Kemet Study Tour
15 day tour
Welcome from the hosts
Ankh, Udja, Seneb (We wish you life, prosperity, and health!),
Welcome to the beginning of this Kemet Study Tour that promises to be a very profound intellectual and spiritual
journey. In the Instruction for Merikare,
a prominent sebayet
“wisdom instruction” transmitted from a Ruler to his son and successor, the cultural
imperative to link generations in recovering and restoring ancestral memories through deep study is self-evident: “Maat (Truth, Justice, and Divine Order) comes to one distilled,
shaped in the sayings of the ancestors.
Copy your fathers, your ancestors… see their words endure in books. Open, read them and copy in order to know. He who is taught
becomes skilled.” For the Kemites, the goddess
Maat was the fundamental concept
that was the foundation of their civilization. Maat gave direction to both cosmic and social order. Maat was the norm and ideal that should
govern all actions, the standard
by which all deeds should
be measured and judged against.
There was an inextricable relationship between the Kemetic spiritual
universe and cultural/social universe.
This study tour seeks to bring together scholars, thinkers, planners, artists, students, cultural workers, and Africans from all walks of life to learn about and understand many of the truths embedded in the wisdom of our African ancestors in the Nile Valley and to self-consciously utilize what we know and have learned
in order to live meaningful lives and to improve the life of our communities.
In terms of site visits, the tour is modeled after the regular
Kemet tours led by one of our most powerful and cherished educators and co-founder of the Association for the Study of Classical
African Civilizations (ASCAC), Dr. Asa G. Hilliard (maa kheru “true of voice”). Over the course
of two weeks, we plan to visit more than 50 sites, including major pyramid complexes, temple complexes, tombs, museums,
a major mosque,
and a Coptic Church.
One of the greatest
highlights of our tour occurs
at the end when we visit a Nubian village on Elephantine Island and we commune with the community and provide them with a collective voluntary donation of money and school supplies.
A significant part of the intellectual preparation for the tour has already
begun on the Knubia platform through
the teaching of the Medu Netcher language course by Mario Beatty.
These language lessons are archived to view at your leisure, and they will tremendously assist you in going to the Nile Valley as a deeply informed
visitor. In addition to the language
course, we will also provide participants with further
detailed readings to support the study of various sites.
After the beginning of the new year in January
2025, we will provide periodic general orientation sessions for participants in order to provide
more detailed experiences and advice on traveling
to Egypt and to field any questions that may have not been answered or addressed by Consolidated Tours Organization, Inc., the travel
agent managing the details of the tour.
It
is our hope that this study tour will be a historic convening that both inspires
and nourishes all of us from the “deep well” of the best of our African
worldview and humanity.
Building for Eternity,
Dr. Greg Kimathi Carr
Dr. Mario Beatty
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Tour Schedule
DAY 01: THE BEGINNING OF OUR STUDY TOUR
Depart NewYork, JFK or Washington, Dulles International Airport via EgyptAir jet service to KMT (Egypt). Meals will be served on board before your arrival in
Cairo the next day.
DAY 02: INTO THE LAND OF THE PHARAOHS Upon your arrival in Cairo, you will be
met
and transferred to your hotel. Dinner
at your hotel.
Introduction of members.
DAY 03: MEMPHIS/ SAKKARA/ PYRAMIDS AT GIZA Morning tour to Hut-ka-Ptah (Memphis) and Sakkara. Located twenty miles southwest of Cairo, Memphis was one of the most important cities through the history of ancient KMT and was
once the ancient capital of KMT. Sacker’s step pyramids
are the oldest in existence and are the world's first stone tombs. Visit the Tomb of Ptahotep,
author of the oldest surviving
book in the world, circa 2350 BC.
