How to Take a Day Trip to Luxor from Cairo
How to Take a Day Trip from Cairo to Luxor
In December 2022, I visited Egypt as part of my first trip to Africa. I only had a few days to spend in Egypt and wanted to visit the key tourist sights in both Cairo and Luxor. With limited time, I inquired about how to take a day trip from Luxor to Cairo. My research told me that it is possible but requires flying between the two cities.
I began looking for companies that offer a day tour of Luxor from Cairo. After comparing a few packages, I decided to book with the company Emo Tours Egypt. Their package included roundtrip airfare from Cairo to Luxor and a full day of touring Luxor’s top sights, including the Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut’s Temple, the Karnak Temple, and the Luxor Temple.
The cost of this package was $250, although I upgraded the flights to business class for an additional $120. If you are interested in booking this tour package, I have linked it below. Please note that I am an affiliate of Viator. If you purchase a tour or package using one of my links, I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
 Best Day Tour Full Day Luxor Tours ( Highlights ) From Cairo By Airplane - $250.00 Explore the best ancient monuments and tourist sights Travel to Egypt has to offer program from Cairo to Luxor, Take this full-day tour from Cairo by flight to visit Karnak temple, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings Colossi of Memnon, and Hatshepsut’s Temple, between these y’ll take lunch break time in Luxor, then we transfer you to the airport to take your flight to Cairo. |
My day began with an early morning flight from Cairo to Luxor on Nile Air. My seat was in the business class cabin, and since no one was sitting next to me, I had the entire row to myself. As we landed in Luxor, I had a great view of the Nile River from the window of the plane. After I disembarked the plane, I was greeted by a wonderful guide named Nermeen. I was happy to learn that I would be the only one on this tour. Nermeen introduced me to our driver, Hamade, and we set out for our first stop, which would be the Colossi of Memnon.
A Day Trip from Cairo to Luxor - Table of Contents
- How to Take a Day Trip from Cairo to Luxor
- Colossi of Memnon
- Valley of the Kings
- Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple
- Karnak Temple
- Luxor Temple
- Returning to Cairo
- Luxor Tours and Packages
- Support Buzzin’ Around the World – Visit Our Affiliates
- Earning Points and Rewards
- Related Content
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Visiting the Colossi of Memnon During a Day Tour of Luxor from Cairo
The first stop on my day tour of Luxor from Cairo was the Colossi of Memnon. My guide Nermeen explained that the Colossi are two giant statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. These statues are extremely old, dating back to 1350 BC.
Throughout this tour, I would rely on the expertise of Nermeen for information about each tourist site. At the Colossi of Memnon, Nermeen stated that the statues display Amenhotep III in a seated position, with his hands on his knees. He is facing the Nile River, which was the lifeline of the Ancient Egyptians.
The statues are extremely damaged, and the North Colossus is barely recognizable. The South Colossus is better preserved but still quite damaged above Amenhotep’s waist.
We spent about fifteen minutes at the Colossi of Memnon before departing for the Valley of the Kings, which would be one of the highlights of my tour.
Visiting Luxor's Valley of the Kings During a Day Tour of Luxor from Cairo
It was only about a ten-minute drive to the next stop on my day trip to Luxor from Cairo, which was the Valley of the Kings. The Valley of the Kings is on the West Bank of the Nile River and served as the final resting place for many Egyptian Pharaohs from the New Kingdom Period. The Ancient Egyptians chose to bury their dead on the West Bank of the Nile because they believed the sun died, or entered the underworld, each night when it set in the western sky. The next morning, when it rose in the eastern sky, they believed the sun was being reborn.
I created an entire page on Luxor’s Valley of the Kings, which many people believe is the top tourist destination in Egypt. To read a much more detailed summary of my time at the Valley of the Kings, click HERE.
The entrance fees to Luxor’s Valley of the Kings are confusing. A standard entrance ticket (E£ 260) grants visitors access to any three of the tombs. There is one set of exceptions as the tombs of King Tutankhamun (E£ 300), Seti I (E£ 1000), and Rameses V and VI (E£ 100) require an extra ticket. If you only want to visit the tombs of King Tut, Seti I, and Rameses V and VI, you still need to purchase the main entrance ticket.
