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Luxor Day Trip: Valley of the Kings Exploration

5.0

64 Ratings

Luxor

Spend an unforgettable day in Luxor. Visit the Karnaktempel, the tombs in the valley of the kings and the terrace temple complex of Hatshepsut.Enjoy a day with your guide, an Egyptologist, in the historical Luxor with its many temples and tombs.

Duration: 14 hours

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

Temple of Karnak - At approximately 5:00 a.m., your tour guide will pick you up in a comfortable, air-conditioned minibus. A knowledgeable German-speaking Egyptologist will join the group. The journey to Luxor takes about 4 hours, passing through the Nile valley with views of fields and farmers’ homes. This excursion is conducted in a small group, with a maximum of 8 participants. Your guide will be available throughout the trip to answer any questions. Upon arrival in Luxor, our first stop will be the Karnak Temple, the largest temple complex in Egypt, located on the eastern bank of the Nile. One of the most significant areas of the temple is the large columned hall. The complex is divided into three walled sections: the Amun area (ancient Egyptian Ipet-sut, “place of election”), the Month area, and the Courage area. The oldest visible remains of the temple date back to the 12th dynasty under Sesostris. The temple complex was expanded and rebuilt multiple times until the Roman Empire. Notable among the ruins are the temples of Amun-Re with its ten pylons. You will also see the sacred lake, measuring 120 × 77 meters, located south of the central temple building and fed by groundwater. Admire the large columned hall, statues, pylons, and obelisks.
Valley of the Kings - After lunch, we will drive to the Valley of the Kings, situated about 5 kilometers northwest of Luxor. In ancient Egypt, the Valley of the Kings was known as the “Sechet-aat large field.” The valley contains over 70 tombs carved into the rock, primarily the tombs of rulers from the New Kingdom (circa 1550 to 1069 BC) of the 18th to 20th dynasties. To protect the mummies, they were relocated in the 22nd dynasty and hidden in other tombs. In 1922, the largely intact tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered. Systematic exploration and excavation of the tombs began with Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt. The Valley of the Kings is a major tourist attraction in Egypt. Only a portion of the tombs is open to visitors, as some are closed for conservation. Since December 2009, photography and filming have been prohibited, but since 2018, photography without flash is allowed with the purchase of a photo permit for around 15 euros.
Colossi of Memnon - After visiting the Karnak temple complex, we will proceed to the famous Colossi of Memnon. Known in Arabic as “el-Colossat or es-Salomat,” these two adjacent statues date back to the 14th century and depict King Amenophis III seated on a throne, facing the Nile. The statues stand approximately 18 meters high, including the base.
Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahari - Our final stop will be the terrace temple complex of Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut, an ancient Egyptian queen of the 18th dynasty, reigned from 1479 to 1458 BC. Her spouse was Thutmoses II. The name Hatshepsut means “The first of the noble women who embraced Amun.” The entire temple is constructed of limestone and is the best-preserved temple on the west bank in Thebes. At around 4:00 p.m., we will begin our return journey, bringing you back to your hotel with wonderful and memorable experiences.

What's Included

Private transportation
Tour guide by an Egyptologist
Visit to the Karnak Temple in East Thebes
Visit to 3 burial chambers in the Valley of the Kings in Thebes West
All entrance fees for the activities mentioned in the process
Lunch
All services and local taxes
Colossi of Memnon in Thebes West
Temple of Queen Hatshepsut in Thebes West

What's Not Included

Gratuities
Drinks in the restaurant
Any additions that are not mentioned in the process
Personal expenses

Location

Temple of Karnak

Karnak,

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

5.0

(64 Ratings)

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1 star

Gleexs

May 22, 2024

A true experience - The trip was a dream from start to finish! We were picked up by our drivers Halil and Walid at the agreed time in the hotel lobby and then our journey began early in the morning towards Luxor. We were given a very warm welcome and the day's schedule was explained to us in very good German. The two of them drove very calmly and with foresight, so that we were able to get some sleep without worrying. Every 1.5 - 2 hours we took a short break at gas stations/rest areas with decent toilets. During the drive to Luxor, our driver Halil explained a lot of what we were about to see, told us about Egypt and daily life. He really had a feel for what we found interesting and what we wanted to hear more about. When we arrived in Luxor, our tour guide Mohamed joined us. He also introduced himself in very good German and immediately seemed very personable. He then led us through the amazing sights for the rest of the day and explained everything with a lot of expertise and a bit of humor. He kept us away from the huge tour groups and often told us something in a shady spot, as it was already very hot in places. Overall, the trip in the small tour group was well worth it and we didn't regret the small extra cost compared to mass tourism with a tour bus. Everyone looked after us very well, constantly offered us cool water and soft drinks and the lunch in Luxor was also very tasty. Thank you very much :)