Luxor attractions

Also known as KV8, the Tomb of Merneptah in the Valley of the Kings is the final resting place of Pharoah Merneptah, the son of Ramesses II and Queen Isis-Nofret. It was rediscovered in 1902, a good decade before the tomb of the more famous King Tutankhamun was found, and gets fewer crowds than some of the other major tombs in the Valley.

Younger than the most ancient Luxor sites by thousands of years, the Dendera Temple complex spans many eras and artistic styles. Vivid paintings illuminate the Dendera Temple complex, and the magnificent Hathor Temple—the complex's centerpiece—hosts soaring columns, carved faces, an underground crypt, and shrines to a long list of gods.

Hundreds of tombs burrow through the Valley of the Nobles, the final resting place for many of Luxor’s elite. Wall paintings here depict scenes of daily life in ancient Egypt, with images of everything from artisans to animals, making it a more intimate place to explore than the famous Valley of the Kings.

One of the largest and most beautifully decorated monuments in the Valley of the Kings, the Tomb of Ramses VI (also known as Ramesses VI or Rameses VI) is far more elaborate than Tutankhamun’s sparsely decorated neighboring tomb. Ramses VI took it over from the pharaoh who originally designed it, his nephew and predecessor, Ramses V.

An imposing, sphinx-lined road once used for religious ceremonies, the Avenue of Sphinxes is a a 1.7-mile (2.7-kilometer) route linking Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple. Some 1,350 sphinx statues flanked the avenue in ancient times, and recent excavations have opened up portions of the avenue abutting Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple.

Towering, headless statues stand watch over the Ramesseum, part of Ramses II’s funerary complex. An awe-inspiring hypostyle hall is surrounded by courts, storage rooms, and a sanctuary, as well as unusual mud-brick structures. It’s not only magnificent, but also less visited than other West Bank sites—great for experiencing Luxor without the crowds.

Qena, a market town and provincial capital sitting on a bend in the Nile River, provides visitors to modern-day Egypt with a glimpse into the far-distant past. Sightseers traveling between Luxor and the Red Sea almost always pass through, and the city serves as a jumping-off point for explorations of the nearby Dendera temple complex.

Safaga Cruise Port sits in the small town of Safaga, on the shores of the Red Sea. With few attractions to recommend either the port or the town, Safaga Cruise Port is primarily known as a jumping-off point for getting to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Luxor, situated some 157 miles (253 kilometers) away.

The Luxor Cruise Port on the Nile River is the disembarkation point for visitors heading to the famous ruins of Luxor. Smaller ships come right into town, while larger ships spread out or dock side by side along the East Bank waterfront.