Nermeen recommended visiting the tombs of Rameses IV, Merenptah, and Rameses I. These tombs were the three that were included with the entrance ticket. In addition to those tombs, I paid for two extra tombs, Tutankhamun and Rameses V/VI. With limited time and limited funds, I chose not to pay the E£ 1,000 to visit the tomb of Seti I.
Although I had done some research on the Valley of the Kings, I was overwhelmed by the amazing writings and carvings inside each tomb. The tombs are supposed to resemble the Underworld, and construction typically began on each pharaoh’s tomb when they received their crown. The longer the pharaoh was alive, the longer and deeper the tomb’s corridor.
According to Nermeen, each corridor was decorated with hieroglyphic scripture from the Egyptian Holy Books. At the end of the corridor was a tomb, or a false tomb, to fight against tomb raiding, where the sarcophagus of the deceased pharaoh was located. The purpose of these tombs was to ensure that the deceased pharaoh was able to pass to the Underworld, where they would live for eternity.
The photo below shows the Tomb of Rameses IV. Inside Rameses IV’s tomb, there are multiple areas where the corridor widens. The wider areas have some of the most impressive examples of Egyptian burial art. Rameses IV’s tomb was the first tomb I visited.
In addition to the awe-inspiring burial art, Luxor’s Valley of the Kings also provides an opportunity to see the mummified body of King Tutankhamun, also known as King Tut. King Tutankhamun’s tomb was famously discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. Below is King Tut’s mummified body on display near the entrance to his burial chamber. King Tut’s tomb was the second tomb I visited at Luxor’s Valley of the Kings.
King Tutankhamun’s actual burial chamber is fairly small. One of the interesting scenes depicted inside the burial chamber of King Tut is the “Opening of the Mouth.” This ritual was performed so the deceased pharaoh would be able to breathe during the afterlife.
Goddess Nut, the Goddess of the Night, is also shown greeting King Tut.
The third tomb I visited at the Valley of the Kings was the tomb of Merenptah. Inside the tomb of Merenptah was one of the best examples of Egyptian burial art. In the photo below, Merenptah is greeted by Ra, the God of the Sun. This relief-style artwork was much different than the burial art that I had seen in some of the other tombs.
Below is the burial chamber of Merenptah. According to my research, the stone sarcophagus was so large that it would not fit through the entrance of the tomb. To make the entrance large enough, they had to remove parts of the entrance to the tomb.
The fourth tomb I visited at the Valley of the Kings was the tomb of Rameses I. The best examples of Egyptian burial art are located inside the burial chamber of Rameses I. Directly behind the sarcophagus of Rameses I is artwork depicting Rameses I and Atum-Ra-Kheperi. Atum-Ra-Kheperi is an ancient Egyptian god that represents the rising sun.
The final tomb I visited at the Valley of the Kings was the tomb of Rameses V and VI. Some of the best examples of Egyptian Hieroglyphics are inside this tomb.
One of the most impressive parts of any of the tombs at Luxor’s Valley of the Kings is the pillared chamber inside the tomb of Rameses V and Rameses VI. There was so much to look at and analyze that I didn’t know where to start.
The burial chamber inside the tomb of Rameses V and VI was the most spectacular of the five burial chambers I visited. Below is the inner sarcophagus of Rameses VI. Behind the sarcophagus is burial art from the Book of Gates.
Behind the outer sarcophagus of Rameses VI is burial art from the Book of the Earth. The Book of the Earth focuses on the creation of the Sun Disk.
Nermeen suggested that to ensure we had ample time for the rest of the day that we spend no more than three hours at the Valley of the Kings. In total, I believe we spent about two and a half hours touring the five tombs. The Valley of the Kings was spectacular, and I rank it as one of the top places I’ve ever visited.
Visiting Queen Hatshepsut's Temple During a Day Tour of Luxor from Cairo
The third stop on my day trip to Luxor from Cairo was Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple. As we approached the entrance to the temple, Nermeen explained that very little of Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple was original. After Queen Hatshepsut’s death, parts of the temple were destroyed by her stepson, Thutmose III, who was jealous. Over the years, the temple was buried by rocks from earthquakes and wasn’t uncovered until the 1890s.
