Luxor Day Trip from Hurghada: Valley of the Kings & Karnak Temple
Four millennia of temples and tombs in a single day from the Red Sea coast
A full-day tour from Hurghada to Luxor with a live Egyptologist guide, visiting the Colossi of Memnon, Temple of Hatshepsut, Valley of the Kings, and Karnak Temple. Hotel pickup begins early in the morning. The 290-kilometer drive takes 4.5 to 5 hours. Lunch at a local restaurant and all ground transport in an air-conditioned minivan are included. Depending on the option you choose, entrance fees to the attractions are either covered or left for you to arrange on-site.
Options for this experience
3 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Luxor sightseeing and return to Hurghada
- Pick up from hotel in Hurghada
- Drive to Luxor (4.5-5 hours)
- Visit Colossi of Memnon
- Visit Temple of Hatshepsut
- Visit Colossi of Memnon on west bank
- Lunch break at local restaurant
- Visit Karnak Temple
- Optional: Pay entrance fees to attractions
- Return transfer to Hurghada
- Valley of the Kings 2h
- Temple of Hatshepsut 1h 10m
- Luxor 45m
- Karnak Temple 1h 20m
- Hurghada passing by
- Luxor passing by
What’s included
- All transfers in modern, air-conditioned vehicles from your hotel to Luxor and back.
- lunch at a local restaurant.
- soft drinks and water during the minivan ride.
- entrance fees to the attractions (depending on the option selected).
- Every day 04:00 04:30 05:00
Information
Drive 290km from Hurghada to Luxor with an Egyptologist guide exploring the Colossi of Memnon, Temple of Hatshepsut, Valley of the Kings tombs, and Karnak Temple complex.
Compare the 12 alternatives
Traveler reviews
The experience
The day starts before dawn with pickup from your hotel in Hurghada, El Gouna, Makadi or Soma Bay. The minivan ride to Luxor covers 290 kilometers through the desert, taking 4.5 to 5 hours. Soft drinks and water come with you. Once you arrive, your Egyptologist guide meets you and the itinerary unfolds across the west and east banks of the Nile: the guide sets the order of the stops based on the group's pace and interests.
You'll stand in front of the Colossi of Memnon, two colossal statues of Amenhotep III carved from sandstone and rising from the floodplain. From there, the Temple of Hatshepsut appears carved into the limestone cliffs: a mortuary temple built for a female pharaoh and one of Egypt's most recognizable structures. The Valley of the Kings holds the tombs themselves: you enter several to see the painted walls and burial chambers where pharaohs were laid to rest. A lunch break at a local restaurant gives you time to rest before the final stop at Karnak Temple, the vast temple complex on Luxor's east bank. Many tours also include a stop at an alabaster factory, where artisans demonstrate the ancient Egyptian techniques still used to carve statues from stone.
The return journey to Hurghada takes the same 4.5 to 5 hours in the air-conditioned minivan. The full day runs 16 to 18 hours from pickup to drop-off. If you'd rather stay in Luxor overnight, you can arrange that with at least 24 hours' notice and confirmation from the operator.
Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Arabic and Russian.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What's inside the tombs in the Valley of the Kings?
The Valley of the Kings holds the burial chambers of pharaohs and high officials, decorated with painted hieroglyphics and scenes from the afterlife. You'll enter several tombs to see the walls and the spaces where the mummies were placed, though most of the actual remains are now in museums.
Is the Tomb of Tutankhamun included in this tour?
Tutankhamun's tomb is a separate option you can add at checkout. It sits in the Valley of the Kings but requires its own ticket and is often visited as an add-on rather than part of the standard itinerary.
Do I need to pay entrance fees at each temple, or are they covered?
That depends on which option you book. One option includes all entrance fees to Karnak Temple, Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Valley of the Kings. The other option leaves the fees for you to pay on-site. Choose whichever suits your preference at checkout.
How long do we actually spend at each site?
The time at each stop depends on the group's pace and interests: your guide adjusts the schedule as you go. Lunch is a dedicated break at a local restaurant, and the alabaster factory visit is typically a shorter stop to see the craftspeople at work.
Can I book this tour if I'm staying in a different Red Sea resort?
Yes. Pickup is available from Hurghada, El Gouna, Makadi, and Soma Bay. If you're staying in another resort like Sahl Hasheesh, a transfer surcharge applies and should be added at checkout.
Operated by Book Tour Egypt. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 4 days ago
Luxor Day Trip from Hurghada: Valley of the Kings & Karnak Temple
16h–18h · EN · ES · FR · DE · IT +2 · at your hotel
from US$ 39 per person
Next, you choose your date and number of travelers and see the final price.