Private Luxor tour: East & West Bank with licensed guide

Options for this experience

6 options

Up to 2 per booking · Guide in 5 languages10 departure times, from 06:00 to 11:00

Up to 8 per booking · Guide in 5 languages9 departure times, from 06:00 to 10:00

Up to 8 per booking · Guide in English9 departure times, from 06:00 to 10:00

See 3 more options

Guide in Italian10 departure times, from 06:00 to 11:00

Guide in 5 languages9 departure times, from 06:00 to 10:00

Guide in French9 departure times, from 06:00 to 10:00

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Five temples and a royal necropolis in one day, explained by someone who knows the history

A private guided tour of Luxor's East and West Banks covering Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon, with a licensed local guide and private driver handling all transport. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language depending on the option you choose at checkout, and hotel or cruise pickup is included. You enter several royal tombs, learn about burial rituals and hieroglyphics, and stop for photos and refreshments as the day unfolds.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Valley of the Kings2h
2. Temple of Hatshepsut1h 30m
3. Colossi of Memnon10m
4. Karnak Temple2h
5. Luxor Temple1h 30m

Full day Luxor highlights tour

• Hotel or Nile cruise pick-up
• Visit Valley of the Kings tombs
• Explore Temple of Hatshepsut
• See Colossi of Memnon
• Tour Karnak Temple
• Visit Luxor Temple
• Return to hotel or cruise dock

The Experience

Your guide meets you at your hotel or Nile cruise dock and the day splits between the two banks. The West Bank holds the Valley of the Kings (a necropolis where Seti, Tutmosis, Tutankhamun, several Ramses, Meremptah and Amunhotep were buried), and you enter several royal tombs to see the burial chambers and painted walls. The guide explains the rituals and hieroglyphic inscriptions as you move through them. Hatshepsut Temple, the terraced mortuary complex of Egypt's female pharaoh, sits nearby, and the Colossi of Memnon (two massive stone statues that are the remains of another funerary temple) stand as a visual marker of the scale these monuments reached.

The East Bank holds Karnak Temple, the largest religious complex ever built, dedicated to the god Amun, his wife Mut and their son Khonsu. The guide walks you through the pylons, hypostyle halls and sacred lake, explaining how the temple grew over centuries as successive pharaohs added to it. Luxor Temple, built by Amenhotep III and completed by Ramses II, stands on the riverbank and served as a place of ritual during the annual flood festival. The private air-conditioned vehicle moves you between sites, and you can stop for photos and refreshments whenever you need them.

The tour runs about eight hours from pickup to drop-off. Which guide language you get depends on the option you select (English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language), and some options bundle the guide and entry tickets together, while others are transport and driver only. Tips for the guide and driver are optional. Entry to the Valley of the Kings costs roughly $48 per person and is separate unless your option includes it. Entry to Tutankhamun's tomb is an additional ticket if you want to see it.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver for the full day.
• hotel or Nile cruise dock pickup and drop-off.
• licensed local guide in your chosen language (English, Spanish, Italian, French or another).
• entry to Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Hatshepsut Temple, Colossi of Memnon and Valley of the Kings (depending on your option).
• optional stops for photos and refreshments throughout the day.

Days and timesDaily · 10 departure times, from 06:00 to 11:00

AgesAges 10+ · 6 to 9 years · Under 6 — Free

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup

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

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Ancient Wonders Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you're seeing Luxor in one day and want a guide explaining the history at each of the five major sites. Choose the add-on with tickets included if you prefer everything arranged before arrival, or driver-only if you're traveling with an Arabic speaker.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

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

Can children come?

6 to 9 years; under 6, free.

What's actually inside the Valley of the Kings tombs that I'll see?

The Valley of the Kings holds the burial chambers of multiple pharaohs including Tutankhamun, Seti, Tutmosis and several Ramses. You enter several royal tombs to see the painted walls, hieroglyphic inscriptions and burial chambers, and the guide explains the rituals and beliefs behind the decorations and layout.

Do I need to book the guide and entry tickets together, or can I just get transport?

You choose at checkout: some options include a private driver and air-conditioned car only, while others bundle in a licensed guide who speaks your language plus entry tickets to the temples and Valley of the Kings. The guide-and-ticket options simplify the day since entry is arranged in advance.

How long does this tour actually take from start to finish?

The full day runs about eight hours from hotel or cruise pickup to drop-off, covering both banks and five major sites. The pace includes time inside each temple and tomb, plus stops for photos and refreshments as you move between them.

What's the difference between Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple?

Karnak Temple is the largest religious complex ever built, with multiple pylons, halls and a sacred lake, dedicated to the god Amun and his family. Luxor Temple is smaller, built on the riverbank by Amenhotep III and completed by Ramses II, and served as a place of ritual during the annual flood festival.

Is hotel pickup included, or do I meet the guide somewhere?

Hotel or Nile cruise dock pickup is included in the tour. Your guide and driver meet you there at the start of the day and drop you back at the end.

Can I skip any of the five sites if I don't want to see them all?

The tour covers all five sites as a full-day itinerary, but you can request optional stops for photos and refreshments as the day unfolds. If you want to focus on specific temples or tombs, discuss that with your guide when you meet.