Travel guide – luxor
Go back to travel guide home
Overview
Part of the ancient city of Thebes that was the ruling seat of power for 1,350 years, Luxor is a major tourist destination, particularly for those interested in ancient Egypt, and the area boasts an exceptionally rich legacy of temples, tombs and monuments. Around these relics of ancient Egypt’s celebrated history, are signs of the prosperous industry of the modern day – tourism. The town is crowded with souvenir shops, hotels and restaurants, while the Nile River carries feluccas and luxury hotel ships. The streets are filled with the cries of shop owners, horse-drawn carriage (caleches), taxi drivers and tour guides, all offering their services to the newly arrived traveller, whether wealthy tourist or economizing backpacker. The action on the street is almost as captivating as the temples they have come to see. Whereas the impressive structures of the Temples of Luxor and of Karnak are within the town itself, the biggest attractions lie on the west bank across the Nile, where the funerary complexes of the Tombs of the Nobles, the Valley of the Kings, and Valley of the Queens relate the fascinating story of the ultimate resting places of ancient royalty.
Attractions in Luxor
The Temple of Karnak
The main place of worship in Theban times and built over a period of 1,300 years, the massive Temple of Karnak is an incredibly impressive structure. One of the world's great architectural achievements, the Hypostyle Hall, is filled with immense stone pillars still bearing the engraved and painted inscriptions from the 12th Dynasty, and covers an area of 64,583 square feet (6,000 sq metres). The complex also contains the Avenue of the Sphinxes, the Sacred Lake, and many huge statues, halls, ornate wall murals, obelisks and colonnades.
The West Bank
The West Bank is an area of limestone hills and valleys riddled with tombs and temples. Goats roam freely among the ruins, and the tiny settlements on the slopes provide a splash of colour in an otherwise desert-like barrenness. The 59ft (18m) high pair of enthroned statues of the Colossi of Memnon are the first things most visitors will see on the West Bank, the only remaining part of the mortuary temple of Amenophis III. Most travellers come to visit the Valley of the Kings where the secretive tombs of the Pharaohs were built to immortalise their mummies and treasures for eternity. In an attempt to thwart tomb robbers, traps and deceptions were part of the architectural planning. Dramatic descents, spectacular murals on the passage and chamber walls and a replica of the original sarcophagus at the end of the tunnel create an awe-inspiring atmosphere. Highlights include the Tomb of Tutankhamun and Ramses II. The country's finest tomb lies in the Valley of the Queens, the Tomb of Nefertari, which has exceptional painted murals, but is at present closed to the public. Also worth a visit is Hatshepsut's Temple, mortuary temple of Egypt's only female Pharaoh.
Climate
Except for the Mediterranean coast the country experiences a desert climate, which is hot and dry most of the year, especially in the summer months (June to August). Winter is from December to February with average temperatures of 68 to 79°F (20 to 26°C).
Health
There are a number of health risks associated with travel to Egypt and travellers should check that their inoculations are up-to-date before leaving. Typhoid, Hepatitis A and polio immunisation is recommended. Come prepared to beat the heat with a high factor sunblock, and drink plenty of water to combat dehydration. Drinking water in the main cities and towns is normally chlorinated but it is advisable to only drink bottled water. Traveller's diarrhoea is the most common form of illness for travellers; visitors should only eat thoroughly cooked food and fruits they have peeled themselves. The waters of the Nile are contaminated and should not be consumed or bathed in. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year of age coming from infected areas. Medical treatment can be expensive and standards vary so insurance is strongly advised, including evacuation. Medical facilities outside of Cairo can be very basic. Cases of bird flu have been reported, and although the risk is low for travellers, all close contact with caged, domestic and wild birds should be avoided, and all poultry and egg dishes well cooked as a precaution.
top of page