After many guests had asked us for assistance in Luxor, Waleed tried to find solutions how to offer services with the same promises we give for Aswan:
- no visits of souvenir shops
- payment is for car, driver and guide instead to ask for payments from each person
- perfect knowledge of professional guides; well checked new cars and licensed drivers
- individual service for each person / couple / family instead of foreigners put together to groups
- no extra costs except for tickets and a tip that is up to you
All of which is contrary to how business is done by travel agents in Luxor. It is hard to control them while Waleed is away in Aswan. This is why we ask our guests to send sms or call Waleed from the guide's or hotel phone as soon they feel like it - so Waleed can call the travel agency in Luxor to make sure all is going according to our guest's wishes. Whenever it is possible we are sending our Aswan Guides to Luxor to care for our guests - even if they have to stay overnight in Luxor for this. All this is to guarantee our standards for Luxor too.
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Karnak and Luxor temple (= "Half" day)
(if you stay in a hotel at the eastbank side):
- car (enough for 2 persons) plus driver and guide: 400 EGP
- microbus (up to 8 persons) plus driver and guide: 470 EGP
Tickets are not included (prices please see left)
Karnak and Luxor temple if you stay at westbank side:
- same as above, if you cross to Luxor eastbanks by ferry to be picked up
- if pick up from your hotel: plus 50 EGP
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Half day at Westbank side:
Standard tour: Valley of the Kings, Hatchepsut and Colossi of Memnon
Or: Colossi of Memnon plus 2 other sights at westbanks (f. ex. Medinat Habu, Deir al Medina)
- car (enough for 2 persons) plus driver and guide: 450 EGP
- microbus (up to 8 persons) plus driver and guide: 520 EGP
Tickets are not included
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Full ** day:
Standard tour: Karnak and Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Hatchepsut and Colossi of Memnon
Or: Colossi of Memnon plus 5 more sights at westbanks*
- car (enough for 2 persons) plus driver and guide: 680 EGP
- microbus (up to 8 persons) plus driver and guide: 750 EGP
Tickets are not included
* My advice: Medinat Habu, Deir al Medina, Valley of the Scribes, Tombs of the Nobles
or you leave it to your guide according to your expectations
("As for Deir-el-medina, from 2011 december the tomb of Sennetjem is closed, but they have opened another one: Eyer Nefer tomb, very-very beautiful as well." - thank you Mr. Berek for this info)
** "Full" day does not mean to have a guide and driver for 24 hours minus little sleep - but the time you need to visit 5 (westbanks / eastbanks) or 6 sights (westbanks only incl. Colossi). Count about 7 hours.
(This advice is meant for tourists who love to "misunderstand" in order to start a fight about payment. Please play this "trick" with others. Regards.)
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Notes:
Photographing is not allowed inside tombs. Tourists had used the flash too often (although it was forbidden because it destroys the colors), so the Ministry of Tourism decided not to allow taking pictures at all anymore.
Guides take their time to explain and therefore keep their guests longer inside tombs and in front of designs, which is also bad for colors because of the humidity spread by sweating people. This is why the Ministry of Tourism does not allow guides anymore inside:
- tombs of Valley of the Kings
- tombs of Deir al Medina.
In these cases your guide will explain what you will see inside the tomb, send you inside alone and after your return outside he will answer your questions.
Guards: as long as you are with a guide they will not disturb you. But when you are inside a tomb alone, they will talk to you in barely understandable English and without knowledge and only let you go after receiving 5 or 10 EGP. I always make sure I have some change with me so they leave me alone immediately.
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My favorite temple around Luxor:
Abydoss (but 170 km from Luxor)
Please see prices for tours on the right side.
Tickets (not included):
- Karnak 65 EGP
- Luxor Temple 50 EGP
- Valley of the Kings 80 EGP*
- Hatchepsut* and most other temples / tombs 30 EGP
* For Valley of Kings and Hatchepsut one has to pay 5 EGP each person extra for the train
Colossi of Memnon are for free.
Luxor Museum:
80 EGP
Mumification Museum: 50 EGP
Photos:
Top picture
- Medinat Habu (2)
- Stairs to Pabasa
- Entry at Karnak
- Luxor temple
- Coloss of Memnon
- Hatchepsut Temple
- The village Curna
- Digging
- Medinat Habu
- Chill out at Carters House
- Luxor Street
- Suq in Luxor
- Alley between Luxor and Karnak Temple
- Deir al Medina
- Medinat Habu
- Door in Luxor
right side:
- photos made during Sound-and-Light-Show
- prices for tickets
- a sign mirroring me and the background (at Valley of the Scribes)
all pictures copyright:
Petra Dressler
To me the most impressive show in all Egypt - followed by Philae Sound and Light Show.
The link to the offical web site for Sound-and-Light-Shows in Egypt
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Karnak Sound and Light Show tickets: 100 EGP each
How to get there:
as Karnak Temple is inside Luxor it is easy to get a taxi.
If you prefer the luxury to have a driver and car to come to your hotel at an agreed time, pick you up, wait for you at the Karnak Show and bring you back to your hotel, please pay: 150 EGP for a car (2-3 persons)
200 EGP for a microbus (up to 8 persons)
