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The Amarna Letters

The Amarna Letters (or Amarna Glossaries or Amarna Archives) are an extensive collection of clay figures written in Akkadian (Babylonian) and cuneiform script, found in the archives of the palace of the Egyptian King Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV) at his ruling seat (Akhet-Aten) at Tell el-Amarna that you can visit during your Egypt tours.

Amarna letters

In 1887, a local peasant woman walking through AMARNA found a group of clay tablets inscribed in a cuneiform script (wedge-shaped writing developed in Babylonia). She had stumbled upon a storehouse of diplomatic letters between Egypt and her Middle Eastern neighbors. More than 350 inscribed tablets were discovered, written primarily on Babylonian cuneiform, the language of diplomats and foreign traders. The letters were sent from foreign kings, with their ambassadors bringing gifts or tributes to Akhenaten. Some requested that the king send gold from Egypt. Your Egypt Tours recommends joining one of our Egypt travel packages to listen to the whole story. One of the Amarna letters reads:

What is written in the Amarna letter

During Egypt classic tours, you can see the letter to see what is written (Thus spoke the king of Alasia to the king of Egypt, my brother, Know that I am well and that my land is well. And as to thy good health, Even thy good health, the excellent health of thy house, thy sons, thy wives, thy horses, thy chariots, Why hast thou not sent thy messenger to me? I have sent my messenger to thee. And have I not sent to thee through my messenger one hundred talents of copper? Now let thy messenger bring (for me) one ebony bed inlaid with gold, a chariot with gold, and two horses) Join the undiscovered attractions in Egypt including Al Amarna city with our guided Egypt luxury tours.

The Amarna letters tell us much about what luxury goods were prized in the ancient world. They give us a glimpse of how government works and have helped scholars better understand the language and grammar of cuneiform. But, most importantly, the letters show the effect of changing Egypt's religion from polytheism (many gods) to monotheism (one god), and that's what our tour guide will show you in Al Amarna during your Egypt day tours. Akhenaten remained isolated in his holy city, neglected his duties, and ignored his neighbors, and Egypt went from her "golden age" into decline.

Akhenaten, the Egyptian pharaoh, had disagreements with Tushratta, the ruler of Mitanni, early in his reign. Tushratta allied himself with Amenhotep III to fight the Hittites. The statues were part of the bride payment that Tushratta received for allowing his daughter Tadukhepa to wed Amenhotep III and then later wed Akhenaten. Tushratta repeatedly complains in letters that Akhenaten brought him gold-plated statues rather than statues made of genuine gold.

Al Amarna letter

Teshurta's letter of complaint to Akhenaten

(I asked your father, Mimmureya [i.e., Amenhotep III] for statues of solid cast gold, and your father said, 'Don't talk of giving statues just of solid cast gold. I will give you ones also made of lapis lazuli. I will give you, too, along with the statues, much additional gold, and goods beyond measure.' All of my messengers in Egypt saw the gold for the statues with their own eyes, But my brother [i.e., Akhenaten] still needs to send the solid [gold] statues that your father was going to send. You have sent plated ones of wood. Nor have you sent me the goods that your father was going to send me, but you have reduced them significantly. Yet there is nothing I know of in which I have failed my brother. May my brother send me a lot of gold? In my brother's country, gold is as plentiful as dust. May my brother cause me no distress? May he send me much gold so my brother, with the gold and many goods, may honor me)

If you feel interested in the story of Al Amarna and Egyptian history in general, visit our Egypt tours guide to read more stories and mysteries, and also don't hesitate to join our Egypt cultural tours.

Egypt Travel FAQs

Learn about our latest news, promotions, and professional tips. Know before you book your next Egypt tours

Egypt has many historical sites that you can visit and enjoy. Each tour is different and unique. If you go on a Nile cruise, you can visit Abu Simbel, Aswan, and Luxor in the South and enjoy the temples, tombs, and the treasures of the Nile. In the North, enjoy the Pyramids of Giza, The Egyptian Museum, Sakkara. Mosques, churches in Cairo, and many landmarks located in the city of Alexandria. On the East, Enjoy a beach tour for diving, snorkeling, and swimming in the Red sea. Every city has its charm, history, and flavor where you can do many tours and activities.

Your Egypt Tours is one of the leading and pioneer travel agencies in the Egyptian tourism industry. We offer very special care and personal touch to our clients making them feel at home with their family. Great and high-quality service to ensure that your trip with us is one of a lifetime. In addition, the commonly known reasons such as our customers’ feedback and testimonials, competitive prices - excellent customer service, punctuality and. Most important of all, our customers safety and enjoying every minute in your trip are our priorities. With us, you are in a safe hand.

It usually varies according to the type of tourist trip in Egypt, but the average cost for spending one week in Egypt is 1600 USD including visiting alot of tombs and temples and sailing on a 4 or 5 stars Nile cruise.

Don't drink the tap water - it is highly chlorinated. However, with enough time in Egypt, you could potentially grow accustomed to the water. This doesn't mean that the tap water is polluted, it simply means that you are not used to it, and you might get stomach problems. This happened to most people when they visit a country for the first time. They were simply not used to water there. It's a similar situation here. It is advisable to drink Bottled water during your entire holiday. That is why it is strongly advisable that you don't drink the tap water, and use it only for washing and brushing your teeth.

Enjoy Egypt Tours From September until March. It is the perfect time when the weather is good and mild. From September until mid-November, when it is very nice and the temperatures are pleasant for all activities - around 25 C to 15 C. mid-Nov until the end of February is wintertime when temperatures during the day are around 12 or 15 C, and at night can drop to about 7 or 8 C. In March and April, the weather is still so nice and travelers can enjoy the Easter vacation. From May to September is the summer season. Spending summertime in a desert climate does not appeal to most travelers. Average daytime temperatures hover in the high 80s and low to mid-90s, although they can jump up into three digits in the South as in Luxor and Aswan. Summer is really hot here, prices go down and it is a good chance for travelers with a tight budget.

