Things to do in Luxor: temples, tombs, balloons and boats

Last checked: October 2026

Rows of carved columns in Karnak's hypostyle hall framing an obelisk

Valley of the Kings Valley of the Kings in Egypt: ticket prices and extra tomb fees, opening hours, the ferry and taxi route from Luxor, access and nearby sites.
Karnak Temple Karnak Temple in Luxor: ticket prices, opening hours, the Hypostyle Hall, getting there from Luxor Temple and the Sound and Light Show.
Tutankhamun tomb Visiting the King Tutankhamun tomb in the Valley of the Kings: ticket prices, opening hours, getting there, and what Howard Carter found inside.
Hatshepsut Temple Hatshepsut Temple at Deir el-Bahari on Luxor's West Bank: entry fees, how to cross the Nile, what's on the terraces and who it suits.
Luxor Temple Luxor Temple ticket office guide: foreign, student and Egyptian prices, card-only payment, opening hours, night visits, getting there and nearby sights.
Edfu Temple Edfu Temple in Egypt: official opening hours, ticket prices, how to get there from Luxor by road, train or cruise, and what to see at the Temple of Horus.
Dendera Temple Dendera Temple in Egypt: the Hathor temple and its zodiac ceiling, ticket prices, opening hours, access and how to get there from Luxor.
Felucca Felucca rides on the Nile in Luxor: what the sailing boat is, prices from several operators compared, Banana Island sunset trips and safety tips.
Hot air balloon Hot air balloon rides in Luxor, Egypt: prices by seller, the dawn take-off, flight length, the safety record, who can fly and what to bring.
Colossi of Memnon Colossi of Memnon in Egypt: what the statues are, why they stopped singing, the free roadside visit, nearby fees and the route from Luxor.
Medinet Habu Medinet Habu in Egypt: Ramses III's temple on Luxor's West Bank, with ticket prices, opening hours, how to get there and nearby sights.
Ramesseum Visiting the Ramesseum on Luxor's West Bank: ticket prices, opening hours, the ferry and taxi route, the fallen colossus and nearby sights.
Valley of the Queens The Valley of the Queens on Luxor's West Bank: the open tombs, ticket price, hours, the closed Tomb of Nefertari and how to get there by ferry.
Obelisk Luxor obelisks guide: the one still at Luxor Temple, its twin in Paris and why it left, Karnak's obelisks, opening hours and tickets.
Deir el Medina Deir el-Medina, Luxor's tomb builders' village: what it was, ticket prices, opening hours, how to get there on the West Bank and what's nearby.
Esna Temple Esna Temple guide: how to reach the Temple of Khnum from Luxor by car, train or minibus, opening hours, access and what to see nearby.
Mummification Museum Mummification Museum in Luxor: opening hours, entry fees, what's on display, how mummies were made and how to find it on the East Bank.
Avenue of Sphinxes Avenue of Sphinxes in Luxor: where the sphinx road runs, its hours, temple ticket prices, what the sphinxes mean and the sights at each end.
Tombs of the Nobles Tombs of the Nobles in Egypt: who was buried in Luxor's West Bank noble tombs, tomb group tickets, hours, getting there and nearby sights.

The city side

East Bank temples and museums

The East Bank is the city side of Luxor, home to Luxor Temple, the Temple of Karnak and the museums². Egypt’s official tourism site calls Luxor and Karnak Temples¹ the most revered sites in town.

Karnak entry: EGP 600³

Karnak Temple

Start with Karnak Temple. Entry to the main Precinct of Amun-Re costs EGP 600 (about US$11), or EGP 300 for students up to age 30³ (about US$5).

The Ministry lists Karnak as open 6AM to 5PM⁵ every day, while Wikivoyage gives a 6PM close from May to September³. Check before you plan a late visit.

Sound and light show at Karnak

The sound and light show at Karnak is the evening option: the English show starts at 19:00⁶ every day. A second show at 20:00 covers all languages and Arabic, and it only runs with at least 5 foreign visitors⁶.

Tickets cost US$20 for adults and US$11⁶ for children. Private trips with hotel transfers are sold too.

