Luxor 3-day itinerary

Cross to the West Bank early by local ferry (E£5) or arrange a taxi for the day (E£800–1,200 for all West Bank sites). The Valley of the Kings (E£600, 3 tombs included) holds over 60 tombs of pharaohs and nobles. Start with Ramesses IV — vivid astronomical ceiling — then Ramesses IX and Merneptah. The tomb of Seti I (E£2,000 extra) is the finest in Egypt with floor-to-ceiling paintings still vibrant after 3,200 years.

Drive to the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari (E£240) — a three-terraced mortuary temple carved into the cliff face, built for Egypt's most powerful female pharaoh. The colonnaded terraces rise dramatically against the limestone cliffs. Then stop at the Colossi of Memnon (free) — two 18-metre seated statues of Amenhotep III that have guarded the Theban necropolis for 3,400 years. They once fronted a temple larger than Karnak.

Return to the East Bank via ferry and walk the Nile Corniche at sunset — the golden light over the West Bank mountains is extraordinary. Dinner at Al Sahaby Lane on the rooftop — Nile views and Egyptian-international dishes (E£200–400). Or try Snack Time for budget shawarma and falafel (E£30–60). The Luxor night market on Television Street has cheap clothing and souvenirs.

Arrive at Karnak (E£450) at opening for the coolest temperatures and fewest visitors. The Great Hypostyle Hall — 134 massive columns in 16 rows, the largest reaching 24 metres — is one of the most staggering sights in Egypt. Walk past the Sacred Lake, through the festival hall of Thutmose III, and find the enormous granite scarab beetle — walking around it seven times is said to bring good luck. The open-air museum (E£50 extra) has reconstructed shrines.

Visit the Luxor Museum (E£300) — smaller than the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo but beautifully curated. Highlights include a cache of royal mummies (including Ramesses I), the wall blocks from Akhenaten's dismantled temple, and a stunning collection of statuary found in the Luxor Temple cachette in 1989. The museum is air-conditioned — a welcome break from the heat. Allow 1–2 hours. Lunch at Oasis Café on the Corniche (E£100–200).

Walk the restored Avenue of Sphinxes (free) from Karnak towards Luxor Temple (2.7km, 1,350 sphinx statues line the road). Enter Luxor Temple (E£360) as the sun drops — the floodlit columns, the Ramesses II colossi, and the Abu el-Haggag Mosque perched inside the ancient walls create a surreal layering of 3,000 years of worship. The court of Amenhotep III is magnificent at night.

Pre-book a hot air balloon flight (E£3,000–5,000 per person, $60–100) for a sunrise launch from the West Bank. Float over the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple, the Colossi of Memnon, and the patchwork of sugar cane fields along the Nile. Flights last 30–45 minutes and the bird's-eye view of the ancient landscape is unforgettable. Hotel pickup is typically at 4:30–5:00am.

Visit the Valley of the Queens (E£160) — the burial site of royal wives and princes. The tomb of Nefertari (E£2,000 extra) is considered the most beautiful tomb in all of Egypt — every surface covered in vibrant paintings of the queen with the gods. Then explore the Tombs of the Nobles (E£100–200 per group) — less famous but with vivid scenes of daily ancient Egyptian life: fishing, farming, feasting, and dancing.

Take a felucca (traditional sailboat) on the Nile at sunset (E£200–400 per boat, fits 6–8). Sail past Banana Island, the West Bank mountains turning amber in the fading light, and the East Bank temple complexes. The silence on the water — broken only by the sail catching the wind — is the perfect way to end your Luxor visit. Farewell dinner at 1886 restaurant in the Winter Palace hotel for a splurge (E£500–800).