Dog’s Unexpected Ascent to Egypt’s Great Pyramid Captured by Paragliders

A dog was unexpectedly discovered on the summit of one of Egypt’s Great Pyramids, the Khafre Pyramid, known as the second tallest structure in the famous archaeological site. The sighting was made by U.S. paraglider Marshall Mosher, who was flying over the pyramids at sunrise as part of a group enjoying the aerial views of these ancient landmarks.

“We noticed something running back and forth on top of the pyramid,” Mosher shared with CNN Travel. At first glance, the figure was indistinct, leading some observers to guess it could be a mountain lion. However, it was soon confirmed to be a stray dog.

The encounter occurred as Mosher and others, who frequently paraglide over the Great Pyramids, zoomed in with their cameras, confirming their discovery. The pyramid’s summit is off-limits to humans, adding to the surprise of the dog’s presence, which appeared to be chasing birds on the pyramid’s peak, a height of 448 feet (136 meters).

While speculation arose about the dog’s ability to descend safely, Mosher later reported seeing a video confirming the dog’s safe journey back to the ground. Despite the mysterious ascent, such strays are common in the pyramids complex, often spotted around the base of these ancient structures.

Mosher, surprised by the viral interest in this event, commented on social media’s fascination. “I thought the opportunity to fly over the pyramids was decently interesting news,” he remarked, “but no one seems to care about that.” The video quickly garnered millions of views on Instagram.

Some online commentators humorously linked the dog to Anubis, the ancient Egyptian god frequently depicted with the head of a jackal. Others made light-hearted remarks about the dog’s adventurous spirit, indicative of the viral reach and public interest this event garnered.