Karnak Temple (Kat Nickola)

If you choose only one place to visit in Egypt, make it Luxor.

It’s so easy to assume you must go to Cairo, lots of people do it. I did it. I don’t recommend it. With limited time, budget, or the stomach for crazy driving, Luxor is your best bet for a rewarding trip to this ancient land. Instead of a long tour or expensive Nile cruise, by focusing on Luxor you can book a single resort for the length of your stay, settle into a rhythm and enjoy getting to know Egypt and its people.

Pyramids

“But I’ll miss the pyramids,” you say. I promise you can still see the pyramids. Most flights from Europe enter Egypt via Cairo. Schedule your flights so you have a long layover on one leg of your journey, then book a “layover pyramid tour” online ahead of time. Tours start in the morning, so plan to arrive in Cairo early, especially if you will go through immigration on your way into the country. Pyramid tours last roughly six hours, while day tours can also include a whirlwind visit to the Egyptian Museum where King Tutankhamun’s treasure is on display. Once you’ve climbed into the hot bowels on Khufu’s pyramid, taken the requisite camel photos (you really must), and survived your drive in Cairo traffic back to the airport, you can check that off your bucket list and move on to the enjoyable part of Egypt.

Posing on a camel at the Giza Pyramids ()

Valley of the Kings

As the capital of Egypt during its Middle and New Kingdoms, Luxor was known as Thebes and became a center for religious and political power. The most impressive ancient sites in all of Egypt are on view in this historic city.

My favorite day in Egypt was our guided trip to the Valley of the Kings. In the desert on the Nile’s west bank is a valley where Egyptian pharaohs were buried for 500 years. Our incredible guide Mike explained that the temples were planned, dug out, and intricately decorated over the pharaoh’s lifetime to highlight their achievements and establish a legacy before being used as a home for the dead. Only eleven tombs are open at a time, and the park rotates the availability every few months.

Tomb Carving of a boat in the Valley of the Kings (Kat Nickola)

Stepping into our first tomb, that of Ramses IV, was surreal. While its occupant is not famous, the tomb is one of the most impressive. It is so well preserved, with original colors and carved details that give it a Disney-like quality. We walked past row upon row of bright hieroglyphics detailing his triumphs, took photos of the depictions of his journey through the afterlife, and marveled at the size of the stone sarcophagus that originally held his multi-layered coffin and mummy. My kids were so excited to pick out images of the Egyptian deities they knew: Ra with his hawk head and sun disk and Osiris with his bluish-green skin and mummy body. There were carvings of Anubus, the canine guide to the underworld, and a massive mural of Nut, goddess of the sky, spread across the ceiling.

We moved on to the heir of Ramses II, the Great: Merneptah. Because Ramses II lived so long, Merneptah was quite old by the time he ascended the throne, but his adventures alongside his famous father are carved in his tomb. From Mike, our guide, we learned to look for the battle-weary: dead figures surrounded by a cartouche, good ones were drawn sideways while evil folks were upside down. We spotted conquered peoples, too: bound arms, headless bodies, and piles of hands for counting the defeated.

Front entrance of Medinet Habu funerary temple (Kat Nickola)

The rest of our day continued to astound. Our final tomb visit, that of Rameses IX, was less ornate reflecting the spiraling economy of his time. We visited Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple where my daughter found herself face-to-face with the primary source carvings she researched for an essay on the famous female pharaoh’s voyage to Punt. Mike walked us through the funerary process at Ramses III’s vast mortuary temple, called Medinet Habu, and we realized how important death was to the ancient Egyptians.

Hire a well-versed guide like Mike Atty while touring these ancient sites. Mike studied Egyptology in the U.K. for 15 years before returning to Egypt, and he retains dual citizenship. While in Egypt, we arranged all our tours via our hotels upon arrival. Mike stood out from them all, and I highly recommend arranging directly with him before getting to Luxor.

Where to stay

Click here to read about what to expect when visiting Egypt.

There are two location options for accommodation in Luxor. On the east bank of the Nile is the city and numerous large waterfront hotels. There is a wonderful waterfront promenade to explore, plenty of restaurants and a traditional souk (market) where you can negotiate for anything from spices to souvenirs. Stay on the east bank if daily meandering is appealing or choose one of the small local resorts on the west bank if you’d rather relax at your hotel.

In a quiet area on the banks of the Nile, the small al Baeirat Hotel (www.albaeirat.com) was perfect for my family. Our rooms were traditionally designed dome-roofed bungalows in a shady kitchen garden. At the end of hot dusty days, we chose to lounge in the pool and eat our meals at the open-air restaurant.

Nile river from al Biearat Resort (Kat Nickola)

Karnak

One day we used the hotel’s free shuttle boat to venture across the Nile into Luxor on our own. At the east bank, we were greeted by a horse carriage driver and happily negotiated a great rate for our trip to and from Karnak temple. This huge temple complex was in use for almost 2000 years, with its biggest projects being erected during the golden age of the New Kingdom pharaohs like Hatshepsut, Seti I and Rameses II. Its vast pillared hall is dedicated to worshiping the sun god Amun-Re, while other spaces are dedicated to the mother goddess Mut and her son the moon god Khonsu.

Karnak Temple, Luxor ()

We wandered, took pictures and were genuinely happy to explore on our own skirting the tour groups and finding interesting vacant spaces. Our horse, Rambo, waited for us at Karnak and the small Mummification museum, a worthy stop to gawk at animal mummies, before dropping us back at the boat dock.

In all, we wished for more time to slow down and enjoy Luxor. Three days were not enough to see it all. The onward sites were not as magnificent or worth the transit time. Stick to Luxor for a one-stop immersive Egyptian vacation.

Hall at Karnak Temple (Kat Nickola)