back. For the Göbekli Tepe region, see my trips there with other researchers.
ON BEN’S WISH LIST: GREECE, MALTA, INDIA, JAPAN AND SOUTHEAST ASIA DIVING TRIPS, AND THE MIDDLE EAST WHEN IT’S SAFE.
How to get a spot
UnchartedX tours tend to sell out quickly. Supporters of the channel (Patreon, Locals, SubscribeStar or YouTube memberships) get early registration, usually 10 days to 2 weeks before the public announcement. Supporters who give $50 or more in a single contribution can also join an email list with early access.
If a tour is sold out, join the waitlist. Spots that open up go first come, first served, and the waitlist usually gets an early email a day or two before public release. Booking and payments for Egypt go through Select Egypt, a licensed local operator.
EXAMPLE: THE 2026 EGYPT TOUR
Sixteen days,
Cairo to Cairo.
To give you an idea of what a full UnchartedX tour looks like: the 2026 Primordial Egypt Tour runs December 6–21, with a Nile cruise in the middle. The group is expected to be around 60–65 people, about double my 2021 tour.
- Dec 6 Arrive Cairo, welcome dinner
- Dec 7 Giza: Sphinx enclosure (private), Valley Temple, Menkaure and the Middle Pyramid
- Dec 8 Abu Rawash (private), Grand Egyptian Museum
- Dec 9 Saqqara: Unas Pyramid, inside the Step Pyramid (private), Serapeum
- Dec 10 Egyptian Museum, fly to Luxor
- Dec 11 Abydos: Temple of Seti I, Osirion (private)
- Dec 12 Dendera: Temple of Hathor
- Dec 13 Luxor Temple, optional balloon ride
- Dec 14 Valley of the Kings, Ramesseum, board the Nile cruise
- Dec 15 Karnak, sailing
- Dec 16 Edfu, sailing to Aswan
- Dec 17 Optional Abu Simbel, Elephantine Island
- Dec 18 Aswan Quarry, Philae, fly to Cairo
- Dec 19 Abu Sir and Abu Ghorab (private)
- Dec 20 Great Pyramid (private), optional Osiris Shaft, farewell dinner
- Dec 21 Departures
ITINERARY FROM THE UNCHARTEDX TOUR PAGE. CHECK THERE FOR CHANGES.
MY REVIEW
My Egypt tour,
in short.
★★★★★ Ben’s team delivered the once-in-a-lifetime experience I was seeking in Egypt. Highly recommended.
The tour covered the famous sites plus places that never appear on standard itineraries, including private access into normally closed chambers. The logistics were tight, and the group was the best part: about thirty people who had all found their way there through the same YouTube rabbit hole. Add Yousef Awyan alongside Ben, and you get a second layer of local knowledge and Egyptian context.
BUDGET FOR 10,000 TO 15,000 STEPS A DAY. THIS IS NOT A BUS-WINDOW TOUR.
WHY BEN
Start with
the stone.
Do ancient tool marks match the official explanation? That’s the question the whole tour is built around.
Evidence first
Each site is framed around what you can see, measure and document: tool marks, tight joints, flat surfaces, polished granite and the sheer scale of the work. You’re shown where to look and what to question, not handed a conclusion.
Private permission access
Some sites are opened just for the UnchartedX group through permits and local contacts. That kind of access is impractical to arrange on your own.
See it up close
Photos and videos only go so far. Size, scale and precision are felt in person, with your fingertips in a groove cut thousands of years ago.
Choose Ben if you want technical analysis and critical thinking. He stays close to what’s observable rather than pushing a fixed narrative.
Alex, techzelle
4
countries so far
7
private visits on the 2026 Egypt tour
15 hrs
for the Peru tour to sell out
15k
steps on a big day
ON THE EGYPT TOUR
Private access
highlights.
Six of the sites that made the tour for me, each with its own write-up. The full trip, site by site, is in my Egypt tour journal.
THE TEAM
Who you travel with.
Ben doesn’t run these tours alone. Co-hosts change from tour to tour; this was the Egypt team, and they’re a big part of why it works.
UNCHARTEDX · TOUR HOST
Ben van Kerkwyk
Researcher and filmmaker behind UnchartedX. He’s been to these sites enough times to know exactly where to slow down and which details are worth a closer look.
KHEMIT SCHOOL
Yousef Awyan
Stone mason and second-generation Khemitologist who grew up near the Giza pyramids. He brings hands-on knowledge of stone, craft and Egyptian tradition, and a flute.
BROTHERS OF THE SERPENT
Kyle and Russ Allen
Hosts of the Brothers of the Serpent podcast and longtime collaborators with Ben. Curious, skeptical and fun to travel with.
Frequently asked QUESTIONS
UnchartedX tour FAQ.
What are UnchartedX tours?
Small-group trips to ancient sites hosted by Ben van Kerkwyk of the UnchartedX YouTube channel, focused on precision stonework, tool marks and megalithic sites, often with private-permission access.
Where does Ben van Kerkwyk lead tours?
Egypt is the regular one. He has also led tours to Peru and Bolivia and to Turkey, and has mentioned Greece, Malta, India and Japan as future possibilities.
How do you book an UnchartedX tour?
Watch for the announcement on the UnchartedX site and channel. Channel supporters get early registration 10 days to 2 weeks before the public. If it’s sold out, join the waitlist.
How much do UnchartedX tours cost?
It depends on the tour. The December 2026 Egypt tour is $9,200 per person sharing, plus $1,845 for a single room, with a $1,000 deposit. In 2021 I paid $6,150 plus $600 for a single.
Do UnchartedX tours sell out?
Yes, often quickly. The Peru tour sold out in 15 hours with only supporters able to book.
Who are the co-hosts?
They vary. On the Egypt tour: Yousef Awyan of the Khemit School and Kyle and Russ Allen of the Brothers of the Serpent podcast.
How big are the groups?
My 2021 Egypt group was about thirty people. The 2026 Egypt tour expects around 60 to 65.
Are UnchartedX tours worth it?
If you’re into the evidence and the questions, yes. You get access, expert hosts and a group of like-minded people that you can’t put together on your own.