Luxor Day Tour: Private Guide to Valley of the Kings & Karnak

Four ancient temples and tombs in one day, guided by someone who knows what you're standing in front of.

A private Luxor day tour with a live Egyptologist guide takes you to the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Karnak Temple and Colossi of Memnon over roughly 13 to 14 hours. The guide speaks English, Italian, French or German, and hotel pickup is included. Lunch and all entry fees are covered. The vehicle is air-conditioned and wheelchair accessible.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Colossi of Memnon4h · entry included
2. Karnak Temple3h · entry included
3. Valley of the Kings3h · entry included
4. Temple of Hatshepsut3h · entry included

Explore Luxor's ancient sites

• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Tour Temple of Hatshepsut
• See Colossi of Memnon
• Explore Karnak Temple Complex

The experience

If you land in Luxor or have a free day there, this tour moves you through four major sites without the logistics of arranging transport, hiring a guide or figuring out which tombs matter. The guide is an Egyptologist, someone trained in the history, so the Colossi of Memnon are not just two stone statues. They are what remains of a temple to Amenhotep III, and the guide will tell you what you are looking at. The Valley of the Kings holds more than 64 royal tombs from the New Kingdom, and walking among them with someone who knows the chronology and the politics makes the difference between standing in a hole in the ground and standing in front of a pharaoh's burial chamber.

The day moves at your pace. Karnak Temple is the largest temple complex in the world, built over centuries to honor Amun, and you walk it with the guide rather than on a fixed schedule that herds you through in 40 minutes. The Temple of Hatshepsut, built by a female pharaoh who ruled Egypt for over 20 years, sits on the west bank across from Karnak, and the guide can explain why her temple looks nothing like the others. She was breaking the rules. Lunch is included, and the air-conditioned vehicle means you are not baking between stops on the drive from one bank of the Nile to the other.

Pickup happens from your hotel, and the tour runs 13 to 14 hours start to finish. The guide is available in English, Italian, French or German. All entry fees and taxes are built into the price, so there are no surprises at the gate.

What’s included

• Lunch.
• all entry fees and taxes.
• air-conditioned, wheelchair-accessible vehicle with hotel pickup.
• live Egyptologist guide in your choice of English, Italian, French or German.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 05:00

Book up to14h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, 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. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Memnon Reisen

Is this one for you?Choose this if you have a full day and want to see all four major sites at your own pace with a private guide. Book a half-day tour instead if you prefer fewer stops or a more leisurely morning or afternoon.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 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.

What is inside the Valley of the Kings that makes it worth a whole stop on the tour?

The Valley of the Kings holds more than 64 royal tombs from Egypt's New Kingdom, carved into the rock on the west bank of the Nile. Your guide will walk you through the tombs themselves and explain what you are seeing (the hieroglyphics, the burial chambers, the layout) rather than just the entrance.

How much walking is involved over the 13 to 14 hours?

You walk through each temple and tomb site, but the pace is set by you and the guide, not by a group schedule. The air-conditioned vehicle handles the travel between locations, so the walking is concentrated at each stop rather than spread across the whole day.

Does the tour include lunch, or do I need to arrange that myself?

Lunch is included in the tour price. All entry fees and taxes are also covered, so you only pay the quoted rate.

What makes the Temple of Hatshepsut different from the other temples on the tour?

The Temple of Hatshepsut was built by a female pharaoh who ruled Egypt for more than 20 years, and it looks visibly different from other Egyptian temples because she was breaking architectural tradition. Your guide will explain why the design stands out and what that tells you about her reign.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The vehicle is wheelchair accessible, all areas and surfaces at the sites are accessible, and specialized infant seats are available if you are traveling with small children.