My time at Queen Hatshepsut’s temple was somewhat rushed as I only had one hour to explore the temple. After walking up the ramp, I spent some time photographing the Osiride Statues of Hatshepsut.
Nermeen explained that Queen Hatshepsut was often portrayed as a male pharaoh. This appearance was not to convince people that she was a man but to show that she had the same authority as the pharaoh as a male. Some of the statues pictured below are replicas, as the majority of the original statues were destroyed.
Nermeen told me that the statue to the left of the main door to Hatshepsut’s Temple is original, and the one to the right is a replica. As I walked through the stone-framed door, it was difficult to tell what parts of the temple were real and what was a recreation.
Near the entrance to Hatshepsut’s Temple was an arch. Above the arch were some ruins from the original temple.
As I toured Hatshepsut’s Temple, I saw quite a few examples of Egyptian Hieroglyphics and artwork. The columns below are some of the best examples.
Queen Hatshepsut took extreme pride in her belief that she was the true pharaoh of the Egyptians. The reason she believed she was the true pharaoh was that her father, Thutmose I, had designated her as the heir to the Egyptian throne. Hatshepsut felt that the word of her father took even greater importance because she believed he was actually the god Amun.
Inside the Hatshepsut’s Temple is a shrine dedicated to Amun. This shrine is not nearly as well preserved as the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, but there are some examples of hieroglyphics and Egyptian art that are still intact.
Similar to the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the ceiling of the Amun Shrine is covered in stars. Due to extensive damage, it is difficult to interpret most of the artwork inside the Amun Shrine.
Below is one of the best-preserved examples of Ancient Egyptian artwork in the Amun Shrine. This relief shows a depiction of Sema Tawy, which was the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, also known as the “Two Lands.” The unification is typically represented by papyrus and reed plants being combined into one plant.
A few other good examples of Ancient Egyptian artwork are shown below. To the left, Queen Hatshepsut is seen with Horus, the Egyptian god of kingship and the sky. To the right is a relief showing soldiers protecting Queen Hatshepsut.
It is easy to see why Queen Hatshepsut chose this location for her temple. The steps of the temple offer a stunning view of the fertile area along the Nile River.
I spent about an hour touring Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple. While an hour wasn’t enough time to see everything, I definitely was able to get a basic idea of the history of this magnificent structure.
As I walked down the steps, I noticed that the work excavating the area around Queen Hatshepsut’s temple was still ongoing. Who knows what the archeologists may find in the years to come?
When we got back to the car, Nermeen explained that before we left the West Bank of the Nile River, we were going to stop for lunch. After a buffet lunch, we traveled across the Nile River to the East Bank to visit the Karnak Temple.
Visiting the Karnak Temple During a Day Tour of Luxor from Cairo
The next stop on my day tour of Luxor from Cairo was the Karnak Temple Complex. The Karnak Temple Complex is a vast area of temples and other structures that resemble a small village. The temples were named “Karnak,” which means “Fortified Village.” Built on the East Bank of the Nile River, these temples were considered the homes of the Egyptian gods Amun, Mut, and Khonsu. Typically the East Bank of the Nile River consisted of shrines and temples, while the West Bank of the Nile River consisted of tombs and mortuary temples.
The three gods that the Karnak Temple is dedicated to are Amun, Mut, and Khonsu. Amun is the Egyptian god of the sun and air. He is typically considered the most important Egyptian god. There are various beliefs about Goddess Mut. Some Egyptians believe that Goddess Mut was the mother of everything on Earth. Others believe that she is the mother of the Moon-god, Konshu.
Since this trip was only a day trip to Luxor from Cairo, I had limited time to visit the Karnak Temple. I felt like I could have easily spent an entire day visiting the Karnak Temple and still not have been able to explore the entire area.
Throughout the Karnak Temple, there are many statues of the various pharaohs that helped construct these magnificent structures. Much of the Karnak Complex was built during the reign of Thutmose I, Hatshepsut, Seti I, and Rameses II. In the photo below, you will see a well-preserved statue of Rameses II.
