Attraction tickets
Buy at the site (usually fine)
Standard tickets for the main monuments, such as Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and Medinet Habu, are sold at each site's ticket office. Outside the busiest weeks, buying on the day is normal.
Check: payment methods at ticket offices have changed in recent years. Carry a card and some cash, and ask your hotel what each site currently accepts.
Tickets sold separately
Some tombs and areas are not covered by the standard site ticket and need their own ticket, bought at the relevant ticket office or through official channels. In the Valley of the Kings, these have included the tombs of Tutankhamun and Seti I; in the Valley of the Queens, the tomb of Nefertari. Which tombs are open and how they are ticketed changes, so check on the day.
The Luxor Pass
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities sells a multi-site Luxor Pass, in standard and premium versions, covering many East and West Bank sites over several days. It suits travellers visiting a large number of sites; for a short trip covering only the highlights, single tickets are often enough. Check what the current pass covers, its validity and how to buy it before deciding.
Official channels only
Buy monument tickets at the official ticket office at each site; that always works. Online, the booking site egymonuments.com carries the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' name and sells Karnak tickets (egymonuments.com/book-date/7) at the same prices the Ministry lists on egymonuments.gov.eg (EGP 600 adult, EGP 300 student for foreign visitors, checked 22 October 2026). We could not find a link to it from the Ministry's own pages, so check the address carefully before paying, and do not assume every site or pass can be bought online. Third-party "tickets" online are often guided tours or packages that include the entry ticket; read what is actually included. Nobody at a gate or tomb can sell you access in place of a ticket.
Worth booking in advance
- Hot air balloon flights: capacity is limited and early slots fill in the busy season. Book through your hotel or a licensed operator, and expect flights to be cancelled in bad weather.
- Nile cruises and dahabiyas: cabins are limited per boat; book ahead for the cooler months.
- Sleeper trains to or from Cairo: booking typically opens several months ahead and tickets are issued as e-tickets (see Getting around Luxor).
- A licensed guide or driver for a specific day, especially in peak weeks.
Usually fine to arrange on arrival
- Taxis, ferries and motorboats.
- Feluccas for a sunset sail.
- Standard monument tickets outside peak weeks.
Peak weeks
Around Christmas and New Year, and during school holidays, sites are busier and balloon flights and cruises book up earlier. Arrive at the major sites at opening time. See Best time to visit Luxor.
Sources
- Luxor Pass standard and premium versions: earthtrekkers.com and Ahram Online reporting on Luxor Pass changes (english.ahram.org.eg), accessed 22 October 2026; current inclusions not confirmed.
- Sleeper train booking window and e-tickets: Seat61, accessed 22 October 2026.
- Personal photography rules: Lonely Planet, reporting the Ministry announcement.
Questions
Can I buy Luxor tickets online?+
For some sites, yes: the Ministry-branded booking site egymonuments.com sells Karnak tickets, for example. Not every site or pass is offered online, and we could not confirm the site through a link on the Ministry's own pages, so the ticket office at each site remains the reliable option.
Is the Luxor Pass worth it?+
For visitors seeing many sites over several days, often yes. For a short highlights trip, usually not. Compare it with the single tickets you would actually buy.
Do I need to pay extra for photography?+
Personal photography with phones and cameras is generally allowed without a separate ticket; rules inside tombs vary. See the photography itinerary.
