Luxor Tour: Valley of Kings, Hot Air Balloon & Nile Felucca

Two days of pharaonic monuments, a balloon flight at dawn, and a night on the river

This 2-day tour of Luxor covers the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Medinet Habu, Colossi of Memnon, Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple with a private English-speaking Egyptologist guide, private transport, a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the historical sites, and an overnight stay on a traditional felucca. Hotel pickup is available at an extra cost. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language depending on your choice at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: West Bank & Felucca Stay

• Pick-up from hotel
• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Explore Temple of Hatshepsut
• Visit Medinet Habu temple
• Admire Colossi of Memnon
• Transfer to felucca
• Lunch and tea on felucca
• Overnight on felucca

Day 2: Hot Air Balloon & East Bank

• Pick-up from hotel
• Hot air balloon ride over Luxor
• Return to felucca and collect luggage
• Visit Karnak Temple
• Visit Luxor Temple
• Transfer to hotel

The experience

Day one starts with pickup from your hotel and a drive to the Valley of the Kings, where 63 royal tombs are carved into the rock face. Your Egyptologist guide walks you through the burial chambers and explains the hieroglyphics and burial practices in detail. From there you move to the Temple of Hatshepsut, the mortuary temple of the queen who ruled as pharaoh, then to Medinet Habu, where the entrance gateway alone stands 63 meters wide and 22 meters tall, carved with images of Ramses III. The Colossi of Memnon (two massive stone statues that are all that remain of the Temple of Amenophis III) come next. By evening you board a traditional felucca, the wooden sailing boat that has carried travelers on the Nile for centuries. You spend the night aboard, with dinner and traditional Egyptian tea served while you watch the river and the desert beyond it.

Day two begins before sunrise with a hot air balloon flight that climbs to 1,500 feet above Luxor, giving you an aerial view of the temples and the Nile valley for 45 to 80 minutes. After landing, you return to the felucca to collect your luggage, then head to Karnak Temple, the largest temple complex in the world, built over centuries and dedicated to the god Amun and his divine family. Your guide walks you through the hypostyle hall and explains the scale and purpose of each section. The tour ends at Luxor Temple on the east bank, built by Amenhotep III and completed by Ramses II, before you are transferred back to your hotel.

All entrance fees, meals, and transport in a private air-conditioned vehicle are included. The guide is a professional Egyptologist who speaks your chosen language and can answer questions throughout both days. Bottled water is provided during the tours, and the felucca stay includes lunch, dinner and tea.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• professional Egyptologist guide in your chosen language.
• all entrance fees to the Valley of the Kings, temples and monuments.
• sunrise hot air balloon ride lasting 45 to 80 minutes.
• overnight stay on a traditional felucca.
• lunch, dinner and traditional Egyptian tea.
• bottled water during the tours.
• hotel pickup and drop-off (available at extra cost).

Options for this experience

2 options

With English Guide08:00Pickup is included

With a guide in another languageGuide in Spanish, French or German · 08:00Pickup is included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Lasts 2d, runs every day at 08:00, from US$ 302 per person, with live guides in 5 languages, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (11 to 60 years) · Child (6 to 10 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Nice tours

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to combine the west and east banks in one itinerary with a sunrise hot air balloon flight: the felucca overnight positions you for an early departure that wouldn't work on a same-day visit.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 10 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What is the Valley of the Kings and how many tombs are there?

The Valley of the Kings is the burial ground of pharaohs and nobles from ancient Thebes, with 63 royal tombs carved into the rock face. Your guide explains the hieroglyphics and burial practices inside the tombs you visit.

How high does the hot air balloon fly and how long is the flight?

The hot air balloon climbs to 1,500 feet above Luxor and stays aloft for 45 to 80 minutes, giving you an aerial view of the temples and the Nile valley at sunrise.

What is Karnak Temple and why is it significant?

Karnak Temple is the largest temple complex in the world, built over centuries and dedicated to the god Amun, his wife Mut, and their son Khonsu. It is considered the greatest example of worship in ancient history and covers an area so vast that it takes hours to walk through all of it.

What happens on the felucca overnight and what meals are included?

You spend the night aboard a traditional felucca sailing boat on the Nile. Lunch, dinner and traditional Egyptian tea are served while you rest and watch the river and desert landscape.

Is hotel pickup included in the price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off on the West Bank are available at an extra cost of $5 per person. You can add this option at checkout.