Luxor, Egypt

Luxor West Bank: Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut

The royal tombs at first light, Hatshepsut's terraced temple against the cliff, and the Colossi of Memnon. The single best day in ancient Egypt.

Half to full day, about 6 hours Private tour Private — your group only Pick-up from any Luxor hotel or from your Nile cruise boat, included.

Cultural & Historical Day Trips

Trip highlights

Three royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, chosen with your guide
The terraced mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari
The Colossi of Memnon
An early start, before the heat and the coaches
Optional additions: Medinet Habu, the Valley of the Queens, the Ramesseum

About this tour

The West Bank is a remarkable site, often called a "city of the dead." It is home to sixty-three royal tombs carved into a valley behind the cliffs, chosen for its natural pyramid-like peak above.

We begin our exploration early in the day, as the Valley of the Kings lacks shade, and the heat within the tombs can become quite intense by mid-morning. As a result, the early hours are typically cooler and quieter. Your ticket grants access to three tombs open that day, and these rotate periodically to protect the sites. Your guide will help you choose the most worthwhile options for your visit. Notable tombs such as those of Seti I, Tutankhamun, and Ramesses V/VI each require a separate ticket; however, Seti I is considered Egypt's finest tomb. If you decide to purchase any supplement, make it this one.

Next, we visit the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut, which rises in three colonnaded terraces straight from the cliff at Deir el-Bahari. This temple is the most architecturally stunning building in Egypt and is unlike anything else in the region. We conclude our tour at the Colossi of Memnon, the two seated giants that remain above ground from a temple larger than Karnak.

How the day runs

1Step
Early pick-up

We will pick you up from your hotel or cruise boat and cross to the west bank before the day heats up.
2Step
Valley of the Kings

Three tombs are open, with your guide explaining the layout and the paintings outside before you go in; no guiding is permitted inside the tombs themselves.
3Step
Colossi of Memnon

A short stop at the two seated statues of Amenhotep III, and what is being excavated behind them.
4Step
Temple of Hatshepsut

The three terraces at Deir el-Bahari, and the story of the woman who ruled as king and whose successor tried to erase her.
5Step
Return

Back across the river by late morning or early afternoon, with the rest of the day yours.

What's included

Private air-conditioned vehicle with a driver
Licensed English-speaking Egyptologist guide
Hotel or cruise-boat pick-up in Luxor
Entrance to the Valley of the Kings (three tombs)
Hatshepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon
Bottled water
Tickets for all sights included.

Not included

Supplementary tombs: Seti I, Tutankhamun, Ramesses V/VI
The tuk-tuk train inside the Valley of the Kings
Lunch
Tipping

Questions about this tour

It depends what is open on the day, and your guide will know. As a rule: Ramesses VI for sheer painted ceiling, Merenptah for scale, Ramesses III for the side chambers. Seti I is a separate ticket and is in a different league from all of them.

Yes, with a photography ticket bought at the gate. No flash, ever. Tutankhamun and some of the supplementary tombs have their own rules, which change; your guide will check on the day.

In summer, above 40°C with no shade, and inside a tomb it is hotter still and airless. That is why we start at opening. October to April it is a pleasant morning.

From

$100

Priced per group once we know your dates and numbers — tell us both and you will have a figure the same working day.

DurationHalf to full day, about 6 hours
DestinationLuxor
StylePrivate tour
Group sizePrivate — your group only
Pick-upPick-up from any Luxor hotel or from your Nile cruise boat, included.