Highlights
- Go on a private guided sightseeing tour to Luxor and explore Egyptian history
- Take a trip back in time to ancient Egyptian civilization and the era of the pharaohs
- The mortuary temple of Ramses III. is located within an enclosure wall of a temple complex in Medinet Habu
- Drive to West Thebes, the famous Valley of the Kings, where 64 tombs have been found
- Numerous graves, statues, and of course the great temples represent breathtakingly the model of the world in ancient Egypt
- Karnak is the largest temple complex in Egypt and was rightly declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO
- The huge terraced temple of Hatshepsut with imposing colonnades of statues
Description
Experience the most famous and important sights of Luxor on this private day tour. Let yourself be picked up from your hotel in Sahl Hasheesh and set off on a private guided discovery tour to the most remarkable ancient Egyptian sites in Luxor. Accompanied by your personal guide, see the following highlights on your tour:
● The Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings has seen a lot in its infinitely long history and despite the threat of climate change and host of visitors, archaeologists and workers, it has hardly lost any of its almost mystical charisma and fascination. The rugged cliffs, towered over by El-Qurn mountain, the pyramid-shaped peak that makes the valley visible from afar, the deep cuts in the side valleys, the merciless heat, and the complete absence of any vegetation leave lasting impressions of the incomparable fascination of the royal tombs not to mention. Great and powerful rulers have been with the valley from the very beginning: Ramses, Sethos, Thutmose, and Tutankhamun.
● Hatshepsut Temple
The Hatshepsut Temple is located in Deir el Bahari. No woman in ancient Egypt was as powerful and controversial as the pharaoh Hatshepsut, who ascended to rulership 3500 years ago. She immortalized herself with her monumental “Temple of Millions of Years” in Deir el Bahari - wide open to the Nile and with her back to the Valley of the Kings. Hatshepsut ruled Egypt for 20 years, roughly from 1479 to 1458 BC, and probably died in 1457 BC. The temple is very prominent in its construction because it extends over two terraces against the backdrop of rock growing into the sky and seems to have merged with it.
● Karnak Temple
In Karnak on the east bank of the Nile, where ancient Thebes once lay, you can still see and walk through the remains of a huge temple area today. Both today's Thebes East and Thebes West with their numerous ancient Egyptian buildings are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is the largest temple complex that has ever been built by humans and represents the joint effort of many generations of old builders. The series of kings with the names Amenhotep, Thutmose, Ramses, and Setoy, but also Akhenaten, Hatshepsut, and Tut-Anch-Amun belong to it. In the area, there are several pylons, huge gateways that consist of two towers with walls and a passage in the middle. The largest is 113 meters wide, 43 meters high, and 15 meters thick. There are countless corridors and courtyards in the complex.
● Medinet Habu mortuary temple of Ramses III. in West Thebes
Medinet Habu is a temple complex that was built by Pharaoh Ramses III. The complex is part of the old necropolis of Thebes West on the West Bank of Luxor. The temple is dedicated to the god Amun. Through the Migdol, a fortification tower that gives the complex military paintwork that is rare in Egypt, you get to the temple of Ramses III. It was certainly no coincidence that Ramses III. Medinet Habu chose this site for the construction of his "House of Millions of Years" (as the mortuary temples are called). Many paintings have retained their splendor of color, the hieroglyphics seem to have been hammered into the walls and columns only yesterday.
● The Colossi of Memnon
The Colossi of Memnon are two ancient Egyptian colossal statues from the 14th century BC. The statues, including the platforms (plinths) on which they stand, are still around 18 meters high today. With the crowns, the total height of both statues was originally 21 meters. The feet of the statues were 2 meters long and 1 meter wide.
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 Sahl Hasheesh in a private car or minivan
Exclusions
- Any Extras not mentioned in the itinerary
Additional Info
- Tour type: private guided tour
- Pick-up time: at around 05.30 am
- Arrival in Luxor: at around 09.00 am
- Return to Sahl Hasheesh: 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