Egypt
The world's greatest open-air museum — ancient Egypt's capital at its peak
About This Destination
Luxor was the capital of ancient Egypt at the height of its power — the city the Greeks called Thebes, home to the most spectacular concentration of ancient monuments on earth. On the East Bank, the great temples of Karnak and Luxor stand illuminated along the Nile. On the West Bank, a landscape of limestone cliffs conceals the Valley of the Kings, where pharaohs including Tutankhamun were buried with all the treasures of eternity. Walking among these ruins at dawn, before the crowds arrive, is as close as a traveler can get to stepping back in time.
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Curated For You
The definitive Egypt experience: Cairo's Pyramids, a Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan, and the colossal temples of Abu Simbel — all in one seamless, guided journey.
A thorough exploration of both banks of the Nile at Luxor, covering Luxor Temple, the Avenue of Sphinxes, Valley of the Queens, and the Colossi of Memnon.
The iconic four-night cruise between Luxor and Aswan aboard a five-star river ship, calling at Edfu, Kom Ombo, and the Nubian landscapes south of Aswan.
An intimate, unhurried journey along the Nile aboard a traditional wooden dahabiya — just eight guests, sailing past villages and temples the large cruise ships cannot reach.
Two full days among Luxor's greatest monuments — the Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple, and Hatshepsut's terraced temple — with expert Egyptologist guides.
Discover
From ancient monuments to hidden natural wonders — these are the experiences that define a journey here.
The largest ancient religious complex ever built — covering 2 km² and constructed over 1,300 years by 30 successive pharaohs. The Great Hypostyle Hall alone contains 134 massive columns, each carved with hieroglyphs and painted scenes from ancient ritual.
A royal necropolis on Luxor's West Bank where 63 tombs of New Kingdom pharaohs lie hidden in the limestone hills. Each tomb is unique, decorated with vivid murals describing the pharaoh's journey through the afterlife. Tutankhamun's tomb, discovered intact in 1922, is among them.
A 3,400-year-old temple illuminated dramatically at night, built on the east bank of the Nile and dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship. The Avenue of Sphinxes — recently fully excavated — once linked it to Karnak in a 3 km processional road.
Rising from the desert cliffs at Deir el-Bahari in three elegant colonnaded terraces, this mortuary temple of ancient Egypt's most famous female pharaoh is considered one of the greatest architectural achievements of the ancient world.
Sister necropolis to the Valley of the Kings, containing 90 tombs of queens, princes, and royal children. The painted tomb of Nefertari — Ramesses II's beloved wife — is considered the finest in all of Egypt, its colors still vivid after 3,200 years.
Two colossal seated statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, each 18 meters tall and carved from a single block of quartzite, that have watched over Luxor's West Bank for 3,400 years. They were the first monuments ancient travelers encountered on the Theban plain.
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