Luxor overview
Luxor is set against spectacular desert landscapes and is considered to be the greatest outdoor museum in the world with its magnificent temples, tombs and monuments which reflect the greatness and splendour of Ancient Egypt. It's also an excellent base from which to start your luxury Nile Cruise
Five hundred miles south of Cairo on the Nile's east bank is the capital of Upper Egypt, Luxor. It is a mesmerizing city which is easily explored on foot, by horse drawn caleche, by delightful felucca boats, or by hot air balloon. In addition to the fantastic monuments, tombs and temples, visitors will delight in the Corniche, a pleasantly shaded, tree-lined avenue between the Temple of Luxor and the Nile, leading to the Luxor Museum and beyond to Karnak: itself famed for its ancient temple. Luxor's vibrancy is encapsulated in a wealth of excellent hotels, bars, restaurants, shops, and bustling bazaars which simply add to the magnetism of this unique city.
Map
Climate
Much of Egypt is desert and the whole country is hot and dry with very little rain. Away from the coast, the summers can be scorchingly hot but winters are more moderate with more comfortable temperatures. Water temperatures average between 20° C and 23° C during the winter months.
Did you know?
Ancient Egyptians originally celebrated the New Year with the Feast of Opet. This took place in the middle of summer when the Nile River usually overflowed its banks. Consequently, people were unable to work and would be free to take part in the festivities. Statues of the God, Amon, together with effigies of his wife and son, would be taken by boat down the Nile from Karnak to Luxor, where the people would sing, dance and feast for a 24 days before transporting the statues back to the temple.
Luxor hotels
Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa
With exceptional river views from the Nile's East Bank, the newly renovated Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa has been transformed into a luxurious resort
Maritim Jolie Ville Luxor Island Resort
In a unique and exclusive location on its own private island surrounded by the River Nile
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Sofitel Old Winter Palace
A famous landmark along the East Bank of the River Nile, the grandiose Sofitel Old Winter Palace is steeped in history
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Sofitel Pavillion Winter Palace
In a prime location, right on the banks of the River Nile and only a few minutes from Luxor and Karnak Temples and other historic attractions
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Steigenberger Nile Palace
In a prime position on the Nile with splendid views of the West Bank
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Map
Climate
Much of Egypt is desert and the whole country is hot and dry with very little rain. Away from the coast, the summers can be scorchingly hot but winters are more moderate with more comfortable temperatures. Water temperatures average between 20° C and 23° C during the winter months.
Did you know?
Ancient Egyptians originally celebrated the New Year with the Feast of Opet. This took place in the middle of summer when the Nile River usually overflowed its banks. Consequently, people were unable to work and would be free to take part in the festivities. Statues of the God, Amon, together with effigies of his wife and son, would be taken by boat down the Nile from Karnak to Luxor, where the people would sing, dance and feast for a 24 days before transporting the statues back to the temple.
Luxor sightseeing
East Bank Sights
Nile cruises are a must for many visitors to Egypt and the majority of cruises begin and/or end at Luxor: itself a key site for Egyptology.
On the east bank of the Nile, in the heart of the city, is the Temple of Luxor which was constructed circa 1350BC as a dedication to the deity Amun-Ra's wife, herself the mother goddess, Mut. Opposite the temple's entrance are the majestic statues of Ramses II plus a large granite obelisk whose twin stands in pride of place in Paris' Place de la Concorde.
The splendid Avenue of Ram-Headed Spinxes connects with the Karnak Temple to the north. Karnak, 2km from the centre of Luxor, was originally known as Ipet-Ipsut, the Most Perfect of Places, and the Karnak Temple, a national shrine, was dedicated to the deity Amun. Today it is one of the largest and best preserved of all Egypt's ancient temples featuring amazing structures of towering obelisks, monuments, and the great hypostyle hall whose immense columns recreate the papyrus forests of the sacred island from which all life purportedly sprang. The unique sound & light show held every evening brings to life, the fascinating history of this magnificent temple.
West Bank Sights
Although they ruled from palaces on the east of the Nile, pharaohs chose to be buried to the west and there are many temples and tombs known collectively as the Necropolis of Thebes.
The famed Valley of the Kings contains more than 60 tombs, chambers and halls: the most famous, Tutankhamun contains a tomb with the mummy in situ.
The Valley of the Queens offers interesting insights into the Egyptian way of life as Queens and royal children were buried in valleys separate to their husbands and fathers. And one of the most magnificent monuments in the area is the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut: dedicated to Egypt's greatest female pharaoh, it is a vast terraced temple hewn into the base of the rose-coloured hillside. Although many of the wall carvings depicting her life have been destroyed, there are many murals to appreciate as well as the astonishing architecture. Additional sites, too numerous to describe here, fill the area to the west bank although The Colossi of Memnon, two huge stone sentinels overlooking the Nile, require special mention as they are all that remains of the funerary Temple of Amenhotep III: allegedly even more vast in its heyday than the Temple of Karnak.
Map
Climate
Much of Egypt is desert and the whole country is hot and dry with very little rain. Away from the coast, the summers can be scorchingly hot but winters are more moderate with more comfortable temperatures. Water temperatures average between 20° C and 23° C during the winter months.
Did you know?
Ancient Egyptians originally celebrated the New Year with the Feast of Opet. This took place in the middle of summer when the Nile River usually overflowed its banks. Consequently, people were unable to work and would be free to take part in the festivities. Statues of the God, Amon, together with effigies of his wife and son, would be taken by boat down the Nile from Karnak to Luxor, where the people would sing, dance and feast for a 24 days before transporting the statues back to the temple.
Luxor offers
Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa
With exceptional river views from the Nile's East Bank, the newly renovated Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa has been transformed into a luxurious resort
2 offers
Maritim Jolie Ville Luxor Island Resort
In a unique and exclusive location on its own private island surrounded by the River Nile
2 offers
-
-
Sofitel Old Winter Palace
A famous landmark along the East Bank of the River Nile, the grandiose Sofitel Old Winter Palace is steeped in history
2 offers
-
Sofitel Pavillion Winter Palace
In a prime location, right on the banks of the River Nile and only a few minutes from Luxor and Karnak Temples and other historic attractions
1 offer
-
-
Steigenberger Nile Palace
In a prime position on the Nile with splendid views of the West Bank
1 offer
-
-
Map
Climate
Much of Egypt is desert and the whole country is hot and dry with very little rain. Away from the coast, the summers can be scorchingly hot but winters are more moderate with more comfortable temperatures. Water temperatures average between 20° C and 23° C during the winter months.
Did you know?
Ancient Egyptians originally celebrated the New Year with the Feast of Opet. This took place in the middle of summer when the Nile River usually overflowed its banks. Consequently, people were unable to work and would be free to take part in the festivities. Statues of the God, Amon, together with effigies of his wife and son, would be taken by boat down the Nile from Karnak to Luxor, where the people would sing, dance and feast for a 24 days before transporting the statues back to the temple.