The comparison
Times are guides for an unhurried visit. Opening hours change with the season and on holidays; check them for your date.
Karnak
The largest temple complex in Luxor, added to by many rulers over centuries. The Great Hypostyle Hall, with its forest of giant columns, is the highlight. Go at opening time to see it before the busiest hours, and allow time for the sacred lake and the outer temples. If Karnak is your priority, see hotels near Karnak Temple.
Luxor Temple
In the middle of the modern city, joined to Karnak by the Avenue of Sphinxes, which reopened to visitors in 2021. Luxor Temple stays open into the evening and is lit after dark, which makes it the natural end to a day. Arrive before sunset to see the reliefs in daylight and stay as the lights come on.
Medinet Habu
Ramesses III's mortuary temple on the West Bank. Its reliefs are cut unusually deep and some still hold colour, including the outer-wall battle scenes. It is usually much quieter than Karnak and rewards an unhurried visit.
Temple of Hatshepsut
Built in terraces against the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari, it is the most striking setting of any Luxor temple. Much of the visit is the architecture itself; the reliefs of the expedition to Punt on the middle terrace are the detail to look for. The approach is long and exposed, so go early.
Ramesseum
Ramesses II's mortuary temple, with the fallen fragments of a colossal statue. Fewer visitors come here than to the other temples, which makes it a calm stop between Medinet Habu and Deir el-Bahari.
Temples outside Luxor
Dendera, Abydos, Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo are day trips or stops on the way to Aswan. They are compared in Best day trips from Luxor.
If you only have time for
- One temple: Karnak.
- One day: Karnak in the morning, Luxor Temple in the evening.
- Two days: add Medinet Habu and the Temple of Hatshepsut on the West Bank. See Two days in Luxor without renting a car.
Accessibility
Luxor's temples are ancient sites with uneven paving, steps, sand and long walking distances, and little shade. Visitors with limited mobility find Luxor Temple the most manageable because it is compact and central. Check current access arrangements on arrival.
Sources
- Avenue of Sphinxes reopening (2021): widely reported (e.g. Egypt Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities ceremony, November 2021).
- Site descriptions: standard archaeological references. Karnak opening hours (daily 06:00 to 17:00, no last admission time stated) and its ticket price (EGP 600 adult, EGP 300 student, foreign visitors, combined Karnak and Open Museum ticket): Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, egymonuments.gov.eg, checked 22 October 2026. Hours and prices for the other temples are not stated here.
Questions
Which is better, Karnak or Luxor Temple?+
Karnak is bigger and more impressive; Luxor Temple is smaller and best in the evening. Most visitors do both.
Which West Bank temple should I choose?+
Medinet Habu for reliefs and colour, the Temple of Hatshepsut for setting and architecture.
