Private Luxor East Bank Tour: Karnak and Luxor Temples

The Great Hypostyle Hall holds 134 columns that tower like an ancient forest.

A private half-day tour of Luxor's East Bank explores Karnak and Luxor temples with a qualified Egyptologist guide who explains the 3,000-year history layered into each complex. Hotel pickup and air-conditioned minivan transport are included. The guide speaks English, French, Spanish, Italian and three other languages, with a language supplement applying to all except English.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Karnak Temple1h · entry included
2. Luxor Temple1h · entry included

Visit Karnak and Luxor Temples

• Visit Karnak Temple complex
• Walk along Avenue of Sphinx
• Explore Great Hypostyle Hall
• See sacred lake at Karnak
• Free time at Karnak Temple
• Visit Luxor Temple
• Explore hieroglyphics and statues
• Learn about Alexander the Great
• See original obelisk at Luxor

The experience

The tour starts at Karnak Temple, where you walk the Avenue of Sphinx into a complex that grew larger with each pharaoh's reign. Your guide traces how the massive facade was constructed as you move deeper into the site, traveling backward through time with the oldest ruins dating over 3,000 years. The Great Hypostyle Hall stops you short: 134 columns rise overhead like an ancient forest, and at the rear of the complex lies the sacred lake where pharaohs and their offerings were once purified. After the guided portion, you have free time to explore at your own pace.

From Karnak, you continue to Luxor Temple, which once connected to Karnak by a two-kilometer Avenue of Sphinx. The temple is dominated by statues of Ramses II and has survived Nile floods, invasions and millennia of exposure. Your guide deciphers the intricate hieroglyphics covering the inner walls and columns, and explains how Alexander the Great wrote himself into the temple's history. You'll see one of the original pair of obelisks. Its twin now stands on the Place de la Concorde in Paris.

The tour runs about three and a half hours and includes hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned minivan. Infants can sit on an adult's lap or ride in a pram, and the transportation is wheelchair accessible. The guide is a qualified Egyptologist speaking your choice of language at checkout.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Luxor.
• private air-conditioned minivan transport.
• qualified Egyptologist guide in your choice of language.
• entry to both Karnak and Luxor temples.

Before you book

Days and timesThursday to SaturdayDeparts at 13:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Arabic and Russian

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 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by South Sinai Travel

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup means you don't arrange your own transport to the temples, which matters if you're staying in central Luxor without a rental car or if coordinating taxis would eat into your morning.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

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

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What is the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak Temple?

The Great Hypostyle Hall is the monumental interior space of Karnak Temple lined with 134 towering columns that create the effect of an ancient forest. Your guide walks you through it as part of the tour.

How long is this tour and what time does it start?

The tour runs about three and a half hours. Your hotel pickup time depends on which hotel you're staying at in Luxor. The operator will confirm the exact pickup window when you book.

Does the tour include entry to both temples?

Yes, entry to both Karnak and Luxor temples is included in the tour price. Your guide leads you through each complex and explains the history and architecture as you walk.

Is this tour accessible if I use a wheelchair?

The minivan transportation is wheelchair accessible, and infants can sit on an adult's lap or travel in a pram or stroller. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.