Walking with Kings in Luxor

In some ways, Luxor is a really pleasant town. Packed with thousands of years of history, it’s a modern city built around ruined temples, with ancient Thebes across the river. The Nile is beautiful here, not hotel-bound as in Cairo, and the villagers of the West Bank are very friendly. Horse-drawn carriages clop rhythmically along the Corniche, which is lined with trees and park benches.

But with attractions rating second only to the Pyramids of Giza in popularity, Luxor is also the hassle capital of Egypt. Be emotionally prepared. Don’t get defensive with the many touts you’ll encounter, which will only ruin your mood. The touts are working for a living too, albeit in a damn annoying way.

Luxor temple at night
This should be seen both in the daytime and nighttime. The temple itself is beautiful and well-preserved, but also intriguing simply for its location right in the center of a town built up around it, mingling ancient and modern in a blatant way.

Unlike most of the monuments in Egypt, the Luxor Temple has escaped the cheesy sound-and-light-show treatment. It is lit with floodlights after dark, elegant and simple. It’s possible that you can beg your way in on the day ticket, but because the tickets from the temples don’t actually have "Luxor" or "Karnak" written on them, it’s hard to remember which is the right one. I thought it was worth the second admission.

Luxor Museum
It is beautifully designed inside and out. Unlike the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, here the displays are clearly labeled and quite educational. They have a couple mummies as well in excellent condition judging from the amount of hair. Plus, it’s air-conditioned and not touristy.

Meeting a local family
I thought I was amazingly lucky to spend time with a local family. I became friends with my driver from the West Bank and had a lovely afternoon at his house. Later, when I told my host about it, he said that meeting village families is a somewhat common occurrence for travelers on the West Bank, so be alert for invitations of hospitality.

The Corniche
If you can stand the hassle and shoo away touts with good humor, a walk along the Nile road Corniche El-Nil is incredibly pleasant. The scenery is beautiful here, the breezes refreshing, and there are plenty of restaurants and shops in which to wile away your time.

Quick Tips:

If you are pressed for time, 2 days is enough for Luxor. You can do East Bank sights one day and West Bank the next.

Karnak is almost 3km north on the Corniche from Luxor Temple, which can be a pleasant walk. A taxi between temples should cost 3EP.

Food along the Corniche is overpriced and not particularly good, as the setting is the main draw.

A student ID (ISIC) will give substantial discounts on temples, museums, and West Bank tickets.

I bought my ticket to Cairo right after arriving from Aswan. Seats may sell out, and you don’t want to make a special trip to the train station. "Lines" are loosely defined here, so you must keep pressing toward the ticket window or people will just walk in front of you. I managed to throw a couple tourists up as a blockade when an old woman was eyeing me. I got to the window first and she still yelled out her request while I spoke to the clerk.

Best Way To Get Around:

Most hotels are on the East Bank. The ferry to the West Bank is 1EP each way and the pier is across from Luxor Temple. If you are charged for round-trip, save your receipt. Caleches, horse carriages, are very cheap with good bargaining—only tourists ride these. Taxis will slow down and honk to attract you, so if you don’t need one, don’t make eye contact. If you don’t mind the Corniche touts, take a felucca ride, as the scenery is lovely. It should be around 15EP per hour if prices in Cairo and Aswan are on par.

Buses are confusing for travelers. They are minibuses and the routes are not clear to non-Arabic speakers; flag them down, tell the driver where you are going, and squeeze in. Since I never needed one until I returned to the train station and I’d have difficulty fitting my backpack on the little van, it wasn’t an option - I just walked. If you do want to take a minibus, be aware they do not drive along the Corniche. Catch them before they turn away from the Nile.

Luxor is small, and many attractions can be reached by walking from your hotel.

I first toyed with the idea of seeking accommodation with local hosts because I had a layover in Rome on the way home from my Middle East trip. Since I had only one night to pack in some good eating, wanted to make the most of my time regarding sightseeing, and didn’t want to break the bank after the glorious affordability of the Middle East, I thought having a host in Rome would be like having a friendly, personal tour guide and dining companion. I envisioned great conversations over delicious wine and the security of strolling the streets at night with a local. It was a slightly unnerving to consider meeting up with a total stranger online, but the possible end result was a very appealing idea.

