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Avenue of Sphinxes (Rams Road)

The freshly excavated 2.7-kilometre processional way linking Luxor Temple to Karnak, walkable end to end.

Where
Luxor City Center
Time needed
1 hr visit
Tickets
Free
Free entry
Free — always open, no ticket
Long stone avenue lined with ram-headed sphinxes at dusk Long stone avenue lined with ram-headed sphinxes at dusk

What to expect at Avenue of Sphinxes (Rams Road)

The Avenue of Sphinxes — locally called Rams Road or Tariq al-Kibbash — is a 2.7-kilometre processional way, lined with over 1,050 sphinxes, that connected Luxor Temple to Karnak. Built in stages from the New Kingdom to the reign of Nectanebo I in the 4th century BC, it was the route for the Opet festival procession, when the sacred barques of the Theban triad travelled between the two temples once a year. Buried under the modern city for centuries, it was fully excavated and reopened with a huge ceremonial festival in November 2021.

Today you can walk the entire length between the two temples, along a sunken paved avenue below street level, flanked by ram-headed and human-headed sphinxes in varying states of preservation. Several sections are especially fine: the Karnak end, where forty ram-headed sphinxes with a small statuette of the pharaoh between their paws stand almost intact; and the Luxor Temple end, where the human-headed sphinxes with the face of Nectanebo curve into the temple's First Pylon. Interpretive panels at intervals explain the excavations and the festival.

There is no ticket and no gate — you simply descend the ramps at any of the access points. The whole length takes about an hour to walk at a slow pace. Best at late afternoon and dusk when the sandstone glows and the temperatures drop. If you're staying at an East Bank hotel, you're a five-minute walk from an access point. Combine with an evening visit to Luxor Temple. Wear closed shoes — the ancient paving is uneven.

Plan your visit TicketsFree Free entryFree — always open, no ticket Time needed1 hr visit WhereLuxor City Center Opening hours Open all hours; best light 16:00-19:00 Hotels near Avenue of Sphinxes (Rams Road)

Questions about Avenue of Sphinxes (Rams Road)

Is there an entry fee?

No, it's free and open access — no ticket booth, no gate.

Free entry hours?

Always free, always open, no time restriction.

How long is the walk?

About 60 minutes end to end at a slow pace, 2.7 km.

Any closure days?

Never closed. It's essentially an open street.

Do I need to book anything?

No booking, no ticket.

How do I access it?

Ramps at the north (Karnak forecourt), south (Luxor Temple entrance) and midway near the train station.

Where to stay

Hotels near Avenue of Sphinxes (Rams Road)

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