Visiting The Valley of the Kings whilst on holiday at Luxor, Egypt.

Touring round the Valley of the Kings Tombs whilst on holiday at Luxor, Egypt - our visitor guide with photos from around the Tombs.

 

It is simple (and a lot cheaper) to visit the Valley of the Kings on your own rather than go by an organised coach trip and of course you can then stay at various locations for as long as you want and go where you want to go - rather than be shuffled around on an itinerary. We decided we would go to the Ticket Office by taxi - visit several of the tombs and then walk back across the hills above Hatshepsut and drop back down to walk over to Seti before taking a walk back to the ferry on the Nile. Luxor's Valley of the KingsThe really nice thing about walking back was you get a much better idea of the amazingly fertile countryside, get the chance to talk to some of the local people and of course see all sorts of wildlife too.
We found the Egyptians to be really friendly - on our way down through one village in the hills we were invited into a small house and sat and had a cup of tea and quite a lengthy chat about all sorts of things. At Seti we had already met and talked to several of the secret police who guard the Temple so we also had the opportunity to see them again to say hello (for about an hour...).
The weather was reasonably warm - around 90 degrees - but in the Valley of the Kings area it did seem a lot hotter than that. Also up on the hills you do need to have water with you plus a hat etc. - we also wore our walking boots - a real bonus because the surfaces are scree in places and sometimes quite rocky underfoot.

There is not a lot to see externally around the site - just a variety of concrete entrance areas to the various tombs plus several areas where you can hide from the hot sun for a while. Not all the tombs are open - they are rotated presumably for maintenance reasons etc. - the tombs do generally have notice boards with plans of the tombs and a little information about the previous owner. The tombs we visited were:
main entrance into the Valley of the Kings tombs area climb up to Luxor's KV34 Tomb of Thutmes III
KV34 Tomb of Thutmes III - there is quite a climb up steps to this tomb - once up you go steeply down into the tomb - the sarcophagus is still there and the wall paintings are excellent - well worth visiting.



Valley of the Kings Luxor - Valley of the Kings area
KV2 Tomb of Ramses IV - the sarcophagus is there - this tomb is quite elongated and again is well worth visiting for it's ceilings and wall paintings.



KVKV11 Tomb of Ramses III

KVKV11 Tomb of Ramses III - by far the best for it's amazing wall paintings. This is a quite long tomb but just about everywhere was decorated.

 

Valley of the Kings area above the Valley of the Kings Having finished looking round the tombs we now headed up into the hills - we took a stoney path which started on the right hand side of KV11 - this heads steeply up for a few metres and then meets a cross path. Go right and follow this narrow path as it winds up hill - the path is way-marked in places. The views back into the Valley of the Kings are excellent from up here as are the views of the surrounding hills. The path soon widens - ignore a wide path coming in from the left - just continue on up to the top of the saddle. (We diverted here by taking a path on the left which climbed even higher - the views were even better).

hills above the Valley of the Kings Luxor looking down to the Valley of the Kings Luxor Valley of the Kings Luxor Walk walking tracks above the Valley of the Kings Luxor impressive scenery around the Valley of the Kings

At the saddle go over the top and then follow the path on the left which winds round the hill and heads towards a red brick building and brocken fencing. Once passed the red brick the path goes round to the right of the hill ahead and then Hatshepsut comes into view below on the right. Continue on the path over the next hill - then cross a rough and rocky open area where the path is somewhat indistinct. On the far side take the path on the left which goes round the hill - shortly a village comes into view.

hiking around Luxor Locxal Houses outside Luxor Luxor donkey water carrier Valley of the Kings Valley_Kings_Walk

near aerial view of Hatshepsut Valley Kings Walk - Lizard views from above Valley of the Kings looking towards the Nile from the surrounding hills one of the local villages Valley of the Kings

Continue walking on round the hill and arrive just above houses. There are numerous paths down some better than others so carefully make your way down into and then through the village to the tarmac road. Cross the road and continue ahead over an open area to reach another tarmac road - there are several alabaster shops a little way to the right. Cross the road and continue on a track opposite which goes towards trees passing a small shop and houses on the right. outside LuxorFollow the track as it bends left in front of the trees and shortly comes out by the rear of Seti Temple.

Turn left following the outer wall of the Temple which is now on your right and carry on round the site to reach a tarmac road. Go right and now follow this road through the village to reach main crossroads. Now turn right and follow this road with fields on the right and a canal on the left - there are lots of things to see in the filds and around the canal and also good views back towards the Valley of the Kings and Queens. Eventually the road comes to a cross roads at the next village, turn left and follow the road back to the Ferry by the River Nile.

walking back to the Nile from a Tombs visit views near the Nile Luxor Green feilds near Luxor sugar cane railway trucks Luxor canal outside of Luxor

Valley Kings Walk canal side house Luxor any crocs about? near the ferry port Luxor peacefull canal near Luxor

 

 

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Via our Main Luxor Page please find holiday guides about visiting Dendarah, Hatshepsut, Tombs of the Nobles, Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Madinat Habu, Valley of the Queens, Valley of the Workers plus Egyptian Train and Boat Photos and a Luxor Canal Walk.

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