Hurghada → Luxor
Ancient Thebes in one full day from the Red Sea
Children from €88 · Final price depends on group size and date
⏱ 12 hours · 📍 Hurghada → Luxor
Best for: Anyone who came to Egypt for the pharaohs rather than the reef, and has exactly one day for them.
Luxor holds roughly a third of everything that survives from the ancient world, packed into a few square kilometres on either side of the Nile. Four hours of good desert road gets you there from Hurghada. You spend the morning in the royal tombs on the west bank, cross to the east for Karnak in the afternoon, and are back on the coast for a late dinner. It is a long day and worth every hour of it.
The detail
The schedule
Times are indicative. Your guide confirms the exact pickup the evening before, and the order can shift to dodge crowds or heat.
04:30
Early, deliberately: the tombs are far more pleasant before the heat arrives.
08:00
The side of the river the ancient Egyptians reserved for the dead.
08:30 – 10:30
Three royal tombs, painted floor to ceiling and still holding their colour after three thousand years.
11:00 – 12:00
Three terraces cut straight into the cliff, built for the woman who ruled as pharaoh.
12:15
A short stop — two seated giants and all that is left of the temple behind them.
13:00
14:30 – 16:00
The largest religious building ever raised. The hypostyle hall alone holds 134 columns and takes a while to stop looking at.
16:30
20:30
Before you go
FAQ
Three, chosen from the tombs open that day — rotation protects the paintwork. Tutankhamun is always a separate ticket, around €15. Your guide will tell you honestly whether it is worth it on the day; the tomb is small, and the treasure that made it famous is in Cairo.
With a photo permit, around €5, bought at the gate. Flash is banned everywhere and enforced — it damages pigment that has survived three millennia.
Yes, but not on this day. It launches at dawn, which means staying overnight in Luxor. Tell us if you want it and we will build the trip differently rather than pretend it fits.
Five to seven kilometres in total, in three separate stretches with the car in between. The Valley of the Kings involves ramps and steps down into the tombs, and it gets warm underground.
It is the honest number for the desert road, and we would rather say so than quote three. You are on the road before dawn and back after dark. If that sounds like too much, a Nile cruise gives you Luxor without the drive.
Booking
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