Karnak Temple Complex
Vast religious complex on the east bank, built and extended by many pharaohs over centuries. Its forest of giant columns in the Hypostyle Hall is the highlight.
Luxor
Sunrise balloon flights, the Valley of the Kings, Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple sit in a city often described as an open-air museum.
Attractive locations
Luxor Temple
Temple in the middle of the city beside the Nile, linked to Karnak by a long avenue of sphinxes. It is especially atmospheric when floodlit in the evening.
Valley of the Kings
Desert valley on the west bank where pharaohs of the New Kingdom were buried in rock-cut tombs. Many tombs have richly painted walls, and Tutankhamun's tomb lies here.
Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
Terraced temple built into a cliff at Deir el-Bahari for one of Egypt's few female pharaohs. Its long colonnades and ramps stand out against the rock wall behind.
Colossi of Memnon
Two huge seated stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III on the west bank, standing on the edge of farmland. They once stood guard at the entrance to his mortuary temple, which has since vanished.
Valley of the Queens
Burial valley on Luxor's west bank where royal wives and children were laid to rest. The painted tomb of Queen Nefertari is the best known, and it is only occasionally open.
Medinet Habu
Large mortuary temple of Ramses III on the west bank, with tall gateways and walls carved with battle scenes and daily life. It is often quieter than the big temples across the river.
Airports
Luxor International Airport LXR
It is about 7 km in a straight line from Luxor.
Suhaj International Airport HMB
It is about 115 km in a straight line from Luxor.
Scams and safe taxis
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan13.3 °C1 mm
- Feb15.9 °C0 mm
- Mar20.2 °C0 mm
- Apr24.8 °C0 mm
- May29.3 °C0 mm
- Jun31.9 °C0 mm
- Jul32.5 °C0 mm
- Aug32.5 °C0 mm
- Sep30.0 °C0 mm
- Oct26.3 °C0 mm
- Nov20.0 °C0 mm
- Dec15.0 °C0 mm
Almost no rain in any month.
Costs
Prices here are about 15% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
Police 122. Ambulance 123. Fire 180. Tourist police 126.
local government
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities visitor hotline 19654
Helps with: Egypt's tourism ministry hotline. It answers tourists' questions during their stay, such as site opening hours, and takes complaints and suggestions. The page says 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily, in Arabic and English.
Who qualifies: Tourists in Egypt with questions, complaints or suggestions. The page is undated, so check the number is still in service.
Phone: 19654
ngo
Egyptian Red Crescent Society
Helps with: Egypt's national Red Crescent society, the local member of the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement. Contact its head office in Cairo for its humanitarian services.
Who qualifies: People in Egypt who need its humanitarian services; contact the head office.
Phone: +20 2 25985555
Address: Abd El Razak El Sanhouri St., Nasr City, Cairo, 11371, Egypt
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Egypt
Helps with: The UN migration agency, present in Egypt since 1991. Its work includes migration and border management, crisis response, services for migrants and a migrants assistance hotline.
Who qualifies: Migrants in Egypt, including people fleeing conflict, and government partners. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +20227365140
Address: 47C Abu El-Feda Street, Zamalek, Cairo, Egypt 11211
local government
Police emergency number 122
Helps with: Reaches the police in Egypt. The number comes from UK government travel advice, which also lists 126 for the tourist police.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 122
local government
Ambulance emergency number 123
Helps with: Reaches the ambulance service in Egypt. The number comes from UK government travel advice.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 123
local government
Fire emergency number 180
Helps with: Reaches the fire service in Egypt. The number comes from UK government travel advice.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 180