- You want the Tombs of the Nobles and the alabaster workshops within walking distance of your accommodation.
- You want to start at the tombs early, close to the road to the Valley of the Kings.
- You are happy with local restaurants and cafés near the sites, and quiet evenings.
- You will take taxis, or ask your host to arrange a driver, for trips between sites and to the ferry.
- You prefer the quiet of local village life to a busy hotel strip.
- You want a view of the Theban mountain, often with a desert sunset behind it and lit up at night, or across the fields; views vary, so check the listing photos.
- You want dinner on foot after dark and a wider choice of restaurants and cafés near your door, in which case stay in Luxor City Center on the East Bank or Ramla and Gezira on the West Bank.
- You need quick access to the rail station or the airport, both on the East Bank.
- You would rather walk to the ferry than take a taxi to it, which also points to Gezira or Ramla.
What Al-Qurna is like
Al-Qurna (also written Qurna, Gurna or Gourna) sits on the West Bank, across the river from the city and at the foot of the Theban mountain, where the Tombs of the Nobles are cut into the hillside. The settlement is small and the streets are sandy, with houses and workshops mixed together. You arrive by road from the ferry landing at Gezira, or over one of the road bridges. The alabaster workshops are part of the place, not a separate stop.
Daily life here is quiet. Mornings are the best time to visit the tombs: they open early, and it is cooler then. Afternoons suit the workshops, where you can watch carving and buy directly. There are local restaurants and cafés near the main sites, but evenings are very still. The public ferry runs around the clock, with fewer departures late at night, so an East Bank dinner means a taxi to the landing and the crossing back.
The trade is simple: you get the tombs and the workshops within walking distance, and often a view of the Theban mountain or the fields. In exchange, the station and the airport are across the river, and a wider choice of restaurants is a short drive away. Arrange transport for evenings out, or ask your host to, and be content with a very quiet night.
Many places to stay here look out to the Theban mountain, often with a desert sunset behind it, and the mountain is lit up at night. Others look across the fields. Views vary from one property to the next, so check the listing photos before you book.
What you came for
All things to do →
A day based here
Basing yourself here puts the tombs and the workshops at your door; meals out and evenings mean a short drive or a crossing.
Where to stay in Al-Qurna
Places to sleep in Al-Qurna are small guesthouses and simple hotels, often run by local families, with the tombs and workshops within walking distance.
Listed by guest rating. Locations come from property listings, so check the map on each property page before you book. No prices here: availability is checked live for your dates.
Nour El Gourna2-star · West Bank Old Gourna, Luxor, Egypt★ 4.6
Sekhmet Retreat Centre3-star · Qurna Luxor Governorate, Luxor, Egypt★ 2.5
Carter Guesthouse Luxor 24-star · Kings Valley Road, Luxor, Egypt
Sirius Palace Luxor4-star · Valley Of The Kings Road, Luxor, Egypt
Carter Guesthouse Luxor 13-star · Valley Of Kings St., Egypt
Carter Guesthouse Luxor 33-star · Kings Valley Road, EgyptAhsaya house beautiful new home3-star · Unnamed Road New Gourna West Bank Luxor, Egypt
Dreams By MonSawalim Village, Luxor, Egypt
Mountain HouseKings Valley Road, Luxor, Egypt
Aton Palace Luxor4-star · Luxor West Bank Qurna Aton Palace, Luxor, Egypt
Eden on the Nileالقرنة القرنة, Luxor, Egypt
Elphardous Oasis Hotel3-star · Al Qarnah, Luxor, Egypt
House MountainLuxor West Bank Al Qurna Zamzam, Luxor, EgyptJasmin Desert HouseAl Qurnah, Luxor, EgyptKing House4-star · محافظة الأقصر البر الغربي القرنه, Luxor, EgyptMoon Adam hostelPjwr F7f القرنة, EgyptWest Bank luxury villa4-star · Al Qarna Road, Luxor, Egypt
Golden LandQm74 3Q Al Qarna Luxor Governorate 1342313, Egypt
Royal Mountain Hotel2-star · New Qourna, Luxor, EgyptOsama House Luxor4-star · Luxor West Bank, EgyptAsmara Apartment Hatshepsutالاقصر .القرنه. البر الغربى. شارع تمثالين ممنون., EgyptGetting here and around
For step-by-step crossings between the banks, see Getting around Luxor: ferries, taxis, walking and transfers.
Neighbouring West Bank areas
All areas →
Al-Qurna questions
Can I stay in Al-Qurna without a car?+
Yes. The Tombs of the Nobles and the alabaster workshops are within walking distance. For other sites and the ferry landing, take a taxi or ask your host to arrange a driver. For the East Bank, a taxi straight over a road bridge may cost less than a taxi to the ferry plus the crossing; the public ferry runs around the clock, with fewer departures late at night.
Where do people eat when they stay here?+
There are local restaurants and cafés near the main West Bank sites. For a wider choice, head to Gezira and Ramla by the ferry landing, or across the river to the East Bank.
Is Al-Qurna a good base for the Valley of the Kings?+
It is on the West Bank, close to the Theban mountain, so the Valley of the Kings is a short drive rather than a crossing. The Tombs of the Nobles are the site actually within walking distance of the village. Opening hours change seasonally, so ask your hotel for your date.
What is there to do in Al-Qurna itself?+
The Tombs of the Nobles and the West Bank alabaster workshops are in Al-Qurna itself. Medinat Habu and the other West Bank sites are a short drive away. Evenings are quiet here, so the day is the point.
Should I stay in Al-Qurna or on the East Bank?+
Al-Qurna suits staying at the foot of the Theban mountain, close to the tombs. It does not suit wanting the centre on foot, late dinners or quick station access; for those, stay in Luxor city on the East Bank. The trade is closeness to the West Bank sites and the mountain views against a short drive or a crossing for most other things.
