Luxor's West Bank, Egypt: How to Plan Your Sightseeing Day

In one line

The West Bank is the tomb and mortuary temple side of Luxor: the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahari, Medinet Habu, the Colossi of Memnon, the Ramesseum, the Tombs of the Nobles and Deir el-Medina. It sits opposite the city, station and most restaurants on the East Bank, so you cross the Nile. Plan a full day, start early, and expect walking and sun.

Why the West Bank works this way

In ancient Thebes the West Bank was dominated by royal tombs and mortuary temples, though people lived there too: the tomb-builders' village at Deir el-Medina and Amenhotep III's palace at Malkata are on this side. That pattern explains most of a day there. The temples on the west side are mortuary temples, built to serve a king's cult after death, not to be the public heart of a city. The royal tombs are cut into desert valleys behind the cliffs, out of sight of the river. The sites sit apart from each other along the desert edge, connected by roads rather than by a walkable town, so the result is a scatter of separate ticketed sites rather than one continuous ruin.

The Nile adds a practical layer: if you are staying on the East Bank, every West Bank day starts and ends with a river crossing. The railway station, most large hotels and most restaurants cluster on the east side, close to Luxor Temple and Karnak. The west side has villages, farmland, many small hotels and guesthouses, and the antiquities, but no equivalent town centre. So a West Bank day is not a stroll between monuments with cafes in between. It is a route, sequenced by geography and opening hours, with the river at the start and end. Knowing that changes how you pack and how you plan.

Ways to shape a West Bank day

These are the usual combinations, each built around how far apart the sites are and how much walking they involve. The bar shows our suggested priority for a first visit.

Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut in one day The default first visit, because the two headline sites sit close enough to pair and both reward an early start. First choice

Valley of the Queens with Deir el-Medina The right choice if you want painted tomb chapels and a smaller, quieter site away from the main coach circuit. Good next choice

Medinet Habu with the Colossi of Memnon Best when you want reliefs and scale without the climb, and when the day is short or the heat is high. Good next choice

Tombs of the Nobles and the Ramesseum For a second West Bank day, when the famous sites are already done and you want the quieter archaeology. Good next choice

Balloon flight over the West Bank at dawn A separate early commitment that takes the best light and leaves the rest of the day free for tombs. Optional

West Bank alabaster workshops A short stop if you want to see carving done by hand, best added to a day that already has a driver. Add-on

Crossing and getting around

The sequence below covers the crossing and the order that keeps the day manageable.

Cross by public ferry or private boat The public ferry leaves the East Bank Corniche near Luxor Temple and lands on the West Bank at Gezira, near the main road. It runs around the clock, with fewer departures late at night, and is the cheapest crossing. Private boats cross on demand and can drop you closer to where you are going; prices are negotiable and depend on how far north or south you travel, so agree the price before boarding.

Arrange the West Bank loop before you land The tombs and temples are spread over several kilometres and there is no simple bus between them, so agree a driver for the day or plan to walk between the closest clusters. Turning up and hoping to find transport site by site wastes the cool hours.

Start at the Valley of the Kings when it opens Heat and coach groups both build through the morning, and the tombs are the least comfortable part of the day. Buy your ticket at the gate, note which tombs are open that day, and go straight in before the main wave arrives.

Carry water and small notes There are plenty of restaurants and small shops selling drinks and snacks near the main West Bank sites, but some sites have little close by and shade is limited, so take more water than you think you need. Keep small notes for the ferry and for any site extras, because change is often scarce on the West Bank.

Three things to walk away from

Walk away Being told the ferry has stopped and you must take a private boat The public ferry runs around the clock, with fewer departures late at night, so a claim that it has stopped is usually a sales line. Walk to the ferry landing and check for yourself, or ask at your hotel before you go.

Walk away Buying a tomb ticket from someone who approaches you Official tickets come from the ticket office at each site, and anything sold elsewhere is not a site ticket. Buy at the window and keep the ticket with you, because it is checked at the tomb entrance.

