Luxor East & West Banks Tour: Temples & Valley of Kings

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/29

Duration8h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · AR +2

PickupAt your hotel

The Valley of the Kings holds six major royal tombs open to visitors, including Tutankhamun's.

A full-day guided tour of Luxor covers both banks of the Nile: Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple on the East Bank, then the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's Temple, and the Colossi of Memnon on the West Bank. Hotel pickup and a private air-conditioned vehicle are included, with a live guide in English, Spanish, German, or Arabic. Entry fees and lunch at a local restaurant are available as add-ons at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Luxor's East and West Banks

Visit the Valley of the Kings
See the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
View the Colossi of Memnon
Explore Luxor Temple
Tour Karnak Temple

The Experience

The day starts with hotel pickup and a drive across Luxor to Karnak Temple, the largest religious complex in ancient Egypt and dedicated to the god Amon. The temple sprawls across multiple courtyards and pylons built over centuries, and your guide walks you through the layout and the inscriptions that mark each dynasty's additions. From there, it's a short drive to Luxor Temple, built by Amenhotep III and completed by Ramses II, which sits on the East Bank and was used for ceremonies tied to the annual flood.

After crossing to the West Bank, you reach the Valley of the Kings, where pharaohs from the 18th and 19th dynasties were buried in rock-cut tombs. The valley holds six major tombs open to the public, including those of Tutmosis I, Tutmosis III, Tutankhamun, Ramses VI, Merenptah, and Amenhotep II. Your guide explains the layout and the shift in burial practices that led rulers to hide their tombs in this remote valley instead of building visible pyramids. The Colossi of Memnon—two massive stone statues that are all that remain of Amenhotep III's mortuary temple—stand nearby as a marker of the temple's original scale.

Hatshepsut's Temple, also called Deir el-Bahari, is the day's final major stop. Built by Egypt's only female pharaoh, who ruled for roughly 20 years during the 18th Dynasty around 1490–1469 B.C., the temple rises in three terraces against the cliffs and was designed as both a mortuary temple and a monument to her reign. The tour wraps with the return drive to your hotel. A bottle of water is provided throughout the day, and lunch at a local Egyptian restaurant can be added at checkout depending on which option you select.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and drop-off in a private air-conditioned vehicle.
a live guide in English, Spanish, German, or Arabic.
a bottle of water throughout the day.
entry fees to all four temples and the Valley of the Kings (if selected at checkout).
and lunch at a local Egyptian restaurant (if selected at checkout).

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Emo Tours Egypt

Is this one for you?Book the car and guide option if you want to move at your own pace between sites without paying for entry fees upfront; add entry fees and lunch if you prefer everything arranged and priced before the day starts. The eight-hour duration means you see both banks without rushing, though the West Bank sites require sustained walking through open terrain.