The West Bankالضفة الغربية
- Valley of the Kings — sixty-odd royal tombs, three included on a standard ticket, with Seti I and Ramses VI worth the supplements. Full guide.
- Deir el-Bahari — Hatshepsut's terraced mortuary temple built into the cliff face. Spectacular from a distance, hot up close.
- Medinet Habu — Ramses III's mortuary temple, with some of the best-preserved painted relief in Egypt and a fraction of the visitors.
- Valley of the Queens — for Nefertari's tomb when it's open: the finest painted space in the country, separately ticketed at a high price with a short time limit inside.
- Colossi of Memnon — two seated giants beside the road, five minutes and worth it.
- Deir el-Medina — the village where the tomb builders lived, with their own small, brilliantly decorated tombs.
The East Bankالضفة الشرقية
- Karnak — the largest religious complex ever built, added to over two thousand years. Go early. Full guide.
- Luxor Temple — in the middle of the modern city, and best after dark when it's lit. Full guide.
- Luxor Museum — small, immaculately presented, usually empty. One of the best museum hours in Egypt.
- Mummification Museum — compact and oddly compelling.
- The souk — behind Luxor Temple, busiest in the evening.
On and above the riverعلى النيل وفوقه
| Sunrise balloon | Over the West Bank as the sun comes up. The signature Luxor experience. Details. |
|---|---|
| Felucca at sunset | Cheap, slow, and the best hour of the day on the water. |
| Banana Island | A short motorboat trip upriver, mostly an excuse to be on the Nile. |
| Local ferry | Crosses to the West Bank for a few pounds alongside commuters and bicycles. |
| Best months | October to April. Summer regularly exceeds 40°C and the West Bank has no shade. |
Common questionsأسئلة شائعة
What is Luxor famous for?
Being ancient Thebes — the Valley of the Kings, Karnak, Luxor Temple and the mortuary temples of the West Bank. It holds a large share of all surviving ancient Egyptian monuments.
How many days should I spend in Luxor?
Two full days for the main sites, three if you want Medinet Habu, the Valley of the Queens or a day trip to Dendera and Abydos.
Is Karnak or Luxor Temple better?
Karnak for scale — nothing else compares. Luxor Temple for atmosphere, particularly after dark when it's floodlit. See both; they're twenty minutes apart.
What's the best free thing to do in Luxor?
The local ferry across the Nile, which costs almost nothing and puts you among commuters rather than tourists. The souk behind Luxor Temple in the evening is the other.