Luxor Day Trip from Hurghada: Hot Air Balloon & Valley of Kings

The alarm goes off at 5am, and it's worth it

You leave Hurghada at dawn, spend two days in Luxor with a guide and a hot air balloon ride at sunrise, explore the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple, sleep one night in a 4-star hotel, and return to Hurghada by evening on day two. Hotel pickup, all meals, and the balloon ride are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel to Luxor and Nile felucca ride

• Pick up from Hurghada at 5:00 am
• Drive 4 hours to Luxor
• Lunch at local Egyptian restaurant
• Visit Karnak Temple
• Check in and rest at Luxor hotel
• Sunset felucca ride on the Nile
• Dinner at restaurant
• Return to hotel for overnight

Day 2: Hot air balloon and West Bank tour

• Early morning hotel pick up
• Hot air balloon flight over Luxor
• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Visit Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
• Photo stop at Colossi of Memnon
• Camel ride through local villages
• Lunch in Luxor
• Drive back to Hurghada
• Drop off at accommodation in Hurghada

The experience

The pickup from your Hurghada hotel happens early, and the four-hour drive to Luxor gives you time to actually wake up before the real day starts. You'll roll into Luxor with a professional Egyptologist guide waiting, and after lunch at a local restaurant, you head straight to Karnak Temple: the massive complex where dozens of pharaohs left their mark. The scale of it hits different when someone who knows the history is standing next to you explaining which walls belonged to which dynasty and why the layout matters. By evening you're back at your 4-star hotel in Luxor, then picked up again at sunset for a felucca ride on the Nile before dinner.

Day two is the one people actually talk about afterward. You're up before dawn again, luggage packed, and driven to the hot air balloon launch site. Watching the balloons inflate and rise while the sun comes up over Luxor (the temples visible from the sky in a way you can't see them from the ground) is the kind of thing that justifies the early morning. After landing, your guide takes you to the Valley of the Kings, where 63 royal tombs sit carved into the rock, each one different from the last. Then the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, which is built on a scale that makes you understand why ancient Egypt still matters, and a quick stop at the Colossi of Memnon for photos.

There's also a camel ride through local villages (not a tourist performance, but an actual way to see how people work the land around Luxor), and then a second lunch before the drive back to Hurghada. The whole thing is two days, which sounds like a lot, but the hotel night in Luxor and the included meals mean you're not scrambling to find places to eat or figuring out where to sleep. Your guide handles the pacing, the driver handles the logistics, and you just show up at your hotel at 5am ready to go.

What’s included

Your two days include hotel pickup and drop-off from Hurghada, the four-hour drive in an air-conditioned vehicle, a professional English-speaking guide, entry to Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings, the sunrise hot air balloon ride, a felucca ride on the Nile, a camel ride through local villages, one night at a 4-star hotel in Luxor with breakfast, two lunches, one dinner, and all fees and taxes.

Options for this experience

2 options

With English Guide05:00Includes pickup

Guide available in another languageGuide in Spanish, French or German · 05:00Includes pickup

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

Before you book

Lasts 2d, runs every day at 05:00, from US$ 244 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish, French and German, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 05:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (6 and older) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, 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 today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Nice tours

Is this one for you?This works well if you want to see Luxor's main temples and the Valley of the Kings without arranging transport, guides, or accommodation yourself: the two-day structure and included hotel night mean you're not rushing between sites or scrambling to find a place to sleep.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and German.

How long is the drive from Hurghada to Luxor?

About four hours each way in an air-conditioned vehicle.

What time does the hot air balloon launch?

At sunrise. You'll be picked up early in the morning on day two to reach the launch site in time.

Is the guide included?

Yes, a professional English-speaking Egyptologist guide is with you throughout the tour.

How many meals are included?

Two lunches, one dinner, and breakfast at the hotel in Luxor.

Do I need to book my own hotel in Luxor?

No, a 4-star hotel with breakfast is included in the tour price.

Is the felucca ride on the Nile included?

Yes, it's part of day one in the evening, after you've rested at the hotel.

Can children do this tour?

Yes, it's suitable for all fitness levels. Infant seats are available, and children can ride in a pram or stroller if needed.

What's included in the Valley of the Kings visit?

Entry fees, your guide, and time to explore the royal tombs. The camel ride through nearby villages is also included.