Well, it never worked out, and I was stuck paying 20€ for a room and eating alone in a restaurant full of couples on romantic Roman holidays. However, once I’d checked out the concept on the Hospitality Club and Global Freeloaders websites, I realized it would be a great way to meet some locals during the actual Middle East journey, not just for one night in Italy. I was feeling somewhat insecure, as this was my longest trip alone; was nervous about the hassle I’d receive as a woman; and knew how much I’d appreciate a place to call home for a few days.

I approached Alaa Taiea through both Hospitality Club and Global Freeloaders (covering my bases), and he generously offered me my own room in his Luxor apartment. We exchanged a few emails, during which he gave me loads of advice on places to visit in Egypt besides Luxor and tips on getting around. I, unfortunately, didn’t have time to talk to him on the phone before I left.

When I was in Aswan, I realized I had lost interest in taking the 3-day felucca trip down the Nile to Luxor and thus would arrive ahead of schedule by train. I called Alaa and was so happy to hear his voice for the first time! He was more than accommodating to my change in plans.

I arrived in Luxor and stepped into the heart of the hassle. Alaa picked me up at the station and shooed away the touts, guided me in the ways of Egyptian lines when I bought my onward ticket to Cairo, and took me back to his apartment in a taxi so I wouldn’t be struggling with my backpack in the heat.

After graciously showing me the apartment—not only nicer than the hotels I’d stayed in so far, but nicer than my own apartment at home—he actually cooked me dinner, let me use his little laundry machine to wash my disgusting clothes, and asked me what I wanted to do for the next couple days so he could help me plan.

Alaa was friendly and kind, and as a former tour guide, very knowledgeable about the area. He is a Luxor native and has recently started investing back into his town by designing and managing a beautiful luxury home on the West Bank for people a bit beyond their backpacking days to rent! He was intelligent and thoughtful and eager to have conversations about politics, travel, and technology, as I am a former web designer and it was a field that interested him.

Many of my friends were nervous that I chose to stay with someone I’d only spoken to online, and a Middle-Eastern man at that. But I realized from my research that there were two main schools of thought on Middle-Eastern men. 1) That they were dangerous, being repressed and desperate for female contact and convinced that Western women were loose, and 2) that they were safe because their deep respect for women’s virtue meant the mere thought a women suspected their motives would shame them. I chose to subscribe to the second school (it’s all generalization anyway) and hope for the best. Besides, no women responded to my request.

Alaa was a complete gentleman. He lived in a building with his family, although he had the apartment to himself. He always seemed genuinely interested in getting to know me better and would have done anything possible to help me enjoy Luxor. He was unable to find a spare key in time for my arrival, so he was basically on call and would rush home to let me into the apartment whenever I was ready.

I am so glad I met Alaa and feel very lucky to have a new friend in Luxor. We are still in touch, and I was so pleased to hear about his upcoming wedding in Alexandria. Through my comments about him on the website and further emails, I directed a young first-time traveler to Alaa and heard later they had a wonderful time, as Alaa adopted a big-brother role and helped him arrange tours and a cruise down the Nile.

I cannot say enough about the wonderful service this organization provides. You can contact hosts while maintaining your privacy, read comments from former guests, and see photos and other profile info to determine whether this host is a good match. I think Hospitality Club is a better-maintained site, and I like that you can see a member's last login in his or her profile, so you know how likely someone is to respond quickly. It’s a great opportunity to really get to understand locals and share experiences of differing cultures. In Egypt, it was hardly a financial issue, as I probably could have gotten a hotel room for $3. It was a lovely experience that I hope more people will try.

Hospitality Club
Global Freeloaders

My host, Alaa, tried to convince me that it would be fun and invigorating to walk to various sights on the West Bank. At 10am, the heat was already soaring, I’d seen the map with notes like "8km to this temple" and "4km to this other temple," and I knew I couldn’t handle it. Still, I adopted the stance that I was actually going to go through with it to increase my bargaining position. The touts were in top form, yelling in my face, coming at every angle, and some even daring to grab my arms and pull me toward their cars. It was a frustrating and ugly experience, and my bargaining developed an angry tone. One tout shoved a card for Mahmoud Mofareg in my hand. Unbeknownst to me, as I began to show bitterness toward the touts, Mahmoud tried to get his card back. Eventually, Mahmoud’s tout agreed to the bargain price of 25EP ($4.50 ) for three sites of my choosing on the West Bank.

