Discovery Tours Egypt

Luxor, Karnak and the West Bank.

Luxor is the site of ancient Thebes, split by the Nile into the East Bank (Karnak, Luxor Temple, most hotels) and the West Bank (Valley of the Kings, Deir el-Bahari, the tombs). We run it from our own Luxor base, open since 2014.

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Sunlit columns of Karnak temple with an obelisk beyond

Luxor · Nearest airport Luxor International (LXR)

  • Ruined colonnade of Luxor temple in low sunLuxor
  • Lit corridor with painted walls inside a royal tomb in the Valley of the KingsLuxor
  • Row of Osiris statues along the colonnade of Hatshepsut templeLuxor

At a glance.

Region
Luxor, Upper Egypt. East Bank for Karnak, Luxor Temple and most hotels; West Bank for the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut temple, the Colossi of Memnon and the tombs.
Nearest airport
Luxor International (LXR), about 20 minutes from the East Bank.
Cairo to Luxor
Domestic flight of about 70 minutes, several flights daily.
Luxor to Aswan
Nile cruise of 3 to 4 nights via Edfu and Kom Ombo; or about 3 hours by road.
Luxor to Hurghada
4 hours by road, or by air on selected days.
UNESCO
"Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis", inscribed 1979, covering Karnak, Luxor Temple and the West Bank necropolises.
Climate
October to April: 22 to 30 °C. May to September: 40 to 45 °C by midday, so sightseeing is at dawn.
Typical stay
2 to 3 nights. East Bank one day, West Bank another; a third adds the balloon, Deir el-Medina and the Tombs of the Nobles.

What we operate here.

Our Luxor base has dedicated staff, a vehicle fleet and guide teams for Upper Egypt.

  1. Day tours

    Private day tours with an Egyptologist and hotel or cruise pickup, covering both banks and the temples further afield.

  2. Hotels

    Hotel contracting in Luxor.

  3. Transfers

    Airport transfers and meet-and-greet at Luxor International (LXR).

  4. Nile cruises

    Luxor to Aswan cruises of 3 to 4 nights, with cruise-pickup tours at the Luxor end.

  5. Classic tours

    Luxor as a leg of the Cairo, Luxor and Aswan circuit.

Programme building blocks.

  1. East Bank: Karnak and Luxor Temple

    Karnak with its Great Hypostyle Hall and Sacred Lake, then Luxor Temple.

    3 to 4 hours

  2. West Bank: Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Colossi

    The royal tombs, the temple at Deir el-Bahari and the Colossi of Memnon. Medinet Habu can be added.

    Full day

  3. Valley of the Queens

    A separate half day on the West Bank.

    Half day

  4. Deir el-Medina and Tombs of the Nobles

    The workers' village and the private tombs.

    Half day

  5. Sunrise balloon

    Pre-dawn flight over the West Bank.

    45 to 60 minutes

  6. Dendera, Abydos, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo

    Temple day trips sold from Luxor, singly or in pairs.

    Half day to full day

Planning notes for trade.

  • The standard Valley of the Kings ticket covers 3 tombs. Tutankhamun and Seti I need separate tickets, and which tombs are open rotates.
  • Balloon flights cancel in high wind. Build a spare morning into the programme.
  • December and February are the busiest months. Book balloons and hotels early.
  • Typical time on site: Karnak about 2.5 hours, Luxor Temple 1.5 hours, Valley of the Kings 2.5 hours, Hatshepsut 1.5 hours, Colossi of Memnon 20 minutes.
  • The West Bank is reached by bridge or short ferry. Ticket prices and opening hours change, so we confirm them for each programme.
  • On a cruise turnaround, a single day in Luxor can work as a flying visit.
AswanCairoHurghadaLuxor programme briefing

Related reading from our operations desk.

  1. Luxor: Operational briefing for tour operators

    Briefing for tour operators and travel agents: Luxor logistics, seasonal timing, permits, accessibility and sellable Egypt heritage products and MICE.

  2. Egypt's Golden Age — Valley of the Kings & Karnak

    A specialist programme structure around Luxor's flagship sites.

  3. Nile Cruise Timings and Transfers: Trade Briefing

    B2B briefing: optimise Nile cruise schedules and transfers between Luxor and Aswan. Seasonal notes, contingency protocols and local DMC support for trade agents.

  4. Seasonal Guide for Egypt Programmes

    Seasonal planning for Egypt programmes: practical, B2B guidance on weather, crowds, Ramadan and operational windows to optimise itineraries and rates.

Plan Luxor with the team on the ground.

Send the group, dates and whether a balloon or a cruise turnaround is involved, and our Luxor team will build the programme.

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