Luxor Day Tour from Safaga: King Tut's Tomb & Karnak Temple

Four temples, two colossi, and the tomb of a boy king: all in one day from the Red Sea

A full-day tour from Safaga Port to Luxor's major sites (Karnak Temple, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, and Colossi of Memnon) with a private Egyptologist guide, round-trip air-conditioned transfers, and Egyptian lunch. The 3-hour drive each way means you spend the middle of the day at the monuments themselves, moving between sites with expert narration that connects each one to the pharaohs who built it. A professional guide in your chosen language and all entry fees (in one option) are included. Gratuities are optional.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Karnak Temple1h 30m
2. Valley of the Kings2h
3. Tomb of Tutankhamun30m · entry included
4. Temple of Hatshepsut1h
5. Colossi of Memnon30m

Explore Luxor's iconic landmarks

• Meet guide at Safaga Port
• Drive 3 hours to Luxor
• Visit Karnak Temple Complex
• Enjoy Egyptian lunch in Luxor
• Explore Valley of the Kings tombs
• Visit Tomb of Tutankhamun
• Tour Temple of Hatshepsut
• See Colossi of Memnon statues
• Drive back to Safaga Port

The experience

How do you fit Luxor's greatest monuments into a single day when you're docked at Safaga? The answer is a 3-hour drive inland, a guide who knows the stories behind the stones, and a schedule that starts early. You meet your guide at the port, settle into an air-conditioned vehicle, and cross the desert while your guide talks through the rise and fall of Thebes, the ancient name for this region, and the pharaohs who made it the religious heart of Egypt.

Karnak Temple comes first: not one building but a sprawling complex of courtyards, pylons, and the Hypostyle Hall, a forest of 134 columns carved with hieroglyphs so fine you can trace them with your fingertips. Your guide walks you through how each ruler from the Middle Kingdom onward added to it, so the temple itself is a timeline of ambition. After lunch at a local restaurant, you move to the Valley of the Kings, where you step inside royal tombs, including Tutankhamun's, and see the Book of the Dead painted on the walls in colors that have survived three thousand years. The Temple of Hatshepsut, built for Egypt's female pharaoh, rises in three terraces against the cliffs at Deir el-Bahari. On the way back to the port, you stop at the Colossi of Memnon, two statues taller than a house that have stood in the same spot for over three millennia.

The whole day runs about 12 and a half hours from port to port. Your guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language you choose at booking. The vehicle is private or small-group, so you're not competing for the guide's attention with a busload of strangers. Lunch and transfers are included. Entrance fees are included in one option and not in the other, so check which one you're buying before you book.

What’s included

• Round-trip air-conditioned transfer from Safaga Port.
• private or small-group Egyptologist guide in your choice of language.
• entry to Karnak Temple, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Colossi of Memnon (in one option).
• Egyptian lunch at a local restaurant.
• all taxes and charges.

Options for this experience

2 options

Includes transfer, guide and lunchGuide in 5 languages · 06:00, 07:00 and 08:00Pickup is included

Transfer+Guide+Lunch+TicketsGuide in 5 languages · 06:00, 07:00 and 08:00Pickup is included, plus entrance fees to all sites

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 06:00, 07:00 and 08:00

Book up to12h before

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

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 33 pickup points.

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

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Paid on siteUS$ 50

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Saray El-Nile

Is this one for you?Book this if your ship docks for a full day and you want one guide shepherding you through all four major temples in sequence, rather than joining separate groups at each site.

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 11 years); Infant (under 6): free.

Can I do this tour if my ship only stays in Safaga for a few hours?

The tour takes 12 and a half hours total, including the 3-hour drive each way. If your port time is shorter than that, this tour won't fit. Check your ship's departure time before booking.

What is inside King Tut's tomb that makes it so famous?

Tutankhamun's tomb held over 5,000 treasures when it was discovered in 1922, including his golden mask. You'll see the painted walls inside the tomb itself, which show scenes from the Book of the Dead and depict what the ancient Egyptians believed happened after death.

Is the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak Temple really as big as it sounds?

The Hypostyle Hall at Karnak contains 134 columns, many of them taller than a house, carved with hieroglyphs and arranged so densely that walking through feels like moving through a stone forest. Your guide will explain how it was built and what each section meant to the priests who worshipped there.

Do I need to be fit to walk around these temples all day?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You'll be walking at the temples and inside tombs, but your guide sets the pace and you can rest whenever you need to. The vehicle is air-conditioned and lunch is included, so you have breaks built in.

What's the difference between the two ticket options at checkout?

One option includes entrance fees to all the sites. The other does not. Both include the guide, transfers, and lunch. Decide which one suits your budget before you book.