Where was The Mummy filmed? Uncover the real locations behind this legendary adventure trilogy, from deserts to ancient cities.
The Mummy trilogy didn’t just revive an ancient curse – it revived the adventure genre.
With Brendan Fraser as the effortlessly heroic Rick O’Connell and Rachel Weisz as the brilliantly chaotic Evelyn, the film hit that perfect balance of action, humor, and just enough horror to make you permanently suspicious of sand.
Add Arnold Vosloo as a villain powered entirely by vengeance (and excellent eyeliner), and you’ve got one of the most rewatchable blockbusters ever made.
The trilogy sequels – The Mummy Returns and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor – didn’t just go bigger, they went global. From Egyptian tombs to full-on global mythology – cursed bracelets, ancient emperors, and a CGI Scorpion King that still lives rent-free in movie debates everywhere.
But what really sold the adventure isn’t just the story – it’s where it was filmed. From Moroccan deserts doubling as Egypt to London bus chases and Chinese mountain battles, this trilogy traveled far and wide.
Table of Contents
🗺️ Where Was The Mummy Trilogy Filmed?
Let’s break down every major filming location for The Mummy trilogy – with iconic scenes, behind-the-scenes trivia, and just enough cautionary advice to avoid awakening anything ancient.
🕌 Marrakesh, Morocco – Markets, Mayhem & Cursed Books
Marrakesh brought Cairo to life for The Mummy (1999), with its bustling markets, twisting alleys, and crowded city squares serving as the perfect playground for chaos.
At Djemaa el-Fna, the marketplace went from a busy day to a full-blown biblical nightmare, with extras scattering and stalls toppling under the weight of supernatural mischief.
Through the medina alleys, Rick and Evy wove between crowds, chased by whatever ancient trouble had just been unleashed – narrow passages making every step feel like a race against disaster.
Meanwhile, the city squares became a stage for Imhotep’s plagues, as panic spread and the population reacted to curses in true cinematic style.
What was filmed here:
- Djemaa el-Fna: Marketplace scenes where chaos escalates from “busy day” to “biblical nightmare.”
- Marrakesh medina alleys: Rick and Evy weave through crowds while being chased by consequences.
- Marrakesh city squares: Imhotep’s plague spreading and mass panic sequences.
🐪 Erfoud & Sahara Desert – Camel Caravans & Very Bad Ideas
The Sahara isn’t just scenery – it’s a relentless, sun-baked character that doesn’t care about your quest.
Here, The Mummy (1999) stages its iconic camel caravan journey: endless dunes, dramatic light, and tension thick enough to make you question every life choice.
It’s also where rival expeditions clash, desert camps serve as staging grounds, and gunfights and long-range chases remind everyone that the desert rewards neither caution nor common sense.
Watching the treasure hunters charge toward Hamunaptra? Pure cinematic “we should not be doing this.”
What was filmed here:
- Sahara dunes: Camel caravan journey to Hamunaptra
- Erfoud region: Campsites and rival expedition standoffs
- Open desert: Gunfights and long-range pursuit sequences
🏛️ Gara Medouar & Aït Benhaddou – Hamunaptra’s Lost City
If you wanted a place that screams “Stay out, you fools!”, meet Morocco’s Gara Medouar and Aït Benhaddou – the real-life locations that became Hamunaptra, the Lost City, in The Mummy (1999).
Gara Medouar, a massive crater-like rock formation, was the ultimate “what could go wrong?” excavation site. The camera pans back for the iconic reveal, your jaw drops, and you think, “Incredible!”… then immediately, “Oh no, this is a terrible idea.”
Ignoring all warnings, the archaeologists dig like it’s a sandbox – and naturally unleash the Book of the Dead. Imhotep rises, scarabs swarm, and just when things couldn’t get crazier, a sandstorm forms his face, personally ruining everyone’s vacation. Ridiculous, terrifying, and utterly epic.
Step into Aït Benhaddou, and you can almost hear the mummy’s footsteps echoing through the sun-baked alleys. This is where the film brought Hamunaptra’s bustling city streets to life, every corner ready to hide a trap, a curse, or a very angry scarab.
Watching Rick and the gang dash across rooftops and through narrow lanes, you get a real sense of danger – and that Morocco was doing all the heavy lifting for ancient Egypt.
Just beyond, Ouarzazate and the Erg Chebbi Dunes provided endless desert vistas for The Mummy Returns (2001), perfect for sprawling chases, dramatic rescues, and mummy-sized explosions.
The Egyptian temples of Karnak and Luxor got a digital upgrade, blending real locations with CGI to create a time-mashed, ancient-meets-Hollywood spectacle. Morocco really pulled off its best Egypt impersonation, and it looks incredible.
What was filmed here:
- Gara Medouar: Hamunaptra reveal, dig sites, sandstorm cliffs.
- Aït Benhaddou: City backdrops and architectural texture
- Ouarzazate: Production base and supporting desert scenes
- Atlas Mountains: Sweeping cinematic establishing shots
- Erg Chebbi Dunes, Merzouga: Iconic desert vistas for Egypt
Trivia:
- Gara Medouar is also called the “Spectre Crater,” later moonlighting as a villain lair in James Bond’s Spectre movie.
- Ouarzazate is often called the “Hollywood of Morocco,” a base for building sets and surviving long desert shoots.
🏜️ Petra, Jordan – Canyons, Cliffs & Epic Desert Vibes
If you’ve ever wanted to feel both tiny and terrified, Petra’s Siq has you covered. In The Mummy Returns (2001), it became the narrow canyon path leading to the Oasis of Ahm Shere, where a giant digital water-head waterfall was added for maximum cinematic drama.
