Beni Hassan — Nomarchs' Hidden Codes
Decipher the cryptic codes in the nomarchs' ancient frescoes to expose a conspiracy that threatened the Middle Kingdom's power. Unravel secrets across 8 tombs in this cliffside enigma.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In the sun-baked cliffs of Beni Hassan Necropolis, the powerful nomarchs of Middle Egypt sealed their tombs with vibrant frescoes depicting daily life, hunts, and mysterious visitors from afar
Beni Hassan — Nomarchs' Hidden Codes
You are a royal cryptographer, dispatched by Pharaoh Senusret II's court to Beni Hassan Necropolis in 1890 BCE.
In the sun-baked cliffs, nom
The Pictorial Testament of the Nomarchs
« I have never despoiled a man's daughter, I have never stolen a man's property. I have been a good ruler, who loves his town. »— Inscription in the tomb of Khnumhotep II, Beni Hassan (c. 1900 BCE)
The Golden Age of the Nomarchs
The Egyptian Middle Kingdom (circa 2040-1782 BCE) was a period of reunification and prosperity after the First Intermediate Period. It was during this era that the nomarchs, governors of provinces (nomes), gained considerable influence, becoming true local potentates. Beni Hassan, located on the east bank of the Nile, was the necropolis for the important 16th Upper Egyptian nome, whose capital was Menat Khufu. The nomarchs of Beni Hassan were distinguished by their monumental rock-cut tombs, reflecting their wealth and power.
These tombs are not just places of eternal rest; they are visual archives of ancient Egypt. Their walls are covered with detailed frescoes depicting scenes of agricultural and pastoral life, hunting, fishing, sports (especially wrestling, famous here), crafts, and funerary rituals. The biographical inscriptions carved in stone, like those of Khnumhotep II, provide valuable insights into provincial administration, relations with the royal court, and the moral values of the elite during this pivotal era.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Ancient Funerary Art
Examine the architectural details and fresco traces of the rock-cut tombs.
Forgotten Hieroglyphs
Interpret the funerary inscriptions and cartouches visible on the facades.
Nomarch Architecture
Discover the ingenuity of Egyptian builders through porticoes and proto-Doric columns.
Untangle the symbols, decipher the past.
The dynasty's secret rests in forgotten art.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
Avis des aventuriers
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Your turn to play
Embark on an immersive historical quest through the cliffs of Beni Hassan. Every fresco, every column, every inscription is a piece of the puzzle you must assemble to reveal a powerful nomarch's hidden plan. Pay attention to the details visible from outside the tombs and delve into ancient Egypt like never before.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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