Luxor East & West Banks — Full-Day Private Tour

Overview

One private day covers both sides of the Nile at Luxor, ancient Thebes. You start on the West Bank in the cooler morning hours, when the tombs are at their quietest. In the Valley of the Kings you go down into three royal tombs, their walls still bright with painted hieroglyphs and scenes from the journey to the afterlife, before the terraced temple of Hatshepsut rises against the cliffs at Deir el-Bahari and the two weathered Colossi of Memnon guard the plain. After lunch you cross to the East Bank for the living heart of Thebes: Karnak, a vast complex built over two thousand years, where the forest of giant columns in the Great Hypostyle Hall dwarfs everyone who walks it, and then the elegant riverside Luxor Temple, best in the softer afternoon light. Throughout the day a private Egyptologist reads the reliefs and sets each temple in its dynasty, and travel is in a private air-conditioned car with the Nile crossing handled for you. Entrance tickets are arranged in advance, so your time goes to the monuments rather than the queues. It is the most complete way to see Luxor's greatest sites in a single day.

Highlights

• ✦Three painted royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings
• ✦Hatshepsut's terraced temple at Deir el-Bahari
• ✦The towering Colossi of Memnon
• ✦The Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak
• ✦The riverside Luxor Temple in afternoon light
• ✦Private Egyptologist guide for the whole day
• ✦Both banks of the Nile in one private tour

What's included

Itinerary

1. 1
   Hotel pickup

   Meet your guide and driver at your Luxor hotel in a private air-conditioned car and cross to the West Bank while the day is still cool.

2. 2
   Colossi of Memnon

   Pause at the two giant seated statues of Amenhotep III, all that remains above ground of his vanished mortuary temple.

3. 3
   Valley of the Kings

   Descend into three royal tombs cut deep into the hillside, their corridors and chambers still vivid with painted afterlife scenes.

4. 4
   Temple of Hatshepsut

   Walk up the ramps of the terraced temple at Deir el-Bahari, built for Egypt's most famous female pharaoh against a wall of golden cliffs.

5. 5
   Lunch

   Break for lunch at a local restaurant before crossing back to the East Bank.

6. 6
   Karnak Temple

   Explore the vast temple of Amun, ending in the Great Hypostyle Hall where 134 giant columns stand in ranks like a stone forest.

7. 7
   Luxor Temple

   Finish at the graceful riverside temple linked to Karnak by the Avenue of Sphinxes, at its best in the low afternoon light.

8. 8
   Drop-off

   Return by private car to your Luxor hotel.

Meeting point

📍 Hotel pickup included, or meet at the operator's downtown office.

Frequently asked questions

How long is this experience?

Full day

Can I cancel my booking?

Yes — you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before it starts.

Where does it start?

Hotel pickup included, or meet at the operator's downtown office.

Will I get instant confirmation?

Yes — your confirmation arrives on your phone right after booking.

What's included?

Private air-conditioned car and driver with hotel pickup and drop-off · Licensed Egyptologist guide · Entrance tickets: Valley of the Kings (3 tombs), Hatshepsut, Karnak and Luxor Temple · Lunch at a local restaurant · Bottled water