It is usually hot and sunny. winter falls between November and January, and the peak of the summer months is between June and August. Winters are generally mild, although temperatures can fall below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) at night. In the Western Desert. Cairo and areas of the Nile Delta may experience a few rainy days during winter. Summers can be unbearably hot, especially in the desert and other areas of the country's interior. In Cairo, average summer temperatures regularly exceed 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius), while the record high for Luxor and Aswan, popular tourist destinations on the banks of the River Nile, is 110 degrees Fahrenheit (45 degrees Celsius).

Safety and security are our first and foremost concerns! Egypt is a very safe country with a low crime rate. Now with the coronavirus outbreak, accommodations and sightseeing nationwide have finalized sterilization and disinfection in light of the Egyptian government's efforts to implement precautionary measures against the COVID-19. In addition, our company has followed the same procedures to make all our staff, guides, and drivers are well-trained with the current events to prevent and stop the spread of this outbreak. Traveling the world is a joyful experience and we want to do our part to keep the anticipation stress-free.

There are many things to do in Egypt during your visit depending on your interests and character. Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, and Aswan Nile cruise must be your first priority if you are a history and culture lover. You must visit the pyramids of Giza, enjoy a Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan and enjoy visiting the most important tourist attractions in Luxor and Aswan. You can visit the city of Hurghada, Marsa Alam, or Sharm el-Sheikh Red Sea for relaxation and enjoy many activities there such as diving, snorkeling, sunbathing, or swimming. You may like to go on a safari trip in the western desert if you are an adventurer. Many other activities are available in every single Egyptian city

The high season for tourism is all year with winter and spring being peak season for cultural travels with lots of sightseeing. Weather in Egypt is perfect for many kinds of tourism, and if coming in June, July, and August, head for the seaside resorts. Those months are very warm with temperatures that can reach around 45C. and the humidity is about 70 to 80%, but it is bearable with the sea and large swimming pools nearby. So the period of the high summer season is also a bit busy as hotels fill up with tourists from all over the world looking for a bargain, lots of sunshine, diving, snorkeling, etc. It is also a primary vacation time in Europe. If you come in the deep summer season you can still enjoy it because you can always sightsee early in the morning and go again at night when the sunsets. You will definitely need good sunscreen and a lot of liquids to drink with a nice hat on your head. Summer is a good time for people looking for good rates in accommodation and other services.

Egypt is a Muslim country and the dress code is towards the conservative side, especially for women. That being said, we are used to seeing travelers from all over the world. My suggestion would be to wear light clothes and not to wear short shorts, short skirts and alike to avoid the occasional unwanted stare. But it's really up to you. When you visit religious places (synagogues, churches, and mosques) you do need to cover your shoulders and wear over the knee dresses, if you are planning to wear one of course. If you plan to attend the Nile dinner cruise, there is no need for formal wear unless you want to make that night a special night! Also, you will be sharing this experience with other travelers so you can dress however you feel most comfortable.

You can get your visa when you arrive at Cairo Airport. It is an easy process for USA, UK, Canadian, Australian and European citizens. The visa is simply a stamp (like a mail or postage stamp) that you buy from the visa office, at the port of entry just before the immigration booth. The visa will cost you $25 US Dollars and after buying it; you just stick it on any empty page on your passport. Once you have bought your visa you then stand in line to get your passport stamped by the immigration officer. You can also apply for E-Visa via the official electronic visa portal: www.visa2egypt.gov.eg

Your Egypt Tours travel agency recommends two weeks so that you can enjoy the temples and tombs of Luxor and Aswan, explore the sights of Cairo, and relax in the Red Sea islands and nature reserves.

There are many Nile cruises. Not to name one but your choice depends on many things to put in mind such as the number of nights you want to spend on the cruiser, your budget, and the standard of the Nile cruise. We recommend you choose a 5-star luxury Nile cruise, and if you are looking for a private Nile River cruise you can choose Dahabiya cruises, it is only for the small-group tour, about 15 people. Most cruises have. There is another way of cruising the Nile, which is the Felucca boat. It is traditional and charming but it is cheap as long as it will be ok to sleep on the deck exposed to mosquitos and most of these boats do not have a toilet

The best time to visit Egypt is generally from October to April where it is suitable for outdoor activities and sightseeing.
 

Egypt travel usually have guided tours to archaeological sites, museums, and historical landmarks. Also have optional activities may include hot air balloon rides over Luxor, snorkeling in the Red Sea, or desert safaris.
 

What They Say About Us

Your Egypt Tours Reviews

Travel has helped us to understand the meaning of life and it has helped us become better people. Each time we travel, we see the world with new eyes.

Absolutely mind blowing. A definite must see. We flew from Aswan after I contact them, as I did not want to sit in car for hours with my 10-year-old daughter. Just so much history and ancient love. You cannot miss this one thing if you are in Cairo. The rocks are just HUGE, so special.

Peter Hamilton

USA

Peter Hamilton

I recently traveled with my wife, daughter, son in law and two grandsons (ages 4 and 2). We had a private tour experience. From the moment we landed at the airport on our arrival to the day we left we were treated with the utmost care and attention

Brent Sclafani

USA

Brent Sclafani

Our trip to was wonderful. The accommodations and travel was seamlessly arranged by customer service rep, Mona, and we visited so many of the famous Egyptian antiquities. I would not have done the trip without the very knowledgeable guides, Ashraf and Mamdouh

Sandra T

USA

Sandra T