Luxor Tour: Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut & Karnak

Five temples and a royal tomb complex in one day, guided by someone who reads the hieroglyphics.

A private full-day tour of Luxor's East and West Banks with a qualified Egyptologist guide covers the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple. Hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch at a local restaurant, and entry to all five sites are included. The tour runs eight hours and suits all fitness levels, with children welcome from age 6.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each5 stops

1. Valley of the Kings2h
2. Temple of Hatshepsut1h
3. Colossi of Memnon10m
4. Karnak Temple2h
5. Luxor Temple1h

Explore Luxor East and West Banks

• Meet guide and transfer to west bank
• Visit Valley of the Kings tombs
• Visit Temple of Hatshepsut
• Photo stop at Colossi of Memnon
• Lunch with Egyptian food
• Visit Karnak Temple complex
• Visit Luxor Temple

The experience

Your guide meets you at your hotel or Nile cruise in the morning and drives you across to the West Bank in a private air-conditioned vehicle. The first stop is the Valley of the Kings, where you walk among some of the most vivid painted tombs in ancient Egyptian history. The guide explains what you're standing in front of and why the pharaohs chose this hidden valley for their burials. From there you head to the Temple of Hatshepsut, a 3,550-year-old structure built for Egypt's only female pharaoh, its terraced colonnades rising from the desert floor in a design that looks almost modern until you learn its age.

A brief photo stop at the Colossi of Memnon, two massive statues of Amenhotep III, breaks up the drive before you return to the East Bank for lunch at a local restaurant. The afternoon takes you to Karnak Temple, one of the largest temple complexes ever built, where the scale of the columns and the density of carved reliefs make the morning sites feel like a prelude. You finish at Luxor Temple, positioned on the riverbank and lit by the late afternoon, which closes out the day's arc from royal tombs to the gods' houses.

The eight-hour span means you see the major sites without rushing between them, though traffic and time of day will shift the exact schedule. An Egyptologist guide speaks English or Spanish and is included with most options. You can add a hot air balloon flight over the valley before the tour starts if you want that view first. Hotel pickup on the West Bank costs an extra $5 per person if your accommodation is there.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off on the East Bank.
• private air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
• qualified Egyptologist guide in English or Spanish (depending on your option).
• entry to the Valley of the Kings (three royal tombs), Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple.
• lunch at a local Egyptian restaurant (with the full package option).

Options for this experience

4 options

Car with driver onlyGuide in English or Spanish · 07:00, 08:00 and 08:30Private car, pickup is included

Car and guide onlyGuide in English or Spanish · 07:00, 08:00 and 08:30Bottle of water, pickup is included

Car, guide and lunchGuide in English or Spanish · 07:00, 08:00 and 08:30Private, pickup is included

Car, guide, entry fees and lunchGuide in English or Spanish · 07:00, 08:00 and 08:30Pickup is included

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

Information

Lasts 8h, runs every day at 07:00, 08:00 and 08:30, from US$ 15 per person, with a live guide in English and Spanish, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00, 08:00 and 08:30Last departure this season: 20 DecAnother time? ›

GroupPrivate2 group tours ›

Live guideEnglish and SpanishOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Ask the Egyptian

Is this one for you?Book the full package if you want the guide, all five sites and lunch arranged so the day holds together without you managing tickets or transport. Choose the car-with-driver option if you're traveling with someone who knows Egypt well or prefer to hire your own guide separately.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

What exactly is inside the Valley of the Kings that I'll see?

The Valley of the Kings holds royal tombs carved into the rock, and the tour includes entry to three of them. The painted walls inside (hieroglyphics, images of gods and the afterlife) are among the most colorful and detailed surviving from ancient Egypt, and your Egyptologist guide explains what the scenes mean and why the pharaohs chose this remote valley for their burials.

How long do I spend at each temple?

The tour is eight hours total, but the itinerary doesn't break down time at each stop: that depends on traffic and how the day flows. You visit five major sites (Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, Karnak and Luxor Temple), so the pace is steady without lingering at any one place for hours.

Is lunch included, and what kind of food is it?

Lunch is included at a local restaurant serving Egyptian food and is part of the full package option with guide and entry fees. The operator describes it as good quality, though the specific menu isn't detailed. Your guide can advise on dietary needs when you book.

What's the difference between the four booking options?

You can book the full package (car, private Egyptologist guide, all entry fees and lunch); car with driver only; car and guide without lunch or entries; or car with English guide and lunch but no other entries. The full package removes the most planning from your day, while the car-only option suits travelers who want to arrange their own guide or skip certain sites.

Do I need to arrange my own hotel pickup?

Hotel pickup on the East Bank is included with all options. If your hotel is on the West Bank, pickup costs an extra $5 per person and must be arranged when you book.