Trip duration: 2 days, Dec 2023
Located along the river Nile in Upper Egypt, Luxor is the site of the ancient Egyptian city, Thebes, which was an important city during the Old Kingdom as well as the capital of the New Kingdom. As per our guide, 30% of the world's monuments are located in and around this city and globally renowned as the World's greatest open air museum. It is home to some of the most famous Egyptian monuments and tombs and with the Necropolis on the West bank, the area is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Center.
Day 0
We arrived on a delayed flight from Cairo. A van from Egypt Tours Portal picked us up and brought us to Steigenberger Resort Achti, where we checked in, had dinner and retired for the night.
Day 1 - East Bank of Luxor
After a delicious breakfast, our assigned guide from ETP picked us up from the hotel and transported us to the ship we were going to sail on for the next few days, M/S Jamila. We settled into our room, explored the ship, ate lunch and headed out to explore the East Bank of Luxor.
If you remember my little Egyptian history crash course, the eastern bank of Nile is where palaces and temples were built... so we basically explored two massive temples.
Karnak Temple
This is a massive complex located in the heart of Luxor, comprising temples, pylons (monumental gates), chapels and other buildings. Construction began around 2000 BC in the Middle Kingdom and continued into the Ptolemaic Kingdom, with almost thirty Pharaohs contributing to it. The temple is dedicated to the triad of Amun, Mut and Khonsu. The temple was buried in sand and was discovered when tomb of a local imam was being built.
Our van dropped us off near the main gate and we walked to the first pylon, which is unfinished. The 3 km long Avenue of Sphinxes connects this gate to Luxor Temple.
Once inside the courtyard, the still visible mud-brick ramp of the unfinished North tower enabled historians to understand how the pyramids were built.
We took a quick look at the Temple of Seti II followed by the temple of Ramses III. The latter was adorned with grand statues of Ramses III. Several statues had the heads and crowns broken. Many a times the new king defaced the statues of the old king so he is unable to wake up in the afterlife.
Next we saw the temple of Ramses II and then the gigantic statue of Ramses II and the tiny statue of his primary queen Nefertari.
We walked through the Second pylon built by Horemheb and his successor Rameses I.
We then arrived at the magnificent Hypostyle hall built by Pharaoh Seti I and Rameses II. The roof, now fallen, was supported by 134 gigantic papyrus columns in 16 rows. The elaborate decorations on the columns can in fact be attributed to multiple people like Pharaohs Seti I, Rameses II, Rameses IV and more. The carvings and painting are indeed a sight to behold. It is incredible how some of this paint still exists on the upper portions of the columns and ceiling today. And the pictures posted here do not do them any justice.
We continued walking through several other pylons erected by other Pharaohs and explored more temples and saw the massive granite obelisks erected by Thutmose I and Queen Hatshepsut.
Next up was the Sacred Lake, a small rectangular reservoir dug by Thutmose III and used for ritual washing and ritual navigation and the Nilometer next to it.
Our final stop at Karnak temple was the Kheper Scarab sculpture. Scarabs are considering good luck charms in ancient Egypt and thus tourists are encouraged to walk around this statue 7 times. No points for guessing that's what we did.
Luxor Temple
Built with Nubian sandstone around 1400 BC, this temple is not dedicated to a cult god or a deified version of a Pharaoh. The temple was built during the New Kingdom. The temple was built by Amenhotep III but completed by Tutankhamun and Horemheb and then added to by Rameses II (1279-13 BC). Toward the rear is a granite shrine dedicated to Alexander the Great.
By the time we got to Luxor temple it was evening and it was beautifully lit up.
We walked around the Avenue of Sphinxes for a bit. This road was used once a year during the Opet festival when the Egyptians paraded along it carrying the statues of Amun and Mut in a symbolic re-enactment of their marriage. Around 1350 sphinx statues are thought to have lined this road together. The avenue or rather the first sphinx of the avenue was discovered in 2021 during some construction work.
We then went to the first pylon or the main entrance to the temple, adorned by two giant statues of Rameses II and one of the two Luxor obelisks (the second is in Paris).
Once we entered we encountered giant statues of Rameses II and then were at the great court of Rameses II, with seventy four papyrus columns. The southern part of this area is now partly occupied by the Mosque of al-Hajjaj.
Beyond that, this temple also boasts of a Hypostyle hall.. the Grand Colonnade of Amenhotep III, albeit not as massive as Karnak temple. The pillars and walls are adorned with carved and painted details of hieroglyphic texts and temple ritual scenes. We also saw the only statue of King Tut and his loving wife, Queen Ankhesenamun.
