Luxor cannot be left off in any visit to Egypt. We’ve created two Luxor itineraries for 3 or 4 days to experience the best the city has to offer. Need help to plan your visit to Luxor? Request a quote to receice a tailor-made travel plan.
Luxor – Fabulously historic
When it comes to must-see sights in Egypt, there’s simply nowhere quite like Luxor. Beyond its historic temples and tombs, the bustling backstreets and countryside villages present an exotic face to most visitors. It’s also a good place to explore ordinary Egyptian daily life.
Suggested Itinerary for 3 days in Luxor
Day 1 » East Bank – Karnak and Luxor Temples
Explore the jewels of Luxor’s East Bank. Karnak is the most impressive temple complex in Egypt. Walk through its avenue of ram-headed sphinxes and visit some of the many temples and chapels. The great hypostyle hall with 134 vast columns is awesome. Around sunset, visit the Temple of Luxor, one of the best-preserved complexes from Egyptian antiquity. In the evenings, the temple is illuminated, so this time of day is particularly suitable for a visit.
Day 2 » West Bank – Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Nobles & Medinet Habu
Cross the Nile to the West Bank and visit some of the tombs in the world-famous Valley of the Kings. Continue on to the less visited but very beautiful Valley of the Nobles, which has some of the finest rock-cut tombs in the Theban necropolis. The huge and excellent preserved mortuary temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu is your next stop. Finally, a brief visit to the Colossi of Memnon, two massive statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III built 3,400 years ago! For a once-in-a-lifetime memory, take an optional hot-air balloon ride to see dawn break over the Theban hills and the Nile.
Day 3 » Felucca Sailing
Become part of Luxor’s sailing tradition aboard a traditional Nile felucca. Enjoy the easy rhythm of life on the river, occasionally stopping to walk through fields, villages and Nile islands. While sailing enjoy an Egyptian-style lunch, freshly prepared at the well-known Sofra Restaurant. It is possible to combine this relaxing sailing trip with horse or camel rides into the countryside. The best thing to do in Luxor in the afternoon is to watch amazing sunsets from the boat.
Suggested Itinerary for 4 days in Luxor
Day 1 » East Bank – Karnak and Luxor Temples
Start on the East Bank and visit two of Luxor’s most majestic temples. Karnak has several temples, pylons, chapels and a great hypostyle hall. Roughly 30 pharaohs contributed buildings to this site over a period of at least 2,000 years, making Karnak the largest religious site ever built. Take a short walk south along the avenue of sphinxes to the Temple of Luxor. Visiting this grand temple at sunset is particularly memorable; when it is beautifully lit it is a magical experience.
Day 2 » West Bank – Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Nobles & Medinet Habu
A short trip across the Nile will take you to the Valley of the Kings. Hidden from view, beneath the sands and against the Theban hills, are 64 known tombs that have been hand-carved into the valley rock. The real highlight of the day is the Valley of the Nobles. Here guards still use broken mirrors to direct the sun’s rays into the tombs to light their wonderful interiors. Continue on to the Temple of Medinet Habu. On the walls and ceilings of this temple, you’ll see exquisite paintings and murals, their colours still vivid despite the passage of time. End the day’s visits at the Colossi of Memnon and look at the latest excavation work at the Temple of Amenhotep III. We can also arrange an optional hot-air balloon ride over the West Bank for you.
Day 3 » Felucca Sailing
Sail the peaceful Nile waters aboard a traditional Nile felucca. Enjoy the passing scenery, occasionally stopping to walk through fields, villages and Nile islands, or simply take it slow. While sailing enjoy an Egyptian-style lunch, freshly prepared at the well-known Sofra Restaurant. It is possible to combine this relaxing sailing trip with horse or camel rides into the countryside. The best thing to do in Luxor in the afternoon is to watch beautiful sunsets from a felucca.
Day 4 » Deir El Bahari, The Ramesseum and Deir el Medina OR Dendera & Abydos
Today you can choose how you to spend your day. A second day on the West Bank, visiting the terraced Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, which is a splendid sight to behold, and the ancient village of Deir el-Medina which houses some perfectly painted tombs, and the Temple of Ramesses II, known as the Ramesseum, the inspiration for Shelley’s poem ‘Ozymandias’. Or venture off the beaten track on a full-day excursion to visit the Temple of Hathor at Dendera and the Temple of Seti I in the ancient city of Abydos.
