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Luxor is known worldwide for its beautiful temple, making it a true open-air museum to visit. Thebes, as Luxor was formerly called, is the ancient capital of Egypt and is located on the banks of the Nile River. And it is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. You will find well-preserved tombs, monuments and endless temples. There is a lot of fascinating things to see and discover in Luxor. A visit to this city should not be missed during your trip through or stay in Egypt. These are, in my personal opinion, the most beautiful temples in Luxor!
The city of Luxor
Located on the Nile River in southern Egypt, Luxor is the historical heart of Ancient Egypt. A city divided by the Nile into two areas, east and west. In ancient times, Egyptians believed that the eastern side of the Nile, where the sun rises, was home to the living. The western side of the Nile, where the sun sets, was seen as the land of the dead. This is where the ancient Egyptians built royal tombs and burial complexes.
Temple of Karnak
The Temple of Karnak is the largest temple complex in Egypt and was built by several pharaohs. Each new pharaoh who came to power continued to expand the temple. The temple's many buildings are dedicated to primordial Amon, goddess Moet and their child Chonsoe. The temple is known worldwide and that is partly because of the many beautiful columns full of hieroglyphics. Be sure to look upstairs, too, because sometimes you can still see colored hieroglyphics there. Before, everything was colored in.
There are some more fun facts about the Temple of Karnak that we would like to share with you, such as that the temple is also nicknamed the Temple of Amon. This is because the Temple of Amon is located inside the Temple of Karnak and is the largest temple in the world, measuring 1,500 by 800 meters. The Temple of Karnak in itself, with some 134 columns, measuring 24 meters tall and 10 meters thick, has the largest colonnade in the world. In addition, the temple also has the largest obelisk in all of Egypt.
You can no doubt imagine that the Temple of Karnak is the most popular temple complex in Luxor. Therefore, it is advisable to visit the temple as early as possible. Not only because of the crowds, but also because of the heat. If you are early enough, you can witness a magical sunrise here. It is breathtakingly beautiful to see how the sun's rays shine through between the columns.
Temple of Hatshepsut
Another wildly popular temple in Luxor is the Temple of Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut is one of the few female pharaohs Egypt has known. The large temple complex is built in limestone rock and dates back to the 18th Dynasty. As we were told, the terraces used to be decorated with exotic plants and lush gardens. That must have looked incredibly beautiful.
Hatshepsut was the eldest daughter of Tuthmosis I and the wife of Pharaoh Tuthmosis II, her half-brother. After the death of her husband, Hatshepsut acted as ruler and she assumed the full powers of a pharaoh not much later. She ruled Egypt for a period of 21 years and her reign is known as the most prosperous and peaceful period in Egypt's history. After her death, her stepson, Thutmose III, became pharaoh of Egypt. He made attempts to erase her reign from history by erasing documents and defacing or destroying monuments, among other things.
The Temple of Hatshepsut is actually part of the Valley of the Queens, only the temple is on the other side of the rocks. Inside the temple you can see many hieroglyphs. Many of these hieroglyphics refer to the Land of Poent. A place that remains a mystery to this day.
Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings, as the name suggests, is a large valley in the desert and lies between mountains where the tombs of pharaohs are located. Including the tomb of the very famous pharaoh Tutankhamun. Over the years, more than 60 tombs have been discovered, and who knows how many tombs remain undiscovered. The Valley of the Kings is part of the realm of the dead of Ancient Egypt, making it an important burial site. In fact, it is now one of the most important monuments in the world.
The tombs, carved deep into the rock, form an underground system leading to a tomb. The deeper the tombs, the more important the pharaoh. The walls of the tombs, the narrow corridors and ceilings are decorated with colorful and very interesting hieroglyphics. Many tombs are well preserved and it is actually very special that it is allowed to enter the tombs and see for yourself.
The entrance ticket gives you access to three of the regular tombs. If you want to visit more tombs, you can buy additional tickets at the entrance. We visited the tombs of Tutankhamun (this requires an extra ticket), Ramses VI and Ramses I. To get to the tombs in the Valley of the Kings from the entrance, you can board an electric taftaf, again you have to buy a separate ticket for this. It is a ride of about 5 minutes, but believe us in the scorching sun you will be very happy with this.
A day trip to Luxor from Hurghada
During our trip to Egypt we stayed in the resort town of Hurghada. Since we obviously wanted to see some highlights of this impressive country we made a day trip to Luxor. Our trip was organized by Corendon and the activities were organized on site by tour operator Flash Tours. We left early in the morning at 5 a.m. from our hotel, Sunrise Crystal Bay Resort, towards Luxor. The outward and return journeys both take about 4 hours, but take you through the most beautiful landscapes. A nice observation is that when you are near Hurghada you drive through a vast desert landscape. But when you drive near Luxor, the landscape is greener and you see more villages, this is because here you are near the River Nile (the lifeline of Egypt).
A day trip to Luxor from Hurghada is doable, but it is definitely a long day. Take plenty of water, snacks, sunburn and sun-protective clothing if necessary (cap, umbrella, etc.). Very hot temperatures are no exception here!
Lois Weeterings
A dreamer and adventure seeker, always on the lookout for new experiences. But also a hard worker with a thousand ideas racing through my mind. As a personal travel consultant and travel blogger, I share my passion for faraway destinations, thrilling adventures, and winter sports. With deep knowledge of places like Namibia, Colombia, the ABC Islands, and the Middle East, I’m here to help you craft a trip you’ll never forget. Through my personal stories and expert tips, I aim to inspire you to explore the world your way. Always with my camera in hand, I’m determined to capture every magical moment and share it with you.
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