Luxor Travel Guide – The World's Greatest Open-Air Museum

Welcome to Luxor – Where History Lives

Ancient Thebes – modern Luxor – was the capital of Egypt at the height of the New Kingdom empire (1550–1070 BC). Today the city sits on the Nile about 700 km south of Cairo and houses more than a third of all the world's ancient monuments.

East Bank: The City of the Living

Karnak Temple Complex is the largest ancient religious complex ever built. Construction began around 2000 BC and continued for over 2,000 years under successive pharaohs. The Hypostyle Hall contains 134 massive columns, with the tallest reaching 24 metres.

Luxor Temple sits dramatically at the heart of the modern city. Alexander the Great once had a sanctuary built here.

West Bank: The City of the Dead

Valley of the Kings contains 63 known tombs where Egypt's greatest pharaohs were buried. Highlights include the tombs of Ramesses II, Seti I, and Tutankhamun.

Temple of Hatshepsut (Deir el-Bahari) rises dramatically against towering limestone cliffs. Built for female Pharaoh Hatshepsut, it is one of Egypt's architectural masterpieces.

Colossi of Memnon – two enormous seated statues of Amenhotep III – have stood here for 3,400 years and make an iconic photograph.

Getting to Luxor

Luxor is served by its own international airport, or take the overnight sleeper train from Cairo (~10 hours). Our package tours include all internal transfers.