Where do you want to travel?
KenzieKashmiri will guide you.
KenzieKashmiri will guide you.
Located on the banks of the river Nile, Luxor offers probably the richest step back in ancient Egyptian history. With world renowned monuments on both the East and West banks of the Nile, Luxor is a must-visit destination. For those that have a keen interest in ancient Egyptian history, keep reading because this post will ensure you don’t miss ANYTHING during your visit!
First off, I’d like to mention that I have recently visited Luxor (end of 2016) on a cruise but I extended my stay to be able to do additional sightseeing that was not included in the cruise itinerary. I booked my trip with Traveline Egypt and they provided me with an amazing guide called Amr El Sharkawy – you should definitely request him.
Make sure to follow the tips in this post to ensure you make the most out of your trip.
Valley of the Kings: Tomb of Seti the 1st is a must although the entrance fee (LE1,000) may seem shocking in comparison to the other entrance fees it’s really worth it.
Valley of the Queens: Tomb of Queen Nefertari what they like to call “the sistine chapel of Egypt” because of the colours. Used to cost GBP2,000 to open plus the price of the tickets but now it’s open to the public for LE 1,000 per person. Go!
Now, this is where you’ll be thanking me – the places that aren’t included in the “typical” itineraries sold by travel agencies are:
These are beautiful sites but they’re located a little further out so they tend not to be included to prevent over-tiring guests. I personally think that doing Dandara, at least, is a must – especially if you want to stray from the “model itinerary”. On the other hand, Abydos features some of the most sophisticated murals and beautiful carvings. A day consisting of Abydos and Dandara is longer than most days but definitely worth it.
Sightseeing Tips:
When looking at where to stay I’d look at the following 3 options.
Enjoy your stay in what was once a winter destination for the Egyptian Royal family. A historic hotel built in 1886, the Winter Palace has managed to keep its historic charm! I would suggest it to those that appreciate a classic style, as opposed to modern interiors. Choose between enjoying a garden or Nile view from your guest room or one of the seven suites available at the Old Winter Palace.
Sharing the garden, pool and outlets with the Old Winter Palace the Pavillion offers a more modern style accommodation. The rooms/suites offer garden or pool views – no Nile view.
Just a 10 minute walk from Karnak temple, the Hilton hotel is located right by the Nile river. Stay in a deluxe guest room with a garden or Nile view or even better, spoil yourself and enjoy the Spa suite featuring a balcony, patio, spa treatment room with a massage bed AND tub, bedroom with a king size bed and a separate lounge area! The Hilton has been renovated since it’s opening in 1988, it has transformed into quite a modern property as seen in the photos.
Hotel Tips:
Let me know if you have any questions and feel free to drop me an email, I’ve helped tons of people plan and book their trip!
Meanwhile, enjoy this video of my trip in December2016.
Love this post. It reminds me of my trip there many years ago, sadly well before I started blogging myself. Its great to see people are still traveling to Egypt considering all that is happening in the region.
Hi Albert, sorry I just saw your comment, need to get back to updating my website! It’s a pity people are afraid of traveling to Egypt it’s not as bad as the media makes it out to be! I was really happy while I was there, it felt safe and you know you’re always in good hands when you book everything through a good travel agent especially tourist destinations like Luxor.