Luxor Day Trip from Hurghada: Karnak, Valley of the Kings & Overnight

Two Days Away from the Beach: Ancient Temples & Royal Tombs from Hurghada

You get picked up from your Hurghada hotel, driven four hours to Luxor, and spend two days visiting Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, and the Temple of Hatshepsut with a private Egyptologist guide. Meals and one night's hotel accommodation in Luxor are included, along with all transfers by air-conditioned vehicle. You return to Hurghada on the afternoon of day two.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel to Luxor and visit temples

• Pick up from Hurghada hotel
• Drive to Luxor by air-conditioned vehicle
• Check in and rest at Luxor hotel
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Visit Karnak Temple Complex
• Visit Luxor Temple
• Return to hotel for overnight stay

Day 2: West Bank tour and return to Hurghada

• Breakfast at hotel
• Cross Nile to West Bank
• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Visit Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
• Visit Colossi of Memnon
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Drive back to Hurghada

The experience

The four-hour drive from Hurghada to Luxor hits you differently than you expect. You leave the Red Sea behind, and suddenly the landscape flattens into desert and river valley: the Nile appearing like a ribbon of green in the middle of nowhere. By the time you arrive, you realize you've crossed into a completely different Egypt, one that's been here for three thousand years. After checking into your hotel and grabbing lunch at a local restaurant, you head straight to Karnak Temple Complex on the east bank. The scale of it stops you cold. Massive pylons, towering columns, courtyards that seem to stretch forever. This was the religious heart of ancient Thebes, dedicated to the god Amun Re. Your private Egyptologist guide walks you through the layout, pointing out details carved into stone that survived millennia. Then you move on to Luxor Temple, built around 1400 BCE and completed by Ramses II, sitting right in the heart of what was once the city's center. By evening you're back at your hotel in Luxor, overnight accommodation included, which means you're rested for day two.

The second morning starts with breakfast at the hotel, then you cross the Nile to the west bank. The side where the pharaohs were buried. Valley of the Kings is the first stop, and walking into those rock-cut tombs carved into the cliffs over five centuries is the kind of moment that makes you understand why people travel. You're standing in spaces built for eternity, decorated with hieroglyphics and paintings that somehow survived. After that, the Temple of Hatshepsut appears on the cliff face like something from a dream: a mortuary temple that's considered a masterpiece of ancient architecture, built during the reign of one of Egypt's few female pharaohs. The Colossi of Memnon, two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, stand guard at the front of his ruined mortuary temple. Lunch happens at another local restaurant before the drive back to Hurghada, which gives you time to sit with what you've seen.

The whole trip runs on a small-group format, which means you're not moving through these temples in a crowd of fifty people. Your private air-conditioned vehicle handles the transfers, and the Egyptologist guide is there to explain what you're actually looking at instead of just pointing. If you want to add a felucca ride on the Nile in the evening (optional), that can be arranged. The pace is built around seeing the major sites without rushing (Karnak and Luxor Temple on day one, Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut on day two), and the overnight stay in Luxor is what makes both days possible without exhaustion.

What’s included

Your two-day tour includes hotel pickup and return transfer from Hurghada, four-hour drive to Luxor by private air-conditioned vehicle, one night's accommodation at a 4-star hotel in Luxor, two lunches at local restaurants, breakfast on the second morning, entry to Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Colossi of Memnon, plus a private English-speaking Egyptologist guide throughout both days.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (13 to 90 years) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Under 6: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 30

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

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Love Egypt Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Luxor's major temples and royal tombs without arranging transport, hotels, meals and timing yourself: the overnight stay and fixed itinerary let you cover both banks of the Nile properly in two days instead of rushing through a single day trip.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

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

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 12 years). Under 6: they can't be included in the booking.

How long is the drive from Hurghada to Luxor?

Approximately four hours by air-conditioned vehicle.

What's included in the tour?

Hotel pickup and return to Hurghada, all transfers, one night's accommodation in Luxor, two lunches, breakfast on day two, entry to all temples, and a private English-speaking Egyptologist guide.

Can I add a felucca ride on the Nile?

Yes, an evening felucca ride is available as an optional upgrade.

What if I use a wheelchair?

The tour is wheelchair accessible, and transportation options include wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

How many people are in a small group?

The tour operates as a small-group format, keeping numbers manageable at the temples.

What's the physical fitness requirement?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.

Do I need to arrange my own accommodation in Luxor?

No. One night at a 4-star hotel in Luxor is included in the tour price.