Still a little pissy, I climbed in the backseat and was not in the mood for chattiness. I even told Mahmoud airily that if I decided I wanted to visit a fourth site, there would be no additional payment. But Mahmoud, with his big smile and his constant reassurances that he only wanted me to enjoy my time, wore down my resistance. Every time I got back in the car, he’d cheerfully ask, "Happy?" Soon I was very happy indeed.

After checking with a traveling couple I met in line for tickets, I learned the fee Mahmoud accepted was very low—they were going around for 85EP. In high season, Mahmoud probably wouldn’t go lower than 100EP with good bargaining. But he wanted to make me happy, and as he kept saying, the money wasn’t important to him.

At this point, I wasn’t positive Mahmoud wouldn’t still try to get a commission off me somehow. But the second time he asked me if I would like to visit an alabaster factory ("very traditional in Luxor, very interesting") and the second time I refused, he said "no problem." That was it. No "are you sure?" No "just look, free to look." He said "no problem." So when he invited me to meet his family instead, I was thrilled to accept.

In Barrat village, I climbed up to his spare apartment, populated by four daughters, one son, two small cats, and his sweet, smiling wife. They lived in a cramped space with a single squat toilet, but of course, had satellite TV so Mahmoud could catch football games around the globe. Mahmoud was the only English-speaker, and we were already having language difficulties. All part of the adventure! He invited me to smoke shisha, and his son, the youngest of the family, was in charge of keeping the tobacco refilled and running out to buy me bottled water. Children are very useful.

The oldest daughter, 18 years old, was shy and uninterested in meeting a foreigner. The other children gathered around in the living room to watch me smoke, attempt to understand my English, and offer sweet, happy smiles. After a long time of smoking, Mahmoud asked if I was hungry. The truth was I was very hungry, but hadn’t wanted to impose. I politely said no, but after he asked repeatedly, I admitted I did want to eat.

So glad that I did! Mahmoud’s wife made the best meal I’d had in Egypt so far. She made a deliciously-spiced tomato-onion sauce for dipping bread, egg scrambled in lethal amounts of butter, fresh salad, home-baked bread, and mounds of rice. It was absolutely wonderful, and so much food just for Mahmoud and me. The rest of the family served us graciously, then returned to watching and giggling. Eventually all of the children retreated to the main bedroom where Mahmoud’s wife was watching TV. We continued chatting, smoking shisha, and feeding egg to the cats.

The day I met Mahmoud was also the day I was returning to Cairo. Sadly, I told him it was time to leave so I could pack my bags and get to my train. He made me promise to call him if I ever returned to Luxor and assured me that we are now friends. The children begged me to stay and watch TV. I wish I could have, but I’d already been there 4 hours!

He drove me back to the ferry (I gave him a generous tip for the amazing day, despite his protests) and rode back to the East Bank with me. While we walked together down the Corniche to the turnoff to Alaa’s place, Mahmoud shooed away touts—who would ask him in Arabic if he’d move aside so they could talk to me.

I am so glad I came around that day after my annoyance with the taxi touts in the morning. The West Bank was a wonderful historical site, but it had nothing on the experience of meeting Mahmoud and his family. After only a week in Egypt, I was starting to get fed up with people and was so pleased to have concrete evidence that at heart, Egyptians are warm, kind, and hospitable and do not all think of tourists as walking ATMs. It was an experience I’ll never forget.

"Along the Nile is where you will find most of the silly boys who want you to ride a felucca," Alaa told me.

"Silly boys" was Alaa’s extremely understated way of describing the touts. He was angry that Egyptian economy was so dependent on tourism and said that this resulted in the "silly boys" who sometimes made him hate Luxor.

The touts are not something to take lightly. There is hassle everywhere in Egypt, but Luxor cranks it to a new level. At least in Cairo, people have jobs unrelated to tourism, and unless they work in a shop, they generally let you get on with your life. They’ve got better things to do. In Luxor, many people live directly off your dollars—you can see the neediness in their eyes.

