2-Day Luxor Tour from Safaga: Valley of the Kings & Karnak

A stay in Luxor means you walk inside the tombs instead of watching them from a distance.

A 2-day overnight tour from Safaga port to Luxor with round-trip private transport, one night in a 5-star hotel with breakfast, professional Egyptologist guide, and meals at local restaurants. Day one covers Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple. Day two takes you through the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Colossi of Memnon before returning to Safaga.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Luxor exploration

• Arrive in Luxor
• Visit Karnak Temple
• Have lunch at local restaurant
• Explore Luxor Temple
• Check in to hotel
• Free time or optional felucca ride

Day 2: West Bank tour and return

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Explore Temple of Hatshepsut
• See Colossi of Memnon
• Lunch at handpicked restaurant
• Return to Safaga

The experience

The tour leaves Safaga and arrives in Luxor for your first afternoon at Karnak Temple, the largest religious complex ever built. You walk through massive halls, stand among towering columns, and read inscriptions carved by ancient rulers. After lunch at a local restaurant, you move to Luxor Temple, which sits on the same ceremonial road that connected it to Karnak thousands of years ago. The afternoon light hits the temple's stone as you explore its courtyards and pylons. That evening you check into your hotel with time to rest or wander the city on your own. A felucca ride on the Nile is available if you want it.

Day two starts before dawn. Breakfast comes first, then the Valley of the Kings, where you step into elaborately decorated burial chambers and see wall paintings and hieroglyphs still vivid after millennia. The Temple of Hatshepsut rises from the cliffs next: an architectural feat built by a female pharaoh who broke tradition. Its grand terraces and carved reliefs stand as a record of her reign. You stop at the Colossi of Memnon, two massive statues that have guarded this stretch of the Nile for over three thousand years. A final lunch at a handpicked restaurant precedes the drive back to Safaga, giving you time to sit with what you've seen.

Transport is private and air-conditioned throughout. Your guide is a professional Egyptologist who speaks your language and shapes the pace so you see both the major sites and the details that bring them alive. Bottled water travels with you, entry fees are covered, and the hotel provides a bed and breakfast so you're not managing logistics on your own time.

What’s included

• Round-trip private air-conditioned transport from Safaga Port.
• one night in a comfortable 5-star hotel with breakfast.
• professional Egyptologist guide for both days.
• entry fees to all sites.
• lunch on both days at selected local restaurants.
• bottled water during the tours.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• personalized assistance throughout the journey.

Information

Lasts 2d, runs every day, 9 start times, from US$ 650 per person, with live guides in 8 languages, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day9 departure times: 06:00, 06:30, 07:00, 07:30, 08:00, 08:30, 09:00, 09:30 and 10:00Another time? ›

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 to 90 years) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Infant (under 6): free

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by CRUISE ERA

Is this one for you?Your guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and several other languages, so you can book in whichever one you speak at home and follow the commentary without translation delays or gaps.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What exactly is inside the tombs in the Valley of the Kings?

The Valley of the Kings holds elaborately decorated burial chambers where pharaohs were entombed. Inside, vivid wall paintings and hieroglyphic inscriptions cover the walls, telling stories of the dead and their journey to the afterlife. Each tomb is unique in its design and decoration, and your guide walks you through them to explain what the carvings mean.

Is there time to explore Luxor on my own, or is it all guided?

The tour mixes guided exploration with personal time. Your first evening in Luxor includes free time to wander the city at your own pace, and an optional felucca ride on the Nile can be arranged if you want it. The major sites (Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon) are covered with your guide.

How long does it take to drive from Safaga to Luxor?

The drive from Safaga to Luxor takes several hours each way. You travel in a private air-conditioned vehicle, so the journey is comfortable. The return to Safaga happens on day two after your final lunch, giving you time to reflect on the sites as you drive back to the port.

What is the Temple of Hatshepsut and why is it special?

The Temple of Hatshepsut is an architectural masterpiece carved into the cliffs on the west bank of the Nile. It was built by Hatshepsut, a female pharaoh who ruled Egypt and defied the traditions of her time. The temple's grand terraces and intricate carvings make it one of the most distinctive monuments in Luxor, and it stands as a record of her remarkable legacy.