I arrived in Luxor aboard a Nile cruise boat as dawn broke over the city. The morning sky blushed pink as dozens of hot air balloons drifted silently above, framed against distant mountains—a scene remarkably similar to my hometown of Albuquerque, NM, yet distinctly Egyptian. In this guide to Luxor I will show you all the things there are to do in Luxor and hopefully answer your questions!

Luxor is significantly smaller than Cairo at around 1.2 million people, and it has a noticeable slower pace. It is often referred to as “The World’s Greatest Open Air Museum”- and you will soon know why when you explore the Temples from Ancient Thebes.

Much like the rest of Egypt, the best time of year to visit is Apr/May or Oct/Nov.

I experienced the starkest of desert and the lushest gardens – here in Luxor.

It has a distinct dual personality divided by the flowing ribbon of the Nile. The East Bank pulses with modern life—vibrant markets, bustling cafés, and the magnificent Luxor Temple and Karnak Temples rising majestically amid the city’s urban landscape. While the West Bank was known to the ancients as the “City of the Dead,” this more arid, quieter shore houses an incomparable concentration of tombs and mortuary temples.

The most significant sight on the East Bank of Luxor is the incredible temple of Karnak. This vast open-air museum is one of the world’s largest ancient religious sites. Sprawling across 200 acres, Karnak was built, expanded, and maintained over 1,500 years by generations of pharaohs. Its Great Hypostyle Hall, with 134 massive columns arranged in 16 rows, creates a forest of stone that will leave you awestruck. The sacred lake, avenue of sphinxes, and numerous smaller temples within the complex offer glimpses into ancient Egypt’s religious practices and architectural genius.

Unlike most Egyptian temples dedicated to a god or pharaoh in death, Luxor Temple was dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship. Built primarily by Amenhotep III and Ramesses II, its elegant columns, statues, and relief carvings are particularly magical when illuminated at night. The temple also features Christian and Islamic additions, including a mosque built right on top of part of the structure, making it a fascinating study in how sacred spaces evolve across millennia.

For nearly 500 years, this isolated valley served as the burial ground for Egypt’s New Kingdom pharaohs. With over 60 tombs discovered, including the famous tomb of Tutankhamun, the site offers an incredible journey into elaborately decorated burial chambers cut deep into the mountain. Each tomb features unique wall paintings depicting the pharaoh’s journey to the afterlife, while preserving vibrant colors that have survived for over three millennia.

The final resting place for the wives of pharaohs and other royal family members, this valley contains approximately 80 tombs. The most spectacular is Queen Nefertari’s tomb, commissioned by Ramesses II for his favorite wife, featuring exquisitely preserved paintings considered among the finest in Egypt. The delicate artistry and intimate scale of these tombs provide a different perspective from the grander kings’ tombs.

This exceptionally well-curated museum houses artifacts discovered in the Theban area. The collection includes statues found buried in Luxor Temple’s courtyard, items from Tutankhamun’s tomb, and a stunning assembly of New Kingdom royal mummies. With excellent lighting and clear explanations, it offers a more manageable and focused experience than Cairo’s larger Egyptian Museum.

This massive mortuary temple of Ramesses III is one of the best-preserved monuments in Luxor. Its walls feature detailed reliefs depicting military victories, particularly against the Sea Peoples, providing valuable historical information about this turbulent period. The temple’s unusual fortified entrance, modeled after a Syrian fortress, and its vivid battle scenes offer insights into both the military accomplishments and architectural innovations of Ramesses III’s reign.

Standing nearly 60 feet tall, these two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III have guarded the entrance to his now-vanished mortuary temple for 3,400 years. Though weathered by time, these imposing figures were once even more impressive with their vibrant colors. The northern colossus was famed in classical antiquity for emitting a musical tone at dawn, attracting visitors from as far as Rome who believed it to be the voice of the mythical Ethiopian king Memnon.

Dedicated to the art of mummification, this specialized museum provides insight into the ancient Egyptian preservation practices for both humans and animals. Displays include well-preserved mummies, the tools used in the process, and the canopic jars that stored internal organs, all accompanied by explanations of the religious beliefs behind these practices.

The most popular stretch of the Nile to Cruise is between Luxor and Aswan. River boats run cruises back and forth as one way or round trip cruises. I was on the M/S Minerva ran by Steigenberger from Aswan to Luxor. We stopped at Kom Ombo and Edfu along the way. For more details on this cruise check out my full video on this experience on Youtube- watch here

Howard Carter will forever be remembered in Luxor because it was his archeological team who found the famous tomb of King Tutankhamen that was full of treasures. This is where he lived while working in the area, and they are currently reconstructing an exact replica of King Tut’s tomb here.

There are many great hotels facing the Nile in Luxor. We stayed at the historic Winter Palace which was built in 1886. Behind the main hotel is a newer building considered the Pavilion. (4 stars instead of 5- I absolutely loved it!

Explore More with Swifty Travels Videos on Luxor- or check out these other Egypt Destinations here.