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The place
Luxor occupies ancient Thebes, with the living city and its temples on the Nile's east bank and royal tombs set beneath western cliffs. The unforgettable things to do in Luxor include the vast Karnak Temple Complex, Luxor Temple glowing at sunset, the painted tombs of the Valley of the Kings, and the terraced Temple of Queen Hatshepsut — and for many travelers, a sunrise hot air balloon flight over the West Bank. The landscape matters just as much as the monuments: cultivated fields, desert mountains, village life, and changing light connect everything into one coherent place.
Explore locally
01Experience Luxor’s two great temples as the afternoon softens into evening. At Karnak, walk among the 134 giant columns of the Hypostyle Hall, the largest religious complex ever built. Follow the ancient Avenue of Sphinxes toward Luxor Temple, rising elegantly beside the Nile in the heart of the city. Stay as the sandstone glows amber and the lights come on, revealing carvings in a completely different mood.
02Cross the Nile to the land of the dead, where pharaohs carved their eternal homes into desert cliffs. In the Valley of the Kings, enter beautifully painted royal tombs with an Egyptologist explaining every scene. Visit the dramatic terraced temple of Queen Hatshepsut, one of Egypt’s few female pharaohs, set against towering rock. Pause at the Colossi of Memnon, two giant guardians that have watched over the fields for 3,400 years.
03Rise silently into the sky over Luxor as the sun appears above the eastern desert. Drift above the West Bank’s temples, villages, sugarcane fields and the shining ribbon of the Nile. Watch dozens of colorful balloons float around you in the soft pink morning light, an unforgettable sight from above. Includes hotel pickup, a short boat crossing, flight certificate and a gentle return before breakfast.
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