Stay Luxor Find a stay
Luxor Temple colonnade lit at dusk beside the Nile
Itinerary · 9 min read · checked Sep 2026

48 Hours in Luxor: An Hour-by-Hour Plan

This itinerary settles the split between the two banks: Karnak and Luxor Temple on day one, the West Bank tombs and temples on day two, with the river crossings built into the timing.

Start with day one→ Book these first
East Bank: city, station, restaurants, Luxor and Karnak temples. West Bank: Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Medinet Habu, the Colossi.
How the Nile splits Luxor
Public ferry every few minutes, private boat on demand, and a road bridge south of the city
Three ways across the river
Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple at Deir el-Bahari, Medinet Habu, Colossi of Memnon, Tombs of the Nobles, Deir El Medina
Main West Bank sites
Karnak Temple Complex, Luxor Temple, Luxor Museum, Mummification Museum, Avenue of Sphinxes, Luxor Souq
Main East Bank sites

Book these before you arrive

Three things are worth sorting in advance. Everything else in Luxor can be arranged the night before, or on the day.

Work out which sites open when Opening hours shift with the season and with restoration work, so check the operator's page for your date rather than relying on a general guide. A site that opens late or closes early can reshape the whole day. →
Decide how you will cross the river The public ferry runs through the day, private boats wait at the landing, and the bridge is south of the city. Knowing which you intend to use changes where you start and how much slack the day needs. →
Pick a base on one bank Most hotels and restaurants cluster on the East Bank, which keeps evenings simple. Staying on the West Bank puts you closer to the tombs for an early start but adds a crossing to any city meal. →
Check the heat and the light Midday sun on the West Bank is the part of the day most likely to wear you down, so the plan pushes the exposed sites into the morning. Afternoon shade and indoor stops are placed where they help most. →

The two days, hour by hour

West Bank at dawn, indoors through the heat, Karnak in low sun and the temple lit after dark.

06:20 Karnak at opening Arriving as the gates open gives you the hypostyle hall before the coach groups build up and before the stone starts radiating heat. Start at Karnak Temple Complex and work from the outer courts inward.
08:40 Walk the Avenue of Sphinxes The restored avenue links Karnak to Luxor Temple, and walking part of it makes the connection between the two temples concrete rather than abstract. If the full length is too much in the heat, take a short stretch and rejoin the road.
10:00 Luxor Temple Luxor Temple sits inside the city, so it is easy to reach and quick to enter. The colonnades and the reliefs reward a slower pass than the morning crowds usually allow.
12:00 Lunch and a long pause This is the hottest stretch, so treat it as a real break rather than a quick stop. East Bank restaurants around Luxor City Center and Al-Sahaby Lane and Aboudi give you somewhere to sit out the peak.
14:30 Luxor Museum The museum is air-conditioned and small enough to see properly in about two hours, which makes it the right shape for the afternoon. It also puts the temple and tomb material you have already seen into a clearer sequence.
17:00 Corniche al-Nil walk The corniche runs along the East Bank waterfront and is the easiest place to watch the river change colour toward evening. It is a walk rather than a site, so you can make it as short or long as energy allows.
19:00 Dinner on the East Bank Sofra Restaurant and the cluster around Al-Sahaby Lane and Aboudi are the standard East Bank choices for a first evening. Booking ahead helps if you want a specific table at a specific time.
21:00 Luxor Temple after dark The temple is lit at night and the site is quieter than in the morning. Check the evening closing time for your date before you build the day around it.

If your two days look different

If you have only one full day Compress the plan to Karnak at opening, Luxor Temple mid-morning, then a single West Bank afternoon covering the Valley of the Kings and Medinet Habu. You lose depth but keep the two halves of Luxor in one day.
If you are travelling with children Drop the longest tomb interior and add the Mummification Museum on the East Bank, which is short and visual. Keep the West Bank morning but plan an unhurried afternoon.
If you want a slower pace Spend day one entirely on the East Bank and day two entirely on the West Bank, with a single crossing each way. This removes the back-and-forth and gives each bank a full day.

What we would drop first

Two days is enough only if you are willing to leave things out. In the order we would cut them:

  1. The Avenue of Sphinxes walk: You lose the physical link between the two temples, but you keep both temple visits.
  2. The Colossi of Memnon stop: You lose a quick roadside view, which matters least if the day is already full.
  3. The Luxor Museum: You lose the clearest explanation of what you have been looking at, at the cost of an easier afternoon.
  4. The second West Bank tomb site: You lose either Deir El Medina or the Tombs of the Nobles, and with it the quieter, more painted end of the West Bank.

Questions

Which bank should I stay on for a 48-hour trip?+

Most hotels, restaurants and the railway station are on the East Bank, which makes evenings and arrivals simpler. The West Bank puts you closer to the tombs for an early start. With only two days, the East Bank usually saves more time than it costs.

Where to Stay in Luxor →

How do I get between the two banks?+

There is a public ferry that runs frequently through the day, private boats that leave on demand, and a road bridge south of the city. Which one suits you depends on your schedule and where you are staying. Check current operating times for your date, since they change seasonally.

Getting Around Luxor →

When should I start the West Bank day?+

As early as you can manage, because the Valley of the Kings fills quickly and the tombs hold heat later in the day. The first ferry or an early private boat puts you ahead of the coach groups. Check the site opening time for your date before you plan the crossing.

Valley of the Kings →

Is 48 hours enough to see Karnak and the West Bank?+

Yes, if you accept that you are seeing the main sites rather than all of them. Day one covers Karnak and Luxor Temple; day two covers the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut and one more West Bank site. Anything beyond that needs a third day.

One Week in Luxor →

What should I know about opening hours?+

Hours change seasonally and individual tombs and sites close for restoration without much notice. Check the operator's page for your date rather than relying on a general guide. Build a little slack into each day so a closure does not break the plan.

When to Visit Luxor →

Guides that pair with this one

All guides →

Two days works. Book the right side of the river.

East Bank, walking distance from the temples and the ferry landing.

Search stays Compare the areas