Private Day Tour: East and West Banks of Luxor

The enormous Luxor Temple was one of the great constructions of the New Kingdom (dating from the 14th century BC) dedicated to the god Amun. It was known as the “Southern Sanctuary” and was the site of ceremonies aimed at encouraging the life-giving Nile floods.
Once through the processional Avenue of Sphinxes you come to the First Pylon, which announces the phenomenal scale of the stonework here: statues, columns and obelisks all compete with each other in a race to the sky.
Ensuing civilizations have also left their marks: there’s a shrine erected by Alexander the Great, Roman wall frescoes as well as a 14th century AD mosque, ensuring this remains a place of worship in the present day.

The largest of Luxor’s temples, Karnak Temple was one of the most sacred sites in ancient Egypt. It marked the ascendancy of Thebes (present day Luxor) as the capital of the New Kingdom, with construction beginning in the 16th century BC. Most subsequent rulers tinkered with the complex so it represents a great crash course in different pharaonic styles.
The major site here is the Temple of Amon, the largest place of worship ever constructed. There the Great Hypostyle Hall, which was once roofed, dwarf’s visitors with its dozens of colossal columns reaching 25 yards (23 meters) into the sky.
Other highlights include the serene sacred lake, gargantuan statues of rulers and gods, as well as the best selection of obelisks in Egypt.

The Valley of the Kings, also known as the Valley of the Gates of the Kings, Within the valley are 63 tombs, including the famous boy-king Tutankhamun, Ramses III which is adorned with colorful 2000-year-old reliefs, also there are many other tomps like Tiye, Merneptah, Twosret and Setnakhte. The tombs are open on a rotation system to maintain the paintings as much as possible from the damage caused by dampness. Visiting the valley will rock you.

Standing nearly 60 feet (18 meters) above the desert plain, the two faceless statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III are often the first monuments you’ll see when visiting Luxor’s West Bank. Each of the two Colossi was cut from a single block of stone.

This impressive mortuary temple, built by Queen Hatshepsut, seems to blend in with the limestone cliffs from which it was cut. The meticulously restored complex happens to sit on one of the hottest places on the planet, so most visitors come in the cooler morning hours.

Your tour begins with pickup from your central Luxor hotel in time for an 8am departure. Traveling in the comfort of a private vehicle, set out to discover the city’s ancient ruins, accompanied by your private guide. Start your tour on the West Bank, exploring the UNESCO-listed Valley of the Kings (Necropolis of Thebes), where the mountains are home to over 63 royal tombs, dating from the 2nd century BC. Venture inside to see some of the tombs, including those of King Tutmosis I, Tutmosis III, Tut-Ankh-Amon, King Ramses VI, King Mrenptah, and Amonhotep II. Continue exploring the surrounding archeological wonders, including the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (Deir el Bahari), the Colossi of Memnon, and the Temple of Medinat Habu (Temple of Ramses III), before breaking for lunch (included) at a local restaurant. After lunch, cross over to the modern city on the East bank of the river and enjoy a tour of the Karnak Temples. Follow your guide around the vast temple complex, which was built between 2055 BC and 100 BC, and includes highlights such as the Avenue of the Sphinxes, the Great Hypostyle Hall, and the Sacred Lake. Finally, visit the Temple Of Luxor, built by Amunhotep III in the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom, and completed by Ramses II during the 19th Dynasty. Your tour ends with drop-off at your hotel.