Distant view of Karnak's ruins beyond a road and palms

Tour

2 hoursPickup includedFree cancellation

Sun Pyramids Tours

Luxor: Private Sound & Light Show at Karnak with Transfers

4.4 (45 reviews) on GetYourGuide, checked October 2026

fromUS$39

See dates on GetYourGuide

Luxor Temple and its first pylon

Luxor Temple is the sight to save for the evening: it stays open until 9PM from October to April and 8PM from May to September³. Foreign adults pay EGP 500⁷ (about US$9).

At the entrance, seated colossi of Ramesses II⁸ sit before the first pylon, next to the obelisk³.

Obelisk and seated colossi at the floodlit entrance of Luxor Temple against a deep blue night sky

Avenue of Sphinxes

The Avenue of Sphinxes is the newly reopened, 3,000-year-old Sphinx Avenue¹ that Egypt’s official tourism site recommends walking. Pair it with an evening at Luxor Temple.

Luxor Museum

Luxor Museum has a small but high-quality collection³, mostly from the Luxor region. It shows statues found in a cache inside Luxor Temple in 1989³ and selected artefacts from the tomb of King Tut¹.

The museum is on the Corniche, about halfway between Luxor and Karnak temples, and opens 9AM–2PM and 5PM–9PM from October to April³. Tickets cost EGP 400⁹ (about US$7).

Sandstone head of Akhenaten with a tall crown on display in the Luxor Museum

Mummification Museum

The Mummification Museum keeps a split day too: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, then 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm¹⁰. The ticket window shuts at 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm, and foreign adults pay EGP 220¹⁰ (about US$4).

Across the river

West Bank tombs and temples

The West Bank is where the major ruins² are, reached by ferry¹ from the city. It’s the Theban Necropolis, about 10 km² with thousands of tombs, part of UNESCO’s Ancient Thebes listing since 1979¹¹.

Valley of the Kings: EGP 750¹⁵

For the story of Thebes itself, there’s more about Luxor on its own page.

The Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens and Hatshepsut’s temple have their own ticket offices¹². Every other West Bank site uses the central office, on the left at the end of the main road from the ferry¹².

Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings is one of the most famous archaeological sites in Egypt², in the hills just behind the West Bank¹⁴. The general ticket is EGP 750¹⁵ (about US$14) (checked October 2026) and covers three tombs of your choice¹⁴.

Gates open 6AM to 5PM¹⁵ daily. Before you pick your tombs, read how to tour the Valley of the Kings.

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

Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62)

The Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62) sits in the Valley of the Kings¹⁶ but needs an extra ticket¹⁴: EGP 700¹⁷ (about US$13). The reason to pay is inside: his mummy and sarcophagus are still on display¹⁶. The guide to visiting King Tut’s tomb covers the rest.

Tomb of Seti I (KV17)

The tomb of Seti I is the longest in the Valley of the Kings and one of the best decorated¹⁴, according to Wikivoyage. It needs its own ticket, with no student discount¹⁴, at EGP 2,000¹⁸ (about US$36). It suits you if you’d rather see a single standout tomb than several cheaper ones.

Temple of Hatshepsut

The Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari has its own ticket office¹², and foreigners pay EGP 440¹⁹ (about US$8). Shared tours such as the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple tour pair it with the royal tombs.

Valley of the Queens and Nefertari’s tomb

The Valley of the Queens ticket costs EGP 220 (about US$4) and covers the 3 open tombs¹², but not Nefertari’s. QV66 is the tomb of Nefertari, Great Wife of Ramesses II²⁰, and Egypt’s official tourism site still praises its well-preserved colourful reliefs¹.

Medinet Habu, the Ramesseum and the Colossi of Memnon

Medinet Habu, the Temple of Ramesses III, costs EGP 230²³ (about US$4). The Ramesseum, the temple of Ramesses II, costs EGP 220²⁴ (about US$4), so both are cheaper than the big royal sites.

The Colossi of Memnon stand in Qurna, and shared tours such as the full-day West and East Banks tour stop there.

Deir el-Medina

Deir el-Medina was the village of the artisans who built the tombs in the Valley of the Kings²⁵. Their own tombs are considered some of the most beautiful on the west bank²⁵, and entry costs EGP 220²⁶ (about US$4).

Boats and balloons

On the Nile and above it

The river and the sky give you a slower break between temples: a balloon at dawn, a felucca at sunset or a cruise south.

Felucca ride: 2 hours²⁷

Hot air balloon ride

For a hot air balloon ride, go at dawn: a sunrise flight¹ is what Egypt’s official tourism site recommends. Tours go up at sunrise or at sunset², and booking sites sell flights with hotel pickup, such as this sunrise flight with transfers.

