Egypt: Dahshur Pyramids

Dahshur is another pyramid area further south from Saqqarra and the three pyramids (built between 2613–2589 BC) remaining here are both spectacular and interesting in how the construction evolved. The Bent Pyramid was the first attempt to transition from a step-sided to smooth-sided pyramid construction. But the foundation turned out to be weak, the stones were sliding and the angle was too steep, so midway the angle was flattened and the pyramid ended up being “bent”. The next pyramid was a success though, the Red Pyramid next door, built by the pharaoh Sneferu (his son later outdid him in Giza). Hardly any tourists come here and you can have both pyramids to yourself. The red pyramid’s chamber is an awesome adventure – first you climb half way up the pyramid, then you descend 250 feet in a completely crouched squat position via a inclined vertical shaft deep into the base of the pyramid. Several chambers here used to house the Pharao mummies. It’s dark and creepy inside. When you are done exploring, you realize you can’t feel your legs but you have 250 feet of vertical squat climbing to do, which is borderline workout of your lifetime (plus the claustrophobic darkness of a narrow 3×3 feet shaft!).