Luxor: Valley of Kings & Karnak Temple Private Day Tour

Two Banks of the Nile in One Day: Luxor's Tombs, Temples & Colossi

You visit four major sites across both banks of the Nile (the Valley of the Kings, the Colossi of Memnon, the Temple of Hatshepsut, and Karnak Temple) with an Egyptologist guide explaining the history and hieroglyphics at each stop. Hotel pickup, lunch, water, and return transport are included, so you spend the day moving through ancient Egypt without arranging anything yourself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each4 stops

1. Valley of the Kings2h
2. Colossi of Memnon15m
3. Karnak Temple2h
4. Temple of Hatshepsut2h

Explore Luxor East and West Banks

• Pick up from hotel
• Visit Valley of the Kings tombs
• See Colossi of Memnon statues
• Tour Temple of Hatshepsut
• Explore Karnak Temple complex
• Drop off at hotel

The experience

The two massive statues of Memnon rise from the desert floor like sentinels guarding a threshold, and that's where your day begins, on the West Bank of Luxor. You're picked up from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle and driven across the Nile to stand in front of these 67-foot limestone figures, carved in the 14th century BCE. They're your first real landmark, the thing that tells you the scale of what's coming. From there, the itinerary moves into the Valley of the Kings, where you'll walk into tombs that have held pharaohs for thousands of years. Your Egyptologist guide explains the burial practices, the hieroglyphics on the walls, the story of Tutankhamun's discovery in 1922. The kind of detail that makes the stones feel less like monuments and more like rooms where people actually lived and died.

The Temple of Hatshepsut comes next, and it's different from what you might expect. Built into a cliff face rather than rising from the ground, it has three terraces connected by ramps, and the reliefs carved into its walls tell the story of her reign: her divine birth claim, a trading expedition to the Land of Punt, the events that made her one of Egypt's most powerful rulers. You'll spend time reading these scenes with your guide, who points out the details most visitors miss. After that, you cross back to the East Bank and head to Karnak Temple, which is vast: over 80 hectares of stone, pylons, courtyards, and sanctuaries built over more than a thousand years. It's the kind of place where you could spend a week and still find new corners. The tour keeps you moving through the main sections, but not rushed. Bottled water and tea are included throughout the day, which matters more than it sounds when you're walking in the heat.

By late afternoon, you're back in the vehicle heading to your hotel. The whole day is structured around what you don't have to figure out yourself: no negotiating transport, no wondering which tombs are open, no standing in the sun trying to read a guidebook. The guide does that work. If you use a wheelchair or travel with small children, the sites are accessible, and the vehicle has air conditioning that actually works. It's the kind of tour where the logistics disappear and you just show up and look.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle, a private Egyptologist guide, entry to the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Karnak Temple, and the Colossi of Memnon, plus bottled water, tea or coffee, and lunch. All transportation between sites is covered, and you return to your hotel in the late afternoon.

Options for this experience

3 options

Private car and tour guideGuide in 5 languages · 6 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:00Private car and tour guide, pickup is included

Private Full-Day TourGuide in 5 languages · 6 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:00Private car with driver only, pickup is included

Car, guide and entry feesGuide in 5 languages · 6 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:00Car, guide and temple entry fees, includes pickup

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

Before you book

Lasts 6h–8h, runs every day, 6 start times, from US$ 28.70 per person, with live guides in 5 languages, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day6 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (13 to 80 years) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 20

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Luxor Egypt Travel

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Luxor's major temples and tombs in one day without arranging transport, hiring a guide separately, or standing in entry lines: the private vehicle and Egyptologist guide mean you move at a steady pace and understand what you're looking at, which is what makes a full itinerary possible in a single day.

Traveler reviews

4.96★★★★★★★★★★

190 verified traveler reviews

5 ★186

4 ★2

3 ★1

2 ★1

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

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

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 12 years); Infant (under 6): 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.

How long is the full-day tour?

The tour runs the full day, typically from morning pickup through late afternoon return to your hotel. Exact duration depends on your hotel location and traffic.

Is the Valley of the Kings included?

Yes. You visit multiple tombs open to the public, including the tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62) if it's accessible on the day of your tour.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, air-conditioned vehicle, Egyptologist guide, bottled water, and tea or coffee. Lunch is included. Entry fees to the temples and tombs are covered.

Can I do this tour if I use a wheelchair?

Yes. The tour is wheelchair accessible, and all areas and surfaces at the sites are accessible. The vehicle is also equipped for wheelchair transport.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the sites?

No. Hotel pickup is included, and you travel in an air-conditioned vehicle with your guide for the entire day.

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

The East Bank (Karnak Temple) was the religious center of ancient Luxor. The West Bank holds the Valley of the Kings, tombs, and mortuary temples like Hatshepsut's, used for burial and funerary rituals.

How many people are typically in a group?

This is a private tour, so it's just you and your guide (or your group if you book for multiple people).