Half-Day Luxor West Bank Tour: Valley of Kings & Hatshepsut

Walk among royal tombs and stand before a female pharaoh's temple

A half-day tour of Luxor's West Bank takes you to three of ancient Egypt's most significant sites: the Valley of the Kings, where pharaohs including Tutankhamun were buried; the Temple of Hatshepsut, built by Egypt's only female pharaoh around 1490–1469 B.C.; and the Colossi of Memnon, the remains of Amenhotep III's mortuary temple. A private Egyptologist guide picks you up from your hotel, narrates the history at each stop, and returns you by mid-afternoon. The guide speaks English, French, German, Spanish or Italian. Choose your language at checkout, with an additional $5 per person for languages other than English.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Luxor West Bank highlights

• Pickup from hotel in Luxor
• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Visit Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
• See Colossi of Memnon
• Return to hotel

The experience

The tour starts with hotel pickup in a private air-conditioned vehicle. Your Egyptologist guide meets you there and drives to the West Bank, where the three sites sit within a few kilometers of each other. The Valley of the Kings comes first: the burial ground where multiple dynasties entombed their kings, including Tutmosis I, Tutmosis III, Tutankhamun, Ramesses VI, Mrenptah and Amenhotep II. You walk into the valley itself and see the tombs carved into the rock face. Note that entry to the tombs of Tutankhamun, Ramses VI and Seti I requires separate tickets beyond this tour's price.

Next is the Temple of Hatshepsut at El Deir El Bahari, the mortuary temple of the pharaoh who ruled Egypt for roughly 20 years during the 18th Dynasty and remains the only woman to have reigned as pharaoh. The temple's architecture rises in terraces against the cliff, and your guide explains its construction and Hatshepsut's reign. The final stop is the Colossi of Memnon: two massive stone statues that once guarded Amenhotep III's mortuary temple. They stand alone now, but their scale and age anchor the West Bank's span of royal history.

The full tour runs four to five hours from pickup to return. You'll have a bottle of water during the day, and the guide handles all the talking and navigation so you can focus on what you're seeing. The tour suits all fitness levels, though you'll be walking on uneven ground and standing in the sun at each site, so comfortable shoes and a hat are practical choices.

What’s included

• Private Egyptologist guide in your choice of English, French, German, Spanish or Italian.
• hotel pickup and return in a private air-conditioned vehicle.
• entry to the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut and Colossi of Memnon.
• bottle of water during the tour.

Options for this experience

2 options

English guide07:00 and 08:00Pickup is included, with a water limousine, van or minibus

Guide available in French and German07:00 and 08:00Pickup is included, with a water limousine, van or minibus

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00 and 08:00

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

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

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 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by AlHassany Travel

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want a private Egyptologist guide for the West Bank's three major sites in one morning or afternoon, leaving your schedule flexible for the rest of your day.

Traveler reviews

4.99★★★★★★★★★★

464 verified traveler reviews

5 ★459

4 ★5

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

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

Can children come?

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

What tombs can I actually enter in the Valley of the Kings on this tour?

The Valley of the Kings tour includes entry to the valley and access to multiple royal tombs. The most famous are Tutmosis I, Tutmosis III, Ramesses VI, Mrenptah and Amenhotep II. The tombs of Tutankhamun, Ramses VI and Seti I require separate tickets you can purchase on the day, so check if any of those are must-sees before you book.

Who was Hatshepsut and why is her temple so important?

Hatshepsut was the only woman to rule ancient Egypt as pharaoh, reigning for about 20 years during the 18th Dynasty (approximately 1490–1469 B.C.). Her mortuary temple at El Deir El Bahari is one of Egypt's most striking monuments, built into the cliffs of the West Bank and designed to honor her reign and ensure her place in the afterlife.

How much walking is involved, and what's the terrain like?

The tour involves walking at each of the three sites: the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon. The ground is uneven in places, and you'll be exposed to sun, so wear comfortable walking shoes, a hat and sunscreen. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, but bring water beyond the bottle provided if you're sensitive to heat.

Does the tour include entry to all three sites, or are there extra fees?

The tour price covers entry to the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon, plus your guide, transport and water. Special tombs within the Valley (Tutankhamun, Ramses VI and Seti I) have their own tickets if you want to enter them. Tipping the guide is not obligatory.

What time does the tour start and finish?

The tour runs four to five hours total, including hotel pickup and return. Your guide picks you up from your Luxor hotel in the morning and brings you back by mid-afternoon, so you have the rest of the day free.