Proceed to Giza. Visit one of
the
Seven Wonders of the Ancient
World, the Khufu, Khafre, and Men-ka-ra
Pyramids, and Hor-em-Aket (commonly called the Sphinx). See the 140-foot-long ship of Pharaoh Khufu, the oldest surviving
ship in the world. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 04: THE EGYPTIAN MUSEUM/OLD CAIRO Morning visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum
(if open) with its
renowned collection of well- preserved Pharaonic antiquities. The museum contains
the world's most important collection of Egyptian antiquities, dating from the earliest times to about 6th century AD. The collection
also includes some of the artistic masterpieces of the world, including the treasures of Tut-Ankh-Amon. This afternoon,
visit the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and tour Old Cairo: Coptic museums. Continue to the Mosques of Sultan Hassan built in the 14th century,
the Citadel of Salah El-Din, and the Alabaster Mosque. Return to your hotel for
dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 05: THE PYRAMIDS OF MEIDUM AND DAHSUR/CAIRO LUXOR Morning visit the remains of the pyramid at Meidum, it is believed to have been begun by Huni, the last king of the 3rd Dynasty and completed by Sneferu founder of the 4th Dynasty and the immediate predecessor of Khufu, but probably never used as a burial place. Also, visit the Ra-Hotep and Nofret mastaba, the site of the famous statues. Continue to visit the Dahsur pyramids and the remains of subsidiary tombs and temples. Visit the Northern stone or Red pyramid, the Northern Brick or Black pyramid, the White pyramid the Southern Brick pyramid and the Bent pyramid. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Luxor. Upon arrival in Luxor, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 06: WASET (LUXOR OR THEBES)/IPET ISUT (KARNAK) & SOUTHERN IPET (LUXOR) TEMPLES Visit the Avenue of the Sphinxes at Ipet Isut (Karnak). View the gorgeous Hypostyle Hall, the Tekenu (obelisks) of Queen Hatshepsut, and the Sacred Lake. Continue to the Southern Ipet (Temple of Luxor). Visit the White Chapel, Temple of Khonsu and Mout and the Temple of Amon. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 07: WASET (THEBES)/VALLEY OF THE KINGS, QUEENS, AND NOBLES/ MEDINET HABU/ COLOSSI OF MEMNON This morning drive to the West Bank of the Nile to visit the Necropolis of Waset (T'hebes); drive to the Valley of the Kings; visit the three tombs of your choice, Seti I (extra cost), Ramses II etc. Continue to the Valley of the Kings to visit the tomb of Thutmosis III, and proceed to visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the two Noble Tombs, and return to the hotel via the "Colossi of Memnon." Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 08: TANTERA (DENDERA) (THE TEMPLE OF HT HR)/ABDU (ABYDOS) Leave Waset early in the morning by bus to visit Tantera (the Temple of Ht Hr [Hathor]), drive to the ancient city of Abdu (Abydos), and visit the Temple of Seti, the site of the grave of the head of Asar (Osiris). Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 09: WASET (LUXOR)/ EDFU (THE TEMPLE OF HERU [HORUS])/ KOM OMBO (THE TEMPLE OF SOBEK)/ ASWAN Leave Waset Aswan and journey towards Edfu on the Left Bank. Visit the Temple of Heru (Horus) which was excavated by Mariette and is one of the best preserved in KMT. Continue to Kom Ombo. On the hill, which you see long before you arrive in Kom Ombo, is the Temple, with a double dedication to the Crocodile-head Sobek and the Sparrow-headed Haroeris. In the middle of the temple area, a sanctuary was built for each of these divinities. Double entrances lead through the pylons to the court, vestibule, pillared hall and the three antechambers to the Sanctuaries of the Gods. Resume your journey to Aswan to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 10: THE HIGH DAM/PILAK (PHILAE) TEMPLE & UNFINISHED TEKENU (OBELISK) OF HATSHEPSUT Morning visit Pilak (Philae). After the completion of the lower Aswan Dam, the Temple of Aset on the Island of Philae was covered by the waters of the Nile for most of the year. When the flood gates of the dam were opened from July to November, the resulting drop in water level was such that the temple rose up out of the waters. In the recent past, all monuments