Highlights
- Interesting sights are waiting to be visited on your private day tour to Luxor
- The mortuary temple of Pharaoh Ramses III in Medinet Habu is one of the most important sights in Luxor
- Experience the historical attractions of ancient Egyptian temples and the sight of the imposing statues
- The main areas of the mortuary temple of Pharaoh Ramses III. in Medinet Habu still bear witness to the former splendor of the entire temple complex
- The Karnak Temple is one of the important ancient Egyptian sights of the city of the same name
- Learn more about the famous expedition to Punt in the huge terrace temple of Hatshepsut
- The Valley of the Kings is the most famous cemetery from the time of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom
- Take a trip on the Nile where you can relax your feet while the banks of the Nile leisurely pass you by
Description
Luxor should be seen. Spend an unforgettable day in Luxor during your vacation in Marsa Alam. Discover the wealth of ancient secret treasures, relics, and monuments to which Luxor owes its nickname “the largest open-air museum in the world”. Accompanied by your private guide, see the following highlights on your tour:
● Karnak Temple is the largest temple complex in contiguous Egypt
The Karnak Temple is the largest complex in Egypt and testifies to the immortality of the pharaohs with columns up to 40 meters high. Outstanding among the ruins is the Temple of Amun-Re with its ten pylons. The oldest building remains of the temple still visible today come from the 12th dynasty under Sesostris I. The temple complex was expanded and rebuilt again and again until the Roman Empire. You can still see some color on the pillars - everything used to be colorful here! It is hard to imagine how gorgeous it must have looked back then. The total area of the temple is about 30 hectares. In addition to the pylons, the large pillared hall, which was started by Haremhab and completed under Sethos I and Ramses II, is particularly impressive. The pillars symbolize the papyrus that grew out of the swamp around the primeval hill, which rose from the primeval flood. This means the beginning of creation. The temple complex has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the Theban necropolis since 1979.
● Admire the Medinet Habu mortuary temple of Ramses III. in West Thebes
The mortuary temple of Ramses III. is the largest surviving mortuary temple in Thebes West. The monumental complex of Medinet Habu includes the temple of Pharaoh Ramses III. and is still very well preserved today; especially the decoration in many parts of the temple. In ancient times, Medinet Habu could be reached via an impressive landing stage where ships moored that came up from the Nile via canals. Behind it followed the newly created entrance on the east side, the so-called "High Gate". Excavations have revealed traces of an entire city from the Pharaohs' time, which expanded around the entire Pharaoh's palace - and this temple is on the west side of the Nile, preferably as the realm of the dead of the Egyptians was valid.
● Visit the only large cemetery for the pharaohs, the Valley of the Kings
Only a few kilometers away from Thebes, the pharaohs built their new city of the dead, the Valley of the Kings. Adventurers and archaeologists have roamed the Valley of the Kings for almost 300 years. But the famous royal cemetery still reveals great secrets - for example, which mortals were allowed to accompany the godlike pharaohs into the afterlife. Almost all of the pharaohs who ruled Egypt between 1504 and 1070 BC were buried here. The pharaohs had their tombs built deep into the rocks to make their treasures safer from thieves. The elongated, narrow graves were carved into the mountain wall.
● Visit the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut in the rock face of Deir el-Bahari, the only female ruler of ancient Egypt
The next point on our excursion leads us to the mortuary temple of the impressive pharaoh Hatshepsut, the only Egyptian queen. As a pharaoh, she completed the mortuary temple in Deir el-Bahari next to the burial temple Mentuhotep II in 15 years of construction and had numerous buildings carried out in the Amun temple in Karnak. Construction of one of the most impressive temples of Egyptian civilization began shortly after she was appointed queen. A temple of her husband Thutmose II must have already stood on the spot, which she had extended in a generous and imposing manner. Hatshepsut ruled from 1479 to 1457 BC, that is for 22 years. The temple hugs the huge rock wall. With its timeless design, it could still serve as a template for a modern building today.
● Another impressive sight on your day tour of Luxor are the Colossi of Memnon
For millennia, the two monumental 18 m high sculptures of the Colossi of Memnon have guarded the entrance to the Valley of the Kings. Originally they stood in front of the first pylon of the mortuary temple, which was made of adobe bricks. The mortuary temple of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. was once the largest in Egypt and was located in West Thebes. He was born between 1385 and 1351 BC. Built-in BC. The temple area was enclosed by a brick wall 8.5 meters thick and around 700 meters long. Given the size of the temple complex, unfortunately, little of it remains. Since the temple was mostly made of adobe bricks, it fell into disrepair relatively quickly.
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.
Inclusions
- English-speaking guide
- Personal guidance
- Entrance fee to the above-mentioned attractions
- Felucca Ride on the Nile
- Lunch at a local restaurant in Luxor
- Roundtrip transportation from and to your hotel in Marsa Alam in a private car or minivan
Exclusions
- Any Extras not mentioned in the itinerary
Additional Info
- Tour type: private guided tour
- Pickup time: at around 05.00 am
- Arrival in Luxor: at around 09.00 am
- Return to Marsa Alam: at around 08.00 pm
- Meeting / Ending point: your hotel
Good to know
- The private day tour to Luxor consists only of participants who book the trip together.
- The private tour is based on a minimum number of 2 participants. Should the minimum number of participants not be reached, we will offer to operate the trip with a cost supplement.
- Children's price: Age 5 - 10