Luxor day trip from Hurghada: Sunrise balloon and four temples

Float above the Nile at sunrise, then walk through royal tombs and temple ruins.

A full-day tour from Hurghada to Luxor combines a sunrise hot air balloon flight over the Nile and ancient temples with guided visits to Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, and Karnak Temple. The day starts with midnight pickup, breakfast before the balloon launch, and ends after lunch and sightseeing, with return transport to Hurghada included. A professional Egyptologist guide leads all temple visits in your chosen language.

Step-by-step itinerary

Luxor day trip with hot air balloon

• Pickup from Hurghada hotel
• Breakfast at local restaurant
• Sunrise hot air balloon flight
• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Visit Temple of Hatshepsut
• Photo stop at Colossi of Memnon
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Visit Karnak Temple
• Drive back to Hurghada

Stops and time spent at each 7 stops

1. Hurghada 5h
2. Valley of the Kings Entry included 2h
3. Temple of Hatshepsut Entry included 1h
4. Colossi of Memnon 15m
5. Luxor 1h
6. Karnak Temple Entry included 1h
7. Hurghada 4h

What’s included

• Breakfast before the balloon flight.
• sunrise hot air balloon ride.
• lunch at a local restaurant.
• air-conditioned transportation from Hurghada and return.
• all entrance tickets to Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon and Karnak Temple.
• professional Egyptologist guide.

Times

• Every day No fixed time

Information

Luxor day trip from Hurghada featuring a sunrise hot air balloon over the Nile, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, and Karnak Temple with an Egyptologist guide.

Group Up to 30 4 similar private tours ›

Live guide English, Spanish, French, German and Italian Another language? ›

Meeting point and pickup Hotel pickup included. See the pickup points

Book up to 1d before

Ages Adult (11 to 90 years) · Child (6 to 10 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

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

Good to know

Low physical effort Not recommended during pregnancy Not recommended with heart problems Not recommended with back problems

More information The pickup points, the operator’s instructions and every other detail are in the full listing. See the full listing

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The experience

The day begins at midnight with pickup from your Hurghada hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle. After breakfast at a local restaurant in Luxor, you transfer to the balloon launch site to float above the Nile as the sun rises, watching the river, temples, desert and green fields emerge in the morning light. Once you land, your guide meets you to begin the sightseeing portion of the day.

Valley of the Kings comes first: you enter selected royal tombs to see vivid hieroglyphics and ancient wall paintings that have survived millennia inside the burial chambers of pharaohs. From there you visit Temple of Hatshepsut, built against the limestone cliffs of Deir el-Bahari and ranked among Egypt's most remarkable monuments. A stop at Colossi of Memnon lets you photograph the two massive statues of Amenhotep III that have stood on Luxor's west bank for centuries. After lunch at a local restaurant, you cross to the east bank for Karnak Temple, the largest temple complex in Egypt, where giant columns and a sacred lake anchor the extraordinary ancient architecture.

The return drive to Hurghada gives you time to rest after a 15- to 16-hour day. The tour runs as a shared group with a live guide speaking English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language you select at booking. Children from age 6 are welcome.

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). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

What is the Valley of the Kings and what will I see inside the tombs?

Valley of the Kings is the burial place of ancient Egyptian pharaohs, carved into the desert west of Luxor. You enter selected royal tombs decorated with vivid hieroglyphics and ancient wall paintings that reveal scenes of the afterlife and the pharaohs' journeys.

Does the hot air balloon flight happen if the weather is bad?

The sunrise balloon flight is weather-dependent and may be rescheduled or cancelled if conditions are unsafe. The operator will confirm the flight status before your departure from Hurghada.

How early do I need to wake up for this tour?

Pickup from your Hurghada hotel is at midnight, so you'll need to be ready to leave well before dawn. The early start allows you to reach Luxor, have breakfast, and launch the balloon at sunrise.

What is Karnak Temple like compared to other temples in Egypt?

Karnak Temple is Egypt's largest temple complex and stands out for its massive columns, sacred lake, and the sheer scale of its ancient architecture. It occupies a much larger area than most other temples and showcases the grandeur of ancient Egyptian construction.

Are there any health restrictions I should know about before booking?

The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnant travelers, or those with poor cardiovascular health. The balloon flight and full day of walking and sightseeing require a reasonable level of physical fitness, though the tour is suitable for all fitness levels otherwise.

Operated by Legacy Tour. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.

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