Luxor day trip from Hurghada covers both banks of the Nile in one long day. After an early pickup and about four hours by air-conditioned minibus, you visit the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon on the West Bank, stop for lunch, then explore Karnak Temple on the East Bank with an English-speaking Egyptologist guide before returning to Hurghada in the evening.
Important information
- A long day: Expect around 15 hours from pickup to drop-off, with about 8 hours on the road in total. Pickup is around 5:00 and you return in the evening.
- Shared trip: You travel in a shared minibus with other travelers on a fixed schedule. For your own vehicle and guide, see the Private Luxor Day Trip from Hurghada.
- Walking and heat: The sites involve a lot of walking on uneven ground and some steps, with little shade. From May to September, temperatures in Luxor are very high at midday.
- Inside the tombs: The tomb corridors are narrow and can be warm and stuffy. Photography rules inside the tombs can change, so follow the guide’s instructions.
- Extra tombs: Tutankhamun’s tomb and the tomb of Ramses VI need separate tickets, bought at the site in Egyptian pounds. Bring cash if you want to add them.
- Clothing: Covering your shoulders and knees is respectful at the temples and practical in the sun.
- Children: Children aged 0–3 travel free and children aged 4–11 pay half the adult price. The early start and long drive can be tiring for young children.
What to bring?
- Comfortable closed walking shoes
- Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
- Light clothing that covers shoulders and knees
- A refillable water bottle
- Egyptian pounds in cash for extra tomb tickets, drinks and tips
- A light jacket or scarf for the air-conditioned minibus and the early start
- Passport or a copy, in case it is requested at checkpoints
Who is this tour for?
This trip suits travelers on a Red Sea holiday who want to see Luxor’s best-known sites without booking a hotel there. It works for first-time visitors to Egypt, history enthusiasts, couples, friends and solo travelers who are happy to share a minibus and follow a set schedule.
It is less suited to young children, travelers with limited mobility, or anyone who finds long road journeys difficult. Those travelers may prefer the Private Luxor Day Trip, where the pace can be adjusted, or a Nile cruise that spends more time in Luxor.
Trip Info
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Hurghada included; Makadi and Sahl Hasheesh usually included; El Gouna often extra ($10 per adult at one operator)
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Air-conditioned minibus for small groups, air-conditioned bus for larger ones; boat or bridge across the Nile
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Egyptologist guide; English standard, other languages at some operators
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Lunch at a local restaurant is the norm; some upgrade to a hotel
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Valley of the Kings (3 standard tombs), Hatshepsut and Karnak usually included; Tutankhamun's and Ramses VI's tombs extra (about EGP 700 and EGP 220 per adult at one operator)
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Shared small-group and bus versions; private sold separately
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1
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99
Full tour overview
Luxor stands on the site of ancient Thebes, the capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom. In one place you can see where the pharaohs were buried, the temple of a female pharaoh, and one of the largest religious complexes ever built. For travelers based on the Red Sea, a day trip is the most practical way to see it without leaving their hotel overnight.
The day starts early. An air-conditioned minibus collects you from your hotel in Hurghada and crosses the Eastern Desert to Luxor, a drive of about four hours with a rest stop. Your Egyptologist guide meets the group and takes you first to the West Bank, where you enter three royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, visit the terraced Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari and stop to photograph the Colossi of Memnon.
After lunch at a local restaurant, you cross to the East Bank for Karnak Temple. The guide leads you through the Great Hypostyle Hall, with its 134 columns, and the avenue of ram-headed sphinxes at the entrance. The minibus then returns you to Hurghada in the evening.
This is a long day of around 15 hours, with several hours on the road and a fair amount of walking in the sun. It suits travelers who want Luxor’s main sites in one trip. If you want your own vehicle, your own guide and a more flexible pace, choose the Private Luxor Day Trip from Hurghada.
Tour highlights
- Enter three royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, with the option to add Tutankhamun's tomb
- Visit the Temple of Hatshepsut, set against the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari
- Stop for photos at the Colossi of Memnon
- Walk through the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak Temple
- Learn the history of each site from an English-speaking Egyptologist guide
- Have lunch at a local restaurant in Luxor
- Travel by air-conditioned minibus between Hurghada and Luxor, with a rest stop each way
