Luxor Day Tour: Valley of the Kings & Karnak Temple

Valley of the Kings and four major temples in one day from the Red Sea coast

A private day tour from El Quseir to Luxor with your own Egyptologist guide, visiting the Valley of the Kings (burial site of pharaohs including Tutankhamen and Ramses II), Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon and Karnak Temple, the world's largest ancient religious site. The tour includes round-trip private transfer by air-conditioned car, lunch in Luxor, bottled water and an hour on a traditional felucca sailboat on the Nile in the late afternoon. Your guide speaks English, French, Arabic or Dutch, and the itinerary can be adjusted on request. You can swap Karnak for Luxor Temple or spend extra time in the souq if you prefer.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Valley of the Kings3h · entry included
2. Temple of Hatshepsut1h · entry included
3. Colossi of Memnon30m
4. Karnak Temple3h · entry included

Full day Luxor sightseeing tour

• Depart hotel at 5 am by private taxi
• Arrive in Luxor around 9:30 am
• Cross Nile to West Bank
• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Visit Hatshepsut Temple
• See Colossi of Memnon
• Visit Karnak Temple around noon
• Relax on traditional faluka boat
• Optional shopping or explore Luxor
• Return to hotel by 9 pm

The Experience

The day starts early: pickup at 5 am from your hotel, then a four-and-a-half-hour drive west across the desert to Luxor. You arrive around 9:30 am and cross the Nile to the West Bank, where your private guide takes you through the Valley of the Kings. The tombs here held Egypt's rulers from the 18th to 20th dynasty, stocked with goods for the afterlife. The decoration inside many tombs remains well preserved. You'll see the burial chambers of Tutankhamen and Ramses II among others, each one a window into how the pharaohs prepared for eternity.

From there you move to the Temple of Hatshepsut, built on three levels with two wide ramps connecting them: one of Ancient Egypt's best-preserved temples. Next is the Colossi of Memnon, two massive quartzite sandstone statues of King Amenhotep III that are all that remain of his mortuary temple. The blocks were quarried in Cairo and moved 700 kilometers to Luxor. Around noon you reach Karnak Temple, the largest ancient religious site in the world, where you spend time exploring its scale and detail with your guide.

In the late afternoon, you board a traditional felucca for an hour on the Nile, watching rural life along the riverbank from the water. If time allows, you can browse Luxor's souq for souvenirs or walk around central Luxor on your own. At 5:30 pm your driver collects you for the return journey, arriving back at your hotel by 9 pm. Lunch is included in Luxor. Drinks at the restaurant are separate.

What’s included

• Round-trip private transfer in an air-conditioned car from your hotel.
• qualified Egyptologist guide for the full day.
• entry to Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon and Karnak Temple.
• lunch in Luxor.
• bottled water.
• one-hour felucca ride on the Nile in the late afternoon.

Days and timesNo departures until 4 Jun 2027

Ages12 to 90 years · 2 to 11 years

Meeting point and pickupPickup optional · ends where it starts8 pickup points to choose from.Meeting point, per the operator: “We pick up all the travelers”

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

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Excursies Egypte-Day Tours

Is this one for you?The tour departs at 5 am and involves a full day of driving and walking through open-air archaeological sites in the heat, with entry to multiple temples and tombs. It suits travelers comfortable with an early start, several hours in a car, and sustained walking and climbing through ancient monuments. The private guide and flexible itinerary let you set the pace at each stop.

Traveler reviews

4.70★★★★★★★★★★

10 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, French, Arabic and Dutch.

Can children come?

2 to 11 years.

What exactly is the Valley of the Kings and what will I see there?

The Valley of the Kings is the final resting place of Egypt's pharaohs from the 18th to 20th dynasty, including the famous boy pharaoh Tutankhamen and the great Ramses II. The tombs were filled with material goods for the rulers' journey to the afterlife, and much of the decoration inside the tombs remains well preserved today.

How long is the drive from El Quseir to Luxor?

The drive takes around four and a half hours each way by private air-conditioned car. You leave at 5 am and arrive in Luxor around 9:30 am, then return to your hotel by 9 pm.

Can I change the itinerary if I want to see different sites?

Yes. The operator is happy to make adjustments where possible, for example, you can visit Luxor Temple instead of Karnak, or spend more time in the souq or exploring central Luxor on your own.

Is lunch included, and what about drinks?

Lunch in Luxor is included in the tour price. Drinks at the restaurant are not included and are paid separately.

What is a felucca and when do I get to sail on one?

A felucca is a traditional wooden sailboat used on the Nile for centuries. In the late afternoon, you spend an hour on one, relaxing while you watch the rural life and landscape along the river bank.