Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt, the southern part of the country bordering Sudan. Known as Thebes, Waset, or City of a Hundred Gates in ancient times. A great lineage of kings who reunified Egypt after the First Intermediate Period hailed from Thebes for over 1,500 years. The city’s rise to prominence was in tandem with the deification of the new ancient Egyptian deity Amun in union with the sun god Ra, the king of all gods. (UNESCO World heritage)
East Bank vs West Bank
The Nile River splits Luxor into two parts, which include the East and West Banks. East bank, where the sun rises, is where most Egyptians live, work, and where hotels and restaurants are found. It is known as the land of the living. The sun god Amun Ra, rising from the east, represented birth and life to the world. The east bank became the center of worship, famous for hosting the Opet festival, which celebrated the divine regeneration of Pharaoh and the fertility of the gods. Magnificent temples, including Karnak Temple, were built and dedicated to these gods and the living Pharaoh.
The West Bank, where the sun sets, was an ancient necropolis filled with royal tombs and mortuary temples, and was known as the land of the dead. The sun setting in the west represented the realm of the dead. Such a belief system influenced the historical development of a sacred burial site known as the Valley of the Kings.
Understanding this split helps explain why the tombs are decorated the way they are. Every corridor is built to guide the king’s spirit through the night toward rebirth at dawn. Tombs were created with sophistication and mastery of carving the rocks beneath a mountain valley. An intention to keep the tombs, the treasures, and the artifacts concealed. The strategy came as a lesson from earlier dynasties that built tombs in the form of pyramids, leaving them vulnerable to robbery.
Karnak Temple Complex
Known to ancient Egyptians as pet‑Sut, which means “The Most Select of Places”, Karnak, one of the major attractions to see in Egypt was where the cult of the god Amun of Thebes was conducted. The construction of the temple was started by Wahankh Intef II (c. 2112–2063 BC). Every other leader that followed after his reign during the new New Kingdom of Egypt (1550–1069 BC), including Amenhotep III (1390–1352 BC, Sety I (1294–1279 BC) and his son Rameses II (1279–1213 BC), Hatshepsut (1473–1458 BC), Thutmose III (1479–1425 BC), built more structures, turning Karnak into a large complex of monuments, shrines, obelisks, chapels, spanning over 100 hectares (247 acres). Some additional structures are also attributed to, among other rulers during the Ptolemaic and Roman eras.
Karnak Temple Complex consists of four major zones which include the Amun Precinct; the Precinct of Mut, his wife, to the south; the Precinct of Montu to the north; and, to the east, Akhenaten’s temple to Aten. In addition to monuments, the complex is also adorned with decorative reliefs on the walls. There are statues of different kinds including the Great Hypostyle Hall on Amun Precinct, a must-visit highlights in Luxor. The Great Hypostyle Hall is a forest of 134 intricate columns with a height of 15 to 21 metres tall. Visiting the hall alone may take 1 hour.
Among other smaller unique structures at Karnak include Queen Hatshepsut’s obelisk. Standing at 29.5 meters (97 ft) tall, it is the tallest in Africa of ancient monuments.
Ancient sacred lakes
There are two sacred lakes on the complex which served as spots for purification and rebirth. The main lake, believed to have been built by Thutmose III, measures 80 to 120 meters long and 40 to 80 meters wide. It still contains water.
Avenue of Sphinxes
The road that connects Karnak and Luxor temples stretches for 2.7 km and is lined side to side with over 600 statues of a shape of a lion’s body and ram’s head, the shape of a lion’s body with a human head, and the shape of a full ram statue.
Temple of Luxor
The Luxor Temple is the second most important temple after Karnak. Constructed in 1400 BC in parts by various kings, including Amenhotep III, Tutankhamun, and Ramesses II. The temple was built from a fusion of Nubian sandstone with silica to form such strong structures.
Valley of Kings
Known in ancient times as “Ta-sekhet-ma’at,” which means the ‘Great Field’, the valley of kings, located on the west bank, is a royal burial ground of ancient Egyptian pharaohs and contains 62 tombs, of which only 18 are open for tourism. 62 tombs are found on the east bank and 4 on the west bank. Tombs can be categorized according to their historical significance and visual impression. For conservation purposes, the tombs aren’t all open at the same time due to regulations to limit visitor numbers. Most of the tomb treasures and artifacts were removed and are preserved at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. A handful of other artifacts are also at the Egyptian Museum in Giza.
