Luxor
No trip to Egypt is complete without stopping at Luxor, the site of the ancient capital of Thebes, home to one of the best temples Karnak and of course The Valley of the Kings on the west bank.
Very excited to visit especially as we were staying at The Winter Palace, the hotel were Carter announced the finding of the Tomb of Tutankhamun. Driving to the hotel the city looked far cleaner than Cairo and prettier.
Luxor certainly has a friendlier feel to it and we had no issues walking around on our own.
Although we only had two nights here and intended to explore ourselves as well as getting at least an afternoon relaxing by the pool, we decided to add in another tour. There is a slight panic that you will miss something important even after planning and we realised we wanted to see The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut and Valley of the Queens, it is easy to book whilst on the ground. Besides the main sights there is an awful lot more to see here plus areas outside of Luxor for day trips.
If you are booking a cruise leaving from Luxor the main sights may be included so it is worth checking.
How to get there and Transportation
By plane - From Cairo with Egypt Air and direct charters from London Gatwick
By train - From Cairo although some trains start in Alexandria
By bus - connections to Cairo and Aswan and to Sinai via Hurghada/Sharm el Sheik
By boat - from Aswan and some cruises from Cairo
By car- from Aswan - book a driver
Getting around
Taxi - Prices vary and those arranged by our hotel were very expensive and none of them are in good condition.
Recommend - Abdool - 002 01061443449
Where to stay
Sofitel Winter Palace - faded grandeur - see the review
Sofitel Pavilion - possibly a better and cheaper option as you can use the Winter Palace facilities
Al Moudira - boutique style hotel
Hilton Luxor - usual brand facilities
Steigenberger Nile Palace - decent average hotel
Mara House - small boutique style guesthouse
What to See
Luxor Museum
Superb museum, well laid out and some amazing exhibits.
Ticket Cost 120 EGP
Open 9 am to 4 pm - 5 pm to 10 pm
Mummification Museum
Provides an understanding of the embalming techniques.
Ticket Cost 80 EGP
Open 9 am to 9 pm
Karnak Temple
Our favourite temple..stunning.
We visited for the night time light show which is fairly poor but good for photography and then again with the guide from the boat during the day. This is a good way to see it.
Note it is quite a walk from the entrance to the temple.
Ticket cost 120 EGP
Open 6 am to 5.30 pm
Light Show at night starts at 7 pm and 8 pm in English - cost 100 EGP
Luxor Temple
An interesting temple built around 1392 BC by Amenhotep III and completed by Tutankhamun, good to see at night with the lights. When they have finished the excavation of the Avenue of Sphinxes which runs from Luxor to Karnak this will be something to see.
Ticket Cost 100 EGPOpen 6 am to 10 pm
West Bank
Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
Located at Deir el Bahari and built for the female pharaoh Hatshepsut it is a stunning temple for a woman who reigned successfully for two decades. Her stepson Thutmose III destroyed most of her legacy and defaced her images and erased her cartouche. The temple was created by her chancellor Senenmut rumoured to her lover.
Ticket 80 EGP
Open 6 am to 5 pm
Valley of the Kings
Site of the royal burials for the Pharaohs of the New Kingdom approximately 1539 BC to 1075 BC and now a UNESCO Wold Heritage site. Of the 63 tombs only 18 can be visited and these are not open at the same time.
The ticket costs 160 EGP and this allows entry to 3 tombs. You can buy a photography ticket as well for 300 EGP but this does not cover the tombs you have to buy extra tickets for
Tutankhamen’s tomb KV62 costs 200 EGP - not a lot of decoration and a very lonely mummy inside
Ramesses V and VI cost 90 EGP
Seti I costs 1000 EGP and is stunning.
Medinet Habu - Mortuary Temple of Rameses III
A large complex second only to Karnak temple. Go to the ruins on the left side to see the remains of rooms with bathrooms. The Battle Reliefs run the entire length of the northern wall.
Ticket 60 EGP
Open 6 am to 5 pm
Valley of the Queens
75 tombs belonging to queens and other members of royal families. Nefertari’s tomb (QV66) is absolutely stunning and worth the extra cost.
Ticket cost 80 EGP
Nefertari Ticket cost 1000 EGP - no photography allowed
Deir el-Medina
This is where all the workers lived who carved and worked on the tombs of the Pharaohs. You can also visit some of their tombs although the entrances are narrow.
Ticket cost 80 EGP
Tombs of the Nobles
Worth seeing how the nobles and priests where buried and the money they spent on their tombs. Scenes are more about daily life. Sennofer, Rekhmire, Menna and Nakht are worth it.
Ticket cost 60 EGP
Mortuary Temple of Seti I
Ramesseum
Colossi of Memnon
Carter’s House
Other sites outside of Luxor
Temples of Abydos - day trip - 162 kms
Temple of Hathor at Dendera - 76 kms
Temple of Khnum at Esna - 56 kms south
The places below are normally part of the nile cruise
Temple of Horus at Edfu - 110 kms south
2000 years old started in 237 BC and finished in 212 BC. In good condition and renowned for its gigantic pylons.
Ticket cost 100 EGP
Kom Ombo Temple - 168 kms south
Dedicated to Sobek the crocodile god and Horus the falcon god, this is one of the finest Ptolemaic temples. Museum on site with preserved crocodiles.
Ticket cost 80 EGP includes museum
Restaurants
Did not try any of these so check, we stuck to the hotel pool restaurant both nights.
SOFRA Restaurant
Al Sahaby Lane Restaurant
The Salahadeen
The Lantern Room
Pizza Roma-it
Wenkie’s German Ice Cream and coffee parlour
The Kings Head Pub - went for a drink only
Shopping
There is also a Souk in the town and one of the best bookshops to stock up on reading material The Aboudy Bookshop. We went to the one opposite the Steigenberger hotel where the owner will offer you tea.
We were also taken to a shop on the west bank for statues etc, although a tourist trap some of the items were good and be prepared for a big haggle on the price.
Tips
Leave the best tombs until last as it spoils the others.
Guards offer to let you use your camera inside for a bribe but we were told to remove the card before leaving in case the main gate guards checked.
Take photos of the Tomb numbers as they all blur into one afterwards
Four Seasons First Residence Hotel, Cairo
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