The Treasure of the Builders: we tested the immersive virtual reality expedition to ancient Egypt

Starting December 11, 2025, a new immersive virtual reality expedition will transport visitors back to ancient Egypt during the construction of the Pyramid of Cheops.

After L'Horizon de Khéops, return to explore the Egyptian pyramids with Excurio on an immersive virtual reality expedition, starting December 11, 2025. This time, we dive into the heart of the most ambitious construction project in all of ancientEgypt, through a second installment that enlightens visitors on the realization of this immense project, from the shores of the Red Sea to the summit of the Pyramid of Khufu.

It's a mystery that dates back more than 4,500 years: the construction of the Great Pyramid of Cheops, built to house the pharaoh in his final resting place. Who built this engineering masterpiece? How did its builders manage to complete, in just a few decades, the most colossal stone structure ever built by man? This adventure, carried out with an international team of scientists, highlights the latest archaeological discoveries and brings Egyptian mythological tales to life.

You'll be able to observe ancient life and discover the knowledge passed down by a people of builders, tracing the origins of the monument across Egypt, unlike the first installment, which focused on the cultural aspect. Allow an hour for this experience, which is accessible to ages 8 and up at the Eclipso center in Paris.

Our opinion

Equipped with our virtual reality headset, we travel through time, guided as in the first expedition by Mona, an Egyptologist, and by the goddess Bastet, in the form of a cat. This time, we go back to the origins of the pyramids to better understand how they were built, following what inspired them, visiting other pyramids a few miles inland, and closely following one of those who helped build them, seeking to uncover their mysteries.

For those who have never been able to discover Egypt for themselves, this is a magnificent visual journey, which sometimes gives the impression of really being there, without the crowds of visitors. We see beautiful landscapes, on the ground and from the air, traversing the country in all its diversity, from Giza to the port of Wadi al-Jarf near the Red Sea, via the Nile and the necropolis of Dahshur, providing an opportunity to better understand the technological feat.

The experience combines mythology, to draw viewers more easily into the narrative, slipping in a few references and details here and there that we advise you to keep an eye out for, with archaeological discoveries. The narrative is based on the work of Peter Der Manuelian and the theories of Jean-Pierre Houdin, evoking the most recent hypotheses about the creation of the pyramids.

Like a little mouse, we dive behind the scenes of the pyramids, inaccessible to the public, admiring what may be revealed in the coming years. If you're expecting a documentary or highly scientific and rigid content, be aware that the experience is above all immersive and narrative, somewhat fictionalized.

Of course, as is usually the case with virtual reality, if you suffer from vertigo, it can be a bit overwhelming, but it's important to remember that there's no risk involved, even when you're suspended above the void! The image can sometimes jump for a second, but this adds to the feeling of virtual movement. The experience was of a very respectable length, and you may experience a slight headache at the end, so be careful not to tighten the headset too much.

If you have the opportunity to experience the first installment first, that's a plus, but it's really not necessary, as the two adventures can be enjoyed independently!