Luxor Governorate travel guide
Top 10 Places to Visit in Luxor
Also known as Al-Uqsur · Ancient Thebes · Waset
Luxor stands on the east bank of the Nile about 650 km south of Cairo, and its temples and tombs on both banks make up the ancient city of Thebes, the New Kingdom capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.
Updated ·Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted ·How we rank
- Best time
- Oct – Mar
- Time needed
- About 3 days
- 18 hours of sightseeing
- Fly into
- Luxor International Airport (LXR)
- Nearest station
- Luxor railway station on the east bank
- Free to enter
- 1 of 10
Top things to do in Luxor
Ranked on five published criteria- 1
Temple
Karnak Temple Complex
Karnak Temple charges foreign adults EGP 600 as of 2026, the highest general-entry price on Luxor's east bank, and it earns the fee in sheer bulk.
3 hrsEGP 600
2Temple
Luxor Temple
Luxor Temple charges foreign adults EGP 500 as of 2026 and, unlike most Egyptian monuments, stays open into the evening under floodlights.
1.5 hrsEGP 500
3Museum
Luxor Museum
The Luxor Museum charges foreign adults EGP 400 as of 2026 and holds a smaller, tightly curated collection than Cairo's national museums.
1.5 hrsEGP 400
4Mausoleum
Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings charges foreign adults EGP 750 as of 2026, and that ticket covers only three tombs.
3 hrsEGP 750
5Temple
Temple of Hatshepsut (Deir el-Bahari)
The Temple of Hatshepsut charges foreign adults EGP 440 as of 2026 and rises in three limestone terraces against the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari, on…
1.5 hrsEGP 440
6Free entryHeritage
Colossi of Memnon
The Colossi of Memnon are free to see as of 2026, standing beside the west bank road with no gate or ticket booth.
30 min
7Temple
Medinet Habu (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III)
Medinet Habu charges foreign adults EGP 220 as of 2026 and is one of the best-preserved temples on Luxor's west bank.
1.5 hrsEGP 220
8Temple
Ramesseum (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II)
The Ramesseum charges foreign adults EGP 220 as of 2026 and is the mortuary temple of Ramesses II, on Luxor's west bank.
1.5 hrsEGP 220
9Mausoleum
Tombs of the Nobles (Theban Necropolis)
The Tombs of the Nobles at Luxor charge foreign adults between EGP 100 and 200 per tomb group as of 2026, sold as separate tickets by group.
2.5 hrsEGP 200
10Mausoleum
Valley of the Queens
The Valley of the Queens charges foreign adults EGP 220 as of 2026, and its centrepiece, the Tomb of Nefertari (QV66), is sold on a separate EGP…
1.5 hrsEGP 220
Map of places to visit in Luxor
Numbers match the ranking; the top 3 are orange. Tap a pin for its guide. 2 places have no map position yet.
Day trips from Luxor
Worth a day out if you have one to spare, nearest first.
55 km · 1h each way by road
Esna (Temple of Khnum)
A Graeco-Roman temple of Khnum whose vestibule ceiling carries restored astronomical paintings; the foreign ticket is EGP 200 as of 2026, and it fits a half-day trip or a stop on the way to Edfu.
60 km · 1h-1h15 each way by road
Dendera (Temple of Hathor)
A near-complete Ptolemaic and Roman temple of Hathor north of Qena, with painted ceilings and roof-level chapels; the foreign ticket is EGP 300 as of 2026, and it combines with Abydos on a long day.
115 km · 1h45-2h each way by road
Edfu (Temple of Horus)
The best-preserved large temple in Egypt, a Ptolemaic temple of Horus with an intact pylon and sanctuary; the foreign ticket is EGP 550 as of 2026, and it can be paired with Esna on the road south.
165 km · 2h30-3h each way by road
Abydos (Temple of Seti I)
The Osireion and Seti I's temple with finely carved painted reliefs and the Abydos King List; the foreign ticket is EGP 260 per the ministry list as of 2026 (some sources quote EGP 300), and the trip takes about 10 hours including Dendera.
About Luxor
The east bank holds the living city, Luxor Temple, the Luxor Museum and, at the northern edge, Karnak Temple; the two temples were once joined by a processional avenue of sphinxes about 2.5 km long, reopened in November 2021. The west bank holds the dead: the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, the Ramesseum, Medinet Habu, the Colossi of Memnon and the Tombs of the Nobles.
Luxor International Airport (LXR) has domestic flights from Cairo, and the railway station and Nile cruise moorings sit on the east bank. Reach the west bank by the public ferry, by the bridge upstream or downstream, or by a hired driver, and expect the west bank to need a full day. Foreign adults pay far more than Egyptians at state sites: as of 2026 Karnak costs EGP 600 for foreigners against EGP 40 for Egyptians, the Valley of the Kings base ticket is EGP 750 for three tombs, and Tutankhamun and Seti I cost extra. Most ticket offices take cards.
October to April is the comfortable season. June to August passes 40 C, so the west bank is best done from the 06:00 opening. Plan two days for the west bank and one for Karnak, Luxor Temple and the museum, with a further day for Dendera or Abydos.
Luxor travel FAQs
How many days do you need in Luxor?
Plan about 3 days for Luxor. Its top attractions take roughly 18 hours of sightseeing in total, so 3 days covers the highlights without rushing — you can move faster if you are short on time.
What is the best time to visit Luxor?
The best time to visit Luxor is Oct – Mar.
Is Luxor cheap or expensive to visit?
Entry to Luxor's top attractions ranges from EGP 200 to EGP 750, and 1 of the top 10 are free to enter. Prices are the latest checked on each place's page; always confirm current rates on the official website.
What is Luxor famous for?
Luxor is best known for its top sights, including Karnak Temple Complex, Luxor Temple and Luxor Museum. The full ranked list of things to do is on this page.
How much time should you spend at Karnak Temple Complex?
Allow about 3 hrs for Karnak Temple Complex.
Spotted something wrong, or a place we missed?
Tell us and an editor will check it against official sources and fix the page.