Fascinated by ancient civilisations?
We offer anyone with any level of knowledge, inspiring short courses on ancient Egypt and other areas of the ancient world.
Fascinated by ancient civilisations?
We offer anyone with any level of knowledge, inspiring short courses on ancient Egypt and other areas of the ancient world.
BSS in Egypt is a very special learning experience — courses taught in Egypt, offering a programme of classes and visits to archaeological sites, often including sites that are usually closed to visitors but are opened specially for BSS by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Our 12 BSS in Egypt courses to date have been directed by Prof. Barry Kemp, Mr John Romer, Dr Robert Morkot, Dr Stephen Harvey, Dr Peter Lacovara, Dr Bill Manley, Dr Bernadette Brady, and Dr Anna Stevens. We usually base ourselves in one hotel for the entire course. Thus far, our courses have taken place in Cairo, Minya, Sohag, Luxor, and Aswan.
LIFE AND DEATH ON THE NILE THROUGH THE LENS OF THE MEMPHITE NECROPOLIS
Dr Iwona Kozieradzka-Ogunmakin
Course Director: Dr Bill Manley (Egiptología Complutense)
A NEW course taught in Luxor by BSS favourite, Dr Bill Manley, with daily classes and hieroglyphs-reading at a unique ancient location, including special openings of sites usually closed to visitors.
Combining classes in the Pavillon Winter Luxor Hotel with visits to sites in and near Luxor, we bring you our first hieroglyphs course in Egypt for six years. Bloomsbury Summer School has a long-established reputation for providing acclaimed hieroglyphs courses at UCL in London, and we are thrilled that Bill has agreed to teach a course in Egypt, focussing on a tomb inscription that has been important in his own career. This course can be pursued at either an Intermediate or Advanced level but a Beginners-level understanding of hieroglyphic inscriptions is expected.
Our Course Director, Dr Bill Manley is the author of best-selling books on reading hieroglyphs, Co-Director of Egiptología Complutense, and Honorary President of Egyptology Scotland. His latest book, The Oldest Book in the World (2023), has garnered five-star reviews including from the Wall Street Journal.Our Tour Coordinator in Egypt is Galal Alsenusy, who has arranged all 11 of our BSS in Egypt courses to date. Our Course Coordinator in Egypt is Dr Kathryn Piquette, Director of Bloomsbury Summer School.
Day 1: Flight from London Heathrow to Luxor. Check in to the 5* Pavillon Winter Luxor Hotel for seven nights.
Day 2: We visit Deyr al-Medina to see the homes of this exceptionally literate community, and visit the tombs overlooking the village. We also take the short walk to the villagers’ temples where we can discuss the relevance of the inscriptions in the fascinating Temple of Hathor. Afterwards, we explore the famously evocative mortuary temple of Ramesses II, known as the Ramesseum.
Day 3: We visit Deyr al-Bahari to explore the world famous temple of Hatshepsut, and nearby the tomb of Senenemut (TT353).* As we leave, we can discuss a neighbouring site with strong connections to Bloomsbury Summer School that Bill can explain. Next, we take an excursion to the crucially important temple of Seti I at al-Qurna. Finally, we visit some of the handsome but little visited tombs at Dra Abu al-Naga.
Day 4: We take the short trip to Medinet Habu, including visits to the mortuary temple of Ramesses III and the exterior of the temple of Thutmose III and Hatshepsut. Then we explore the finest of the celebrated New Kingdom tombs at Sheikh Abd al-Qurna, and experience the exquisite decoration in the tombs of Ramose, Rekhmira, and Sennefer. Finally, we explore one of the spectacular Late Period tombs at Asasif.
Day 5: We visit the ghostly West Valley to see the fascinating tomb of King Ay and the exceptionally beautiful tomb of King Amenhotep III.* Then we visit the Valley of the Kings to see several tombs.
Day 6: Today we make our special road trip south of Luxor to read the inscriptions we have prepared in the tomb of Ankhtyfy at Mo’alla. We also travel to the New Kingdom tombs at al-Kab, and nearby, explore the processional route through the wadi with temples of Amenhotep III and Ptolemy VIII.
Day 7: This morning we visit Karnak to explore the incomparable Temple of Amun-Ra, along with the Temples of Ptah and Khonsu.
Day 8: Transfer to Luxor International Airport for out direct flight back to London Heathrow.
* Exclusive special openings
Per person:
Bloomsbury Summer School are pleased to be partnering with Andante Travels, who will be handling all aspects of the booking process.
Please call Andante Travels' Private Groups Team to make your booking and deposit payment (£750 per person), Monday to Friday, 08:00 – 18:00 on +44 (0)1722 671 873.
Andante Travels can also be contacted at: groups@andantetravels.com
Or via their online chat facility: www.andantetravels.co.uk
Course Director: Dr Iwona Kozieradzka-Ogunmakin (University of Exeter / Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology
This is a NEW course taught in Saqqara by the Deputy Director of the Polish-Egyptian Archaeological Mission Saqqara.
Join us for an in-depth exploration of royal and private funerary architecture and remains from the largest Memphite necropolis. Dr Iwona Kozieradzka-Ogunmakin will journey with you across this sacred landscape, tracing fascinating histories of life and death along the Nile. Classes will take place in our 5* hotel, the Hyatt Regency Cairo West, and our related site visits will include the royal pyramids at Saqqara and Dahshur, as well the private tombs of Mereruka, Kagemni, Idut, Mehu, the tomb of Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum (the ‘Two Brothers’), and more. Group meals provide an opportunity to discuss the course and site visits, and to socialise with the Course Director and fellow students. Our Travel Coordinator in Egypt is Galal Alsenusy who has arranged all 12 of our BSS in Egypt courses to date. Our Course Coordinator in Egypt is Dr Kathryn Piquette, Director of Bloomsbury Summer School.
Day 1: Morning / early afternoon arrival to Cairo (participants are responsible for their own travel*)
Day 2: Site visit: The Egyptian Museum, Tahrir Square, Cairo
Day 3: Site visit: Mit Rahina (ancient Memphis) and Step Pyramid at Saqqara
Day 4: Site visit: Royal pyramids of Unas and Teti Cemetery, including private tombs (Mereruka, Kagemni), Serapeum, Abusir (special opening)
Day 5: Site Visit: Old Kingdom non-royal tombs at Saqqara (south of the Step Pyramid): Idut, Mehu, tomb of Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum (the ‘Two Brothers’); the New Kingdom necropolis (Horemheb, Maya); the Imhotep Museum
Day 6: Site Visit: Dahshur pyramids (Bent and Red) and Meidum
Day 7: Transfer to airport for return flights*
Per person:
To make your booking and deposit payment (£600 per person), please fill in this form:
Payment Information:
Payment should be made to Galal Alsenusy via bank transfer as follows:
Bank: Commercial International Bank, CIB, Khalid ibn el Walid Street, Plaza Center, Luxor, Egypt
Account Name: Galal Alsenusy Co. for Marketing / Tourism
Account Number: 100040467887
Swift Code: CIBEEGCX026
IBAN Number: EG630010002600000100040467887
IMPORTANT: It is critical that you instruct your bank that payment must be Pounds Sterling, NOT Egyptian Pounds.
If required, Galal's address is as follows:
Galal Alsenusy
Almadeena Almonawara St., Ali Ibn Abu Talib St., Opposite Sunset Hotel
Luxor, Egypt
* Participants are responsible for their own airfare to and from Cairo. Should you require assistance booking flights, our Egyptian Travel Coordinator, Galal Alsenusy and his team can organise this for you. For details please email: alsinusygalal@yahoo.com