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Voykit pocket guide · Egypt
Beni Hasan
Go for a half-day stop between Minya and Mallawi: see the Middle Kingdom cliff tombs and Speos Artemidos, then move on. Not a base.
Beni Hasan is a small archaeological site on the east bank of the Nile, about 20 km south of Minya. Its 39 cliff-hewn tombs date mostly to the 11th and 12th Dynasties; four decorated ones are open. The nearby Speos Artemidos rock-cut temple adds another 30 min. Most travellers visit as a half-day trip from Minya or en route between Middle Egypt towns. There is no reason to sleep here.
- Country
- Egypt
- Best months
- Oct–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (extreme heat)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EGP
- Money
- Currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, also written LE or £E). Hotels, cruise boats and larger restaurants take cards; taxis, markets, small cafés, tips and toilet attendants are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget EGP 300–500 (taxi share + entry + baksheesh) · Mid EGP 500–800 (private taxi + entry + baksheesh + coffee) · High EGP 800+ (private taxi + guide + extra stops) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE sell tourist SIMs at Cairo airport with passport; about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB — check.
- Emergency
- Police 122 · Ambulance 123 · Tourist police 126
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% even when service is added (it rarely reaches staff).; Guide, full day: US$10–20 per person.; Driver, full day: US$5–10.; Cruise crew: About US$5–10 per person per day in the envelope.; Toilet, porter, small help: EGP 10–30.
- Water
- Tap water is chlorinated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; do not drink Nile water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; attendants at sites expect EGP 10–20. Carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Site entry | EGP 25 |
| Private taxi Minya–Beni Hasan (one way) | EGP 100–200 |
| Baksheesh for guard | EGP 5–10 |
| Coffee at rest-house | EGP 10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CAI · Cairo International
- About 3 h north by car; the nearest major international gateway.
- HMB · Sohag International
- About 2 h south by car; limited flights.
Typical fares
- Private taxi Minya → Beni Hasan
- EGP 100–200, about 20 min (check)
- Site entry
- EGP 25 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Private taxi from Minya or Mallawi is the only practical option. The site is a short walk from the parking area up stone steps. A tourist police escort usually accompanies the taxi.
See and do
Known for
- Middle Kingdom rock-cut tombs (Baqet III, Kheti, Amenemhat, Khnumhotep II)
- Speos Artemidos (Hatshepsut rock temple)
- Nile valley views from the cliffs
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Minya | Private taxi, about 20 min | 30 min |
| Mallawi | Private taxi, about 15 min | 25 min |
| El-Ashmunein | Private taxi via Mallawi, about 30 min | 45 min |
| Assiut | Private taxi, about 1.5 h | 2 h |
Sleep
- Minya
- 20 km (12 mi) north; the nearest town with hotels and guesthouses.12 mi (20 km) north; the nearest town with hotels and guesthouses.
- Mallawi
- About 15 km (9.3 mi) south; smaller but closer to the site.About 9.3 mi (15 km) south; smaller but closer to the site.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much? | بكام؟bi-kam? |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| Open the tomb, please | افتح المقبرة، من فضلكiftaḥ al-maqbara, min faḍlik |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum', handshake; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging strangers
- Eating: Right hand; accept tea; avoid: Refusing hospitality flatly
- Bargaining: Humour and patience; avoid: Anger
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in cities; avoid: Beachwear outside resorts
- Baksheesh: Keep small notes ready; avoid: Showing a thick wallet
- Photos: Ask; pay if agreed; avoid: Photographing police or military
Scams and watch-outs
- Photography is reportedly not allowed inside the tombs.
- The guard expects baksheesh (at least EGP 5) for unlocking tombs and commentary.
- Police may restrict access to Speos Artemidos; ask at the site.
- No food or drink vendors at the site; bring water.
Beni Hasan is safe for tourists during daylight hours. The main risk is heat in summer. Police escorts are routine and non-threatening. Baksheesh demands are minor but persistent.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Beni Hasan yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Middle Kingdom rock-cut tombs (Baqet III, Kheti, Amenemhat, Khnumhotep II)
- Speos Artemidos (Hatshepsut rock temple)
- Nile valley views from the cliffs
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Beni Hasan, revision 4963354 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4963354
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/beni-hasan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.