on the Island of Philae were transferred to the small island of Agilkia nearby and rebuilt there. Visit the Temple, the oldest parts of which date from the 4th century BC. Ptolemies and Romans added to the Temple over the years until the 2nd century AD. Other buildings are Het Heru (Hathor Temple), Hadrian's Pylon, Horendotes Temple, the remains of the Temple of Augustus, and the lovely and famous Kiosk of Trajan. Continue to the High Dam which rises up on a colossal scale. The Pyramid of Khufu could be lost 17 times over in this modern marvel. Visit the Red Granite Quarries where the ancients obtained their fine reddish granite. See the unfinished tekenu (obelisk) of Queen Hatshepsut, had it been completed, it would have been the largest ever hewn. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 11: ABU SIMBEL (THE TEMPLE OF RAMSES II) This morning drive to Abu Simbel which is situated on the West bank of the Hapi, 180 miles south of Aswan and some 27 miles north of Wadi Halfa. There lies the Great Temple, hewn in the rock, with the four colossal, seated statues of the King in front of the entrance. It was dedicated to Amun-Ra, the Horakheti and Ramses II. The figures are 65 ½ feet high and wear the double crown. Nearby, to the north, is a second temple, also built by Ramses II, and dedicated to Nefertari, the King's wife. The temples, which were threatened by the waters on the completion of the Aswan High Dam have been preserved by international action organized by UNESCO. The most important parts of the temples (statues, inscribed slabs, etc) have been rebuilt on a plateau above the former site. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 12: YEBU (ELEPHANTINE ISLAND)/ NUBIAN/ / ROCK TOMBS OF THE NOBLES Board a felucca and sail to Yebu (Elephantine Island) to visit the site of the Temple of Khnum, God of the Aswan Nome, founded in the Old Kingdom but entirely rebuilt during the XXX Dynasty. To the east lies a Temple of Satet built by Queen Hatshepsut around 1490 BC dedicated to the goddess who incarnated the fertile aspect of the inundation. At the Nubian Village visit a School and homes. Some tour members may want to swim in the Hapi before we return to the hotel. In the afternoon, visit the Rock Tombs of the Nobles which date from the Middle Kingdom. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening lecture.
DAY 13: ASWAN Summation.
In the afternoon
visit the Nubian Museum.
Balance of the day at leisure for your personal
exploration or
shopping. This evening,
enjoy a special
Farewell Dinner with Nubian entertainment.
DAY 14: ASWAN/CAIRO Morning at leisure. In time transfer to the airport for your flight to Cairo, upon arrival in Cairo you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Balance of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 15: CAIRO/ NEW YORK/ WASHINGTON Transfer to the airport for your flight departure Cairo to New York, JFK or Washington, Dulles. Your return flight will arrive in the afternoon local time.
COVID:
COVID is a communicable (contagious) disease that is now
endemic in the United States and in most parts of the world. The symptoms of
COVID may take two days to two weeks to develop after an exposure and a person
infected with COVID may become contagious before the onset of symptoms. Additionally, the symptoms of COVID may mimic
other respiratory viruses such as the flu, RSV, and the common cold. Given
these combined factors, engaging in any group activity, including group travel,
is associated with inherent risks of contracting COVID. While most people with
COVID infection experience symptoms similar to a cold or the flu, as with the
flu, a small proportion of people with COVID may become ill enough to require hospitalization and even die from complications of the infection. The greatest
risk of serious COVID disease is among people above the age of 65 and those with
certain chronic conditions, particularly if unvaccinated. Therefore, it is
advised that persons planning to join this trip discuss their individual COVID-related
risk(s) with their personal physician prior to deciding to travel. Each person
who travels with the group must accept both the potential risks related to COVID
infection and the responsibility for preventing infection in oneself and
others.