Walk away Accepting an unsolicited tour of a site Someone who starts explaining a tomb and then asks for payment at the end is offering a service you did not agree to. If you want a licensed guide, arrange one in advance through a hotel or a known operator.

What to plan before you go

Decide the sites first, because tickets are sold per site and sometimes per tomb. The Valley of the Kings uses one general ticket covering a set number of tombs, with separate tickets for the special tombs that carry their own price and often their own queue. The Valley of the Queens, Medinet Habu, the Ramesseum, Deir el-Medina and the Tombs of the Nobles each have their own arrangements, and some tombs close on rotation for conservation. Opening hours change seasonally, so check with the ticket office or your hotel for your date rather than relying on a guidebook printed years ago. Allow a full day if you want two main sites plus one smaller one. For what to book ahead, see what tickets to buy in advance.

Transport is the next decision. The public ferry crosses the Nile from near Luxor Temple to the west landing, and a taxi or a pre-booked driver continues from there. Many visitors hire a car and driver for the day so the sequence between sites is fixed and shaded; Getting around Luxor covers crossings and transfers, and fair taxi prices explains what to pay. Walking between the main west sites is not practical in heat, because the distances are real and the roadside is exposed. Carry water, a hat and small notes for the ferry and for site extras; see what to pack. Guides are not allowed to explain inside the tombs at the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, so a guide gives you the background outside and you explore the tombs yourself. Photography rules vary by tomb, and some ban cameras entirely, so check at each entrance before you take anything inside.

Tickets and closing days

Some tombs close on a rotation for conservation, and the rotation changes. A site open on one visit may be shut on the next, so confirm the current list with the ticket office or your hotel for your date rather than trusting an old itinerary. Opening hours also shift with the season, including shorter afternoon windows in winter.

Money and tipping in Luxor →

The best order to visit Luxor's West Bank sites

On most days, the best order is the Valley of the Kings at opening, then Hatshepsut's temple and the smaller sites. In the high season, when several cruise ships dock and large groups head for the valley together, try the reverse: start at Medinet Habu or Deir el-Medina while they are quiet, and reach the valley later in the morning. Check the valley's last entry time before you commit.

Give the West Bank its own day if you can. The East Bank temples at Karnak and Luxor Temple are vast and the West Bank sites are spread out, so a day that tries to cover both leaves little time in the tombs, which reward unhurried attention. With two days, take one bank each; with only one, choose the bank that matters most to you.

Questions

What is on the West Bank in Luxor?+

It holds the tombs and mortuary temples: the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahari, Medinet Habu, the Ramesseum, the Colossi of Memnon, the Tombs of the Nobles and Deir el-Medina. The villages of Al-Qurna and New Qurna sit among them. The East Bank holds the city, the station and most of the restaurants, so the two sides are different trips.

West Bank →

How do you get to the West Bank from the East Bank?+

The public ferry crosses from the East Bank Corniche around the clock, with fewer departures late at night. Private boats cross on demand. By car or taxi, use either road bridge: south of the city, or the North Luxor bridge closest to Karnak. The ferry is the usual choice and lands at Gezira, close to the West Bank road.

Getting Around Luxor →

Can you see the West Bank in one day?+

You can cover the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and one or two smaller sites in a full day if you start early and have transport between them. Trying to add the Valley of the Queens, Medinet Habu and the Tombs of the Nobles as well makes for a rushed day in the heat. Two half days work better if your schedule allows it.

48 hours in Luxor →

Which West Bank sites are closest to the ferry landing?+

The Colossi of Memnon and Medinet Habu sit nearest the main West Bank road, with the Tombs of the Nobles and Deir el-Medina a short drive inland. The Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut's temple are further and generally need a vehicle. If you are walking, plan the nearest sites first.

Medinet Habu →

Do you need a guide on the West Bank?+

No, the sites are open to independent visitors and tickets are sold at the gate. A licensed guide adds context at the Valleys and the mortuary temples, but you can see everything on your own. Guides are not allowed to explain inside the tombs at the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, so a guide gives you the background outside and you explore the tombs yourself. If you want one, book through a hotel or a known operator rather than accepting someone who approaches you at a site.

Safety in Luxor →