Luxor Explorer

DEPARTING 18th November 2019

Join us on this week in Luxor, based at the grand Old Winter Palace, Garden Pavilion Wing, for an in depth look at Ancient Thebes. We look at all the major sites on both sides of the river, and further afield we visit el Kab, Esna Temple and el Tod.

Temple of Montu, el Tod, Egypt, Ancient World Tours — Temple of Montu, el Tod

We have a private permit to enter ‘The Lost Tomb’ KV5, the vast tomb built for the sons of Ramesses II, not open to the general public.

While in the Valley of the Kings we include a ticket to the tomb of Seti I and in the Valley of the Queens we have tickets for entrance to the stunning tomb of Nefertari.

KV5 Tomb of the sons of Ramesses II, Luxor, Ancient World Tours — KV5 Tomb of the sons of Ramesses II

Tomb of Nefertari, Egypt, Ancient World Tours, Slide Show — KV5 Tomb of the sons of Ramesses II

By popular request we once again spend part of Friday having lunch on a traditional felucca whilst sailing along the Nile. Later in the day we enter Luxor Temple and Luxor Museum.

Luxor Temple, Egypt, Ancient World Tours — Luxor Temple

A fascinating week looking at Luxor highlights escorted throughout by top AWT guide Medhat Saad.

Day 1 - Monday 18th November 2019

We fly London Heathrow to Luxor and on arrival take our private transfer and check in to the Old Winter Palace, Garden Pavilion Wing, for seven nights on room and breakfast basis.

Day 2 - Tuesday 19th Nov - Welcome to Luxor b

This morning we have arranged a meeting in the conference room at the hotel where we have light refreshments and a guest speaker from the Ministry of Antiquities will give us latest news on recent developments in Thebes. After a lunch break we will head off to the Temple of Amun at Karnak the world’s largest temple complex. We have an in depth tour of the site including the main elements but also the more out of the way hidden gems, including the newly restored Khonsu Temple. We visit the Open-Air Museum to see the lovely White Chapel, the Alabaster Chapel and of course the reconstructed Red and White Chapels of Hatshepsut. Plenty of time to photograph and explore this amazing site.

Day 3 - Wednesday 20th Nov - Seti I and KV5 bl

We take our private launch and cross the Nile to join our vehicle for the short ride to the Valley of The Kings. We have tickets for entrance to three tombs of your own choosing of those open on the day. We also include a ticket to the wonderful tomb of Seti I but a real highlight will be our special permit entry to KV5, the tomb for the sons of Ramesses II. This massive tomb is still being excavated and surveyed by the Theban Mapping Project. This is a rare chance to enter this incredible tomb. Time to relax over lunch at a local restaurant before we enter the New Kingdom officials tombs at Khokha. Finally to Dra’ Abul Naga to enjoy the brightly coloured tombs of Roy and Shuroy.

Day 4 - Thursday 21st Nov - Nefertari bl

This morning we return to the West Bank and this time the Valley of the Queens. We have included tickets for entrance to the wonderful tomb of Nefertari and there will be time to enter the tombs of the Princes. Next Medinet Habu, the huge Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III before we take lunch at a local restaurant. This afternoon we spend time at Deir el Bahri and have a thorough tour of Hatshepsut’s Temple set in the cliffs of the Theban Hills. We also take time to view the Colossi of Memnon.

Day 5 - Friday 22nd Nov - Lunch on the Nile bl

A relaxing start to our Friday as we board our traditional felucca and enjoy lunch while sailing along the Nile. A magical time for cameras and binoculars with time to birdwatch and enjoy a quieter pace of life sailing through the lush green Nile Valley. After a break at the hotel we visit Luxor Temple and Luxor Museum.

Day 6 - Saturday 23rd Nov - The road South bl

After breakfast we plan to head south and our first visit will be to the ancient city of Nekheb, el Kab. We enter the 18th Dynasty tombs of Ahmose and Pahery and the small temple built for Hathor and Nekhebet. Next, we visit the Temple of Khnum at Esna village. This once buried temple is in the process of being cleaned and restored and has a lovely Hypostyle Hall. On our return journey we stop at the rarely visited site of the Temple of Montu at el Tod. Dating back to the 5 th Dynasty most of what we now see on site dates to the New Kingdom. We return to our hotel late afternoon. We have a lunch box from the Winter Palace today.

Day 7 - Sunday 24th Nov - The Workers’ Village bl

We cross the Nile and head to Deir el Medina where we see the village homes of the workmen who built the grand tombs in the Valley of the Kings. We can enter the well preserved small but colourful private tombs of the craftsmen and artisans. Time to walk to the nearby Ptolemaic temple and the ‘Great Pit’. On to the Nobles Tombs where we view the colourful tomb of Sennefer, known as the ‘Tomb of Vines’ due to its extraordinary painted ceiling, and the tomb of Vizier Rekhmire. We enter the tomb of Governor of Thebes, Ramose, featuring both classical and Amarna-style reliefs followed by the tombs of Userhat and Khaemhat. We have lunch at lunch at a local restaurant before visiting the Ramesseum, Mortuary Temple of Ramesses the Great.