Finally after exploring the court of Amenhotep III, we made our way out.
Light and Sound Show at Karnak
Our final stop for the day was back at Karnak temple for the Light and sound show. The show occurs in 4 parts and the audience walks from one point to the other through the Karnak Temple complex before settling down at the bleachers in front of the Sacred Lake. The first stop was at the entrance near the Avenue of sphinx, followed by the courtyard, Hypostyle hall and then a 30 min stretch near the lake. It's a fascinating show with beautiful lighting. Towards the tail end though it got a bit prolonged and my jet-lagged brain struggled to stay focused.
Post show we headed back to the boat, had dinner and turned in for the night.
Pro tip: Keep in mind that these show tickets will be more expensive when purchased through your cruise operator. So investigate if you can buy them independently.
Day 2 - West Bank of Luxor
We woke up bright and early (6.30 am start y'all) to explore the Necropolis of Luxor. A one hour van ride crossing the one bridge over the river Nile, brought us to the other side of roughly where the ship was docked.
Colossi of Memnon
Back in the van, we drove about 20 minutes or so through winding roads to get to our next stop.
Valley of the Kings
Located in the hills behind Deir al-Bahri, this was the burial site of all the New Kingdom Pharaohs from 18th-20th dynasties... from Thutmose I to Ramses X. Unlike the massive pyramids of the Old Kingdom, which were looted frequently, fearing the safety of the tombs (which indirectly impacted their afterlife), the Pharaohs adopted a new plan of concealing their tombs in a lonely valley, sunk deep into the heart of the mountain.
Most of the tombs followed a common layout.. there was a long descending corridor that went through various pillared chambers and finally arrived at the chamber where the Pharaoh was interred. The burial chamber typically had a stone sarcophagus within which the royal mummy was kept. There were deep shafts along the way to deter tomb robbers. The underground tombs were well stocked with all the material goods a ruler might need in the next world. These included treasures as well as more mundane things like furniture, weapons, perfumes, food and drinks. So far 62 tombs have been discovered.
Once we arrived we picked up our tickets and rode the tram from the visitor center to the area of the tombs while our guide filled us in with information about the 3 tombs we were going to visit that day.
Besides the 8 tombs, there are a few tombs that require separate/special tickets. These need to be purchased individually at the visitor center. These are the tombs of Tutankhamun (500 EGP), Ramses V and VI (180 EGP) and Seti I (1800 EGP)
We had done our research and purchased these extra tickets.. so all in all we visited 6 tombs in the valley.
Pro tip: Dress in layers. It can get a bit warm inside the tombs due to the crowds and lack of ventilation.
Ramses IV (KV 2) - Included in ticket
Like other tombs of the 20th Dynasty, KV2 is laid out along a straight axis, consisting of three slowly descending corridors. The tomb has been open since antiquity: there are many Greek, Latin and Coptic graffiti on the tomb's walls. The tomb is decorated with scenes from the Litany of Ra, Book of Caverns, Book of the Dead, Book of Gates, Imydwat, Book of Nut, Book of the Night, Book of the Earth, the deceased and deities, and burial furniture.
As we entered the tomb, we were greeted by a massive falcon painting on the ceiling. It was a bit crowded and we slowly made our way through the brightly painted corridors and ante chambers to the main burial chamber which still has a stone sarcophagus.
Merneptah (KV 8) - Included in ticket
The Tomb of Merneptah is the second largest one in the Valley of the Kings. The decoration is similar to that of Seti I and Ramses II's tombs, but the tomb was damaged by floods hence the vibrant colors are no longer visible. The burial chamber houses a gigantic stone sarcophagus.
This tomb was not as crowded.. and for a reason. A.. it's a bit strenuous and B... it's not nearly as pretty as the remaining tombs, due to the flooding.
Pro tip: The corridors are pretty steep, hence avoid this tomb if you have knee issues.
Ramses III (KV 11) - Included in ticket
The tomb was originally begun by Setnakht of the Twentieth Dynasty, who then abandoned it when the quarry men accidentally broke into the nearby tomb of Amenmesse (KV 10). Setnakht's son Ramses III then restarted it and built it on a different axis. This is one of the most visited tombs in the Valley of the Kings and for a reason.. the impressive paintings and relief work. The tomb is really long, consisting of four corridors that open out into a double vestibule ended by the Burial Chamber, which has four small side chambers, one at each corner. A sun disc with a scarab and Ra-Horakhty ornament the tomb's gate.
The tomb was crowded but absolutely gorgeous. The walls with the vibrant paintings are protected by glass panels. This tomb must not be missed if it is on the "menu" when you visit.
