Luxor: Valley of the Kings Private Tour with Egyptologist Guide

Four tombs, one guide, one morning on Luxor's West Bank

You get picked up from your Luxor hotel and spend a guided morning inside four royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, with an Egyptologist explaining the hieroglyphics and burial rituals as you go. Transport, entry fees, and the guide are all included. The Tomb of Tutankhamun is optional. You're back by early afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Tomb of Ramses III10m
2. Valley of the Kings2h
3. Tomb of Tutankhamun25m
4. Ramesseumpassing by
5. Valley of the Noblespassing by
6. Colossi of Memnon10m

Guided tour of Valley of the Kings

• Pick up from hotel in Luxor
• Drive to Valley of the Kings
• Visit Tomb of Ramses III
• Visit Tomb of Merneptah
• Visit Tomb of Tutankhamun (optional entrance)
• Visit Tomb of Ramses IV
• Visit Tomb of Horemheb
• Visit Colossi of Memnon
• Pass by Ramesseum and Valley of the Nobles
• Pass by Howard Carter House and Temple of Seti I
• Return to hotel in Luxor

The experience

The air-conditioned vehicle is already waiting at your hotel when you step out, and within minutes you're crossing the Nile toward the West Bank. Your Egyptologist guide settles in beside the driver, and the real work starts, not the walking yet, but the explaining. By the time you reach the Valley of the Kings, you already know why Ramses III's tomb earned the nickname "Tomb of the Harpers," and what those colored reliefs on the walls actually meant to the people who painted them twenty-three centuries ago. The valley itself opens up in front of you, and it's immediately clear why pharaohs chose this place: the cliffs rise like walls, the sand is pale and endless, and nothing here is small.

You'll move through four royal tombs in the morning: Ramses III, Merenptah, Ramses IV, and Horemheb are the core stops, though the Tomb of Tutankhamun is available as an optional add-on if you want to see the young king's mummy (that's an extra 450 EGP). Each tomb is different. Ramses IV's is the showstopper: the hieroglyphics are vivid blue and white, the sarcophagus is rose-colored granite, and the ceiling shows the goddess Nut stretched across the space, swallowing the sun. Your guide walks you through the symbolism: the Book of the Dead, the Litany of Ra, the journey the pharaoh takes after death. It's not a rush. It's a conversation that happens to take place inside a 3,000-year-old burial chamber. The uneven stone floors are real, and the air inside stays cool, which matters when you're reading hieroglyphics by flashlight.

After the tombs, the tour swings past the Ramesseum, Ramses II's mortuary temple, and the Colossi of Memnon, those two massive stone statues that sit alone in the fields like sentries. The whole day runs about four hours, and by the time you're back at your hotel, you've seen the West Bank's main monuments without arranging transport, negotiating entry fees, or figuring out which tomb is which. The guide does that. The driver does that. You just show up at your hotel in the morning and let the day unfold.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in central Luxor, air-conditioned transport to all sites on the West Bank, entry fees to four royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, stops at the Ramesseum and Colossi of Memnon, and a licensed Egyptologist guide who explains the hieroglyphics, burial rituals, and history as you move through each tomb. The Tomb of Tutankhamun is optional and requires an additional 450 EGP.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to9h before

AgesAdult (3 and older) · Child (under 3)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 18 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Luxor Travels

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want the Valley of the Kings explained by someone who knows the hieroglyphics and history, without arranging transport or entry separately. Expect uneven stone floors and stairs inside the tombs. That's what keeps the sites authentic and the air cool inside.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 3).

What's included in the tour?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, air-conditioned transport, entry to four royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, and a licensed Egyptologist guide. The Tomb of Tutankhamun is optional and costs 450 EGP extra.

How long is the tour?

About four hours, including transport from your hotel, the tomb visits, and stops at the Ramesseum and Colossi of Memnon.

Which tombs do you visit?

The core tour includes Ramses III, Merenptah, Ramses IV, and Horemheb. Tutankhamun is available as an optional add-on.

Is the tour accessible for people with mobility issues?

Transport is wheelchair accessible, but the tomb sites have uneven stone surfaces and stairs that may be difficult for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair.

Do I need to arrange anything in advance?

Just confirm your hotel location for pickup. Entry fees are included, and your guide handles all the logistics at each site.

What's the difference between the standard tombs and Tutankhamun's?

Tutankhamun's tomb is the most famous because of the discovery of his mummy, but it's smaller and often more crowded. The other tombs are larger and have more extensive wall decorations. The optional fee covers the extra entry cost.