The taxi and hotel touts know the train schedules and wait at the station for arrivals. When I came from Aswan, a crowd greeted me. I had foolishly believed that as a solo traveler I’d be more inconspicuous and less desirable as a victim of overeager salesmanship. But no less than six men followed me while I walked around the station, searched for a phone outside, and tried to orient myself. Like the tail to my meteor, they followed me unfailingly, watched me call Alaa, and stayed right behind me. When I snarled, "WHAT?!" they answered," We just want to see who you’re calling," like that’s the most natural thing. I snapped, "Do I look like I need SIX HOTELS?" but it didn’t make a difference. They didn’t leave me alone until I returned to the train station and hung around policemen. After Alaa picked me up, to my great relief, a single look from him was enough to make the "silly boys" shrink away.

Walking along the Corniche can be unpleasant, when it really should be so nice. The view is pretty, the breeze is refreshing, and watching the feluccas glide gracefully along the water is good entertainment. But every couple minutes, these moments of peace are shattered by cries of, "FELUCCA, LADY?" and the next 5 minutes would be spent trying to convince the touts that no, I did not want to ride, no, I did not want to just look; no, I did not want to guess the price; and in most cases, no, I was not interested in having dinner with a nice Egyptian man after work. Oh, the "silly boys."

I sometimes thought I could escape the touts by walking on the town side rather than the Nile side of the Corniche, but felucca men would cross the street to ask me to either ride with them or date them. And the other side was no escape from the various taxi and caleche drivers, who’d slow down to my walking pace while wheedling me for a ride.

The touts are not harmful, but extremely annoying. And I felt like I missed many good photos because I had only a split second to get a shot before someone caught up to me or was afraid to raise my camera and call any more attention to myself. The touts really brought me down and had me leaving Egypt with mixed emotions, mainly because of my experiences in Luxor.

Still, next time I plan to harden my skin. "Silly boys" will not get in the way of good travel photography. I will turn down sales-pitches-cum-clumsy-advances with good humor rather than irritation. Luxor is not a horrible place. I have to remember that. Good people are everywhere in this small city, and the touts should just be part of the background noise. My perspective has improved on the Luxor situation after traveling through the rest of the region; life in Egypt isn’t easy, and I understand why people in the tourist industry resort to such tactics. I hope I can return to Egypt, and even Luxor, one day with greater patience and leave deeply in love with the country, knowing that the touts are not complete jackasses, but simply "silly boys" earning a living.

If you have limited time like I did, you can fit most of the East Bank attractions in one day. I spent the earlier part of the day at Luxor Temple, took the pleasant walk along to the Corniche to Karnak Temple a few kilometers away, and then returned to Alaa's to shower off the Luxor heat. In the evening, I walked along the Corniche again and admired the sunset over the mountains, visited the Luxor Museum, and went back to Luxor Temple at night to view it in lights.

Luxor Temple is just a few minutes' walk from most hotels. The first sight of it along the Corniche was shocking to me: to my left was a busy city road packed with fancy cars and tour buses, and to my right were the elegant ruins of Luxor Temple dedicated to the Theban gods. It was such a fascinating mix of old and new, just like the sight of Cairo skyscrapers from the Giza Plateau. Egyptians live with their ghosts in a way I've never experienced.

Stop at the ticket counter to pay the 20EP entrance fee, then walk away from the entrance to view the temple from the avenue of sphinxes. It’s an impressive sight—this temple dedicated to Amun (one of the creation gods), Mut (mother goddess), and Khons (mood god) is in remarkable condition. Walk between the colossal statues of Ramses II to enter the main complex. You’ll learn more about the temple from guidebook research than my journal, but suffice it to say, I was blown away by the beauty of the temple. Baksheesh—the endless tipping you’ll be expected to do for EVERYTHING—is inescapable here. Guards will sidle up and start pointing things out to you, some obvious, some obscure, and even if their English and/or information is poor, they'll demand payment. And what you give will never be enough. Bring small change, as a pound or two should be enough to get rid of them. A nice place to wrap up your visit is contemplating the temple from the "banks" of the avenue of the sphinxes, sitting in the shade.