The highlight of a visit to the Karnak Temple is the Great Hypostyle Hall. Designed by Hatshepsut and constructed during the reign of Seti I and Rameses II, the hall features 134 papyrus columns. Each of the columns is supposed to represent papyrus stalks and is a tribute to the god Atum, who rose from the papyrus-filled waters during the creation of the Earth.
Nermeen explained that some of the columns were left blank during the time of Seti I and Rameses II. Later pharaohs, including Rameses III, Rameses IV, and Rameses V would add reliefs to the blank columns. In 1899, groundwater caused the columns to collapse. They were re-erected and strengthened by 1902.
As I continued deeper into the Karnak Temple, Nermeen pointed out the two obelisks that tower over the remains of the various temples. The obelisk on the right was built by Thutmose I and the one on the left by Queen Hatshepsut.
The two obelisks date back to the years 1482 BC and 1457 BC. Queen Hatshepsut had two obelisks built but only one of them remains standing.
After passing by the obelisks of Thutmose I and Hatshepsut, Nermeen led me to the area by the Sacred Lake. Just in front of the Sacred Lake is the Kheper Scarab which was built by Amenhotep III. According to Nermeen, walking around the Scarab seven times will bring good luck and fortunes in future relationships. During my visit, many tourists walked seven laps around the Scarab.
At this point, Nermeen left me to explore on my own. The Karnak Temple was quite difficult to tour without a guide as the complex is so large. For example, I know the structure below is important, but even during post-trip research, I could not figure out its importance.
Like the tombs of the Valley of the Kings, there is a variety of Egyptian Hieroglyphics inscribed throughout the Karnak Temple.
As I looked at the detail of the hieroglyphic carvings, it was astounding to realize that these were carved over 3,000 years ago.
Not every statue at Karnak is in great shape. In the photo below, all the remains of a statue of Rameses II are his legs. If you look at the height of the broken statue compared to the people below, you can imagine how massive this statue once stood.
Nermeen had left me with about 20 minutes to explore on my own while she went to meet our driver Hamade. Unfortunately, I became a bit disoriented, working my way back to the entrance of the Karnak Temple, and was late. This tardiness meant that we would have less than an hour to visit the final stop of my day trip from Cairo to Luxor, which was the Luxor Temple.
Visiting the Luxor Temple During a Day Tour of Luxor from Cairo
The final stop of my day trip from Cairo to Luxor was the Luxor Temple. As we arrived, the sun was just beginning to set. I did not bring a tripod on this trip so a few of the photos are a little blurry.
Before entering the Luxor Temple, Nermeen wanted to point out a few other impressive sights near the temple. The Avenue of the Sphinxes connects the Karnak Temple to the Luxor Temple. On the Avenue of the Sphinxes is St. Mary’s Coptic Christian Church. About one-tenth of Egypt’s population is Christian, with almost all of them identifying as Coptic.
While I would have loved to have walked the 1.7 miles from the Karnak Temple to the Luxor Temple via the Avenue of the Sphinxes, time just did not allow it. Instead, I was able to spend about five minutes photographing a portion of the Avenue of Sphinxes before entering the Luxor Temple. The avenue gets its name as it is lined by over 800 sphinx-shaped statues. In addition to the sphinxes, there are at least 250 ram-shaped statues. The ram statues are why the road is sometimes called “Rams Road.”
In the photo below, one of the better-preserved sphinxes can be seen. It is the third one from the left.
As we entered the Luxor Temple, Nermeen explained that, unlike the other places we had visited, the Luxor Temple was not created in honor of any of the Egyptian gods or to honor any of the Egyptian pharaohs. She explained that the Luxor Temple was likely where many of the Egyptian pharaohs were crowned. Construction on the Luxor Temple began around 1400 BC and was overseen by multiple pharaohs, including Amenhotep III, Rameses II, and Tutankhamun.
Nermeen pointed out that only one of the two obelisks is still located in front of the Luxor Temple. The other obelisk is currently on display at the Place de la Concorde in Paris, France. Next to the main entrance, there are six statues of Rameses II. The two statues closest to the entrance are seated and the other four are standing.