Sky full of hot air balloons over the launch field

Felucca ride on the Nile

A felucca is the traditional Egyptian sailing boat²⁷, and short Nile rides are sold all over Luxor. A 2-hour ride listed by AAA’s Trip Canvas includes hotel pickup and return, priced between US$20.52 and US$61, and bookings are non-refundable²⁷.

A private 3-hour sail with Luxor and Aswan, a licensed operator, costs US$140 for a solo traveller or US$75²⁸ each if you’re a couple. In no hurry at all? A felucca cruise to Aswan takes two days².

Felucca with passengers sailing on the Nile

Tour

2 hoursPickup includedFree cancellation

Alista Tours

Luxor: Private Sunset Felucca Sailing on the Nile

4.9 (405 reviews) on GetYourGuide, checked October 2026

fromUS$29

See dates on GetYourGuide

Nile cruise

Nile cruise boats call at Luxor regularly, but they sell package itineraries², not one-way hops. Ships such as the Steam Ship Sudan sail between Luxor and Aswan²⁹, and the Dahabiya Dream is a dahabiya, a small luxury Nile cruise boat³⁰.

The Esmeralda berths on the Nile Corniche in front of the Winter Palace³¹. The hotel itself is closed for renovation, due to reopen in July 2027³² as Mandarin Oriental Winter Palace. Compare Nile cruise options from Luxor before you book.

North and south

Day trips from Luxor

The temples north and south of the city fill a full day each, by road, rail or river.

Abydos: 90 km north³⁴

Abydos Temple and Dendera

Abydos Temple (the Temple of Seti I) is the Great Temple of Abydos, with the Abydos King List inside and the Osireion, the symbolic tomb of Osiris³³, behind it. It’s 90 km north of Luxor, and most travellers go by train³⁴.

Entry is EGP 260 (about US$5) and also covers the nearby Temple of Ramesses II³⁵. You can do Abydos in one day by taxi in the police-escorted convoy³⁴, and combine it with Dendera².

At the Dendera Temple Complex, foreigners pay EGP 300 (about US$5), plus EGP 100³⁶ (about US$2) each for the roof and the crypt.

Hathor-headed columns on the front of the Dendera temple, with ruined gateways in front

Day tour

8 hoursPickup includedFree cancellation

Emo Tours Egypt

Dendara and Abydos Temples Day Tour from Luxor

4.6 (169 reviews) on Viator, checked October 2026

fromUS$60

See dates on Viator

Edfu, Kom Ombo and Esna

South of Luxor, the temples of Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo fill a private day trip such as the Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo tour.

Edfu (Temple of Horus): foreigners pay EGP 550³⁷ (about US$10). The visitor guide for Edfu Temple has the details.
Kom Ombo: foreigners pay EGP 450³⁸ (about US$8).
Esna (Temple of Khnum): open 07:00–16:00 from October to May³⁹, and Lokalee lists its tour as fine for all fitness levels⁴⁰.

Side by side

Where they are

The table puts the main sights side by side by area, adult ticket and opening hours.

