Description
Today’s full-day tour includes the major highlights of the city of Luxor (ancient Thebes), as the Valley of the Kings, the temple of Hatshepsut, and the Colossi of Memnon on the West bank, and the temple of Karnak and Luxor temple on the East bank. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant.
Tour Description:
Your guide will meet you at the reception of your hotel to commence your tour to,
The Valley of the Kings:
The Valley of the Kings is one of the most important highlights of the development of the construction of the tomb in Egypt. It was called by the Ancient Egyptians (Ta-Maat) or the place of justice and truth.
It is a long, narrow defile in the west bank of Luxor, which was part of ancient Thebes. It was the burial site of almost all the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (1550-1080 BC).
The plan of the tombs varies considerably but consists essentially of a descending corridor interrupted by deep shafts to baffle robbers and by pillared chambers or vestibules. At the farther end of the corridor is a burial chamber with a stone sarcophagus in which the royal mummy was laid and store chambers around which furniture and equipment were stacked for the king’s use in the underworld.
In many cases, the walls were covered with sculptured and painted scenes depicting the dead king in the presence of deities, especially the gods of the underworld, and with illustrated magical texts similar to those found in funerary papyri, designed to help him on his journey through the Netherworld.
You will just visit three tombs of the opened ones; your guide will recommend you the best three tombs to visit.
Hatshepsut’s temple:
The temple of Hatshepsut at El Deir El Bahary is unique among the Egyptian temples. It is built in three terraces to commemorate the coronation of Hatshepsut.
Hatshepsut’s famous expedition to the land of Punt (Somalia) is depicted on the second terrace.
Hatshepsut is the daughter of Thutmosis I, the sister-wife of Thutmosis II, and the mother-in-law of Thutmosis III.
She ruled Egypt around (1478) BC for 20-25 years and died naturally from diabetes.
The temple is now called Al Deir El Bahary, which means in English (the northern monastery) because the temple was used by the Christians for a while.
It is really amazing temple, you will like and enjoy it.
The Colossi of Memnon:
You will finish or start your tour by a photo stop at Colossi of Memnon, two impressive statues (18 meters) high, left from a huge temple built by Amenhotep.
They are now called Memnon, after the name of Agamemnon, when the statues were making sounds created when the wind blew through the cracks of the statues at dawn.
Take your lunch at a local restaurant, then proceed to;
The Karnak Temple:
The Karnak complex is the largest religious complex ever built in the universe.
The “Karnak” is the Arabic for “the fort” or “the protected area” but the complex was known as ” pr _ Imn” or” the house of Amon” for the ancient Egyptians, after that the name was changed by the Greeks to “ipt _ swt” or “the northern thrones”.
The complex was dedicated to the god Imn ” the hidden “, who was just a little, unknown local deity. When Luxor became the capital of Egypt, the god’s importance was increased. He then became like a national god. He was the creator, the sustainer, and the lord of the gods. His consort was the goddess Mut. The couple adopted the god “Khonsu” the moon god.
Luxor Temple:
This temple is situated in the downtown of Luxor. It bears the name of the city al-Luxor or “the palaces”. It is very small to Karnak but is completed. This temple was dedicated to the consort of Amon, the goddess Mut, so it was the place of the harem of Amon.
The two temples Karnak and Luxor are linked by sphinx avenue.
Price is per person, min (2 people).
Tour includes:
- Hotel pick up and drop off.
- Entrance fees.
- Licensed tour guide.
- Lunch at a local restaurant.
Tour excludes:
- Tips for guide and driver.
- Tutankhamun tomb.
- Drinks and meals.
