Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.03 Days in Luxor: Temples, Tombs, and a Sunrise Balloon
Karnak and Luxor Temple on the East Bank, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and Medinet Habu across the river, a dawn hot-air-balloon ride over the West Bank and a felucca sunset on the Nile. The plan re-plans itself around how you travel — your pace, budget and interests reshape every day.
Pick a style, a budget and a pace — the route and days below re-plan themselves.
9 stops · 6 meals · 1 hotelThis is the editor’s pick.
3 days
Each day takes one part of Luxor, kept close so you walk more than you ride. The map shows the whole route — pick a day to zoom in.
A rooftop restaurant with Nile views for Arabic and Egyptian dishes — feteer, baba ghanoush, tahini. Ask for a sunset table.
- Rooftop terrace with sunset views over the Nile, walking distance from Luxor Temple.
- After the temple, walk to Al-Sahaby Lane's rooftop terrace for dinner over the Nile.
A small Corniche museum devoted to the art and ritual of mummification — a quick, focused stop between Luxor Temple and the souk.
- Open 9:00 AM–2:00 PM and 5:00–9:00 PM — plan a morning or evening visit around the midday break.
Central Luxor's ancient temple, at its most dramatic floodlit after dark. Come at sunset and stay as the lights come on.
- Visit at sunset or in the evening for the illumination.
- The Mummification Museum sits a few minutes from Luxor Temple — slot it in before the temple's evening hours.
A traditional sailboat ride on the Nile at sunset, departing from the Corniche — the trip's closing act.
- Boats leave from the Corniche near Luxor Temple; agree the price before boarding.
- See the temple at sunset, then walk to the Corniche and board a felucca for the golden hour on the water.
Second visit
A rooftop restaurant with Nile views for Arabic and Egyptian dishes — feteer, baba ghanoush, tahini. Ask for a sunset table.
- Rooftop terrace with sunset views over the Nile, walking distance from Luxor Temple.
- After the temple, walk to Al-Sahaby Lane's rooftop terrace for dinner over the Nile.
A budget hotel with a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Nile on the Corniche.
- Budget pick with a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Nile on the Corniche.
Egypt's largest temple precinct. Walk the Great Hypostyle Hall early, when light slants between the 134 columns and the crowds are thin.
- Get there for the 6:00 AM opening to beat the heat and the tour buses — the Hypostyle Hall is best in early-morning light.
Karnak's outdoor collection of reassembled chapels, shrines and colossal statues — worth the extra walk once you've done the Hypostyle Hall.
- It's included in the Karnak Temple ticket, so fold it into the same morning.
- Walk the Hypostyle Hall first, then the Open Air Museum — it is included in the same Karnak ticket.
Right by the Karnak Temple entrance, open 9am–9pm: pizza, grilled meats, Egyptian mezze, plus a coffee shop for the post-temple break.
- It sits next to the Karnak entrance and is open daily 09:00–21:00 — time your lunch or coffee here.
- Step out for lunch or coffee at White Coffee, right by the Karnak entrance and open 9am to 9pm.
The 2.7 km processional avenue reopened in 2021, running sphinx-lined from Karnak toward Luxor Temple.
A family-run Egyptian spot with good vegetarian options — vegetable tagine, koshari, ful medames — and prices locals approve of.
- A mix of locals and tourists, with prices described as extremely well-priced.
Closer: Aisha Restaurant, 3 min out of your way
Stay put: 17 min walk back from the Avenue of Sphinxes tonight, ~28 min by taxi to Hatshepsut's temple in the morning.
Three terraced levels of colonnades rising against the Theban cliffs, built for Egypt's most famous female pharaoh. The scale is the spectacle.
The New Kingdom royal necropolis: 63 known tombs cut into the desert hills, including Tutankhamun's. Your ticket covers three tombs — pick the ones with the deepest painted corridors.
- Arrive between 6:00 and 9:00 AM for the coolest temperatures and fewest visitors; phone photography is free but skip the flash.
A terrace restaurant in Qurna with valley views and a tour-group buffet lunch — grilled chicken and rice on the terrace.
- On Memnon Street before the Colossi; recent reviews praise the terrace and the lunch buffet.
The Qurna tombs of officials and craftsmen, painted with scenes of daily life — banquets, harvests, crafts — that the royal tombs skip.
- From Hatshepsut's terraces, the Tombs of the Nobles are the natural next stop — officials' tombs painted with daily life, not just the afterlife.
A Nile-side grill on the Corniche for mixed grills, kebabs and kofta — the traditional Egyptian grill night.
Closer: Sunflower Restaurant, right on your way
Stay put: ~26 min by taxi back from the Tombs of the Nobles tonight, ~28 min by taxi to Hatshepsut's temple in the morning.
Where to stay in Luxor
Ranked for first-timer travelers on a comfortable budget. The places this plan sleeps in come first.
Nefertiti Hotel
A budget hotel with a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Nile on the Corniche.
Marsam Hotel
A family-run guesthouse in Qurna, close to the Valley of the Kings.
Al Moudira Hotel
An Oriental-palace boutique hotel on the West Bank, with restaurant, bar and pool.
Flights to Luxor
Fly into LXR (LXR)
Flight results via Travelpayouts — we may earn a commission on bookings.
Getting around Luxor
How to actually move around the city — transit, rideshare, bikes, and taxis.
Public transit
Luxor has no metro, tram or visitor-facing bus network. Getting around means street taxis, horse-drawn caleches, the public Nile ferry to the West Bank, and private drivers hired by the day for the tombs and temples.
Rideshare
Rideshare apps are virtually non-existent in Luxor (unlike Cairo and Alexandria), so don't plan around them. InDrive is popular across Egypt and worth a try, but most visitors end up negotiating with street taxis or booking a private driver.
- InDrive
Bidding-based ride app popular across Egypt: you offer a fare and drivers accept or counter. Usually 20-30% cheaper than Uber, though cars are often older and cash is the norm.
Tip: Worth trying in Luxor, but availability varies — have a taxi backup plan.
- Uber
Reliable in Cairo and Alexandria with card payments, but virtually non-existent in Luxor per 2026 traveler reports.
Tip: Don't count on finding a car in Luxor; use it for Cairo legs of your trip instead.
Bikes
There is no bikeshare system in Luxor, and cycling between the spread-out West Bank sites in the heat and traffic isn't practical for most visitors. Some hotels can arrange bicycle rental for a relaxed ride along the Corniche.
Taxis
Street taxis and horse-drawn caleches are how Luxor moves — agree the fare before getting in (about 50-100 EGP for short city rides, 200-300 EGP airport to downtown). For a West Bank day, hire a private driver for the whole day. The public ferry crosses the Nile near the Corniche.
Keep exploring
More itineraries for this trip.
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