Luxor

One of the obelisks lit up during the sound and light show at the Temples of Karnak.

The sphinx lined path that brings visitors to the entrance of the Temples of Karnak.

The amazing columns at the Great Hypostyle Hall, the premier section of the Temples of Karnak.

The Temple of Hatshepsut's entrance built next to the side of a mountain on the west bank of Luxor.  The Valley of the Kings is located behind this rock mountain.

Amenhotep III's only visage to the past, the Colossi of Memnon on the west bank.

The kings represented in the main court of Luxor Temple.

                The Great Pyramids are the iconic image of Egypt, but the main sites and history of Egypt are not located in Giza and Cairo.  If you want to learn about Pharonic history then head to southern Egypt, and there is no better place in southern Egypt than Luxor.

                During the era of the Old Kingdom (2700 BC to 2200 BC), the capital of the pharaohs was located in Memphis, near modern day Cairo.  This era was responsible for the beginning of the complex civilization that we would associate with the ancient Egyptians, such as Saqqara and the Great Pyramids of Giza.  All of these sites are located within a close proximity and can easily be visited as a day trip from Cairo.

As times changed, so did the dynasties.  The Intermediate Period (2200 BC to 1550 BC) would see the capital transferred to Thebes, which is located in the current city of Luxor some 450 miles south of Cairo.  It’s during this period, the period of the Theban Kings, which we are awarded some of the best ruins in the world.  Tombs, altars, obelisks, hieroglyphs, and temples are located throughout the area and would take nearly a week to see all the sites. 

The sites of Luxor are broken into two areas: the East Bank and the West Bank of the Nile River.  The East Bank has two marquee sites: Luxor Temple and the Temple of Karnak.  Both are spectacular sites, but the Temple of Karnak has a nightly sound and light show that highlights the ancient ruins.  Furthermore, the Great Hypostyle Hall in the Temple of Karnak is one of the most impressive ruins ever constructed. 

West Bank sites are numerous and much more spread out.  Getting around requires a vehicle, especially in the summer where temperatures can approach 120° F.  The most famous sites here are the Valley of the Kings (a massive area of tombs built into the mountainside, including King Tut’s famously discovered site) and the Funerary Temple of Hatshepsut.  While there are other very worthy sites to visit (Medinat Habu, Valley of the Queens), these are not as popular as the sites listed above.

Due to a hiccup in the train schedule, I was only awarded one full day of visiting Luxor.  I made the most of it, traveling to five different sites in temperatures over 110° F.   Unfortunately, photos are not permitted in or outside the Valley of the Kings, but the rest of the visit was captured.