Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa

Family-Friendly Egypt

Family Beach + 1 more + 2 more

A journey through Egypt’s best bits, designed for all the family.

12 days

from £3,650 pp

Simply Egypt

Express Beach + 2 more + 3 more

Cairo's iconic sights paired with pure Red Sea relaxation.

11 days

from £3,520 pp

Highlights of Egypt

Classic Cruise + 3 more + 3 more

Culture in Cairo, cruising the Nile and relaxation by the Red Sea

11 days

from £3,415 pp

Impressions of the Desert

Off-the-beaten-track Adventure + 1 more + 2 more

Visit one of the Western Desert’s most fascinating oases on a circular itinerary from Cairo.

10 days

from £4,560 pp

Classic Egypt

Classic Express + 3 more + 3 more

Big-name ancient highlights and a classic Nile cruise

8 days

from £2,810 pp

Luxor and the Red Sea

Family Beach + 1 more + 2 more

An enticing itinerary that allows for plenty of seaside relaxation in addition to the Nile sightseeing.

8 days

from £2,640 pp

Quirky excursions

View all excursions in Egypt

Luxor Museum

Centrally located on the Corniche, Luxor Museum is highly recommended for those looking to contextualise all they’ve seen during time exploring Luxor. Smaller, more modern and far less chaotic than its Cairo equivalent, the museum is a pleasant space in itself, particularly as much of the sightseeing in Luxor is conducted outdoors in searing heat. Many of the treasures that were removed in excavations, both of the West Bank tombs and the great East Bank temples, are on display here, including some artefacts from the Tomb of Tutankhamen. Although deliberately limited in volume to make exploration of the museum a manageable, hassle free experience, there is great variety on show. Over the two floors of exhibits, visitors can see colourful wall reliefs, enigmatic statues, ancient sandstone blocks and rather grizzly royal mummies. Sympathetically lit, labelled and spaced out, the museum is an essential stop during free time on Luxor’s East Bank.

Valley of the Kings

Very few places on the planet carry the same mystique and grandeur as the Valley of the Kings. One of Egypt’s undisputed must-see sights, a visit here inspires childlike excitement in even the most hardened of travellers. Immortalised in literature and film since the accidental discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamen by Howard Carter in 1922, the very name conjures unmistakable images of adventure and derring-do. Evocatively located in a secluded wadi on Luxor’s West Bank, this is the site where pharaohs of the New Kingdom (roughly 1,500BC) were transported after death for burial in rock-cut tombs and a supposed journey into the afterlife. New tombs are still being uncovered to this day, and there are currently 63 in total, not all of which are possible to visit. With an eye on preservation and restoration, a limited number of tombs are open at one time and photography inside is not permitted. They are regularly rotated so that none become overused, and repeat visitors will usually get to see something new. The most famous of all is the Tomb of Tutankhamen, which is subject to an additional entrance fee. Features contained in the tombs on their discovery might have included sarcophaguses, bejewelled everyday objects and the mummified remains of the pharaoh himself, but most of these objects have now been moved to museums or plundered by opportunists. Inside, the carvings, reliefs and chambers can vary significantly, but an exploration of the Valley of the Kings is always an incredibly atmospheric, visceral experience. Perhaps most fascinating are the colourful reliefs, usually depicting the pharaoh's journey to the afterlife, fraught with potential pitfalls and illustrated by some truly vivid, recognisable iconography.

The Temples of Luxor and Karnak

Together, the Temples of Karnak and Luxor form one of the greatest concentrations of ancient monuments anywhere in Egypt, offering a fascinating insight into the scale, ambition and layered history of Ancient Thebes. Karnak, to the north of modern Luxor, is vast. Covering more than two square kilometres, it’s not a single temple but a sprawling complex built up over centuries by successive pharaohs, each leaving their mark. Obelisks, pylons, sanctuaries and courtyards stretch out in every direction, all centred around the great Temple of Amun-Ra. Approaching the site past the avenue of ram-headed sphinxes, the sheer scale quickly becomes apparent. One of the standout features is the Great Hypostyle Hall – a forest of 137 colossal columns, richly carved and once brightly painted, designed to evoke a papyrus marsh. Even with a couple of hours here, you’ll only begin to take in the highlights, which also include the Sacred Lake and smaller temples dedicated to Khonsu and Ramesses III. Exploring Karnak with a knowledgeable guide really helps bring order and meaning to its immense scale. Closer to the river and right in the heart of the modern town lies the Temple of Luxor, smaller and more compact, but no less compelling. Originally linked to Karnak by a three-kilometre Avenue of the Sphinxes, parts of which are still visible today, Luxor Temple is easier to navigate and understand, largely because much of it was built during the reign of Amenhotep III. What makes it especially intriguing are the visible layers of history woven into the site. Roman chapels, reliefs and painted stucco sit alongside ancient carvings, while the Mosque of Abu al-Haggag rises directly from the central courtyard, built when the temple lay buried beneath centuries of sand. Statues of Ramesses II guard the entrance, leading through colonnades, courts and sanctuaries decorated with well-preserved reliefs and hieroglyphs. While it’s fascinating by day, Luxor Temple takes on a very different atmosphere after dark, when it’s floodlit against the backdrop of the town. Visited together, the Temples of Luxor and Karnak provide such a powerful introduction to ancient Egypt on a monumental scale, they're both must-sees during your time in Luxor.

Felucca on the Nile

A felucca is a traditional Egyptian sailing boat, and any visitor to this corridor of the Nile will see numerous feluccas along the way, their unfurled white sails providing a pleasant, historic feel to travel on the river. Some offer overnight expeditions on board, with little more than a blanket and some simple hot meals in the way of creature comforts, but this is very much a basic way to see the sights, mainly taken up by backpackers. Our preferred way to enjoy this timeless, tranquil method of travel is to take a short cruise and get an intimate feel for the Nile while seeing some of the major sights from the water. Sampling the experience in Luxor is a delight, as you sail past the Temple of Luxor, watch life go by on the West Bank and perhaps drift out to a Nile island. We tend to find that the late afternoon is a beautiful time to enjoy a sunset cruise with a drink in hand, and this is included in many Nile cruise itineraries, but it’s also easy for us to book for anybody staying at a hotel in Luxor. However, our favourite spot to head out on a felucca from is Aswan, with its evocative, picturesque scenery as you drift out from the First Cataract, past the Botanical Gardens, the Tombs of the Nobles and St Simeon’s Monastery. We tend to find that the late afternoon is a beautiful time to enjoy a sunset cruise with a drink in hand, and this is included in many Nile cruise itineraries, but it’s also easy for us to book a cruise for anybody staying at a hotel on land, just chat to your expert.

Hot Air Balloon Ride over Luxor

A hot air balloon ride is one of the most memorable ways to experience Luxor. Taking off just after sunrise, you’ll drift quietly above the Nile and the patchwork of fields, villages and ancient monuments below, with the early morning light casting a special kind of majesty over the landscapes. From the air, you’ll see famous sites such as the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut’s Temple and the surrounding desert cliffs, all from a completely different perspective. The flight will be smooth and unhurried, offering plenty of time to take in the views before returning to the ground for the rest of your day’s sightseeing. It’s an early start, but a rewarding one and more than worth it, you’d struggle to find a better start to your day in Luxor.