Luxor West Bank
The Luxor West Bank on a Nile cruise
Every Luxor to Aswan cruise includes one morning on the West Bank: the Valley of the Kings (three tombs on the standard ticket), Hatshepsut's temple and a stop at the Colossi of Memnon, back on board by lunch. Worth adding: Seti I's tomb or Nefertari's, and, if you have a spare morning in Luxor, Medinet Habu and the Tombs of the Nobles. A private West Bank tour costs about US$50 to US$110 per person for a half day.
In the fare
What the included West Bank morning looks like
- About 06:00 to 07:00. Leave the boat by coach or by motorboat across the river. Early is better: the valley is coolest and quietest before 09:00.
- The Valley of the Kings. About two hours, with three tombs on the standard ticket. Your guide explains outside, since guides may not speak inside the tombs.
- Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahari. About an hour at the terraced temple under the cliffs.
- The Colossi of Memnon. A short photo stop by the road at the two seated statues of Amenhotep III.
- Back on board by about 12:00 to 13:00. Lunch, and on a cruise from Luxor the boat sails south for Esna and Edfu.
On a four-night cruise from Luxor this is usually the morning of day two; on a three-night cruise from Aswan it is the last morning, before you leave the boat. A sunrise balloon over the same valley fits before it: see the balloon from a Nile cruise.
Separate tickets
Which tombs to add in the Valley of the Kings
The standard Valley of the Kings ticket (EGP 750 for a foreign adult at the time of writing) lets you into three tombs from those open that day. Three are sold separately, and they are the ones guests remember:
- Seti I. The longest and most completely decorated tomb in the valley. The best one to add if you add only one.
- Nefertari, in the Valley of the Queens. Small, bright and the most famous painted tomb in Egypt; visits are short to protect it.
- Tutankhamun. Small and plainer than the others, but his mummy is still inside. Worth it for the story.
Ask the boat to buy them with the tour, or buy them at the gate. For every site in depth, see our Valley of the Kings guide.
With a spare morning
The West Bank sites most cruise guests miss
| Site | Why go |
|---|---|
| Medinet Habu | The mortuary temple of Ramesses III, with deep-cut reliefs that still carry their colour. The best temple most cruise guests never see. |
| The Ramesseum | Ramesses II's mortuary temple and the fallen colossus that inspired Shelley's Ozymandias. |
| Deir el-Medina | The village of the tomb builders, with their own small painted tombs. |
| The Tombs of the Nobles | Scenes of daily life (farming, fishing, banquets) rather than the underworld, painted for officials. |
| The Valley of the Queens | Nefertari's tomb, often called the finest painted tomb in Egypt, on a separate ticket. |
They need a second morning: the night before a cruise from Luxor, the free day of a seven-night round trip, or a night in Luxor after a cruise from Aswan. A full day on the West Bank costs about US$80 to US$160 per person, all in, for two.
Choosing a boat
Ship or dahabiya for the West Bank
Big ships send a coach of 30 to 40 guests with one guide, so the tour runs to a fixed clock. Smaller ships, such as the Oberoi Zahra (54 guests) and the Jaz Senator (32), run the same morning with smaller groups. On a dahabiya the group is a handful of people and the guide can start earlier and add a site. Many dahabiyas sail from Esna and see Luxor before boarding or after landing, so ask which day the West Bank falls on. Compare Nile cruises and dahabiyas.
Asked often
The Luxor West Bank on a cruise, answered
- Does a Nile cruise include the Valley of the Kings?
- Yes. Luxor to Aswan cruises include a West Bank morning with the Valley of the Kings (three tombs on the standard ticket), Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon. Tutankhamun, Seti I and Nefertari are separate tickets.
- Which tomb should I add in the Valley of the Kings?
- Seti I, the longest and most completely decorated tomb. Nefertari's tomb in the Valley of the Queens is the other one worth paying for. Tutankhamun's is small but holds his mummy.
- What do Nile cruise tours of the West Bank miss?
- Medinet Habu, the Ramesseum, Deir el-Medina and the Tombs of the Nobles. They need a second morning in Luxor, before or after the cruise, or the free day of a seven-night trip.
