Luxor in Two Days
Two full but fun days including the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Hatshepsut’s Temple, Luxor Temple, and Karnak. Read about other Luxor Attractions
Two days in Luxor will allow you to devote a single day to seeing the main Luxor attractions on each bank of the River Nile. On the East bank - where the main city, train station and coach station are located - this includes Luxor Temple, Karnak and the Grand Bazaar.
On the West Bank, the main sites of what is known collectively as the Theban Necropolis, including, The Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queen’s and Hatshepsut’s Temple.
To see the most of Luxor in two days, it’s recommended you employ the services of a taxi driver, at least for the West Bank sites (available through most hotels, travel agencies or directly and more cheaply though any taxi driver) to limit the time travelling and arranging travel in between sightseeing.
If you want to conserve even more sightseeing time, order a boxed lunch from your hotel or pre buy from a local store to avoid any lengthy lunch stops.
Day 1 -The East Bank
Rise early and take a Kalesh (horse drawn cart) to Karnak. It’s advisable to beat the crowds and in the summer and the intense sunshine. You can easily spend the entire morning here strolling around the antiquities.
Exit the temple and head back to Luxor for lunch. Karnak is located approximately 2.5km north of town. You can walk in about half an hour or return by taxi or Kalesh. There are plenty of cafes / restaurants on route to the Luxor Temple.
Spend the early afternoon at the Luxor Temple (it’s also worth returning at night when the entire complex is spot lit with a green glow). If you finish in time you may want to visit one of the city’s museums or alternatively take a short felucca trip on the river.
In the evening you may be able to return to Karnak for the sound and light show
Day 2 - The West Bank
Today is jam packed with West Side sightseeing. If you rise early enough, you can fit in a dawn balloon ride or possibly, a donkey ride to the Valley of the Kings.
Cross the river by ferry at dawn. On arrival on the West Bank meet your driver / donkey and visit the Valley of the Kings. This will easily take up the majority of the morning. Then you can visit to Hatshepsut’s Temple located close by.
These two sites are a day in themselves, but if you find yourself with some free time left in the afternoon a visit Medinet Habu or the Valley of the Queens may be in order.