The photo below to the left was taken looking directly up at the Luxor Temple’s remaining obelisk. To the right is one of the two colossal statues of Rameses II seated near the entrance to the temple.
Unlike some of the other sights I visited during my day tour of Luxor from Cairo, the Luxor Temple is located near the city center of Luxor. The surrounding area looked like it would be a great place to walk around and visit restaurants and shops. I did not have any time to explore as I was trying to see all of Luxor’s main tourist sights in one day.
Another unique feature of the Luxor Temple is that there is a mosque built into the side of the temple. The Abu Haggag Mosque began as a Roman Catholic Church in 395 AD and was converted to a mosque in 640 AD. As I was walking around the Luxor Temple, I could hear the call to prayer coming from the Abu Haggag Mosque.
Inside the Luxor Temple, I first visited the Colonnade of Amenhotep III. The Colonnade of Amenhotep III featured seven sets of papyrus columns. Throughout the Colonnade, there are reliefs and other Egyptian artwork created in honor of Tutankhamun, Rameses II, Seti II, and others. An interesting story is that Horemheb destroyed the reliefs created by Tutankhamun and covered them with reliefs of his own.
I only had about thirty minutes to explore the Luxor Temple. By the time I got into the interior of the Luxor Temple, it was getting dark. The photo below was the only photo of the Egyptian artwork that I could take due to lighting issues.
Returning to Cairo from My Day Trip to Luxor
As I exited the Luxor Temple, Nermeen told me that it was time to go to the airport. I had about two hours before my flight from Luxor to Cairo would depart. On the way to the airport, Nermeen stopped and bought me some delicious Egyptian candy made of chocolate and dates.
I arrived at Luxor International Airport about 90 minutes before my flight. My flight was delayed by about an hour, so I spent the extra time at the airport editing my photos. This time, my flight was on Egypt Air instead of Nile Air, and like last time, I was in the business class cabin.
During the 45-minute flight to Cairo, I finished editing my photos and reflected on the wonderful time I had in Luxor. For anyone considering skipping Luxor, my advice is don’t. The ancient Egyptian sights at Luxor are far more interesting than the sights in Cairo and can easily be seen during a day trip.
I arrived back at Cairo Airport around 10:00 pm. A driver was waiting for me to take me back to my hotel. I arrived back at my hotel around 10:45 pm, completing a marathon day that began at 5:45 am.
Luxor Tours and Packages
If you are staying in Cairo, a tour is absolutely necessary for visiting Luxor. I have linked various Luxor tour packages below that should meet the needs of most travelers. Please note that I an affiliate of Viator. If you purchase a package or tour using one of my links, I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
 Cairo: 2-Day All inclusive Private Tour to Abu Simbel & Luxor Tour by Plane - $497.00 Discover the best of Luxor and Aswan on a 2-day tour |
 Private Overnight Tour to Luxor from Cairo by Flight - $790.00 Fly from |
 Overnight Tour to Luxor from Cairo by Flight - $769.22 Visit Luxor for two days tour from Cairo by flight .Discover the valley of the Kings and the tomb of The famous King Tutakhamon,Karnak temple . |
 Full-Day Luxor Tour: Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Karnak Temple - $110.00 Full day in Luxor Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Karnak Temple, along with the Colossi of Memnon. |
 Luxor ,Tour to The East & West Bank of the Nile - $115.00 See the most famous sites around Luxor on both sides of the river in one day. Visit Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple on the East bank and then see the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple on the West Bank. |
 Full day Luxor tour from Cairo by a sleeper train - $307.70 Our tour is specially designed for adventurous people who wants to discover more. Tour to Luxor by a sleeper train is a great chance to discover the best ancient monuments and temples of the city and have a local train experience. |
 Full Day Luxor Tour with Hot Air Balloon Ride w/Guide Lunch - $205.13 Hot-air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings, followed by a full day tour to see the highlights of the ancient West Bank and East Bank monuments in Luxor. These highlights include Valley of the Kings (Necropolis of Thebes), the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (Deir el Bahari), the Colossi of Memnon and Karnak and Luxor Temples. You will be guided by a licensed Egyptologist tour guide and transported to all the sites by a private air-conditioned vehicle. |
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