Ancient Abydos site a must see for tourists

A 5,000-year-old brewery is maybe not what you would expect to find on a luxurious Nile cruise, but it is ancient and exciting stop off for holidaymakers heading to Egypt with tour operator Discover Egypt.

The country is a nation that excels in outdoor museums and has long been a firm favourite for British holidaymakers looking to combine what the ancients left behind and winter sunshine. 

To plan a trip for September this year or next, Discover Egypt is offering cruises which stop off at Abydos, where an ancient brewery has just been discovered.  

The five-star luxury Steigenberger Senator provides a high standard of comfort and service, featuring 17 suites, all with large panoramic sliding windows that open onto an outdoor terrace. Specialist Discover Egypt offer a selection of 11-night and 14-night Nile cruises to choose from starting in Cairo and ending in Luxor or vice versa. All cruises include return flights from Heathrow, transfers in resort and the full board cruises with guided excursions as per the programme.

An Egyptian-American team of archaeologists have unearthed what could be the world’s oldest known beer factory, dating back about 5,000 years. The brewery in Abydos, an ancient burial ground in the desert, is likely to date back to the era of King Narmer who founded the First Dynasty and is considered to have unified Egypt, over 5,000 years ago. 

• 

• 

• 

The brewery consisted of eight large areas, each 20m (65ft) long and each containing about 40 earthenware pots arranged in two rows where a mixture of grains and water were heated to produce about 22,400 litres (5,000 gallons) of beer at a time.

The brewery may have been built to supply the royal rituals that were taking place inside the funeral facilities of the kings of Egypt.

Abydos is one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt and houses vast cemeteries and temples.

The area is in the southern province of Sohag, in Upper Egypt, also home to the city of Luxor, one of the country’s most popular tourist sites.

Highlights when cruising from Cairo on the 14-night long Nile cruises include the the Pyramids and Sphinx as well as Beni Suef, Minya, Beni Hassan, Tel El, Amarna, Assuit, Sohag, Abydos, Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan and Abu Simbel. This cruise provides the best way to visit Lower, Middle and Upper Egypt’s outstanding pyramids, temples, tombs, museums and monuments.

Abydos’ proximity to Luxor means that visitors choosing the classic 7-night Nile cruises or Luxor hotel stays can also opt for an additional excursion to Abydos from £95 per person. Seven nights staying at the Sonesta St George hotel in Luxor in September costs from £899 per person in a twin room with breakfast, return scheduled flights and transfers.

Prices for the 11-night Ultimate Long Cruise start from £3, 185 per person and £3,845 for the longer 14-nights itinerary, based on two adults sharing a cabin on full board, plus the excursions escorted by an Egyptologist. A drinks package can also be booked in advance for £33 per person per night to include locally produced mineral water, soft drinks, tea and coffee as well as wines, beer and spirits. All drinks are served between 11 am to 11 pm. 

To plan a trip, call Discover Egypt on 0207 407 2111, visit www.discoveregypt.co.uk have published an itinerary, dates and prices for their Ultimate Long Cruise , which stop off at Abydos.