Location: Lying 720 Km south of Cairo, Luxor is the most important and dramatic site in all Egypt. Al-Oqsor (the Palaces) is the Arabic name for Thebes, the capital city of the new Kingdom(1550 BC - 1070 BC) whose glory still glowed in the memories of classical writers a thousand years after its decline. Here the booty of foreign wars, tributes and taxes poured into the coffers of the 18th and 19th Dynasty pharaohs, each of whom surpassed his predecessor in the construction of gorgeous temples and tombs, creating a concentration of monuments that rivals any imperial city either before or after.

Sightseeing in Luxor

Luxor & Karnak Temple:
Location: Located on the East Bank of Luxor, The temples of Karnak & Luxor were established in honor of the god Amun-Ra. In the new kingdom, Amun-Ra was worshipped as the most important state god and the immense wealth of Thebes was spent embellishing and building Temples in his honour.

At the Temple of Karnak, more than 13 centuries of successive pharaohs contributed to over 100 acres of majestic pylous, hypostyle halls, and sacred temples. The scale of Karnak surpasses any other temple complex in the entire ancient world. The Temple of Luxor was also built over several centuries by Amen Hopis III, Tut Ankh Amun, Ramses II, And Alexander the Great. The temple is a graceful piece of architecture preceded by an avenue of Sphinxes. Containing impressive statues of Ramses II, the great court of Ramses II, the colonnade and court of Amen Hopis III, the hypostyle hall, and the Temple of Amun.

Both were built over extensive periods of time and were constructed from the inside outwards, the original founders built sanctuaries that were venerated for centuries, and successive pharaohs added progressively more grandiose country yards, gateways and other elaborations.

West Bank of Luxor:
The river Nile is crossed to reach the west bank necropolis of ancient Thebes. The new kingdom burial site once contained impressive treasures although most tombs were looted in ancient times. Much of the decoration remains intact and there are superb examples of ancient Egyptian art. The monuments existing in this area are so numerous, It can take months to study them.

The west bank has two types of monuments; mortuary temples devoted to the cult of the dead pharaohs, and tombs, both royal and private, hidden deep in the hills. Of particular interest in the Tomb of  Tut Ankh Amun. A small valley houses the tombs of queens to the south while the nobles tombs, which are built on a less grand scale yet contain equally fine artwork, are scattered among the cliffs.

The legendary Colossi of Memnon are also located on the west bank. the Statues of Amun Hopis II stand 19 meters high and once guarded his mortuary temple. Finally, the impressive 18th dynasty mortuary temple of queen Hatshepsut at Dier el Bahaari is dramatically set against the Theban hills, the temple rises in a spectacular sight that must have been even more impressive in ancient times when priests wandered amongst trees and carefully maintained gardens, and a grand sphinx-lined causeway lined the approach to the temple.

Sound And light show at Karnak Temple:
An evening "Sound & Light" show at the spectacular Karnak Temple is the most impressive of its kind. Visitors walk through the dramatically lit temple as the story of Karnak is narrated. the second part of the show is viewed from the seated grandstand behind the temple's sacred lake with magnificent, distant views of the illuminated, grand temple complex.

Luxor Museum:
Enjoy a visit to the Luxor Museum on the east bank. This small, modern museum has a fine collection of artifacts from the Theben temples and necropolis view pottery, jewelry, furniture, statues and stele from the ancient city. Of particular note is the "Wall of Akhenaton", a series of sunken reliefs from the group of statues of Ramses II, Queen Neferari and King Tut discovered in Luxor temple in 1989.

Valley of the kings:
A visit to Luxor and Karnak located on the east bank of the nile,415 miles south of Cairo, is truly an excursion into Egypt’s past. Was once the capital during the middle and new kingdom when Egypt was at the peak of its greatness. Across the Nile on the west bank, lies the Necropolis of Thebes, the city of the dead, also known as valley of the kings. Here are 64 tombs of the pharaohs, the most notable is Tutankamoun (King Tut). Other sights in the area include the Clossi of Memnon,temple of Hatshepsut ,valley of Queens, tombs of nobles, Medinet Habu and the Ramessum. A one day excursion is available from Cairo including round trip by air. Early morning flight upon arrival visit the east with Luxor & Karnak temples with the famous avenue of Sphinx, lunch and cross to West Bank to visit the Valley of Kings, Queens and Temple of Hatshepsut.