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EGYPT AND MIDDLE EAST TOURS

See the ancient Khufu ship on a visit to Egypt

Most travelers going on a tour of Egypt experience the ancient culture by visiting monumental structures, but they can see a relic of a different kind when they see the unique Khufu ship.

The ancient vessel was initially placed in a tomb at the base of the Great Pyramid of Giza close to the year 2500 BC. Scholars believe that the ship was made for Khufu, the ancient pharaoh in whose honor the massive pyramid was built.

Although the boat is roughly 3,500 years old, it is remarkably well-preserved, and experts have declared it to be a "masterpiece of woodcraft" that would likely still be fit for sailing. Measuring 143 feet long and 19.5 feet wide, the ship is believed to be a "solar barge," a ritual vessel intended to symbolically carry a king with the sun god Ra across the sky.

Following its discovery, the Khufu ship was relocated from its underground pit to a purpose-built museum at the Giza pyramid complex. On a visit to this facility, travelers can learn about the processes by which the boat was built, buried, located and excavated over the course of several millennia.



Share Posted: May 31, 2011



OTHER EGYPT AND MIDDLE EAST TOURS ARTICLES
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> Egypt through the ages in Dendarah
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> A white wonderland in an Egyptian desert
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> Pay your respects to history at the Western Wall
Posted: May 3, 2012
> Exotic fauna on Kitchener Island
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> Walk along the shores of Egypt's ancient lifeline, Lake Qarun
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> Dive into the reefs of the Red Sea in Eilat
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> Nature in luxury in Sharm el Sheikh
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> Uncover an Egyptian treasure at the Khan el-Khalili bazaar
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> Hike the path of Jesus from Cana
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> From the ashes, Ajloun Castle
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> Dive into relics in Safaga
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> Sacred spots in the Garden of Gethsemane
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> Monuments and mosaics in Madaba
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> Qatzrin, in the land of oil and wine
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> Simmer down in Tel Aviv
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> Safeguarded Egypt in Edfu Horus Temple
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> Duality in Kom Ombo Temple
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> Tutankhamun’s legacy in Saqqara
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> Essential Egypt in Luxor
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> Wash onto the shores of ancient Caesarea
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> Find your own oasis in Bahariya
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> Visit Jesus' childhood home on a Holy Land tour
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> Embark on a museum crawl in Amman
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> Dive into an Egypt tour in Sinai
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> Admire the 'Pearl of the Mediterranean' on a tour of Egypt
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> Spice up a tour of Israel by visiting the Negev Desert
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> Ancient Rome meets modern Jordan at Jerash
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> Travel to Jordan to appreciate ancient artwork in the desert
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> A tour of Turkey might include a pilgrimage to St. Nick's birthplace
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> Explore Haifa during a tour of the Holy Land
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> Take in the views from the top of Cairo Tower
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> Explore Jordan's scenic Wadi Rum
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> Elephantine Island: A meeting point of two ancient cultures
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> See artifacts from ancient history at the Egyptian Museum
Posted: May 18, 2011
> Get in touch with the ancient past at Jabal al-Qal'a in Amman
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> Go diving at Egypt's Ras Muhammad National Park
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> Walk the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem
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> Visit the Great Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel
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> Go for a dip in the Dead Sea
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> Visit the stunning ruins of Petra in Jordan
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