Kings Valley: Unveiling Ancient Pharaohs in Luxor's Sun Kings Valley, nestled on the Nile's west bank, opposite Luxor's vibrant soul, is a treasure trove of ancient Egyptian pharaohs' tombs. This vast wadi, once known as the "Great Necropolis of Millions of Years of Pharaoh," whispers tales of grandeur and secrets buried deep within its sun-baked cliffs.
My adventure began on December 21st, 2023. After haggling with a taxi driver (300 EGP – a steal!), I set off to explore the Valley's wonders: the magnificent Hatshepsut temple and the colossal of Memnon.
Tip: Arrive early! By 10am, the royal tombs in the East Valley (home to most pharaohs) were buzzing with activity. Consider entering at 7am for a more serene experience.
Tickets & Top Tombs: For Egyptians, a 60 EGP ticket grants access to three tombs of your choice. My recommendations, based on their vibrant artwork and historical significance, are:
KV2: Ramesses II, the Great, awaits in this sprawling tomb adorned with intricate scenes of battles and deities.
KV8: Merenptah, Ramses II's son, showcases the "Battle of Kadesh" in vivid detail, a fascinating glimpse into ancient warfare.
KV14: Thutmose III, a legendary pharaoh, rests within this tomb decorated with colorful scenes of offerings and rituals.
Hidden Gems: Feeling adventurous? KV9 and KV62, accessible with special tickets, were mind-blowing! KV9, the final resting place of Ramesses V&VI, explodes with vibrant colors and intricate patterns – truly a feast for the eyes.
For detailed reviews and photos of each tomb, check out my individual entries on Google Maps. Trust me, they're worth the extra effort!
Tips for a Stellar Visit:
Dress comfortably for scorching desert heat and wear good walking shoes. Understand the KV map to navigate numerous tombs. Don't think of hiring a guide for deeper insights into the tombs' stories, you will forget everything anyways!
Final Verdict: Kings Valley is a must-visit for any Luxor traveller. Prepare to be awestruck by the sheer scale, artistry, and historical significance of these ancient burial chambers. Just remember, arrive early, choose your tombs wisely, and soak in the magic of...
Read moreHonestly the worst experience I have encountered in Egypt. The amount of scams coming from drivers to ticket vendors is ridiculous.
If you are using inDrive to get to the valley, always tell the driver to drop you off outside! Its a 100m walk to the ticket office. Our supposed 4.9 rating platnum driver stopped 3.2km before the valley and pretended it was the “outside” drop off location but in reality it wasn’t the case at all. He then proceeded to threaten us when we rejected his proposal to drive us inside. In the end he charged us 250 pounds, 130 more than the app rate.
Also DO NOT buy your student ticket at the counter! Buy them at the machine! You will have ZERO problems getting inside no matter what they tell you!
At the counter they will pretend to check your student id and manage to comeup with all kind of excuse to refuse it. After which they will say that they can “help you” but with a tip.
At that point I just walked away and purchased my ticket at the machine, and have zero trouble getting in.
From the ticket office to the valley is approximately 300m in distance, they charge you 20 per person to drive you when you could technically just walk there.
On top of that, toilet is 15 per use. The water prices inside is ridiculous too. 200 for a bottle of water and 300 for a popstick. So please remeber to bring your own water.
And you will get jumped by taxi scammers when you exit. Avoid them at all cost and just book a uber/indrive and meet them outside the gate.
On that note, please becareful when visiting and always be on your guard! The valley itself is quite beautiful but...
Read moreIMPORTANT— I highly, highly recommend you buy your ticket online and keep it on your phone instead of buying at the site. When buying at the site you get a paper ticket which allows access to 3 tombs and the guards will stamp it. When using your phone, the guards couldn’t care less how many temples you visit- one even told me “you can visit all of the temples when using your phone!” Not only that but online tickets will it save you from the scams in the ticket center.
There were 12 tombs available to visit in the time I have been here and limiting visit to just 3 of them is annoying.
The guards will try to tell you about the tombs and take photos for you and you just have to firmly tell them you are not interested, if you don’t plan on tipping them. I just tried to tell them up front that I don’t want waste their time but they can be pretty pushy. They’re far more worried about getting tips than protecting the tombs, which is unfortunate. Many of them allow visitors to go behind barriers, expecting a tip.
Having said all of that, it’s the coolest attraction in Luxor by far. Worth the trip. You should be able to hire a driver from Luxor for the day for less than 1,000 Egyptian pounds- sometimes even 500 or 600, but you’ll be going without a guide. Can combine this with many other sites like valley of the queens, workers, or any temples...
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