History · Luxor · Egypt
8 historic sites to see in Luxor
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple and Valley of the Kings. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 10–13 hours across 4 areas; 1 is free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 10–13 hours
- Areas
- Karnak, East Bank Corniche and West Bank Qurna and Al-Bairat
Historic sites in Luxor
Historic site · Karnak
1.Karnak Temple
The Great Hypostyle Hall, with 134 towering columns carved with reliefs, is the highlight, along with the obelisk of Hatshepsut and the sacred lake.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Historic site · East Bank Corniche
2.Luxor Temple
A mosque, the Abu al-Haggag, still sits on top of the ancient walls, and the temple is floodlit after dark.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- After dark
- Photo spot
- Architecture
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Historic site · West Bank Qurna and Al-Bairat
3.Valley of the Kings
The standard ticket covers three tombs from those open on a rotating basis, with painted corridors descending deep into the hill; Tutankhamun's tomb and the finest tombs such as Seti I and Ramesses VI need extra tickets.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- History
- Art
Historic site · West Bank Qurna and Al-Bairat
4.Temple of Hatshepsut
Reliefs show her trading expedition to the land of Punt, and the setting is among the most striking in Egypt.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Landmark · West Bank Gezira
5.Colossi of Memnon
They stand in fields beside the main road to the West Bank sites, and excavations behind them continue to reveal more statues.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
Historic site · East Bank Corniche
6.Avenue of Sphinxes
After decades of excavation it reopened in 2021 and can be walked from the Luxor Temple end.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Historic site · West Bank Qurna and Al-Bairat
7.Medinet Habu
It is usually much quieter than the Valley of the Kings.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Art
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · West Bank Qurna and Al-Bairat
8.Valley of the Queens
Its star is the tomb of Nefertari, wife of Ramesses II, whose painted walls are often called the finest in Egypt; it requires a separate, expensive ticket and visits are timed.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- History
- Art
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Karnak | Karnak Temple | 2–3 hours |
| East Bank Corniche | Luxor Temple and Avenue of Sphinxes | 1.5 hours + 1 hour |
| West Bank Qurna and Al-Bairat | Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Medinet Habu and Valley of the Queens | 2–3 hours + 1 hour + 1–1.5 hours + 1–1.5 hours |
| West Bank Gezira | Colossi of Memnon | 20 minutes |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 1 free, 1 low cost, 4 mid-priced, 2 expensive. Book ahead for Valley of the Kings. The longest visit is Karnak Temple; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Valley of the Kings: Extra tickets for individual tombs are sold at the site's ticket office; which tombs are open changes, so check on the day.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Karnak and East Bank Corniche): Karnak Temple → Luxor Temple, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (East Bank Corniche and West Bank Qurna and Al-Bairat): Avenue of Sphinxes → Valley of the Kings → Temple of Hatshepsut, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (West Bank Qurna and Al-Bairat and West Bank Gezira): Medinet Habu → Valley of the Queens → Colossi of Memnon, at least 2 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- June: highs of 41°C (106°F), about 0 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Extreme heat makes daytime sightseeing tough, but sites are empty and hotel prices at their lowest.
- July: highs of 41°C (106°F), about 0 rainy days, very quiet crowds. One of the hottest months; only early-morning visits are comfortable.
- May: highs of 39°C (102°F), about 0 rainy days, quiet crowds. Very hot, with temperatures near 40°C; visit sites at opening time and rest in the afternoon.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- East Bank Corniche — Nile-front hotels, the Winter Palace and cruise-boat quays beside Luxor Temple
- Khaled Ibn al-Walid Street — Large resort-style hotels and restaurants south of the town centre
- Souq and station area — Market lanes, budget hotels and local cafés behind Luxor Temple
- Karnak — The northern end of town around the great temple complex
- West Bank Gezira — Village guesthouses and rooftop cafés by the West Bank ferry landing
- West Bank Qurna and Al-Bairat — Mud-brick hotels and farmland at the foot of the Theban hills
More of Luxor
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Luxor?
Karnak Temple. The largest religious complex of ancient Egypt grew over some 2,000 years as successive pharaohs added pylons, obelisks and chapels to the temple of Amun-Ra.
+Which of these are free in Luxor?
Colossi of Memnon.