Luxor

Luxor, Egypt

Modern Luxor sits on the site of ancient Thebes, capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom period (1550-1070 BCE). The concentration of surviving monuments is extraordinary: Karnak Temple alone covers 100 hectares and was under continuous construction for over a thousand years. On the west bank, the Valley of the Kings holds 63 identified royal tombs. This is not a day trip from Cairo. Luxor deserves three days minimum; a week rewards every hour of it.

One practical update for 2026: cash is no longer accepted at the major sites. Pay with a credit card. The photography pass that was previously sold separately no longer officially exists, though rules on cameras at specific tombs vary in practice.

East Bank: Temples

Karnak Temple Complex is the dominant site. The Hypostyle Hall, with 134 massive columns in 16 rows reaching up to 24 metres, is the most immediately impressive space in Egypt: columns painted with hieroglyphics, positioned so densely that light between them creates a near-darkness even at noon. Entry 360 EGP (about $7-12 USD depending on current exchange rates). Go in the early morning between 6:00 and 8:00 before the large tour groups arrive. The Sound and Light Show runs in the evenings and is atmospheric if somewhat dated.

Luxor Temple sits in the centre of the modern city, about 3 kilometres south of Karnak. Smaller and well-preserved, with the newly excavated Avenue of Sphinxes connecting it to Karnak changing the urban character of the area. Entry 200 EGP. The illumination at night is worth seeing from outside even if you do not pay to enter after dark.

West Bank: Valley of the Kings

The standard entry ticket covers three tombs; additional tombs require separate tickets. As of late 2025, nine tombs are included in the standard ticket including Ramesses IV (KV2), Ramesses IX (KV6), and several others. Tutankhamun (KV62) costs an additional 700 EGP; Seti I (KV17), with some of the most spectacular ceiling paintings in any royal tomb, costs 2,000 EGP.

The tombs vary considerably. Ramesses IV (KV2) is large, well-lit, and relatively uncrowded. Ramesses IX (KV6) has some of the best-preserved astronomical ceiling paintings in the valley. Tutankhamun’s tomb is small but significant; the golden mask is in Cairo’s Egyptian Museum, not here. The crowds at KV62 are consistent regardless of time.

The Valley of the Queens is a separate site often neglected on tight schedules. The tomb of Nefertari (QV66), Ramses II’s wife, has some of the most brilliantly preserved tomb paintings in Egypt: entry 1,400 EGP, which sounds steep and is worth it if your budget allows.

Hatshepsut Temple (Deir el-Bahari) faces the Nile from a natural amphitheatre of cliffs. The three-tiered colonnade of the female pharaoh who ruled for 20 years is architecturally distinctive. Entry 220 EGP.

Getting Around

Hiring a driver with a microbus for the day (typically 300-500 EGP) to cover the main west bank sites is practical and flexible. The ferry across the Nile from the east bank takes 5 minutes and costs a few EGP. Horse-drawn carriages cluster around tourist areas and require negotiation.

Eating

Koshary, the layered dish of rice, lentils, pasta, tomato sauce, and fried onions, is the cheap local standard at 30-50 EGP per portion. Any Koshary restaurant along the Corniche or near the souk is reliable. The tourist restaurants along the Corniche have Nile views and tourist prices; expect to pay 200-400 EGP for a main course.

When to Go

October to April is the practical window. May through September is extremely hot, with temperatures frequently exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. Most serious visitors avoid the summer entirely; visiting Egyptian monuments in 40-degree heat is unpleasant and genuinely dangerous without aggressive hydration.