Luxor sights compared: area, ticket and hours
Sight	Area	What you get	Adult ticket	Opening hours	Source
Karnak Temple	East Bank	Precinct of Amun-Re	EGP 600	6AM–5PM daily	Wikivoyage; egymonuments.gov.eg (official)
Luxor Temple	East Bank, city centre	Ramesses II colossi and obelisk	EGP 500	6AM–9PM Oct–Apr	Wikipedia; Wikivoyage; egymonuments.gov.eg (official)
Luxor Museum	East Bank, on the Corniche	Statues from the 1989 cache	EGP 400	9AM–2PM and 5PM–9PM Oct–Apr	Wikivoyage; Far and Beyond Travel (tour company)
Mummification Museum	East Bank	–	EGP 220	9:00 am–2:00 pm and 5:00 pm–9:00 pm	Wikivoyage; egymonuments.gov.eg (official)
Valley of the Kings	West Bank	Three tombs of your choice	EGP 750	6AM–5PM daily	Wikivoyage; egymonuments.gov.eg (official)
Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62)	Valley of the Kings	Mummy and sarcophagus still in the tomb	EGP 700 extra	–	Wikipedia; egymonuments.gov.eg (official)
Tomb of Seti I (KV17)	Valley of the Kings	Longest tomb in the valley	EGP 2,000	6AM–5PM daily	Wikivoyage; egymonuments.gov.eg (official)
Temple of Hatshepsut	West Bank	Own ticket office	EGP 440	–	Wikivoyage; egymonuments.gov.eg (official)
Valley of the Queens	West Bank	3 open tombs, not Nefertari's	EGP 220	6am–5pm	Wikivoyage; Far and Beyond Travel (tour company)
Medinet Habu	West Bank	Temple of Ramesses III	EGP 230	–	egymonuments.gov.eg (official)
Ramesseum	West Bank	Temple of Ramesses II	EGP 220	–	egymonuments.gov.eg (official)
Deir el-Medina	West Bank	Tomb builders' village and their tombs	EGP 220	–	Wikipedia; Wikivoyage
Dendera Temple Complex	Day trip	Roof and crypt EGP 100 each	EGP 300	–	Wikivoyage; egymonuments.gov.eg (official)
Abydos Temple	90 km north	Abydos King List	EGP 260	–	Wikivoyage; Wikipedia
Edfu Temple	Day trip	Temple of Horus	EGP 550	–	egymonuments.gov.eg (official)
Kom Ombo	Day trip	–	EGP 450	–	egymonuments.gov.eg (official)
Esna (Temple of Khnum)	Day trip	Suits all fitness levels	–	07:00–16:00 Oct–May	Lokalee (booking agent); Wikivoyage

Wikivoyage; egymonuments.gov.eg (official); Wikipedia; Far and Beyond Travel (tour company); Lokalee (booking agent)

Attractions
Attraction	Area	Type	Opening hours	Google rating	Map
Luxor Temple Photo: Google Maps	Luxor city centre (East Bank)	Archaeological site	Mon–Sun 06:00–20:00	4.8 (35,140 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Remaining Luxor Obelisk Photo: Google Maps	Luxor city centre (East Bank)	Historical landmark	–	4.8 (40 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Mummification Museum Photo: Google Maps	Luxor city centre (East Bank)	Archaeological museum	Mon–Sun 09:00–14:00, 17:00–21:00	4.3 (1,347 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Avenue of Sphinxes Photo: Google Maps	Luxor city centre (East Bank)	Historical landmark	Mon–Sun 08:00–17:00	4.8 (335 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Luxor MuseumPhoto: Google Maps	Luxor city centre (East Bank)	Archaeological museum	Mon–Sun 09:00–14:00, 17:00–20:00	4.6 (8,208 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
First Pylon Luxor TemplePhoto: Google Maps	Luxor city centre (East Bank)	Historical landmark	–	4.7 (67 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
El - SoukPhoto: Google Maps	Luxor city centre (East Bank)	Market	Mon–Thu 08:00–00:00; Fri 13:00–00:00; Sat–Sun 08:00–00:00	4 (578 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Karnak Photo: Google Maps	Karnak (East Bank)	Historical place	Mon–Sun 06:00–17:00	4.8 (31,223 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Karnak Open-air MuseumPhoto: Google Maps	Karnak (East Bank)	Historical landmark	Mon–Sun 06:00–17:00	4.9 (108 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Colossi of Memnon Photo: Google Maps	Qurna (West Bank)	Historical landmark	–	4.6 (11,871 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Ramesseum Photo: Google Maps	Qurna (West Bank)	Historical place	Mon–Sun 06:00–17:00	4.7 (960 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Deir el-Medina Photo: Google Maps	Qurna (West Bank)	Historical place	Mon–Sun 06:00–17:00	4.7 (982 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Tombs of the Nobles Photo: Google Maps	Qurna (West Bank)	Historical landmark	Mon–Sun 08:00–18:00	4.5 (504 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Valley of the Kings Photo: Google Maps	Valley of the Kings	Archaeological site	Mon–Sun 06:00–17:00	4.8 (23,565 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
KV62 - Tomb of Tutankhamun Photo: Google Maps	Valley of the Kings	Historical landmark	Mon–Sun 06:00–17:00	4.6 (1,226 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
KV17 - Tomb of Seti IPhoto: Google Maps	Valley of the Kings	Historical landmark	Mon–Sun 06:00–17:00	4.7 (200 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut Photo: Google Maps	Deir el-Bahari	Historical landmark	Mon–Sun 06:00–17:00	4.7 (23,924 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Temple d'Amon (Médinet Habou)Photo: Google Maps	Valley of the Queens	Place of worship	Mon–Sun 06:00–17:00	4.8 (1,184 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Valley of the Queens Photo: Google Maps	Valley of the Queens	Historical place	Mon–Sun 06:00–17:00	4.5 (2,391 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Edfu Temple Photo: Google Maps	–	Historical landmark	Mon–Tue 07:00–17:00; Wed 06:00–17:00; Thu–Sat 07:00–17:00; Sun 06:00–17:00	4.8 (7,430 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Dendera Temple of Hathor Photo: Google Maps	–	Historical landmark	Mon–Sun 07:00–17:00	4.9 (3,971 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map
Temple of Khnum Photo: Google Maps	–	Historical landmark	Mon 07:00–17:00; Tue 07:00–19:00; Wed–Thu 07:00–17:00; Fri 07:00–19:00; Sat 07:00–17:00; Sun 07:00–19:00	4.6 (2,923 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026	Map