Luxor is HOT, so there’s really no need to walk to Karnak. It should cost about 3EP in a taxi, maybe 2EP if you really push it, and probably 2EP in a caleche. I chose to walk anyway and found the tree- and bench-lined Corniche really lovely. There was hassle from felucca touts and perfume salesmen along the way, but after a while, the avenue becomes much less commercial and you’ll be walking alone. Just stay on the Corniche, pass the Luxor Museum, and eventually you’ll see signs for Karnak.

Karnak is a massive structure featuring obelisks, statues, pylons, and sanctuaries glorifying the gods and pharaohs in a sprawling complex. Again, you will get more background from doing your own research (despite my fantasies of coming to Egypt, I remain an idiot about the intricacies and significance of it all), and all I can tell you is that Karnak is a must-see. There are great views of the whole complex from Mut Temple, a lovely sacred lake, and the Great Hypostyle Hall can make anyone feel miniscule. Once again, it is difficult to escape the demands for baksheesh here. At the Mut Temple, the guards snuck me up to the roof despite the signs prohibiting it and then requested payment for allowing me up, when I had never asked to climb up. Karnak costs 20EP to enter and is graced with its own avenue of sphinxes, which each feature a ram’s head and a small statue of Ramses II between its paws.

It was low season in Egypt, and in general, I didn’t see too many tourists. However, both Luxor and Karnak temples are tour bus havens, so expect hordes. But Karnak’s sheer size means you will easily be able to find yourself alone—there are just too many nooks and crannies and the tour groups move slowly. It was a nice place to contemplate the hieroglyphics, stare at obelisks, and wander through the shadows without constantly being jostled by other tourists. I spent a couple hours at each temple.

Ah, the joys of air-conditioning. If you need a place to escape the afternoon heat, Luxor Museum is your place! And hey, it’s an amazing museum as a bonus, worth at least 2 hours. I believe the entrance was 15EP with my student ID. There are signs everywhere prohibiting the use of cameras, a rule blatantly violated inside. Guards don’t seem to care. When you first enter, you can view a short film about some of the museum's treasures, including the two mummies from excavation to arrival in Luxor. Most of these items were once inside the temples I visited during the day: beautiful jewelry, pottery, and stelaes. The mummies were in excellent condition. My favorite display was the tomb designers’ plans etched onto rock, a fascinating look at the architectural details of these ancient structures. There may be an order for viewing the displays, as guards kept pointing me in certain directions. Baksheesh did not seem to be an issue here.

I revisited Luxor Temple to view it by night. One of the most elegant displays in Egypt, the temple is simply lit without a narrated show. It’s a beautiful, different view of an already lovely temple and well worth the second trip. The columns in the Great Court look like they’re on fire, the sphinxes are eerie, and the view from the Corniche with the moon hovering above is just striking. There are not many tourists, so the atmosphere is much more peaceful.

After the temple, I had a late dinner at the Metropolitan Bakery-Café on the Corniche. The view was lovely, but the food was no good, and it was definitely a tourist-only spot. Guava juice was good but incredibly overpriced compared to juice shops in Cairo. Still, it was a pleasant way to finish the evening.

I’ll just close out this entry about the East Bank with the tip that if you need a free bathroom, the one in Mahroba restaurant near Aboudi Bookshop (south of the Luxor Temple) is very nice and they don’t mind if you aren’t a customer. Aboudi Bookshop also has Internet access at the typical rate of 5EP/hour.

So this is how I worked my personal tour of the West Bank. After taking the ferry from the pier across from the Luxor Temple (1EP each way for a decidedly local style of transport), I was dogged by touts until I practically had a breakdown. I may have scared them into submission—no one likes publicly hysterical women! One tout agreed to have his driver take me to three sites of my choosing for 25EP, a bargain price, but made sure to lean in through the window before we took off and loudly tell me, "Don’t forget to give him baksheesh!" Like it’s so easy to forget.

I cover what ended up being a wonderful day spent with Mahmoud, my driver, in another entry, so here I will just discuss the actual sites visited. While idling in the car outside the ticket office, I flipped through my guidebook and considered Alaa’s recommendations. I chose the Valley of the Kings, as everyone does; the temple of Hatshepsut; and the workman’s village at Deir El-Medina. I had heard raves about the Tomb of Nefertari, but it, unfortunately, was not open. I bought my tickets for Deir El-Medina and Hatshepsut at the main ticket office, each 12EP or 6EP for students.

