Valley of the Kings in Egypt

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.