Areas, types and opening hours come from Google Maps listings, checked October 2026. The list isn’t ranked by rating, and no place paid to appear.

Map of the attractions in this guide, numbered as in the list below. Places further out are arrows at the edge of the map, pointing their way, with the straight-line distance from Luxor (not the distance by road).

Drawn to scale from the attractions' Google Maps locations.

Further out (arrows at the edge of the map)

Edfu Temple: 83 km from Luxor in a straight line
Dendera Temple of Hathor: 50 km from Luxor in a straight line
Temple of Khnum: 46 km from Luxor in a straight line

Before you go

Tips for sightseeing in Luxor

Plan around the heat and the card-only¹³ ticket sales, and the rest is easy.

Best months: November to early March²

Go in winter. The best time is November to early March²; summer highs run above 40 °C⁴¹.
Start early. Wikivoyage advises arriving at the sites early in the morning², especially in summer.
Carry a student card. Students up to age 30 pay EGP 250³ (about US$5) at Luxor Temple, against EGP 500⁷ (about US$9) for other foreign adults.
Don’t rush it. Mara House, a Luxor guesthouse, suggests three nights⁴², and Outlook Traveller calls three days⁴³ the bare minimum.
Skip the “Papyrus Museum”. Wikivoyage says it’s just a papyrus shop², with some good pieces and some cheap imitations. For souvenirs, the Luxor Souk (El - Souk) is in the city centre.

Questions people ask

Is there a spa in Luxor?

Yes, in the big hotels. The Steigenberger Nile Palace spa opens 9AM–8PM daily, and the Hilton Luxor spa has 12 treatment rooms, with a minimum age of 16.

What can you see in Luxor in one day?

Stick to one bank. Mara House's 3-day plan gives Karnak and Luxor temples an afternoon and the West Bank a day of its own.

Photos: Wikimedia Commons and Pexels. Authors and licences: image credits

Checked against 47 sources · last checked October 2026

Experience Egypt (official) · checked October 2026
Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
Central Bank of Egypt (official, via Frankfurter) · checked October 2026
egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
Sound and Light Show (operator) · checked October 2026
egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
Wikipedia · checked October 2026
Far and Beyond Travel (tour company) · checked October 2026
egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
whc.unesco.org · checked October 2026
Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
english.ahram.org.eg (news) · checked October 2026
Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
Wikipedia · checked October 2026
egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
Wikipedia · checked October 2026
egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
National Geographic Polska (news) · checked October 2026
egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
Wikipedia · checked October 2026
Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
AAA (booking agent) · checked October 2026
Luxor and Aswan (tour company) · checked October 2026
Steam Ship Sudan (operator) · checked October 2026
Explore Travel and Cruises (operator) · checked October 2026
Esmeralda Nile Cruise (operator) · checked October 2026
Wikipedia · checked October 2026
Wikipedia · checked October 2026
Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
Lokalee (booking agent) · checked October 2026
Wikipedia · checked October 2026
Mara House (resort) · checked October 2026
Outlook Traveller (news) · checked October 2026
H Rewards (resort) · checked October 2026
Five Star Alliance (booking agent) · checked October 2026
Priceline (booking agent) · checked October 2026
Google Maps listings via DataForSEO · checked October 2026

Page history · last changed 23 October 2026

23 October 2026 First written