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Luxor day tours — the world’s greatest open-air museum

The Valley of the Kings, Karnak, and Hatshepsut’s temple — on 100% private tours with a Ministry-licensed local guide.

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  • $90Day tours from / person
  • 63Royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings
  • 2013Guiding Luxor since
  • 60+Verified reviews
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Why Luxor

Two banks, two different worlds

Ancient Thebans split Luxor deliberately: the East Bank — Karnak and Luxor Temple — was the city of the living, temples for daily worship. The West Bank — the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut’s temple, the Colossi of Memnon — was the city of the dead, where pharaohs prepared for eternity. That split still shapes every good Luxor itinerary today.

2 days is the minimum to do it justice: one bank per day, unrushed. Add a third for Medinet Habu, the Luxor Museum, and — for many travellers the trip’s single best memory — a 5am hot air balloon over the Valley of the Kings. Every tour is 100% private with a Ministry-licensed local guide, whether you’re arriving by Nile cruise, flying in from Cairo, or on a long day trip from Hurghada.

Most Nile cruise itineraries already include Karnak and the Valley of the Kings — the tours below work equally well as standalone additions or full replacements.

Maro Saeed — Tour Consultant & Travel Advisor
“Everyone plans for Karnak. Almost nobody plans for how it feels to stand alone in a pharaoh’s tomb at 7am, painted ceiling still vivid after 3,000 years. That’s the one worth setting an alarm for.”
Maro Saeed · Tour Consultant & Travel Advisor · with the team since 2013
Luxor tours

East Bank, West Bank, or both

The most-booked shapes — every one fully customisable.

The best of Luxor

Eight essential Luxor experiences

What your Ministry-licensed guide can show you at each — context and timing no self-guided visit replicates.

Valley of the Kings

A royal necropolis with 63 tombs carved into the West Bank cliffs, including Tutankhamun, Ramesses II and Seti I — best visited at 7am.

Karnak Temple Complex

The world’s largest religious complex — 2.5 square kilometres built over 2,000 years, and the Great Hypostyle Hall’s 134 columns.

Temple of Hatshepsut

The mortuary temple of Egypt’s most powerful female pharaoh — three tiers of colonnades against the dramatic cliffs of Deir el-Bahari.

Luxor Temple

An East Bank temple linked to Karnak by the Avenue of Sphinxes — extraordinary at dusk when the columns are lit.

Avenue of Sphinxes

A 2.7km processional way lined with 1,057 sphinx statues, fully restored and reopened in 2021.

Colossi of Memnon

Two 18-metre quartzite statues of Amenhotep III, standing guard over the West Bank plain since antiquity.

Luxor Hot Air Balloon

A 5am sunrise flight over the Valley of the Kings and the West Bank — one of Egypt’s most iconic experiences.

Medinet Habu

The mortuary temple of Ramesses III, with some of the most vivid, best-preserved battle reliefs in Egypt.

Planning your visit

Practical tips for Luxor tours

Getting here

From CairoA 1-hour flight — we regularly design single-day private tours from Cairo covering one bank, or 2 nights for the full picture.
From HurghadaAbout 200km, a 2.5-hour drive each way through the Eastern Desert — feasible as a long day with 6–7 hours on-site.
From AswanThe classic direction: most Nile cruises sail Luxor↔Aswan over 3–4 nights, with Luxor sites covered on embarkation or disembarkation day.

Timing it right

Valley of the KingsVisit at 7am opening — the tombs are cool and near-empty before the cruise-ship coaches arrive mid-morning.
Karnak TempleAlso best at opening; the Great Hypostyle Hall’s 134 columns are extraordinary in the low morning light.
Luxor TempleSave it for dusk — the illuminated columns and the Avenue of Sphinxes are a different experience after dark.
  • 100% private — no strangers, ever
  • Ministry-licensed local guides
  • Hotel or cruise-ship pickup included
  • Day trips from Cairo & Hurghada too
60+
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Verified reviews across Google & TripAdvisor — for tours operated by Egypt Planners.

