The “world’s largest open-air museum” is a fitting description of Luxor, Egypt. The country was ruled by pharaohs who each tried to outdo a past ruler with lavish lifestyles. Even in death, the pharaohs paid homage to the lavish style with tombs that befitted their stature. Visitors can get a glimpse into how the pharaohs and their subjects lived with the help of carvings, frescoes and stunning paintings preserved in the tombs. The Valley of Kings, the Valley of Queens, the Karnak Temple Complex — monuments, tombs, sphinxes and temples — there is mystery and exotic adventures everywhere in Luxor.

Luxor is one of GetAway Travel’s stops in our 2026 Egypt cruise. You can join us, or our travel advisors would be happy to help plan a vacation now if you’re up for an adventure!

Legendary burial sites

 Luxor is one of, if not the world’s largest archeological sites. In ancient times, Thebes, was the imperial capital and it was split by the Nile River, essentially creating the City of the Living and the City of the Dead. The East bank, or the City of the Living, now Luxor, is where the majority of people lived. The West bank served as a necropolis — a lavish resting place for royalty and nobility.

The sharply delineated hills of the West bank once harbored countless treasures. Pharaohs were buried in elaborate tunnels carved into the hills and cliffs and decorated with paintings, carvings and frescoes. Their mummified bodies were laid to rest covered in gold and jewels and their tombs were filled with their worldly possessions.

Tombs, sadly, were looted and deteriorated as a result of environmental conditions in the Valley of Kings, Valley of Queens and the Valley of Artisans, but the intricate set-ups and decorations are still stunning feats of architecture. We’re not talking little dusty burial chambers, the interiors are large, the tunnel work is amazing and “decoration” means the interiors are decorated wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling.

Pharaohs, queens, high nobility, children of the elite were buried in burial chambers with temples nearby. The temples honored gods, but also the subject in the tomb and it chronicled their exploits.

Temples, tombs, monuments

 The largest and most impressive collection of temple ruins is actually on the East bank of the Nile. The Karnak Temple Complex is supposedly where creation began. Pharaohs added to the areas as they rose in power. The 250-acre site has been “under construction” for 4,000 years. There are multiple temples, two obelisks, hieroglyphs and a sacred lake. The Great Hypostyle Hall is a little less than an acre of 134 massive, intricately decorated columns supporting a roof.

The Karnak is connected to the Luxor Temple by the Avenue of Sphinxes.

Just imagine, more than 1,000 statues on a two-mile avenue each hand carved and each the same distance from the other. What a marvel of engineering! There are sphinxes, criosphinxes (lion head on a ram’s body) and ram statues.

Between Karnak and the Luxor Temple is the Luxor Heritage Center. Here interactive exhibits document the country’s history from ancient times to the present. Select archeological pieces are on display here. The Luxor Museum has old and new kingdom artifacts. You can see the statue of Tuthmosis III, items that were buried with King Tut, statues found under the Temple of Luxor and two royal mummies. Videos show the process of making papyrus and how to write hieroglyphs.

The history of the Luxor Temple makes it a necessary spot to visit. Three religions are intertwined on the site. Incredibly beautiful, it started as a temple to the cult of Amun, became a Coptic Church and then a mosque was built on the ruins.

The Great Court of Ramses is in the Luxor Temple. The walls are adorned with the names and titles of Ramses’ 17 sons. During a 1989 restoration, 26 statues were uncovered that were apparently buried by priests.

The Valley of Kings is nearby. Dozens of pharaoh are laid to rest here with more than 63 tombs excavated including the tombs of King Tut, Ay and Ramses VI. Close to the entrance of the Valley of Kings is the Colossi of Memnon, a pair of 59-foot-high statues more than 3,300 years old. Considered the largest and most significant statues in Egypt, the 800-ton statues depict King Amenhotep III seated on his throne with his mother and wife next to his legs and the God of the Nile depicted on side panels.

One of the most spectacular features of the Valley of Kings is the Temple of Hatshepsut. Pharaoh Hatshepsut was a woman, thought to be one of the most successful rulers of Egypt, she governed for about 20 years and she is the only female pharaoh buried in the Valley of Kings. Her temple is a jaw-dropping architectural marvel. Carved into the stark hillside are three tiers of porticos with statues, pillars and hieroglyphs. There are three chapels inside and two ramps connect the lower terrace of the temple to the upper terrace.

Many of the tombs in the nearby Valley of Queens have been ransacked, but the beautiful, bright paintings on the walls are worth a visit. There are 75 royal tombs here — queens, princesses and princes were buried here as well as Queen Nefertari, whose resting place is gorgeous. No, that’s not a typo, it IS Queen Nefertari, not to be confused with Queen Nefertiti. They ruled about a dynasty apart.

Deir el-Medina, or the Valley of Artisans, gives visitors a view of the workers who toiled to build the royal tombs. A lovely little temple, dedicated to the Egyptian goddess of love and truth is here as well as several tombs.

Luxor is a part of GetAway Travel’s 2026 Egyptian adventure, but if you’re interested in experiencing the mystery and majesty of Egypt sooner, we’re ready to help with that trip. Stay tuned for more blogs on other fascinating Egyptian destinations included in GetAway’s itinerary. And, read on for some short “snapshots” of other Luxor points of interest. Contact GetAway at:  (262) 538-2140, e-mail: sue@getaway.travel or paul@getaway.travel