Private Day Trip to Luxor and Valley of the Kings from Makadi Bay

Highlights

• Immerse yourself in the world of the pharaohs on this private guided day tour to Luxor
• The Valley of the Kings is a huge cemetery of the pharaohs
• Theben-West is one of the largest and most important archaeological ensembles in the world
• The Valley of the Kings is a necropolis of ancient Egypt in which 64 graves have been found to date
• The huge terraced temple of Hatshepsut with its imposing colonnades of statues grows majestically into the steep rock face
• The temple complex of Karnak is the most important place of worship of ancient Thebes

Description

Our private guided day tour offers insights into the complex cultural history of ancient Egypt. Visit the most important sights and highlights of Luxor, probably the largest and most important temple complex in Egypt in Karnak at the time of the pharaohs in the heart of the city. Marvel at the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut in Deir El-Bahari, one of the most impressive cultural monuments of ancient Egypt and was the only female pharaoh built-in history.

Other destinations are the Colossi of Memnon, stone statues over 20 meters high that have been preserved between the remains of the Amenhotep III mortuary temple in West Thebes. Then visit the Valley of the Kings, which is located in Thebes-West, on the edge of the desert and is home to what is probably the most famous necropolis of the New Kingdom. And so that the tour does not only consist of culture and is a little loosened up, take a boat tour on the Nile in one of the traditional Nile boats.

Detailed information:
● Valley of the Kings
When Thebes became the capital of the unified Pharaonic Empire at the beginning of the 18th dynasty, the kings also had their tombs built here; no longer in the shape of a pyramid, but as rock graves in a hidden valley in the western mountains. But the pyramid, which was the symbol of the immortal God-King, was not completely abandoned, because the almost 500 m high mountain peak Al-Qurn towers over the world-famous Valley of the Kings like a natural pyramid. For almost 500 years, from the 18th to the 20th dynasty, the pharaohs were buried here. Of the over 60 graves, 25 are royal tombs.

● Karnak temple
Once the religious center of a world empire, today Karnak is a gigantic archaeological site with an overwhelming abundance of individual buildings. For 2000 years - from the Middle Kingdom to Ptolemaic times - all the great pharaohs built temples, chapels and monuments here, repeatedly carried out restorations, and additions and modifications.

● Colossi of Memnon
The Colossi of Memnon are among the most impressive sights in the Nile Valley and embody the impressive high culture of ancient Egypt. The two quartzite colossi represent King Amenophis III. sitting on a throne with his hands on his knees. The Colossi of Memnon used to be only a tiny part of a huge temple complex of King Amenophis III. Unfortunately, the great temple of Kom El Hetan was mostly made of mud bricks and was also in the flood zone of the Nile. For this reason, little remains of the once huge complex.

● Hatshepsut temple
The mortuary temple of Hatshepsut dates from the 18th dynasty and is the best-preserved temple in Deir el-Bahari on the west bank of the Nile in Thebes. The temple is atypical for the ancient Egyptian construction method and it is laid out in the form of a terrace; a wide ramp for a total of 3 terrace levels, which are characterized by the magnificent column facades. Its idiosyncratic architecture is outstanding. The pylons have been replaced by open pillar halls at the beginning of each terrace. From then on, Hatshepsut was depicted with all the insignia of royal dignity on temples and buildings. To underpin her rule, she had it chiseled into her buildings that she was begotten by the imperial god Amun. The reign of Pharaoh Hatshepsut is judged to be a flourishing epoch. Today it is considered to be one of the heydays of Egyptian history. Now, Egyptologists consider Hatshepsut to be one of the most important rulers of the New Kingdom. Ancient Egypt experienced a long period of peace and economic boom under her reign.

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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