Egypt With Dan Snow

Dan Snow starts the first part of his adventure in glorious Luxor. He sails into town on a traditional felucca before heading to one of the world's greatest historical sites, the Valley of the Kings. Dan travels deep underground to the tomb of the boy king himself, Tutankhamun, discovering its secrets - from his burial to its rediscovery in 1922. But you can't visit the Valley of the Kings without experiencing some Tut‑themed merchandise! Dan heads to the market to meet a local Luxor legend, grabbing the ultimate Pharaonic souvenir and trying his hand at bartering.Dan then goes face-to-face with a local camel, discovering how surprisingly camels are a relatively recent addition to this country - Tutankhamun would never have seen one! Dan discovers how Luxor has attracted British tourists for centuries, from the Victorians to Agatha Christie. But it's not just historical wonders that lure them here; there are modern marvels too, and, of course, the mighty Nile runs through it all! Some don't just come to Luxor as tourists; some stay forever. Dr Marina Speak is the owner of the Djorff Hotel - and it isn't just her home in this life, her architect husband is building a pharaoh-style tomb for her to stay here in the afterlife too!Dan's final stop in Luxor is the spectacular Karnak Temple, where he meets Egyptologist Professor Salima Ikram. Salima explains the beautiful, bright colours of the temple and the details of its sheer size.As Dan says farewell to Luxor, he steps aboard one of the most impressive Nile steamships of all time, a boat built for the Egyptian royals and that was sailed on by Agatha Christie: the beautiful and luxurious SS Sudan.

Dan continues his journey, heading to the beautiful city of Aswan, travelling in style. He's on board one of the world's finest Nile cruisers, the SS Sudan.He experiences above and below deck, from the engine rooms to the grand saloon. He uncovers the glamorous and mysterious secrets of the ship and its famous visitors, from the King of Egypt to the Queen of crime writing, Agatha Christie. Dan digs out the truth behind Christie's most famous book, Death on the Nile, inspired and written on board.Leaving the 20th century in his wake, he explores an ancient site that nearly ended up underwater! Philae Temple. But this isn't the only impressive engineering masterpiece that has seen ancient and modern work! Dan is travelling to somewhere he's dreamt of for years, Ramses the Great's grandiose temple, Abu Simbel.Dan also visits the city of Aswan, exploring life in this rural city, visiting a timeless livestock market where he tries to buy a camel. His journey in Aswan ends with a journey down one of the most beautiful parts of the Nile to a colourful Nile village, discovering what life is like for a community living next to this mighty river… and trying some delicious Nubian cuisine!

In the final episode of this thrilling series, historian Dan Snow ends his epic Egyptian adventure in one of the most incredible cities on earth: Cairo. A vast, exhilarating metropolis of more than twenty million people, it is Africa's largest city. Egypt has always held a strong personal bond for Dan, he first visited on a family holiday as a 12-year-old, a trip that sparked not only his love for the country but also his curiosity for history. Now he's back. He begins by exploring magical centuries-old markets. Hidden within them he finds the country's oldest cafe and tries coffee heated using an old desert tradition: hot sand!The old city was just the start, Dan now heads out onto the mighty Nile River. The waterway has been the lifeblood of not just Cairo, but Egypt, for thousands of years; without it the country wouldn't exist. He discovers how the citizens of modern Cairo still row on the river, just as their ancient Egyptian ancestors did 5,000 years ago.Of course, no trip to Cairo would be complete without a visit to the Great Pyramids of Giza! Dan has never before had the chance to go inside the Great Pyramid, but now he has exclusive after-hours access. Guided by world-renowned Egyptologist Dr. Chris Naunton they navigate claustrophobic ancient tunnels and passageways to reach the burial chamber of the pharaoh who died more than 4,500 years ago!Back in the city Dan explores Cairo's beautiful downtown area, with its Parisian-style streets and squares and learns more about Cairo's clandestine World War II history. It was here that the legendary SAS was born and British secret agents received their missions. He gets a chance to try Egypt's beloved national dish, koshari, at a famous Cairo restaurant dedicated to it before finishing his time in Cairo and Egypt gazing out over a spectacular view of the "City of a Thousand Minarets".