Luxor Day Trip from Hurghada: Valley of the Kings & Karnak

Three royal temples and a pharaoh's burial ground in one long day across the Nile.

A private full-day Luxor tour from Hurghada includes hotel pickup, a licensed Egyptologist guide, entrance tickets to Karnak Temple, the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple, and lunch at a Nile-view restaurant. The drive takes three hours each way. The tour runs 15 to 16 hours total. Guides speak English, German or French. Tutankhamun's tomb and other premium tombs require an extra ticket paid on site.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Karnak Temple2h · entry included
2. Valley of the Kings2h · entry included
3. Temple of Hatshepsut2h · entry included
4. Colossi of Memnon10m · entry included

Full-day Luxor tour from Hurghada

• Hotel pickup in Hurghada early morning
• Drive across Eastern Desert to Luxor
• Explore Karnak Temple with guide
• Cross Nile to West Bank
• Buffet lunch with Nile view
• Visit Valley of the Kings tombs
• Tour Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
• Photo stop at Colossi of Memnon
• Stop at alabaster workshop (optional)
• Return drive to Hurghada

The experience

Your driver picks you up from your Hurghada hotel between 4:00 and 4:30 AM in a private air-conditioned vehicle, confirmed by WhatsApp the night before. The three-hour drive crosses the Eastern Desert with mountain views and a rest stop. Bring cash or snacks for breakfast if you want it. Your private Egyptologist guide meets you in Luxor and stays with you for the rest of the day, walking you through each site and explaining what you are standing in front of.

Karnak Temple is the largest ancient religious complex in the world. You walk through the Great Hypostyle Hall with its 134 giant columns, see obelisks and colossal statues, and visit the Sacred Lake while your guide explains how pharaohs added to this site for over 2,000 years. After crossing the Nile to the West Bank, you have an hour for buffet lunch at a restaurant overlooking the river. Vegetarian options are available on request. Then you enter the Valley of the Kings, the royal burial ground, and step inside three royal tombs to see painted walls, hieroglyphs and burial chambers. The Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut sits built into golden cliffs. Your guide tells the story of Egypt's famous female pharaoh and points out the terraces, colonnades and carved reliefs. A short photo stop at the Colossi of Memnon, two 18-metre stone statues that have stood on the West Bank plain for about 3,400 years, rounds out the temples. An optional visit to a local alabaster workshop lets you watch craftsmen shape stone by hand using traditional methods. There is no obligation to buy, and you can skip it if you are tired.

The return drive takes three hours, with a rest stop on the way. Expected arrival at your Hurghada hotel is between 7:00 and 8:30 PM, depending on traffic and checkpoints. Entrance tickets to Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple are included. Drinks with lunch are not. Tutankhamun's tomb and other special tombs in the Valley require an extra ticket you pay on site.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Hurghada.
• private air-conditioned vehicle with driver.
• private licensed Egyptologist guide for the Luxor portion.
• entrance tickets to Karnak Temple, the Valley of the Kings (three tombs) and Hatshepsut Temple.
• buffet lunch at a Nile-view restaurant with vegetarian options available.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 04:00 and 04:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 to 70 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French and German

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 yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Hurghada to go

Is this one for you?Book this if you have a full day to commit and want a private guide and car for the major West Bank temples and royal tombs. The drive from Hurghada takes 3 hours each way.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, French and German.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3).

What is inside the three tombs I enter in the Valley of the Kings?

The Valley of the Kings contains painted walls, hieroglyphs and burial chambers. Your Egyptologist guide explains their meaning as you walk through each one. The tombs show how pharaohs prepared for the afterlife and what they took with them.

How early do I need to be ready for pickup in Hurghada?

Your driver picks you up between 4:00 and 4:30 AM from your hotel lobby. Be ready in the lobby 10 minutes early. Your exact pickup time is confirmed by WhatsApp the evening before.

Does the tour include breakfast?

Breakfast is not included on the drive to Luxor. Bring cash or snacks with you. There is a rest stop on the way if you want to buy something.

What makes Karnak Temple different from other temples I might visit in Egypt?

Karnak Temple is the largest ancient religious complex in the world. The Great Hypostyle Hall alone has 134 giant columns, and pharaohs kept adding to the site for over 2,000 years, so it shows the work of many rulers across centuries.

Is lunch included, and what if I am vegetarian?

Lunch is a buffet at a Nile-view restaurant in Luxor and is included in the tour price. Vegetarian options are available on request. Drinks are not included.

Can I skip the alabaster workshop stop?

Yes. The workshop is a shopping stop where you watch craftsmen shape stone by hand using traditional methods. There is no obligation to buy anything, and you are welcome to skip it if you are tired.