Luxor: Valley of Kings & Karnak Temple Full-Day Tour

Cross the Nile to five temples and three pharaohs' tombs in one morning and afternoon

You're driven across the Nile to visit the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, and Colossi of Memnon on the west bank, then return to explore Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple on the east side. An Egyptologist guide walks you through each site, lunch is included at a local restaurant, and hotel pickup and drop-off handle the logistics. The whole day runs around eight hours without you managing transport or tickets.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each5 stops

1. Valley of the KingsEntry included1h
2. Temple of HatshepsutEntry included1h
3. Colossi of MemnonEntry included30m
4. Karnak TempleEntry included2h
5. Luxor TempleEntry included1h

Explore Luxor East and West Banks

• Pick up from hotel
• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Explore Temple of Hatshepsut
• See Colossi of Memnon
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Tour Karnak Temple
• Visit Luxor Temple
• Transfer back to hotel

The experience

You're picked up from your hotel on the East Bank and driven across the Nile to the west side, where the real weight of Luxor hits you. The Valley of the Kings opens up: a dry ravine cut into pale rock where three pharaohs' tombs sit underground, their chambers painted and sealed for three thousand years. Your Egyptologist guide walks you through the passages, pointing out the hieroglyphics still bright on the walls, explaining which ruler built what and why the tombs were hidden here instead of marked with pyramids. It's the kind of detail that makes the stones stop being old and start being a story.

From there you move to the Temple of Hatshepsut, which rises in three massive terraces straight out of the desert floor and into the cliffs. It's less a building than a statement carved into the landscape. Then the Colossi of Memnon, two seated giants that once guarded Amenhotep III's mortuary temple, now just sitting there in the heat, enormous and half-buried. You break for lunch at a local restaurant before crossing back to the East Bank, where the real Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple are waiting. Karnak is the larger one, a sprawl of pylons and chapels and columns dedicated to Amun and his family: the kind of place where you need someone who knows what you're looking at, which is why the guide matters here.

The whole day tour moves through five temples and two banks of the Nile without you arranging transport, entry fees, or timing. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, as is lunch and all the entrance fees. The group stays small enough that you're not shuffling through crowds, and the pace gives you time to actually stand in front of these things instead of just photographing them.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off on the East Bank, entrance fees to the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, Karnak Temple, and Luxor Temple, lunch at a local restaurant with vegetarian options available, and a professional English-speaking Egyptologist guide throughout. All taxes and service charges are covered.

Options for this experience

2 options

With English Guide08:00Includes pickup

With a guide who speaks another languageGuide in Spanish, French or German · 08:00Includes pickup

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

Before you book

Lasts 7h, runs every day at 08:00, from US$ 122 per person, with live guides in 5 languages, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up toStart time

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Arabic

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 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Nice tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Luxor's main temples and tombs in one day without arranging your own transport, tickets, or timing: the guide and fixed itinerary let you focus on the sites instead of logistics.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Arabic.

What's included in the Luxor day tour?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, entrance fees to all temples, lunch at a local restaurant, and a professional English-speaking Egyptologist guide.

How long is the full-day tour?

Around eight hours, including travel time between sites and lunch.

Can I do a half-day tour instead?

Yes, a half-day option is available, though the full day covers more temples and both banks of the Nile.

Is lunch included?

Yes, lunch at a local restaurant is part of the package. Vegetarian options are available.

Do I need to be fit for this tour?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels. Infants and small children can use a pram or stroller.

What's the difference between the East and West Banks?

The West Bank holds the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, and Colossi of Memnon. The East Bank has Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple, where the modern city sits.

What time does pickup happen?

Pickup is from your hotel on the East Bank. Specific times depend on your hotel location and the tour operator's schedule.

Are entrance fees separate?

No, all temple entrance fees are included in the tour price.

Can I visit just the Valley of the Kings?

This tour covers the Valley of the Kings plus four other major temples. If you want only the Valley, ask about half-day or custom options.