How The Tombs Are Categorized
Tombs can be categorized as visually impressive and historically significant. The former rewards visitors with vivid color and intricate ceilings, making it a must-visit gem for keen photographers. Historic tombs matter for what they represent or what was found inside them, such as discoveries, conspiracies, and turning points in Egyptian history. Many tombs qualify on both counts; however, every tomb offers a unique experience, and it’s worth deciding in advance what you actually want to see. Entry tickets are limited to a set number of tombs per visit.
The most visually impressive tombs
Tomb of Seti 1 (KV17)
Sety I (1294–1279 BC) was the second pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty. His tomb is the longest, deepest, and most decorated in the valley. The tomb consists of 7 corridors and 10 chambers, with hallways that lead underground at the entry into the tomb. decorated with a wide range of delicate murals, motifs, paintings, and reliefs, depicting gods and goddesses, circumpolar stars and constellations.
Among others are descriptive epithets of his royal names and funerary texts, including the Book of Gates and the opening of the mouth ceremony ritual, whose purpose was to guide and grant the king’s soul eternal life. This is evidenced by the jaggled axis architecture of Set I’s tomb, where a passage from the floor of the main burial chamber descends deep into the ground to ritually connect him to the regenerative powers of the afterlife.
The burial chamber of Set I itself is like a room with a ceiling, a unique feature among the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. And inside, there are corridors and passageways leading to various rooms. The tomb also has a long tunnel of up to 174 meters long. Attempts to uncover the tomb of Set I by Egyptologists, including Giovanni Battista Belzoni in the early 19th century, were successful in identifying what was supposedly his mummy. The mummy of Set I was found largely damaged, along with his coffin. Large pieces of art, reliefs, among other objects, were taken and are preserved in various museums in Europe, including Sir John Soane’s Museum in London, the Egyptian Museum in Florence, and the Neues Museum in Berlin.
A spectacular public exhibition of painted recreations of rooms from the tomb of Sety were displayed at the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly in London in 1821, attracting global coverage. However, the removal of reliefs along with rubble on the entry led to flooding of the tomb, and damage to walls was reported following excavations in the 1960s. As a result, efforts to preserve the tomb have been made, including the construction of stone dykes to prevent flooding.
Digital archiving through the use of advanced technology, including 3D laser scanning, has been instrumental in mapping out the tomb and creating exact digital replicas of the original structure. These replicas are used to study the tomb without needing to physically visit the tomb. Tourism poses a threat to delicate paintings as more people get inside the tomb; the moisture and carbon dioxide they exhale can, in the long term, cause damage to sensitive paintings.
Tomb of Ramesses VI (KV9)
KV9 is famous for having the best-preserved decoration in the valley, including a complete rendering of the Book of Caverns and scenes from the Book of the Earth in the burial chamber. There are striking astronomical scenes on the ceilings of most chambers. Tomb KV2 was originally started by Ramesses V, however. He never completed it, and there’s little evidence of his burial there. Instead, his uncle Ramesses VI expanded and used it for his burial. Featuring bright and dense decorations, it is one of the most spectacular tombs in the valley. Tomb KV9 remained hidden and unlooted for over 3,000 years, and it lies next to Tutankhamun’s tomb.
Tomb of Ramesses IV (KV2)
KV2 is one of the most accessible and instantly eye-catching tombs in the valley. Thanks to its straight, wide corridors and a spectacular astronomical ceiling in the burial chamber, where the sky goddess Nut stretches across a field of stars. The tomb has been open since antiquity and carries the second-highest count of ancient graffiti of any tomb in the valley. Greek, Roman, and Coptic visitors left hundreds of inscriptions on its walls over the centuries. The tomb was also used as a shelter by early European Egyptologists exploring the valley. Its bold, high-contrast color palette and gentle walking surface make it a favorite for travelers who want striking visuals without a strenuous descent.
Historically Significant Tombs
Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62)
Tutankhamun was a young pharaoh who ruled for about 9 years during the 18th dynasty. His tomb is relatively small, measuring 100 sq. meters (1,075 sq. feet) and has one corridor leading to four chambers, including the burial and treasury chambers. The small size of his tomb has led archeologists to speculate that Tutankhamun may have been buried in a non-royal private tomb due to sudden death.