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Traveler stories

What our guests say about traveling local

Genuine reviews from real travelers on our multi-day tours and Nile cruises. Egypt Tours by Locals is operated by Egypt Planners — a licensed operator building complete Egypt travel packages, not just day trips.

★★★★★

"Our guide didn't just show us the Pyramids — she made us feel what it meant to build them. The private morning at the Grand Egyptian Museum with no crowds was extraordinary. A truly local experience, not a tourist conveyor belt."

SL
Sarah & James L.
London, UK · 8-Day Best of Egypt
★★★★★

"Our consultant knew every guard, every way around the crowds, and told us stories not in any guidebook. We've done tours in 30 countries. This was the most engaged we've ever been."

JT
James & Rebecca T.
New York, USA · 6-Day Affordable Tour
★★★★★

"They designed our entire 12-day itinerary personally, then guided us through every day. As history enthusiasts we had very specific requests — they exceeded every one. Their knowledge of Nubian culture in Aswan was extraordinary."

LH
Linda & Mark H.
Toronto, Canada · 12-Day Complete Tour

Answers

Luxor day tours — questions & answers

What are the best things to do in Luxor?
The unmissable Luxor experiences: the Valley of the Kings (63 royal tombs, best at 7am), Karnak Temple (the world’s largest religious complex, best at opening), the Temple of Hatshepsut (Egypt’s most dramatic architecture), Luxor Temple at dusk, the Avenue of Sphinxes, and — for an extraordinary add-on — a sunrise hot air balloon over the West Bank.
How many days do you need in Luxor?
2 days minimum: Day 1 the East Bank (Karnak and Luxor Temple), Day 2 the West Bank (Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Colossi of Memnon). 3 days adds Medinet Habu, the Luxor Museum, Deir el-Medina, and a hot air balloon if you want one. Most Nile cruise itineraries already build in 1–2 Luxor days.
What is the Valley of the Kings?
A royal necropolis carved into the West Bank limestone cliffs, opposite modern Luxor, containing 63 tombs of New Kingdom pharaohs and nobles (1539–1075 BCE) — including Tutankhamun, Ramesses II and Seti I. The tombs are decorated with extraordinarily well-preserved painted scenes from the Book of the Dead.
Can I see Luxor as a day trip from Cairo?
Yes — Luxor is a 1-hour flight from Cairo. We regularly design single-day private tours from Cairo covering either the East Bank (Karnak and Luxor Temple) or the West Bank (Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple). For a fuller experience, 2 nights in Luxor or a Nile cruise segment is worth the extra time.
What is the Avenue of Sphinxes?
A 2.7-kilometre processional road lined with 1,057 sphinx statues, connecting Karnak Temple to Luxor Temple. Built under Nectanebo I (380–362 BCE) for the annual Opet Festival procession, it was fully restored and ceremonially reopened in November 2021.
How much does a Luxor day tour cost?
Private Luxor day tours start from $90 per person for a full-day East Bank or West Bank tour with your licensed guide, air-conditioned vehicle and hotel or cruise-ship pickup included. Combined both-banks days, sunrise hot air balloon add-ons and multi-day Nile-cruise packages are itemised in your quote.
Can I do a Luxor day tour from Hurghada?
Yes — Luxor is about 200km from Hurghada, a 2.5-hour drive each way through the Eastern Desert. We regularly design Luxor day tours from Hurghada covering the Valley of the Kings and either Karnak or Hatshepsut Temple, with a maximum of 6–7 hours on-site to keep the day manageable.
What is included in a Luxor day tour?
A Ministry-licensed local guide for the full duration, a private air-conditioned vehicle for all transfers, entrance tickets to every included site, and hotel or Nile cruise-ship pickup and drop-off in Luxor. Flights from Cairo are not included but can be arranged and itemised in your quote.

Who plans your trip: every Luxor itinerary is designed by our Cairo-based team led by Maro Saeed, Tour Consultant & Travel Advisor — one contact from first message to departure.

Meet Maro →

One bank, both banks, or the balloon at dawn.

Tell us your dates — or which bank matters most — and get a fully priced private Luxor itinerary within 24 hours. Free, no obligation.

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★★★★★ 60+ reviews on Google & TripAdvisor
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