Al Uqsur People & Culture

In the Valley of the Queens are 75 tombs of queens and princesses of the 19th and 20 th dynasties. Only 5 tombs are open for the public. We visit them all, included the best tomb of Egypt, the tomb of Nefertari, discovered in 1904 and first opened for the public in 1995. Only 150 visitors a day are allowed to visit the tomb for 10 minutes only. "Take 5 minutes more, if you need" whispered the guard at the entrance at our early morning visit. Ramses II, the husband of Nefertari ordered to build this beautifull tomb. The paintings in the seven chambers have very bright colours. The scenes are portraying a charming woman with beautifull face in long white transparant garments. For many visitors it's a rather emotional experience to visit this tomb. I saw people with tears in the eyes and people who had to go out to take some fresh air before re-entering and looking at the breathtaking scenes again. At this moment I look at the booklet with all the amazing scenes and realise this is the best I've ever seen in Egypt. So, a really must see. It's worth the money. Entrance tomb Nefertari: 100 Egyptian pound Entrance 4 other tombs together: 12 Egyptian pound.

The Luxor Museum is lilliputian when compared to the humongous Egyptian Museum in Cairo. But what is lacks in size, it easily makes up for it in presentation and quality. The exhibits are carefully and professionally done by the people behind New York's Brooklyn Museum - well-chosen, comprehensively labeled and meticulously arranged. Easily, the star attractions are the mummies of pharaohs Ahmose, founder of the New Kingdom, and of Ramses I. Bathed in soft lighting within darkened interiors, the mummies in their glass niches project an eerie but mysterious aura. Looking at Ramses I's mummy (have a pen light ready), one could still see his short, curly hair covering portions of his head. It's amazing to think this pharaoh pre-dates Jesus by nearly 1,300 years! Incredible. The other interesting exhibits include the section on Egyptian military technology which should make every military enthusiat's mouth water. I've always been fascinated by chariots and seeing a real one (Tutankhamun's hunting chariot) made my day. At first, I thought the fee of EGP 70 - more expensive than Egyptian Museum's EGP 50 - was too steep an entrance fee. Overall, it was worth it. I've learned so much from Luxor Museum than from the Egyptian Museum. Before proceeding to the main gallery, stop by the mini-theater at the entrance for a brief presentation on Thebes - it's a bit cheesy but it brings you into the right mood for what could lies ahead - a peek into the glory of ancient Egypt. During summer, the museum is open from 9am-1pm and from 4pm-10pm. Photos not allowed inside.

Stay at the Venus Hotel: excellent people at the heart of the action.

The market is quite nice but very touristic. The shop owners are terribly annoing and they don't want to understand "no". It's pretty save for women to go on their own but try to avoid more quiet places after dawn... Always be careful in the pedestrian area along the Nile. Gangs of pickpockets are just waiting for their chance. If you're interested in culture, don't miss the tempel and the museum.

The Colossi of Memnon are situated on the main road to the West Bank monument area. All tourist's groups have here stop for some minutes - so, you can take photos! These two gigantic statues (around 17m high) were cut from two massive granite blocks, brought from quarries near Cairo. And once they stood at the entrance gate of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III. Nowadays almost nothing remains about this temple of Amenhotep III. Statues represents the pharaoh Amenhotep III (Dynasty XVIII). There are very interesting story - after an earthquake in 27 BC, part of the northern colossus collapsed and from then on each morning at sunrise, the statue produced a strange musical sound. Ancient :-) Greek and Roman tourists :-) came to hear this sound, and gave statue the name of "Memnon" - a Trojan hero, the son of Eos and Titan, who sang to his mother each morning at daybreak. It's a legend, but in reality the sun heating up the stone produced this strange sound. In the third century AD northern statue was repaired and the mysterious singing was never heard again. But as a result of the legend the statues of Amenhotep III became known as the Colossi of Memnon. There is no entrance charge or restrictions on photography.

A major temple easily reached from Luxor. It's quite a walk, especially in the summer months, but an easy bike ride or take a hantuur (horse-drawn carriage) if that's your style.
It's incredibly impressive, especially seeing the stone slabs forming the backbone of the original roofs still in place. Most of it is New Kingdom and later. Part of it was converted into a church and you can still see an Egyptian God that was smashed away to leave only his body in the shape of a cross. As always, there are plenty of tour groups and plenty of touts outside. In general, Egypt is a lot more fun if you can keep a good humor and not get too upset with all the Egyptians trying to make a living showing you around. Some of them can get pushy, but it's a living and you can see how hard it is for many of them if you just look beyond the confines of the tourist hotels.

For a balloon ride take Hod Hod Balloon

You can walk easily from any hotel to Karnak so don't take a taxi. Don't pay the "guards" in the Karnak temple money for the privlage of having your picture taken in a "sacred" spot. You can do it without paying them. My wife and I paid $0.25 cents so we could rub the 'sacred cobra" and it was the highlight of opur trip. We asked each other for weeks after that " Hey you - you wanna rub my sacred cobra? Only $5.00 US!" LOL :)

Old Winter Palace Hotel Luxor. Colonial. Princess Di used to stay here. You can stay in suite she used to stay in.

Try taking a hot air baloon ride over the various stops in luxor.

Great temple. Watch 'The Spy who loved me' afterwards...

Life story of queen Hatshepsut is really interesting!! she was very strong woman and she wasn't really that kind of fair ideal person Queen "Hatshepsut" was the first one to send ships to the country's "Puntland" (Somalia now), so they are loaded and perfumes .. And "Hatshepsut" is the fifth kings of the eighteenth dynasty, which also belongs to the King "Tutankhamen." A daughter "Thutmose I," and wife "Thutmose II," has received the sentence with "Thutmose III," which was the son of one of her husband Gariaat, at the same time, her daughter's husband, and remained until her death in 1484 BC holding the reins of government, the ruling was over cogens her life, and deported "Thutmose III" from power, it was not described to him in the Governing Although she was a female had represented itself in the form of statues man has been flat without breasts, and has borrowed to live. Having died liberation "Thutmose III" from the trusteeship of heavy, and I like to retaliate against them Vatm construction of the temple, and the proportion of the same, and the name and crush most forms excavated and icons, and a place name and his titles in many quarters (please look the pictures i put inside) The design and implementation of building the temple Engineer "die" QC and one close to it. It belongs to a family of modest "Armant" but became the first president to acknowledge reception of the royal family, and the President receiving machine "Amon", and is in charge of all construction, so it made the greatest professional successes in the history of ancient Egypt.