Luxor Private Tour: Valley of Queens & Medinet Habu

Luxor's top archaeological sites tour: royal tombs, workers' village, and vivid ancient temple reliefs

A private guided tour of Luxor's West Bank covering the Valley of the Queens, Deir el-Medina (the ancient village of tomb builders), and Medinet Habu, the mortuary temple of Ramesses III. Your certified Egyptologist guide leads you through decorated royal tombs, the remains of a workers' settlement, and one of Egypt's best-preserved temples, with hotel or cruise pickup included. The tour runs five hours and covers all entrance fees.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each2 stops

1. Deir el-MedinaEntry included1h
2. Medinet HabuEntry included1h

Explore Luxor's West Bank treasures

• Visit Valley of the Queens tombs
• Explore Valley of the Artisans village
• Tour Medinet Habu temple complex

The experience

How do you see the tombs and temples most travelers skip? This tour moves past the Valley of the Kings to three sites that hold some of Luxor's most intact wall paintings and reliefs. You start at the Valley of the Queens, where you explore three royal tombs (those of the princes Amun-her-khepeshef, Seth-her-khopsef, and Khaemwaset, or the Tomb of Queen Tyti) each one decorated with hieroglyphs and paintings that have survived over 3,000 years. Your guide walks you through the stories of the royal families buried here, and if the tomb is open, you can add a separate ticket to see the Tomb of Queen Nefertari, widely considered the most beautifully decorated tomb in Egypt.

From there, you move to Deir el-Medina, the ancient workers' village where the craftsmen who built and decorated the royal tombs actually lived. Called "Set Maat", The Place of Truth, it is the only site where you can see how the people behind the pharaohs' greatest monuments lived day to day. You walk through the well-preserved remains of the village, visit a small Ptolemaic temple dedicated to Hathor and Maat, and see the tombs of Sennedjem and Inherkau, which still carry remarkably vivid wall paintings. The scale is intimate. The detail is extraordinary.

The tour ends at Medinet Habu, the mortuary temple of Ramesses III, the last great warrior pharaoh of Egypt's New Kingdom. Its walls are covered with reliefs so well preserved you can read the king's military victories, religious ceremonies, and festival scenes in stone. The temple complex includes the remains of the royal palace and the surrounding priests' quarters, giving you a sense of how the entire institution functioned. After the tour, you are driven back to your hotel or cruise ship in a private air-conditioned vehicle.

What’s included

• Entrance fees to the Valley of the Queens, Deir el-Medina, and Medinet Habu.
• private English-speaking Egyptologist guide.
• hotel or Nile cruise pickup and return.
• all transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle.
• bottled water during the tour.
• all service charges and taxes.

Before you book

Lasts 5h, runs every day, 8 start times, from US$ 78.67 per person, with live guides in 6 languages, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day8 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 10:00

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

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Good to know

Moderate physical effort

Operated by Nile Holiday

Is this one for you?The tour moves at a steady pace across three open-air sites over five hours, with walking at each location. Start early in summer months (May through August) to avoid the heat. If you have moderate fitness and are comfortable with morning departures, the private guide and vehicle mean you move at your own rhythm without waiting for a group.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

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

Can children come?

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

What exactly is the Valley of the Queens, and who was buried there?

The Valley of the Queens is the burial ground for royal wives, princes, and other members of the royal family during Egypt's New Kingdom. The tombs you visit on this tour include those of royal princes and queens, decorated with wall paintings and hieroglyphs that have lasted over 3,000 years. The most famous is the Tomb of Queen Nefertari, available as an optional add-on, which is regarded as the most beautifully decorated tomb in Egypt.

What was Deir el-Medina, and why is it different from other archaeological sites?

Deir el-Medina, known as "The Place of Truth," was the ancient village where the skilled craftsmen and workers who built and decorated the royal tombs of the Valley of the Kings lived during Egypt's New Kingdom. It is the only site where you can see the actual remains of the workers' homes, streets, and tombs, offering a rare window into the daily lives of the people who created Egypt's greatest monuments rather than the monuments themselves.

How well preserved are the reliefs and wall paintings at Medinet Habu?

Medinet Habu is one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. Its walls are covered with remarkably detailed reliefs depicting the military victories, religious ceremonies, and festivals of Ramesses III, the last great warrior pharaoh. The carvings remain vivid enough that you can read the scenes clearly, and the temple complex also includes the remains of the royal palace and administrative buildings.

Does the tour include transportation, and where does pickup happen?

Yes, the tour includes pickup and drop-off from your hotel in Luxor or from a Nile cruise ship, plus all transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle between the three sites. Airport pickup or drop-off in Luxor is available for an additional cost if you need it.

What is included in the price, and what costs extra?

The tour price covers entrance fees to all three sites, a private English-speaking Egyptologist guide, bottled water, hotel or cruise pickup and return, and all transfers. The Tomb of Queen Nefertari, if open, requires a separate entrance fee paid directly by credit card on the day of the tour. Guide services in languages other than English carry an additional supplement.