Part II - Egypt: Exploring an ancient necropolis at night that is closed to the public & my guide noticing something strange in one of my videos

12/8/20243 min read

Night of Day 1 - Abu Sir Ruins

This experience was so special and abnormal that I wanted to write on this separately. After visiting Saqqara, I hadn’t planned anything for the rest of the day. But before I came to Egypt, I had asked my main guide (Mohammad's boss) if there were any secret places or tombs we could explore at night. His initial reaction was that it was risky and challenging. After hesitating a bit , he told me about this place called Abu Sir.

Abu Sir, an ancient Egyptian necropolis near Saqqara, is home to several pyramids, including those of lesser-known Fifth Dynasty pharaohs. This site, closed to the public for decades, is shrouded in mystery. The reason for its closure is unclear, though many believe it’s due to ongoing excavations and research. The Ministry of Antiquities strictly patrols the area, ensuring no trespassing. That being said , a few daring tourists manage their way in mostly during morning or afternoon hours. But it was very rare for someone to break in at night.

However, in Egypt, where cash and connections go a long way, certain things are possible ofcourse with no guarantee. One of our contacts, a guard at the site, agreed to take us there at night—on the condition I paid him. With the plan set, and after a late lunch, we began our drive which took us through small villages and the rural countryside on the outskirts of Cairo. The allure of exploring a forbidden location especially at night made it way more exciting and the adrenaline started to kick in as we approached the site.

The route to Abu Sir

We met the guard at the entry point, and I was asked to sit on a bench while the two men conversed in Arabic. My guide had a concerned expression on his face but eventually gave the green light to proceed. The area itself felt eerie, with no one around except a few stray dogs barking in the distance. The site was located on top of a small hill, and we had to climb to reach it.

Abu Sir ruins at night

Symbols inscribed on ancient pillar

Ancient Lock system

I made sure not to capture the guard’s face in any of my videos to protect his anonymity. As we ventured deeper into the site, ancient ruins slowly revealed themselves—dilapidated marble stones scattered around, some with intricate hieroglyphs still visible. We discovered musical stones, royal tombs, and carvings that seemed to echo the distant past.

Stone structures representing male & female entities

Elliptical encasings represent the King's name - It is how archaeologists decoded the Rosetta stone

Stone carvings portraying the cross section of the Papyrus plant which was used by ancient egyptians to record writings

Every corner seemed to hold a new secret. Despite the fear of being caught, uncovering these hidden treasures made the night unforgettable. I took several videos and photos during our time there. But there was one particular video that caught my guide’s attention. While filming some stone carvings inside the tombs, the camera unexpectedly blurred in certain areas.

To me, it seemed like a simple glitch, maybe caused by low light or a malfunction in the camera. But my guide was convinced that it was some kind of supernatural interference—perhaps a sign from the spirits that still lingered in the tombs. What made this even more intriguing was that this blur only appeared in that specific video. None of the other footage had this issue. However, I still remained skeptical and believed that it was just a technical glitch.