Petra’s cliffs and gorges gave real-world scale to every chase, blending authentic desert drama with CGI – because nothing says ‘ancient curse’ like giant rocks, narrow canyons, and a fake waterfall.
The Hejaz Railway outside Amman, Jordan, became the setting for the film’s high-speed train sequences. Rick, Evelyn, and the gang raced across the train, dodging enemies, traps, and explosions – because apparently even moving trains aren’t safe from ancient curses.
What was filmed here:
- The Siq at Petra: Journey to the Oasis of Ahm Shere
- Petra gorges: Exterior shots for desert and oasis scenes
- Hejaz Railway, Jordan: Train chase and stunts
🏰 England – Museums, Mansions, Quarries & City Chaos
For The Mummy Returns (2001), England turned into a global adventure set as London‘s streets became the stage for cursed bracelet chaos – with Bloomsbury, Tower Bridge, and Greenwich seeing supernatural mayhem like your commute has never witnessed.
Hamunaptra came to life at Bryant’s Lane Quarry and Heath & Reach Quarry in Bedfordshire, with collapsing walls, sand clouds, and frantic actors – England standing in convincingly for Egypt.
Rick’s mansion? Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire, naturally, is perfect for dramatic entrances, quick escapes, and dodging curses in style. The iconic double-decker bus chase tore through London, with Rick and the gang narrowly avoiding pedestrians and chaos at every turn.
The Dimco Building in Shepherd’s Bush doubled as British Museum interiors, letting priceless artifacts meet very bad decisions.
And yes, there’s a jungle chase – Black Park Country Park transformed into a tropical nightmare for undead monkeys. Dense foliage, hanging vines, and mostly CGI monkeys blended with practical effects gave the scenes chaotic energy that feels dangerously real.
Shepperton Studios staged the interior pyramids, temples, and tombs – trap corridors, scarab swarms, and all the chaos too big for streets or quarries – giving actors plenty of chances to scream, dive, and regret their life choices.
What was filmed here:
- Bloomsbury, Tower Bridge & Greenwich: Cursed bracelet chaos on London streets
- Dimco Building: British Museum interiors
- Palace of Westminster & Westminster Bridge: Double-decker bus chase
- Victoria Embankment: High-speed pursuit and destruction
- Mentmore Towers: O’Connell House exterior
- Bryant’s Lane Quarry, Bedfordshire: Main Hamunaptra dig site
- Heath & Reach Quarry, Bedfordshire: Additional excavation shots
- Black Park Country Park: Jungle chase with undead monkeys
- Shepperton Studios: Interior pyramids, tombs, traps, and scarab swarms
🐉 China – Car Chases, Armies & Emperor-Sized Chaos
If you thought deserts, tombs, and scarabs were enough, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor said, “Hold my jade cup.”
China became the new playground for epic chaos: bustling streets, massive battlefields, and palaces so huge they make Rick O’Connell look like he forgot the map.
Shanghai Film Studio hosted the film’s most insane urban sequence: a 1940s car chase through tight streets and narrow corners, with trolleys, period cars, and enough near-misses to make you grateful CGI exists.
Then comes the Tianmo Desert (Tianmo Natural Park), near Beijing. Forget studio magic – here, hundreds of extras, mounted cavalry, and sprawling desert-style camps charged into battle like heroic ants on caffeine. Dust, chaos, and epic scale combine for a sequence no CGI army could fully match.
For sweeping vistas and travel sequences, the crew hit Ningxia, Turpan, and Inner Mongolia, using rugged deserts and rolling steppes to make every step feel cinematic.
And when they needed palaces, temples, or spaces big enough for supernatural chaos, Hengdian World Studios delivered. Terracotta Army Museum and Beijing lent a touch of history, even if the CGI army sometimes stole the show.
What was filmed here:
- Shanghai Film Studio: Urban car chase sequences
- Tianmo Desert (Tianmo Natural Park): Desert battlefield with cavalry and extras
- Ningxia, Turpan, & Inner Mongolia: Sweeping landscape shots
- Terracotta Army Museum & Beijing: Establishing shots
- Hengdian World Studios: Palaces, temples, and supernatural chaos
❓ The Mummy Trilogy FAQ
What is the order of The Mummy trilogy?
Here’s The Mummy trilogy in order, continuing the O’Connell family’s increasingly chaotic adventures.
Was any of it filmed in Egypt?
No. Despite the setting, Egypt wasn’t used – Morocco (enhanced with CGI) doubled for it so convincingly, you’d never question it while watching.
Where was the bus chase filmed?
The double-decker bus chase in The Mummy Returns was filmed in central London, mainly around the Palace of Westminster and the Victoria Embankment, using real streets and controlled setups.
Where was the train/railway sequence filmed?
The railway sequence in The Mummy Returns was filmed in and around Petra, using real desert terrain to enhance the scale and intensity.
Is The Mummy 4 happening with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz?
While fans have been hoping for a continuation of the original trilogy, as of now, there’s no official confirmation that The Mummy 4, featuring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, is in development.
What about the Mummy 2017 version?
Different franchise, same love for chaos… with a darker reboot energy. The Mummy, starring Tom Cruise, was filmed in the UK and Namibia, with a very different tone and far fewer camels.
📺 Where to Watch The Mummy Trilogy
- Amazon Prime Video: Easiest way to rent or buy the trilogy in one place.
- Blu-ray/DVD: Bonus features, commentary, and pure nostalgia.
- Other platforms: Apple TV, YouTube Movies, Google TV.
If there’s one thing these filming locations prove, it’s this: the world is full of breathtaking places… and in The Mummy trilogy, almost all of them are hiding something that wants you dead.
So next time you’re exploring ancient ruins, and someone says, “Maybe we shouldn’t open that”… just remember – this entire trilogy exists because someone did.
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