Private Day Trip to Luxor and Valley of the Kings from El Gouna

Highlights

• Embark on an unforgettable tour in the footsteps of the pharaohs on this private excursion
• Luxor is one of the most famous and important sights in Egypt
• In the Valley of the Kings, you can visit the tombs of the pharaohs - a magical and mystical place
• The terraced temple of Queen Hatshepsut is the best-preserved temple complex in Thebes-West in what is now Luxor
• Visit the Karnak Temples, the largest and most powerful temple complex
• The Valley of the Kings - The final resting place of the pharaohs and Egyptian rulers, which impressively illustrates the importance of the pharaohs
• Enjoy the nature of Egypt aboard a felucca

Description

The private excursion to the Valley of the Kings is especially suitable for those who would like to explore Luxor individually without a tour group. Before you reach the green Nile Valley, you will first experience the exact opposite on your journey: the fascinating massive mountain range on the Red Sea. Accompanied by your personal guide, visit the following highlights on your tour:

After about 4 hours you will be in the Valley of the Kings on the western bank of the Nile. In the middle of the desert, in the huge mountains and a few kilometers from Thebes lies the great Valley of the Kings. This famous monument served as a pharaonic burial place for important royal figures for almost half a millennium. There, two or three of the unique graves will be visited. The grave treasures found here are in the National Museum of Cairo, however, you can see the beautiful and partly very well preserved wall paintings in the grave complex. The size of the royal tombs and the magnificence of their reliefs, which allow deep insights into the strange religious imagination of the Egyptians, are extremely impressive. You will have time to visit the tomb of Pharaoh Tut Ankh Amun (extra entrance fee approx. 300 pounds). However, grave treasures are also in Cairo.

The mortuary temple of the only female pharaoh in Egyptian history, Hatshepsut, is also on the program. It is a terraced temple that was built on a huge rock massif. Queen Hatshepsut was the most powerful woman on the pharaoh's throne. Around 1475 BC she had her mortuary temple built, right next to the temple of Mentuhotep II, former pharaoh of the 11th dynasty. It is one of the most famous and remarkable structures of ancient Egypt. The idiosyncratic architecture is reminiscent of the neighboring model of the Mentuhotep Temple from the Middle Kingdom, but the structure of Hatshepsut is a specialty in Egyptian architectural history. Magnificent reliefs can be found in the pillared halls of the middle level. In the portico, to the left and right of the large ramp, important events in Hatshepsut's life are depicted. Hidden representations in the reliefs indicate the court builder Senenmut as the architect.

After the detailed tour, it goes past the Colossi of Memnon over the great bridge over the Nile to the Temple of Karnak. This temple complex is considered the largest in Egypt. Here you can learn more about one of the most important temples in Egypt. When the "Karnak Temple of the Sacred Complex" is mentioned, it usually refers to the historical landmark of ​​Amun. The temple precinct is the largest area of ​​the complex. The ancient Egyptians believed that the deity Amun lived in the statue that stood in the huge Karnak Temple in the central district. The hypostyle hall inside the temple is particularly famous, there 134 huge, magnificently decorated pillars once held the roof. In addition to the sacred lake of the temple, some well-preserved obelisks will also be visited.

Annotation:
- Not all graves are open to the public. Some of the graves are permanently closed, while others may be closed for restoration purposes. In the Valley of the Kings, you can visit 2 to 3 graves

- If you want to see the resting place of Tut Ench Amuns, you have to pay an additional entrance ticket.

- There is now a complete ban on photos for the entire Valley of the Kings. Cameras have to be handed in when entering and are only given again when leaving.

- With the purchase of a video ticket for EGP 300, you can take photos/videography in one grave per ticket. An exception is the grave of Seti I. Tickets are only available at the ticket booth near the Colossi of Memnon, not on site. All graves now have an explanation at the grave entrance on a modern and informative board about the history, architecture, and decoration.

- Basic plans and important detailed recordings are presented. These tables were created with the support of the Theban Mapping Project by the Egyptian Antiquities Authority.