Day 01
Luxor East and West Bank Highlights
- At 7:00 am, pick up from your hotel or Nile cruise in Luxor, or even from Luxor Airport, by your tour guide.
- Then, transfer by private air-conditioned vehicle to the West Bank, where you will visit the Valley of the Kings. The rulers of the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Dynasties of Egypt's prosperous New Kingdom (c. 1550-1069 BC) were buried in a desolate dry river valley across the river from the ancient city of Thebes (modern Luxor), hence its modern name, the Valley of the Kings. This moniker is not entirely accurate, however, since some members of the royal family aside from the king were buried here as well, as were a few non-royal, albeit very high-ranking, individuals. The Valley of the Kings is divided into the East and West Valleys. The eastern valley is by far the more iconic of the two, as the western valley contains only a handful of tombs. In all, the Valley of the Kings includes over sixty tombs and an additional twenty unfinished ones that are little more than pits.
- Followed by a visit to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut (c. 1473-1458 BC), the queen who became pharaoh, built a magnificent temple at Deir al-Bahari, on the west bank of Luxor. It lies directly across the Nile from Karnak Temple, the main sanctuary of the god Amun. Hatshepsut's temple, Djeser-djeseru, "the Holy of Holies," was designed by the chief steward of Amun, Senenmut.
- Then continue your day tour to the Colossi of Memnon.
- Then transfer to the East Bank in Luxor to continue your day tour with a visit to Karnak Temple. The Karnak temple complex at Luxor developed over more than 1,000 years, principally between the Twelfth and Twentieth Dynasties. At its peak, it was the largest and most important religious complex in ancient Egypt. The most significant structure, and the largest religious building ever built, is the Temple of Amun-Ra, considered to be where that god lived on earth with his wife, Mut, and son, Khonsu, who also have temples at the site. The Temple of Amun-Ra is particularly famous for the vast Hypostyle Hall constructed during the reign of Seti I.
- After Memphis became the new dynastic capital, many of Luxor's temples declined in importance. In later centuries, Ptolemaic rulers and Coptic Christians altered parts of the complex for their own uses.
- Finish your day tour by visiting the Temple of Luxor. Luxor Temple, Ipet-resyt, "Southern Sanctuary" to the ancient Egyptians, was so called because of its location within ancient Thebes (modern Luxor). It is located around three kilometers to the south of Karnak Temple, to which it was once linked by a processional way bordered with sphinxes. The oldest evidence for this temple dates to the Eighteenth Dynasty (c. 1550-1295 BC).
- Later, you will be driven back to your hotel in Luxor. The tour can also end at Luxor Airport.
