Even though it was hot (110ºF), dusty, and a long day (we flew into Luxor at 7am and out at 6pm), this day trip from Cairo was something I’m really glad we did.
The entire tour of Luxor was a highlight, but the two things I enjoyed seeing the most were
Hatshepsut’s Temple and
Karnak TemplePlus, I can’t leave out seeing
King Tut’s tomb in
the Valley of the Kings. I even got a King Tut bruise when I fell down inside the tomb!
Not that it will take you long to visit, but you'll pass the
Colossi of Memnon, two HUGE statues of Ramses II, which look suspiciously like Storm Troopers.
I would recommend that if you have more time, spend a few days in the Luxor area, and maybe even take a Nile cruise down to Aswan.${QuickSuggestions} 1. Wear a hat. It’s HOT.
2. Bring water with you. Get cold water at every opportunity. Drink it.
3. Wear comfortable walking shoes, you’ll be doing a lot of it.
4. Wear sunscreen.
5. Take frequent shade breaks.
6. Bring a small flashlight to look at different items in the tombs. BEST thing we did.
7. Bring small denominations of money or items like pens to tip the Bedouins in the tombs.
Check out my
Cairo journal also.${BestWay} Driving in Luxor is much less traumatic than driving in Cairo, though the no honking signs aren't really that effective here either. You'll need good walking shoes, because there is a lot of that (if you were really brave and crazy, there's a walking path connecting the Valley of the Kings with Hatshepsut's temple. Why you'd do this, I don't know, but you can.)
The sites are separated by the Nile River, so going over the bridge by car is really your only option.
From journal Luxor Egypt, Not Vegas