According to Howard Carter, who discovered it in 1922, Tutankhamun’s tomb was found relatively intact, given that it was either unintentionally forgotten and buried 150 years later, or as a result of excavations of the Ramesses VI (KV9) that lies next to it.
As such, the tomb remained hidden from tomb robbers, and most of the burial treasures and artifacts were found, including the golden death mask made from 10 kilograms (22.5 pounds) of solid gold. Tutankhamun’s golden mask bears decorations of semi-precious stones such as quartz and features depictions of himself as a teenager wearing the famous striped headcloth.
Tomb of Ramesses III (KV11)
KV11 is also known as the “Tomb of the Harpists” and was named after a relief of two blind musicians found in a side chamber. Being one of the longest tombs in the valley, at around 188 meters. Ramesses III’s tombs were originally begun for Setnakhte; however, it was abandoned when workers accidentally broke into the neighboring tomb of Amenmesse. As such, construction shifted onto a new axis to avoid the collision, giving the tomb a unique L-shaped layout.
Pharaoh Ramesses III (1186-1155 BC) is famous for successfully defending Egypt against invasions by the Sea Peoples and Libyans. Unfortunately, he was ultimately assassinated in a palace conspiracy led by one of his minor wives. A plot documented in the Judicial Papyrus of Turin. Side chambers depict rare secular scenes of foreign tribute, weapons, and ships alongside the traditional funerary texts.
Tomb of Ramesses IX (KV6)
KV6 offers an opportunity to gain insights into a turbulent chapter of Egyptian history. The 20th dynasty pharaoh Ramesses IX ruled for around 18 years between 129-1111 BC. His reign was marked by political instability and economic crisis. Given that the authority of the Amun priesthood grew and royal power weakened. His reign is best documented through the tomb-robbery trial papyri from Years 16 and 17, which record accusations against officials responsible for guarding the necropolis. The papyrus document contained evidence that looting was already a serious problem when pharaohs were still being buried.
The tomb has the widest entrance in the valley and was hurriedly completed after the king’s death. As a result, several side chambers were left unfinished. The burial chamber ceiling, painted with the sky goddess Nut in bold yellows and blues, remains one of the more visually impressive for a tomb built in haste.
How to get to the Valley of Kings
The Valley of the Kings is 17 km (30-min drive) from the center of Luxor and can be reached via a ferry across the Nile, along with a short drive from the main lane of hotels on the east bank. A visit to the Valley of the Kings can be combined with other attractions on the West Bank.
Entry Tickets
Egypt ministry of Tourism and Antiquities issues a standard general ticket that offers access to three of your choice, subject to which ones are open that day. The selection rotates for conservation reasons. On top of a general one, a separate ticket is required to visit the famous tombs of Seti I (KV17) and Tutankhamun (KV62). Tickets must be purchased at the main visitor center located on the West Bank before heading into the valley.
Taking photos is allowed in the tombs; however, a separate ticket is needed for keen photographers. Rules tend to change regularly, so check for intending to visit for photography purposes.
Guiding
A detailed explanation of what is inside the tombs is strictly given at the entrance and not inside. After that, you can go in alone or with your group. This is intended to reduce overcrowding and regulate air quality. Humidity and carbon dioxide from human breath can damage the delicate art inside the enclosed tombs. As such, visitors may be required to put on caps or visit in timed sessions.
Travel Tips for Visiting
Get there early as the valley opens around 6:00 a.m. and may get hotter and more crowded through the day. Morning hours offer cooler temperatures, better light for photos, and fewer people in each tomb.
Wear comfortable, breathable clothing and closed shoes. Tomb floors can be uneven, and corridors are often steep or descend via ramps and stairs.
Bring water and sun protection. There’s little shade between the ticket office and the tomb entrances, and midday heat in Luxor can reach up to 40°C (104° F).
Choose your three tombs before you arrive. Since the standard ticket only covers three, decide in advance based on the visually impressive vs. historically significant tombs above, rather than deciding on the spot.
Budget extra for KV17 and KV62. If Seti I’s tomb or Tutankhamun’s tomb matters to you, put the additional ticket cost into your plan. They aren’t included in the standard three.
Visit the Valley of the Kings before the heat of the day, then head to Hatshepsut’s Temple or Medinet Habu afterward. Given that both have more open, sun-exposed courtyards best seen once the morning glare has softened slightly, or in the late afternoon.