The ancient city of Luxor in Egypt’s Nile Valley offers visitors some of the most awe-inspiring historical and archaeological sites in the world. The famous Valley of the Kings, and the temples of Luxor and Karnak, all built by the ancient Egyptians, as well as several interesting museums of Luxor make this city well worth your visit. Luxor is also a good place to take a cruise on the mighty river Nile.
Ancient Egyptian capital located in the Nile Valley in Central Egypt, Luxor is the most popular travel destination in Southern Egypt. The present city of Luxor is located on the Eastern bank of Nile, whereas the Western bank was a home to the ancient capital of Egypt, Thebes. The Western bank of Nile in Luxor entices visitors with its ancient royal tombs as well as spectacular desert and river scenery, while the Eastern bank hosts the famous and vast temples, and a modern city with shopping opportunities, hotels and restaurants, plus an international airport and a railway station. Nowadays there are also some hotels in Luxor on the East side of the river, making it faster for tourists to visit the premier attractions of Luxor.
Historical attractions. The temples of Karnak and Luxor are large ancient Egyptian temple complexes with statues, obelisks and columns dedicated to the gods and pharaohs of the ancient Egyptian kingdom. The Valley of the Kings is a famous tomb area of the Egyptian pharaohs and nobles, as is also the Valley of Queens close by. Only some of the tombs there are open for the public.
Museums & activities. Besides historic sites, Luxor has two good museums and activities such as hot-air ballooning and golf in Luxor are available. Luxor is also a good base for seeing other parts of Southern Egypt or for taking a Nile cruises from Luxor to Cairo or vice versa. You can also take a sailing tour on a traditional Egyptian sailboat, or rent a bike and ride around the ancient Thebes. Camel and donkey riding tours are available as well.
Ancient Egyptian capital located in the Nile Valley in Central Egypt, Luxor is the most popular travel destination in Southern Egypt. The present city of Luxor is located on the Eastern bank of Nile, whereas the Western bank was a home to the ancient capital of Egypt, Thebes. The Western bank of Nile in Luxor entices visitors with its ancient royal tombs as well as spectacular desert and river scenery, while the Eastern bank hosts the famous and vast temples, and a modern city with shopping opportunities, hotels and restaurants, plus an international airport and a railway station. Nowadays there are also some hotels in Luxor on the East side of the river, making it faster for tourists to visit the premier attractions of Luxor.
Sights and activities in Luxor: historic sites, museums, golf and Nile cruises
The main tourist sites in Luxor belong to the World Heritage -listed ancient city of Thebes, the city of the god Amon, and the capital of Egypt during the Middle and New Kingdoms. The area includes the world-famous temples and palaces of Karnak and Luxor and the tombs of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. Yet more temples around Luxor can be explored in Medinet Habu. All these are located close to the present city of Luxor, mostly on the other side of the Nile, and sightseeing tours from Luxor can take you through all of them.Historical attractions. The temples of Karnak and Luxor are large ancient Egyptian temple complexes with statues, obelisks and columns dedicated to the gods and pharaohs of the ancient Egyptian kingdom. The Valley of the Kings is a famous tomb area of the Egyptian pharaohs and nobles, as is also the Valley of Queens close by. Only some of the tombs there are open for the public.
Museums & activities. Besides historic sites, Luxor has two good museums and activities such as hot-air ballooning and golf in Luxor are available. Luxor is also a good base for seeing other parts of Southern Egypt or for taking a Nile cruises from Luxor to Cairo or vice versa. You can also take a sailing tour on a traditional Egyptian sailboat, or rent a bike and ride around the ancient Thebes. Camel and donkey riding tours are available as well.
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Luxor travel information and practical tips
Luxor has a hot, dry desert climate with a guaranteed sunny weather and very high temperatures during the summer months. Wintertime is more comfortable time to visit Luxor, with still warm temperatures and less scorching sunshine.Traveling to Luxor is easy: you can either fly there, as the city has an international airport with regular domestic flights to Luxor, or you can take a bus, a train, or a cruise boat upriver from Cairo. Once in Luxor, public transport is handled mainly by buses and ferries. You can cross the Nile river by a bridge or with several ferry choices. Taxis, horse carriages and motorboats are also available for local transport. Car rental services in Luxor are available both in the city and at the airport.
Services & safety. The several hotels in Luxor offer something in every price category, and the many available restaurants in Luxor have a good range of prices and cuisines. Nightlife in Luxor is restricted mainly to the hotels. English is spoken in Luxor by people working in tourism-related professions. Luxor is a relatively safe place for visitors, although pick-pocketing exists and the threat of possible terrorist attacks is present.
