Once everyone was on, we headed for the hills, passed the Colossi of Memnon and then up onto the cliffs. By this time we had learned some of the commands and strange noises you make to get your donkey moving! Up, up, up, we had an incredible view of the sunrise over the Nile Valley with hot air balloons rising in the air. The donkeys seemed to like passing each other on the most narrow trails overlooking sheer cliff-faces, but I figured the donkey wouldn't do anything to risk its life, so what the heck!

We made our way over the hills and left our beasts of burden in exchange for a scramble on foot down into the Valley of the Kings. We had views of the Valley you only find in books and a good guide to explain what we would see in the tombs. The colors were absolutely amazing, since they have been protected from the elements for thousands of years.

We did visit the tomb of Tutankhamen for an additional fee, even though we knew it was very small and the reliefs are not impressive. But who knows when we'll go back! We also visited the tombs of Rameses III, Rameses VI, and Merenptah. Although I didn't go, I'd recommend seeing the Valley of the Queens also - some people from our group went and thought it was wonderful and less crowded.

We saw three tombs during our visit: Ramses III, Ramses IX, and Tutankhamun.

Ramses III, possibly the grandson of Ramses II and ruler of Egypt between 1184-1153 BC, is considered the last of the great pharaohs on the throne, having waged many successful military campaigns. His tomb is promoted as the best in the valley for its color. The tomb with its reds, mustards, and cobalts were unbelievably vibrant. Every inch of the wall and ceiling was covered with hieroglyphics and pictures showing the procession of the king from life to death, escorted by the Gods Hours and Anubis.

Ramses IX ruled Egypt's 20th Dynasty from about 1125/21 to 1107/03 BC. Not much is known about this king, and his tomb was robbed of most of the antiquities. His mummy was found in the Deir el-Bahari cache alongside Seti I, Amenhotep I, and Tuthmosis II. His tomb also held many of the colorful hieroglyphics, including astronomical signs and scenes from the Book of the Dead.

Tutankhamun's tomb is surprisingly small. It is located beneath the doorway for another tomb. King Tutankhamun’s tomb went unnoticed by excavators and tomb robbers. The tomb was discovered when a worker slipped on what was the first step leading down toward the tomb. With this workers discovery, the world was introduced to the splendor of the Egyptians like never before.

Tutankhamun ruled between 1334 and 1325 BC. His tomb was far from being prepared for his death because he was an adolescent. Only the room that held his mummy has any hieroglyphics – the Hours of the Apes and the Opening of the Mouth ceremony (a ritual that is supposed to restore the senses), to name a few of the scenes. The wall is painted a brilliant mustard and the features of the king and the gods are incredibly clear. The corridor, antechamber, annex, and treasury are unadorned. The entrance to the burial chamber was originally guarded by two tall, black statues in Tutankhamun’s image – they are meant to represent his ka. The antechamber and treasury were jam packed with the things he would need in the after life: his childhood things like the sandals he wore when he was 9 years old, offerings, and the mummies of two babies – possibly his daughters.

King Tutankhamun’s mummy lay in his sarcophagus beneath four gold shrines one nested inside the other. It contained three coffins and the famous death mask. The outermost coffin was wood and gold plated. The next coffin was bejeweled with coral and turquoise. The innermost coffin was made of solid gold. King Tutankhamun’s mummy now lies in what was his outermost coffin in his sarcophagus within his tomb at the Valley of the Kings.