Luxor divides along the Nile — and that division is not a geographical coincidence. It is ancient Egyptian theology made physical.

The East Bank is where the sun rises: the city of the living, the temples of Karnak and Luxor, built for gods and pharaonic ceremony. The West Bank is where the sun sets: the city of the dead, the Valley of the Kings, the mortuary temples, and painted tombs built for the afterlife.

This full-day tour crosses both banks. By the end of it, Luxor — and the ancient Egyptian worldview that shaped it — makes complete sense.

Who This Tour Is For

• First-time visitors to Luxor who want the essential experience in one structured day
• Travelers with limited time who need to cover both banks without feeling rushed
• Those who want the full Luxor story, rather than a single site in depth

For travelers with two or more days in Luxor, we recommend splitting the banks across separate days for genuine depth. This tour is the best possible single-day option.

How the Day Flows

Morning — West Bank (start early, before the heat and the crowds)

Valley of the Kings: three tombs included as standard (your guide selects based on what is open and which are most significant on your visit date). The scale of the painted burial chambers — wall-to-wall hieroglyphs and illustrations covering the complete journey to the afterlife — is unlike anything in the Luxor temples.

Temple of Hatshepsut: the mortuary temple of Egypt's female pharaoh, built into the cliffs at Deir el-Bahari. Three colonnaded terraces rising against the limestone escarpment in an architectural harmony that still reads as modern.

Midday — Lunch and crossing

Return across the Nile by motorboat. Lunch at a recommended restaurant near the East Bank.

Afternoon — East Bank

Karnak Temple Complex: the largest religious structure ever built. Your guide focuses the visit on the hypostyle hall — 134 massive columns, some 23 meters high — and the sacred lake. The full complex takes 90 minutes when covered properly.

Luxor Temple (late afternoon): built primarily by Amenhotep III and Ramesses II, connected to Karnak by the three-kilometer Avenue of Sphinxes. In the late afternoon light, the sandstone takes on a warmth that the midday visit never reveals.

✦ Inside the Valley of the Kings, most visitors move quickly through the tombs, overwhelmed by the density of imagery. Your guide will stop you at a specific point in the Tomb of Ramesses VI — a ceiling painting of the sky goddess Nut arching her body across the entire vaulted ceiling, swallowing the sun at dusk and giving birth to it at dawn. It is 3,100 years old. It is also one of the most sophisticated astronomical diagrams in the ancient world. Most visitors walk beneath it without looking up.

Sites You Will Visit

• Valley of the Kings — three tombs (guide selects for maximum significance)
• Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari
• Colossi of Memnon — a brief stop en route
• Karnak Temple Complex
• Luxor Temple

Optional premium additions: Tutankhamun's tomb (separate ticket, limited availability) · Nefertari's tomb in the Valley of the Queens (separate premium ticket) — ask when booking.

Common Questions

How much walking does this day involve? 

Significant — this is a full day across multiple sites. Walking is on paved and sandy paths, with some low-headroom tomb passages. We build in rest breaks and sequence the sites to avoid the worst midday heat at exposed locations. 

Which tombs will we visit in the Valley of the Kings? 

Your guide selects on the day based on the current open status and significance. We ensure the visit includes at least one of the major royal tombs with well-preserved paintings. If you have a specific tomb preference — Tutankhamun, Seti I, Ramesses VI — tell us when booking, and we will accommodate where possible. 

Can the pacing or order be adjusted? 

Yes — all tours are private. The itinerary adapts to you, not the other way around. If you want more time at one site and less at another, tell your guide. 

Will there be pressure to buy anything? 

No. This is a private tour with no commission arrangements. Your guide will not redirect the itinerary for shopping stops.