The Eastern Desert witnessed different cultures over many centuries. It was important for mining valuable resources like gold, granite, porpyr and emeralds.  Romans, Ptolemeic people and ancient Egyptians left their tracks all over the area.

This 6-day jeep safari follows a roman caravan route from the Red Sea to the Nile. Along the route famous roman stone quarries and fortifications are being visited. Sometimes there is seriously hiking involved to reach some of the sights. Ancient quarry techniques will be explained, half finished artefacts as pillars, bathtubs, fountain bowl and other remains of this epoch will be found.

Day 1: Arrival at hotel in Hurghada. Start of the safari
           next day in the early morning.

Day 2: Mons Porphyrites area: purple imperial porphyry quarries; visiting fort, remains of temples and well.

Day 3: Hiking to quarries and settlements higher up the mountains

Day 4: Umm Balad: quartz-diorite quarries; visiting fort- drive to Qattar area: hike to remains of ancient anchorite settlement higher up the mountains (fresh water and date palms). Night at Wadi Qattar (Neolithic drawings)

Day 5: Driving along  roman caravan road in the direction of the Nile (we won't completely reach the Nile), following 2000 year old tracks of the more than 3m wide wooden carts that transported the quarried stone blocks and artefacts to the Nile,  passing several roman stations: El Atrash, Bab el Mukhenig, El Saqqia, El Heita. Night near El Heita at 40 km from the Nile.

Day 6: Following southerly roman road back to the east via Abu Zawal (gold mining) to Mons Claudianus area: granodiorite quarries, visiting fort, bath housing and temple remains

Day 7: Visiting quarries and water station (hydreuma), drive back to Hurghada.

Day 8: Departure

back to safaris