With kids · Luxor · Egypt
Luxor with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Steve F-E-Cameron, CC BY 3.0
Quick answer
Children who have read about mummies and pharaohs love Luxor, especially the tombs, the Mummification Museum and felucca rides. Heat, long site visits and persistent vendors are the challenges, so keep sightseeing to mornings and evenings. Top picks: Mummification Museum, Felucca sail at sunset and Valley of the Kings. Families usually base themselves in Khaled Ibn al-Walid Street.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Khaled Ibn al-Walid Street
- Rainy-day options
- 1
- Busiest months
- December–February
Best things to do with kids
Museum · East Bank Corniche
1.Mummification Museum
A small museum below the Corniche explains how ancient Egyptians mummified people and animals, with tools, canopic jars, coffins and mummified animals including a crocodile and a cat.
Older children usually enjoy it; it takes under an hour and pairs well with Luxor Temple nearby.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- History
- Rainy day
Experience · East Bank Corniche
2.Felucca sail at sunset
Traditional wooden sailboats wait along the Corniche to take passengers out on the Nile for an hour or two, often to Banana Island upstream. At sunset the sky turns orange over the West Bank hills, and the only sound is the wind in the sail.
Agree the price, duration and destination with the captain before you board.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Kids
- Views
- Outdoors
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Historic site · West Bank Qurna and Al-Bairat
3.Valley of the Kings
Pharaohs of the New Kingdom were buried in rock-cut tombs in this desert valley for about 500 years. 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.
Go at opening time, and choose the extra ticket for Ramesses VI or Seti I if you can only add one; both have exceptionally well-preserved paintwork.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Extra tickets for individual tombs are sold at the site's ticket office; which tombs are open changes, so check on the day.
- Iconic
- History
- Art
Historic site · Karnak
4.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. The Great Hypostyle Hall, with 134 towering columns carved with reliefs, is the highlight, along with the obelisk of Hatshepsut and the sacred lake.
Arrive at opening time to see the Hypostyle Hall in low morning light before the tour groups and the heat arrive.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Landmark · West Bank Gezira
5.Colossi of Memnon
Two seated stone statues of Amenhotep III, each about 18 metres tall, are all that remains above ground of his vast mortuary temple. They stand in fields beside the main road to the West Bank sites, and excavations behind them continue to reveal more statues.
Stop on the way back from the tombs in the late afternoon, when the light on the statues is warmer and the tour buses have gone.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
Historic site · East Bank Corniche
6.Luxor Temple
Built mainly by Amenhotep III and Ramesses II, this temple in the centre of town is fronted by colossal statues and a single obelisk; its twin stands in the Place de la Concorde in Paris. A mosque, the Abu al-Haggag, still sits on top of the ancient walls, and the temple is floodlit after dark.
Visit around sunset and stay as the floodlights come on; it is much cooler and the reliefs look dramatic under the lights.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- After dark
- Photo spot
- Architecture
Rainy-day ideas
- Mummification Museum — Older children usually enjoy it; it takes under an hour and pairs well with Luxor Temple nearby.
Where families should stay
$$$ · Best for families, luxury and quiet stays
Khaled Ibn al-Walid Street
South of the centre, Khaled Ibn al-Walid Street and the riverbank beside it hold larger international hotels with pools and gardens, plus a strip of restaurants and shops aimed at visitors. It is quieter than the Corniche but a taxi ride from the main temples.
- Good
- Big pools and gardens; Calmer than the centre; Choice of restaurants
- Watch out
- Taxi needed for the temples; Less local character
- Nearby
- Corniche el-Nil, Luxor Temple
Family travel tips
- Plan site visits for early mornings and spend hot afternoons at the hotel pool.
- Bring hats, sunscreen and plenty of water; there is little shade at the West Bank sites.
- Steep tomb corridors and narrow stairs can be hard with strollers; a baby carrier is easier.
- Choose a hotel with a pool on the Corniche or Khaled Ibn al-Walid Street.
- Balloon operators set minimum ages for children; check before booking.
Day trips for families
- Edfu (About 1.5–2 hours by car) — The Ptolemaic Temple of Horus at Edfu is the most complete temple in Egypt, with its roof, pylons and inner sanctuary intact.
When to go with children
The best months overall are October–March. December–February are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Luxor good for kids?
Children who have read about mummies and pharaohs love Luxor, especially the tombs, the Mummification Museum and felucca rides. Heat, long site visits and persistent vendors are the challenges, so keep sightseeing to mornings and evenings.
+What can kids do in Luxor?
Mummification Museum, Felucca sail at sunset, Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple and Colossi of Memnon.
+Where should families stay in Luxor?
Khaled Ibn al-Walid Street: Large resort-style hotels and restaurants south of the town centre.