Claustrophobic? You might want to look away now.
A traveller has filmed a fascinating journey into the heart of an Egyptian pyramid – and it involves such tight quarters that even Lara Croft would probably feel a little nervous.
in a video In a post on TikTok, Sam Mayfair revealed the interior of the Bent Pyramid, located in the royal necropolis of Dahshur, south of Cairo, to his 730,000 followers.
The 40-year-old Egyptology enthusiast, who has explored “almost every accessible pyramid”, described the Bent Pyramid as “one of his favourites” and said it was well worth a visit.
But he explains that some people are too scared to even try, telling MailOnline Travel that some visitors “flat-out refused to go in once they saw the first pit drop”.
In a video posted on TikTok, Sam Mayfair revealed the interior of the Bent Pyramid (above), located in the royal necropolis of Dahshur, south of Cairo, to his 730,000 followers.
Sam (pictured) described the Bent Pyramid as “one of his favourites” and said it is well worth a visit. He said some people are too scared to try it and told MailOnline Travel that some visitors “flat-out refused to go in once they saw the first pit”.
In the video, titled ‘Everything you need to know about how to enter a pyramid’, Sam films himself climbing a wooden ladder to a small shaft leading into the pyramid.
This, he says, is “where the adventure begins.”
Sam points to a “steep” staircase that he says extends 85 metres (278 feet) into the ground. The 1.88-metre-tall traveller says the hole is only 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) high and “so small you have to crawl through it.”
Sam says: ‘I spent so much time going down this tunnel that I thought I would never get out.’
He finally reached the end, “and found more stairs.” After a 10-meter climb, Sam discovered the first chamber of the pyramid, which he described as “impressive.”
Then he climbs a few more stairs until he finds a small tunnel, through which he crawls on all fours.
In the video, Sam reveals a “steep” staircase that he said extends 85 meters (278 feet) into the ground (pictured).
Sam, who is 1.88m tall, says the shaft is only 1.5 metres high and “so small you have to crawl through it”. He adds: “I spent so much time going down this tunnel that I thought I would never get out.”
In the video, Sam discovers the first chamber of the pyramid (pictured left), which he describes as “impressive.” He describes the second chamber (pictured right) as “very impressive.”
He says, ‘At this point, I guarantee you’ll be extremely sweaty and tired and barely able to breathe.’
After maneuvering through a series of tunnels, Sam discovers the pyramid’s second chamber.
“Although the chamber is very impressive, you will be overwhelmed by the smell of ammonia,” he says. He attributes this urine smell to the animals that once lived in the pyramid.
Sam takes the same route back and says he has to ‘slide on his butt’ to get out.
Along the way, he discovers a “giant” stone supported by a wooden board, which he claims is “the only thing keeping it from falling and trapping you inside the pyramid.”
Sam told MailOnline Travel: “The Bent Pyramid is probably one of the most difficult and claustrophobic. It’s very physically demanding to get inside.”
He added that tight spaces are “difficult” to navigate. “If someone is coming in the opposite direction, you just have to squeeze through. One of you stops and the other one keeps going,” he said.
In his video, Sam says: “You finally get it done and you feel a great sense of accomplishment.”
Sam reveals there are no emergency exits and says it’s “probably not” okay for claustrophobic people to enter.
Sam takes the same route back and says he has to “slide on his butt” to get out. He discovers a “giant” rock supported by a wooden board (pictured right).
After completing the pyramid, Sam says, “You feel a great sense of accomplishment.”
He reveals that there are no emergency exits and says it is “probably not” acceptable for claustrophobic people to enter.
The interior is also dimly lit. What if there is a power cut? Sam tells his followers: “You’re in the dark.”
Are there any dangers in exploring the pyramids? Sam said: “There is always some danger in exploring any ancient structure, especially one as old as a pyramid, but for me, that’s all part of the journey into the unknown.”
For those afraid to venture inside the pyramids, Sam said a “good pyramid to start with that’s very easy to explore” is the Step Pyramid of Djoser, inside the Saqqara necropolis southwest of Cairo.
Meanwhile, he said the Pyramid of Teti, also part of the Saqqara necropolis, is ideal for those who want to “challenge” themselves.
When asked if he would recommend exploring the pyramids to others, Sam said: “It’s not for everyone, but what an experience it is when you do it!”
To see more of Sam, follow him on TikTok at www.tiktok.com/@sam.mayfairor follow his Instagram account at www.instagram.com/sam.mayfair/?hl=en-us.
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