Luxor, Egypt travel guide: temples, tombs and when to go

Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt built on ancient Thebes, a New Kingdom capital, about 670 km¹ from Cairo; the best time to visit is November to early March².

City layout: East Bank and West Bank; Temples and hotels east, royal tombs west
World Heritage area: 7,390 ha; Karnak, Luxor Temple and the West Bank ruins
Tutankhamun's tomb: EGP 700; Open daily, 6AM-5PM
Train from Cairo: About 10 hours; On the main railway line

Find your way around

Plan your trip

This guide is split by topic, so open the page that matches your next decision.

East or west

Choose your side of the Nile

Pick a side of the Nile River first, then a hotel: the river splits the town into the East Bank and the West Bank³.

Felucca with a striped sail on the Nile at Luxor, the riverfront hotels behind

East Bank: the city and its temples, where most visitors and almost all tour groups² stay; US$36⁴ to US$352⁵ a night.
West Bank: small hotels and a slower pace, popular with independent travellers²; £10⁶ to US$833⁷ a night.
Kings Island: suits families after a family-friendly resort; US$145⁸ to US$310⁹ a night.
On the Nile: 2-3 night² cruises to Aswan; €670¹⁰ to US$3,350¹¹ per person for the trip.

The map of the city and its sights shows how the banks fit together.

Compare prices and hotels in the hotel areas guide. The East Bank also holds the town’s restaurants², so browse the restaurants and dishes to try before you book.

Arriving

Getting there

Flying is the quick way in: flights land at Luxor International Airport, close to the centre. Buses from Cairo take 8h 45m to 10h 57m¹², and the bus from Hurghada takes about 4-5 hours¹³.

Cairo flight: about 1 hour²

Fly in

Egyptair and others fly from Cairo in about 1 hour, and several European cities have direct flights.
Head into town

Luxor International Airport is about 6 km east of the city centre.
Cross the river

The West Bank's burial grounds are reached by ferry.

Wikivoyage calls a day trip from Hurghada “a bit mad”, since it takes up most of a 20-hour day¹³. Staying a few nights gives you far more time at the tombs and temples.

The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel west of the Nile Valley, but the city itself and the Valley of the Kings are exceptions¹⁴. Safety and health notes sit with getting from the airport.

Seasons

When should you visit?

Visit from November to early March, when winters are warm but can get cool at night². Summers are very hot², so plan for early starts if you come then.

Best: November to early March²

Average lows stay above 5 °C¹, so a light layer is enough for winter evenings. If you can take the heat, a total solar eclipse crosses the city on 2 August 2027¹⁵, with totality lasting 6 minutes 22 seconds¹⁶.

Sightseeing weather by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Best months to visit November to February
Warm, start early March to May, September to October
Hottest months June to August

See how the seasons play out month to month before you pick dates.

Sights and outings

Temples, tombs and balloon rides

Medinet Habu entry: EGP 230²³

On the East Bank, start with Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple², then the Luxor Museum (EGP 400¹⁷ (about US$7)), which shows selected artefacts from the tomb of King Tut³. Across the river, the Valley of the Kings of Egypt holds royal tombs from 1500-1000 BCE¹⁹, and Howard Carter’s team found Tutankhamun’s in 1922²⁰.

Howard Carter’s House, with a replica of Tutankhamun’s tomb in its grounds, costs EGP 220²¹ (about US$4). Medinet Habu, the mortuary temple of Ramses III²², is EGP 230²³ (about US$4) (checked October 2026). Hot air balloons go up at sunrise or sunset².

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Carved columns and roof beams in Karnak's hypostyle hall under a blue sky

Day tour

8 hoursPickup includedFree cancellation

Nice Tours

Luxor: Full-Day Shared Tour to West and East Banks

4.6 (2,240 reviews) on GetYourGuide, checked October 2026

fromUS$30

See dates on GetYourGuide

Limestone cliffs above a walled path in the Valley of the Kings

Day tour

8 hoursPickup includedFree cancellation

Reflections Travel

Luxor Day Tour: Valley of Kings & Queens & Hatchepsut Temples

4.9 (1,741 reviews) on Viator, checked October 2026

fromUS$89.24

See dates on Viator

Sky full of hot air balloons over the launch field

Tour

3 hoursPickup includedFree cancellation

Hod Hod Soliman Balloon

Hot Air Balloon Ride in Luxor Egypt with Transfers Included

4.9 (4,558 reviews) on Viator, checked October 2026

fromUS$85

See dates on Viator

Before a West Bank day, read up on what the Ramesseum was built for and check what a trip here costs. The full list of things to see across the city covers both banks.

Luxor, Egypt travel guide: temples, tombs and when to go

Fly in

Head into town

Cross the river

Luxor: Full-Day Shared Tour to West and East Banks

Luxor Day Tour: Valley of Kings & Queens & Hatchepsut Temples

Hot Air Balloon Ride in Luxor Egypt with Transfers Included