Tutankhamun (KV 62) - Special ticket
This tomb is by far the most famous tomb in the Valley of the Kings... not because of the size or the beauty, but for the fact that it was discovered almost intact with most of the treasures within it. There had been thwarted robbery attempts in antiquity and since then the tomb was sealed and its location and entrance forgotten.
Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter, a famous British archaeologist and Egyptologist. Most of the treasures from the tomb are now on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, but the mummy rests within a glass box within the tomb. The tomb consists of four chambers and an entrance staircase and corridor. It is smaller and less extensively decorated than other Egyptian royal tombs of its time, and it probably originated as a tomb for a non-royal individual that was adapted for Tutankhamun's use after his premature death at the age of 19.
We quickly made our way down the stairs and explored the beautifully painted burial chamber which houses Tutankhamun's mummy, before making our way out.
Ramses V and VI (KV 9) - Special ticket
This is the tomb originally constructed by Ramses V where he was interred and the tomb was later usurped by Ramses VI. Its layout consists of a long corridor, divided by pilasters into several sections, leading to a pillared hall, from which a second long corridor descends to the burial chamber.
This beautiful tomb is surprisingly underrated and therefore less crowded... and we thoroughly enjoyed it, away from the throngs of tourists.
Seti I (KV 17) - Special ticket
This is one of the most decorated tombs in the valley, and is one of the largest and deepest tombs in the Valley of the Kings, second only to the Tomb of the Sons of Ramses II (KV 5). It was discovered in October 1817 by the famous Italian Egyptologist Giovanni Battista Belzoni. The tomb is decorated with scenes from the Litanies of Ra, the Imydwat, the Book of the Dead, Book of Gates, the Opening of the Mouth ritual, the Book of the Heavenly Cow, some astronomical scenes, as well as scenes of Seti I accompanied by different deities.
The tomb is beautiful but does come with a pretty hefty price tag. Not quite the bang for the buck like KV9.
After this, we hopped back into the tram back to the visitor center and made our way out of the valley.
Imhotep Alabaster
Our next stop was the alabaster factory where they showed us how alabaster is made and carved, with a massive store (with clean restrooms) where we could purchase souvenirs. The products did seem a bit overpriced so we decided to skip buying anything.
Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
Beneath the sheer, stark cliffs of Deir el Bahri, the Mortuary temple of Pharaoh Hatshepsut (or Hot Chicken Soup as our guide liked to call her) is considered to be a masterpiece of ancient architecture.
The eldest daughter of King Thutmose I, Hatshepsut first assumed the role of queen regent during the 18th dynasty after the death of her husband, Thutmose II. Although her stepson, Thutmose III, eventually came of age, she adopted the title of pharaoh and ruled for more than two decades.
The beautiful terraced temple was decorated with scenes from her reign and housed shrines to Anubis, god of the dead; Hathor, goddess of fertility; Amun, king of gods; and Ra, god of the sun. Through the temple Hatshepsut wanted to emphasis her legitimate right in claiming the throne by creating the theory of her divine birth, and choosing "Amun Ra" to be her father.
Unfortunately Thutmose III went to great lengths to destroy her legacy 20 years later. He crushed her statues, defaced her images, and erased her cartouche. Even in the temple, barring one spot on one of the walls, Hatshepsut's face is not visible anywhere.
We explored the massive temple with our guide, finishing with the tomb at the top.. although the Pharaoh was not actually buried there but was in fact buried in the Valley of the Kings.
After this we made it back to our cruise ship and we set sail down the Nile river. It was very amusing to see about 40-45 cruise ships from different companies chugging down the Nile like a train.
Next stop.. Kom Ombo and Edfu temples
Other things to see/do
Valley of the Queens
While Pharaohs were buried at the Valley of Kings, queens, princes and princesses and other high ranking officials were buried in the nearby Valley of the Queens. There are more than 90 known tombs, usually consisting of an entrance passage, a few short halls, and a sarcophagus chamber. The tomb of Nefertari, Ramses II’s beloved and favorite wife, is the most famous attraction in the Valley of the Queens. It is said to be one of the most beautiful tombs in all of Egypt.
Ramesseum
Located on the West bank of river Nile, this is the mortuary temple of Pharaoh Ramses II. Unlike some of the bigger temples constructed by Ramses, this temple is has been ruined significantly by the passage of time.
Hot Air Balloon
Another popular attraction in the area is the Hot air balloon ride over Luxor. Given the 4 am departure time, we decided to sit this out mainly for our son's sake. Those who took it definitely raved about it.. but also complained about the crazy amount of dust and sand at the starting and ending points.
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