VIP Day Trip from Soma Bay to Luxor in a Private Vehicle

Highlights

• Go on a private sightseeing tour to Luxor and explore Egyptian history
• Immerse yourself in the history of the pharaonic empire and discover numerous monuments of ancient Egypt
• Visit the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut, a very well preserved temple with idiosyncratic architecture
• Medinet Habu belongs to the old necropolis of Thebes-West and has a large mortuary temple of Ramses III.
• Marvel at the decorations in the Medinet Habu Temple
• A visit to the temple complex of Karnak, with its amazingly well-preserved statues and walls decorated in relief, illustrates life in the time of the ancient pharaohs
• Visit the Valley of the Kings with the resting places of the powerful pharaohs of the New Kingdom

Description

There are many famous and must-see monuments in Luxor, such as the Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings. You will experience both on this private guided day tour. Your personal guide will take you on a unique sightseeing tour to the most impressive and interesting destinations of the city far away from the classic sights and tourist trails.

The excursion at a glance:
● Explore the Valley of the Kings
The so-called Valley of the Kings is located in Thebes-West and is one of the most famous and most visited necropolises from the Pharaonic times. The Valley of the Kings is home to the most magnificent and mysterious cemetery in the world. In this long-dried-up river valley, Egyptian workers worked under the scorching desert sun in the second millennium BC. Tombs of fascinating beauty and awe-inspiring size carved into the rock!

● Marvel at the magnificent temple of Queen Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut was a New Kingdom pharaoh in the 18th Dynasty. Unique to the ancient Egyptian temple construction is the straightness of the architecture, which clearly sets itself apart from the rocky landscape in the valley of Deir el-Bahari. Pharaoh Hatshepsut ruled the country for about 20 years until her stepson took over and became one of the most important pharaohs of all. She did not fight a single war during her reign. Egypt became prosperous under her rule. Scenes from a trip to Punt, which you can see on the left side of the second platform, document this impressively. Hatshepsut's Temple is just one of the archaeological marvels of the Theban Necropolis and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

● Visit the gigantic and most influential temple complex of Karnak
The village of Karnak is located on the eastern bank of the Nile. Here you will find an ancient temple complex from the 12th dynasty under Sesostris from 1845/44 to 1837 BC. Chr. The temple of Karnak is arguably the largest religious complex in the world. The temple of Karnak is not just one temple, but several temple complexes. Here the gods Amun and Re were worshiped. At the same time, the temple complex served as a self-presentation for the pharaohs. This temple complex was built over 2000 years. The temple was never completely finished, each ruler added different elements. The most important structures are the Amun temple, a pillared hall made of 134 columns, and several obelisks. The Amun Temple was the religious center of its time.

● Medinet Habu mortuary temple of Ramses III. in West Thebes
In the south of the necropolis in Thebes-West lies the monumental temple complex of Medinet Habu with the mortuary temple of Ramses III. from the 20th dynasty. As with all royal tombs, there are also chapels of the Adorers of Amun, small temples that are decorated with sacrificial scenes. The outer and inner walls of the entire temple bear depictions (once painted in splendid colors), some with iconic content such as from the king's campaigns, as well as generously composed hunting reliefs. Many parts in Medinet Habu are very well preserved, e.g. the scene in which Ramses sacrifices Amun, surrounded by symbols of royalty and life.

● The Colossi of Memnon are of course also worth a visit
The around 1370 BC 20 m high seated figures erected in BC represent the pharaoh Amenophis III and guarded his mortuary temple. The two colossi weigh around 1000 tons and there are hardly any remains of the temple. The impressive guardians who once stood at the entrance to the temple of Amenhotep III. stand, represent the king sitting on a throne, and are said to have survived an earthquake in the year 27. BC. Chr.

Annotation:
- Not all graves are open to the public. Some of the graves are permanently closed, while others may be closed for restoration purposes. In the Valley of the Kings, you can visit 2 to 3 graves

- If you want to see the resting place of Tut Ench Amuns, you have to pay an additional entrance ticket.

- There is now a complete ban on photos for the entire Valley of the Kings. Cameras have to be handed in when entering and are only given again when leaving.

- With the purchase of a video ticket for EGP 300, you can take photos/videography in one grave per ticket. An exception is the grave of Seti I. Tickets are only available at the ticket booth near the Colossi of Memnon, not on site. All graves now have an explanation at the grave entrance on a modern and informative board about the history, architecture, and decoration.

- Basic plans and important detailed recordings are presented. These tables were created with the support of the Theban Mapping Project by the Egyptian Antiquities Authority.

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