Luxor temples from Soma Bay: Karnak and Luxor Temple tour

The Hypostyle Hall at Karnak is massive enough to hold a cathedral inside it.

A full-day tour from Soma Bay to Luxor's East Bank temples with a live guide in English, French, German or Arabic. You visit Karnak Temple (exploring its Hypostyle Hall, Sacred Lake and Avenue of the Sphinxes), then lunch at the Steigenberger Nile Palace Hotel, followed by Luxor Temple with its 14th-century statues and obelisks. An air-conditioned vehicle handles the transport both ways.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Luxor's temples and return

• Travel from Soma Bay to Luxor
• Explore Karnak Temple highlights
• Head to Steigenberger Nile Palace Hotel
• Enjoy lunch at Nile Palace Hotel
• Travel to Luxor Temple
• Visit Luxor Temple complex
• Return to Soma Bay

The Experience

The day starts at Soma Bay Marina with pickup by a NASCO Tours representative, then a long drive to Luxor. Karnak Temple comes first: you walk through the Avenue of the Sphinxes and into the Hypostyle Hall, a forest of 134 columns built in the 14th century BC. The Sacred Lake sits nearby, ringed by stone. After Karnak, the tour moves to lunch at the Steigenberger Nile Palace Hotel on the Nile's bank before heading across to Luxor Temple on the opposite shore.

Luxor Temple is smaller and more intact than Karnak, with two obelisks still standing at the entrance and colossal statues of Ramesses II flanking the gateway. The temple dates to the same era as Karnak but was built for a different purpose: a place for the pharaoh to renew his divine power during festivals. The tour wraps with the return drive to Soma Bay, a journey that takes most of the afternoon.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
• pickup from Soma Bay Marina.
• a specialized live guide.
• lunch at the Steigenberger Nile Palace Hotel.
• entry to Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple.
• all fees and taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for heart conditions

Operated by NASCO Tours

Is this one for you?The tour is a full day of walking on stone floors and standing in the sun between shaded colonnades, so wear good shoes and bring water. The long drive each way means an early start and a late return, but it lets you see both temples and eat on the Nile without rushing either one.

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Top questions

How long is the drive from Soma Bay to Luxor?

The full tour runs about 11 hours door-to-door, with most of that time split between the two drives and the time spent walking the temple grounds.

What is the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak Temple?

The Hypostyle Hall is a massive covered courtyard filled with 134 stone columns, each carved with hieroglyphics and reliefs. It was built to be a forest of stone, and you walk among them to understand the scale of ancient Egyptian construction.

Is lunch included in the tour?

Yes, lunch is included at the Steigenberger Nile Palace Hotel, served between your visits to Karnak and Luxor temples.

What languages does the guide speak?

The guide is available in English, French, German or Arabic, and you choose your language when you book.

Does the tour include entry fees to the temples?

Yes, all fees and taxes are included in the price, so there are no surprises at the gate.