Luxor: What to See and How to Visit from Hurghada, Sharm and Marsa Alam

Luxor is where people go when the pyramids are not enough. If the pyramids are Egypt’s postcard, Luxor is its encyclopaedia: temples 3,500 years old and rock-cut tombs with paintings that have kept their colour. Below: where Luxor is, which sights to see, ticket prices in 2026 and how to take a tour from Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh or Marsa Alam.

Where is Luxor

Luxor lies on the Nile in southern Egypt, about 650 km from Cairo. The river divides the city in two, which matters for your route:

• The east bank — the “City of the Living”. The modern city, Karnak, Luxor Temple, the corniche and the Luxor Museum.
• The west bank — the “City of the Dead”. This is where the sun sets, so the Egyptians buried their pharaohs on this side: the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens and the mortuary temples.

The name comes from the Arabic al-Uqsur, “the palaces”.

What to see in Luxor: the main sights

Karnak Temple

The largest temple complex of the ancient world, built and rebuilt over almost 2,000 years. Its greatest wonder is the Hypostyle Hall with 134 columns up to 21 m tall. Details in “Karnak Temple”.

Luxor Temple

Stands right in the city centre, linked to Karnak by the 2.7 km Avenue of Sphinxes. Especially beautiful in the evening when lit up. At the entrance is an obelisk whose twin stands on the Place de la Concorde in Paris. What to see by day and by night.

The Valley of the Kings

A gorge with more than 60 rock-cut tombs, including the famous tomb of Tutankhamun. Inside are corridors with vivid paintings and texts from the books of the afterlife. Which tombs to choose and ticket prices.

The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut

Three terraces set into the sheer cliff of Deir el-Bahari. Hatshepsut was one of the few female pharaohs, and her temple looks surprisingly modern.

The Colossi of Memnon

Two statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, about 18 m tall, by the road on the west bank — all that remains of his huge mortuary temple. A short photo stop. Why they “sang”.

Luxor ticket prices in 2026

How to get to Luxor from Hurghada, Sharm and Marsa Alam

From	Distance	How
Hurghada	~300 km	Coach or mini-group, about 4 hours
Marsa Alam	~230–250 km	Coach, ~3.5–4 hours via Edfu
Sharm El Sheikh	very far by road — around via the Suez Canal	For a tour, by plane, about an hour
Cairo	~650 km	Plane about an hour, or the night train ~9–10 hours

If you are staying in Marsa Alam, the drive is shorter and it is easy to add the Valley of the Kings with its most colourful tombs.

When to go to Luxor

The best time is October to April, with daytime temperatures of 22–30 °C. In summer Luxor has one of the hottest climates in Egypt — 42–45 °C — and there is almost no shade in the Valley of the Kings. In the heat, tours start as early as possible to finish the west bank before noon.

Luxor or the pyramids: which to choose

Travellers often ask where to go if they only have time for one big trip. The Giza pyramids are Egypt’s great symbol, but they are mainly to be admired from outside. Luxor is richer for understanding ancient Egypt: temples, reliefs and painted tombs. From Hurghada, Luxor is closer — about 4 hours versus 5.5–6.5 hours to Cairo — so many people start with it. About the pyramids — in our Giza pyramids guide.

One day, two days or a Nile cruise

In one day you see the highlights — four or five sites. For a more relaxed pace, choose a two-day trip: Luxor Temple lit up in the evening, and a hot-air balloon flight over the west bank in the morning. The most leisurely way is a Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan: 3–4 days on a boat with stops at Edfu and Kom Ombo.