The scenery on the West Bank is imposing, mountainous, and dry. Be sure to have plenty of sunscreen, water, and a hat. I was dropped off near the Valley of the Kings along the road, seeing no tombs, with only Mahmoud’s gesture to keep me walking the right direction. Eventually, I saw the Valley of the Kings ticket office. There is a sign posted with all the open tombs for the day. The price is 20EP (half for students), and you are allowed to visit three tombs. I hooked up with a couple at the ticket office, and we chose Tuthmosis III, Merenptah, and Ramses I. Not all tombs are detailed in guidebooks, and most of the ones that sounded appealing in Lonely Planet ended up being closed that day, as they close on a rotating basis. I budgeted about 90 minutes for the Valley of the Kings, but it took a little longer than that to walk around.

Tuthmosis III’s tomb is one of the oldest and most inaccessible. It was up a steep staircase, then down another steep staircase into a hot humid tomb decorated with unusual stick-figure paintings (very early style). You are not allowed to photograph the tombs at all, but I know from tombs I saw later that if you're alone, the guards will actually encourage you to photograph the paintings WITH flash if it means they’ll get baksheesh for allowing it. Please don't do this!

Going to Ramses I’s tomb was a poor choice. It actually wasn’t my intention—Ramses III’s tomb sounded much better and appeared more popular from seeing tourists climbing up the path. But we were thrown by the signs, since a second Ramses tomb was at the same hill, underneath it rather than above, and ended up in the wrong one. Ramses I’s tomb is very small and simple, and when you’re limited to three tombs, it’s not worthwhile. It is so small that the ticket takers hold you at the door until there is room for you to enter.

Merenptah’s tomb was a nice one, and hey, handicap-accessible. It’s a long ramp down with reliefs of Isis lining the walls along the way. There are a few giant granite sarcophagi inside and more hieroglyphics. It was very impressive for its sheer size, with more chambers than the other tombs we visited.

Mahmoud was waiting for me after I said goodbye to my fellow tomb-wanderers. He greeted me cheerfully, and we drove on to Hatshepsut’s temple. Hatshepsut—or as Mahmoud liked to say, "hot chicken soup" –was the wife of Tuthmosis II and mother of Tuthmosis III. She ruled as pharaoh for 20 years and is often depicted as a man. The setting is amazing with the temple carved into the cliff side. Looking more like a modern municipal building from far away, the temple has a plain, wide façade. You walk up a long ramp to the entrance, where the simple colonnade is studded with statues. For a temple exposed to the elements, the paintings at Hatshepsut have decent color. It is definitely recommended. I spent an hour here.

We were off to a less-visited place. I went to the workmen’s village at Deir El-Medina, an evocative setting. I tried to walk around the foundations of the workmen’s houses, but when I tried to get off the largest path (but still on A path), the guards yelled at me. There are no signs, so it’s kind of unclear where you can and cannot go. There is a small temple beyond the village. The setting is quite beautiful. It is very difficult to escape the requests for baksheesh here, which may be more desperate because of the lack of visitors. I truly didn’t have extra change with me at this point beyond what I had planned to give at the tombs, so I firmly refused to take any guidance or hear any advice. The guards swore they did not want my money and only wanted to help. After they "helped" and held their hands out in supplication, I stuck to my guns and refused to give any money.

I visited the worker’s tombs after the temple. They are STUNNING. They are very small and in excellent condition, with deep, rich colors and clear depictions of village life. You are required to go with a guide, who unfortunately is not that helpful. I think the group of guards waiting around flips a coin to see whose turn it is to play with the tourists. The chosen guard then leads the way and points randomly saying the same things over and over, "Wife, wife, wife, wife, vegetables, vegetables, digging, digging, digging." Yes, my guide earned his 2EP. But the paintings were beautiful, and I highly recommend a visit to the workmen’s village, if only to see these two small tombs. I spent 90 minutes here, mostly walking around the area.

I am glad I didn’t go to the Valley of the Queens in addition—the tombs begin to blend together for those of use who are not students of history. It was a long, hot day, and I was ready for the best part: meeting Mahmoud's family. Read on.