While visiting Hurghada on a dive trip in 2018, a group of us decided to take advantage of the hotel excursions and go on a day trip to Luxor. Here's why you should visit Luxor...
From our hotel in Hurghada, we were picked up by coach at around 5am. We arrived in Luxor at around 9:30am. Our schedule for the day: Karnak Temple, Papyrus demonstration, break for lunch, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut’s Tomb, Colossus of Memnon and finishing with a cruise across The Nile. We got back to our hotel at around 10:30pm.
Here is my Top 3 Things to do in Luxor
Karnak Temple
Karnak Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Start off at the visitor’s centre and then walk out to what remains of the Avenue of the Sphinxes. Gaze upon the vast temple ruins and walk on through its magnificent entrance. The Temple was added to by various Pharaohs throughout history and it’s fascinating to see what was added by each one and learn why. Walking through the 134 huge columns with their hieroglyphics still carved into them and 4000-year-old paint still showing, it’s just breath-taking. Take a walk around the Sacred Lake, rumour has it if you walk around it 7 times and make a wish, your wish will come true. Take a look at Hatshepsut’s obelisks, one of which is still standing tall, and try to decipher their hieroglyphics, see if can you see her name.
Valley of the Kings
If you were fascinated by Ancient Egypt as a child (and maybe still are as an adult), the Valley of the Kings is absolutely somewhere you should visit. The entry is 240 Egyptian Pounds (cheaper if you are a student, Egyptian or Arab), and this gets you into 3 tombs. If you want to go into KV62, Tutankhamen’s Tomb, you must pay extra (300EGP). You can take photos in the Valley with your phone for free, but you have to pay for a photography pass (300EGP) is you want to use something more than your phone. The tombs have been relatively untouched. The paint inside is so vibrant and intricate. It’s so interesting to imagine how the tombs would have looked with all their jewels and treasures in but it is still amazing to see them without. The highlight for me was visiting Tutankhamen’s Tomb and seeing his mummy, in person, in his tomb – the history geek in me was amazed. The Valley of the Kings is truly incredible and should not be missed.
Note: There are other tombs you can pay extra to access. Also, prices and rules change regularly for entry and photography so try to check before you go. We had about 1 hour-1.5 hours in the Valley and crammed in 4 tombs in that time. I would have liked to have spent at least a half day there, seeing as many tombs as possible and reading all the information. We also didn’t take any photos while in the Valley because photography even with your phone was restricted at the time we visited in 2018, so I would like the opportunity to photograph to amazing artwork in the tombs.
Nile Cruise
From East Bank to West Bank (or vice versa), cruising across The Nile is sooooo relaxing! Just bobbing along you can take in the sites – Luxor Temple, The Winter Palace Hotel where Agatha Christie stayed, and look out for crocodiles! This was the perfect end to a fun, interesting, jam-packed day.
Note: You can take multiple-day cruises along The Nile where you stop off at various towns and go on excursions. This is something I would love to do if I were to visit Egypt again.
Overall, you can do Luxor in a day trip but it is exhausting, especially with the heat (we went in June and temperatures topped 48C). I would definitely go back given the opportunity and would probably spend a few days so you can really spend time at places and not feel like you’re rushing around or packing in too much into one day.
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