Luxor Temple Night & Karnak Sound Light Private Tour

Walk Luxor Temple's columns at night, then watch Karnak's stones light up with the story of the Pharaohs

A private evening tour in Luxor combining a self-paced visit to Luxor Temple by night with the one-hour Karnak Sound & Light Show, a shared spectacle of lights and narration. Private hotel pickup and air-conditioned transfers are included; you choose whether to start with the temple or the show. Tickets to both sites and an English-speaking driver are part of the booking, and the itinerary works for solo travelers, couples, families and groups up to eight.

Step-by-step itinerary

Evening tour of Luxor temples

• Hotel pickup and private transfer
• Visit Luxor Temple by night
• Transfer to Karnak Temple Complex
• Watch Karnak Sound & Light Show
• Return to your hotel

The Experience

The evening starts with pickup from your Luxor hotel—either East or West Bank—in an air-conditioned car with an English-speaking driver. You arrive at Luxor Temple as darkness falls and the ancient columns light up. The site is yours to explore at your own pace; there's no guide narration, so you walk between the towering pylons and hieroglyphic walls on your own schedule and stop where you want. Your driver waits nearby and then transfers you to Karnak Temple for the second half of the night.

The Karnak Sound & Light Show is a one-hour shared experience where the temples come alive with colored lights, music and narration that traces the story of the Pharaohs across the stone. The projections and effects move through the complex's different sections, and the narration carries you through ancient Egyptian history without you having to read a guidebook or follow a group. After the show ends, your driver takes you back to your hotel under the Luxor stars.

The tour runs three to four hours total and works for families with children, couples, and solo travelers. Group pricing is available for two to three travelers, four to five, or six to eight, so the per-person cost drops as your group grows. You can book in your preferred language—English, Portuguese, German, Hindi and several others are available—and the flexibility to choose which site you visit first means you can shape the evening around your energy and interests.

What’s included

• Private hotel pickup from your Luxor hotel on the East or West Bank in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• English-speaking driver for the full evening.
• entry tickets to Luxor Temple and the Karnak Sound & Light Show.
• self-paced exploration of Luxor Temple's illuminated columns and hieroglyphic walls.
• one-hour Karnak Sound & Light Show with music, narration and temple projections.
• private transfer between Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple.
• return transfer to your hotel after the show.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Eyes of Egypt

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see both temples lit up at night without arranging separate transport or buying tickets at each gate—the private car and fixed itinerary mean you move between sites smoothly and the evening holds together. Choose the morning or afternoon departure time that fits your schedule, and pick your group size to get the best rate for your party.

Top questions

Can I walk around Luxor Temple on my own, or does a guide lead me through it?

Luxor Temple is self-paced: you explore the illuminated columns and walls independently while your driver waits nearby, so there's no narration or group schedule to follow inside the temple itself.

What exactly happens during the Karnak Sound & Light Show?

The one-hour show uses colored lights, music and narration projected onto Karnak Temple's stones to tell the story of the Pharaohs and ancient Egyptian history, moving through different sections of the complex as the narrative unfolds.

Do I have to visit Luxor Temple first, or can I start with the Karnak show?

You choose the order: the itinerary is flexible, so you can start with Luxor Temple and move to Karnak, or reverse it depending on what suits your evening better.

Is the Karnak Sound & Light Show a private event, or am I watching with other people?

The show is a shared experience, so other visitors will be present, but your transfers between sites and the Luxor Temple visit are private with your own driver.

What's included in the price, and what do I need to pay for separately?

Tickets to both Luxor Temple and the Karnak Sound & Light Show, private hotel pickup, air-conditioned transfers between sites, and an English-speaking driver are all included; no additional entrance fees or guide charges apply.

How long does the whole evening take from hotel pickup to return?

The tour runs three to four hours total, including hotel pickup, the Luxor Temple visit, transfer to Karnak, the one-hour show, and return to your hotel.