Valley of the Kings, Luxor
Valley of the Kings, Luxor things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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The Valley of the Kings is situated over 1,000 feet of limestone and other sedimentary rock, which form the cliffs in the valley and the nearby Deir El Bahary interspersed with soft layers of marl. The sedimentary rock was originally deposited between 35 and 56 million years ago during a time when the Mediterranean Sea sometimes extended as far south as Aswan. During the Pleistocene the valley was carved out of the plateau by steady rains. There is now little year-round rain in this part of Egypt, but there are occasional flash floods. These floods dump tons of debris into the open tombs. The quality of the rock in the Valley is inconsistent, ranging from finely grained to coarse stone, the latter with the potential to be structurally unsound. The occasional layer of shale also caused construction (and in modern times, conservation) difficulties, as this rock expands in the presence of water, forcing apart the stone surrounding it. It is thought that some tombs were altered in shape and size depending on the types of rock the builders encountered. Builders took advantage of available geological features when constructing the tombs. Some tombs were quarried out of existing limestone clefts, others behind slopes of scree, and some were at the edge of rock spurs created by ancient flood channels.
Muhammad SamirMuhammad Samir
10
It is quite spectacular, but because there is no guide, you can only take a look at it. Archaeologists will be more interested than us. "In order to avoid possible damage, most of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings are not open to the public, and a total of 18 open tombs are rarely opened at the same time. The tombs are usually closed for restoration work . Tourists visiting KV62 are The Valley of the Kings brings extra income. Only the tomb of Pharaoh Ayi of the 18th Dynasty is open in the West Valley of the Valley of the Kings, and tourists need to purchase tickets separately to enter and visit . Now the tour guide can no longer explain to tourists in the tomb, Tourists should also keep quiet when visiting, and they must enter and exit in groups on a one-way route. The purpose is to reduce the visiting time and reduce the damage to the murals of the tomb by tourists. In addition, it is strictly forbidden to take pictures in the tomb.” In 1997, Islamic militants from the Islamist group massacred 58 tourists and four Egyptians in nearby Deir Bahari. This has led to an overall decline in tourism in the region. (Quoted from Wikipedia)
Xiao Zhuo WenXiao Zhuo Wen
10
Fascinating place full of history. First of all, it gets very warm here. In any case, remember to bring enough water and headgear. There is hardly any shade. You are driven to the entrance with golf carts and can then visit the tombs. We were there with a tour guide and it was not clear in advance that only three tombs can be visited with a regular ticket. So you should think carefully about what you want to see. The tomb of Tutankhamun costs about 15 € more and is not really worth it, because the tomb is empty in large parts. Here one feels already very excluded as a tourist. Some tombs were marked as open on the map, but were not. Disappointing! But the visited tombs were highly exciting and definitely worth the visit. What we found most interesting were the paintings (some even still colorful) on the walls. As is so often the case, some guards will try to get tips by arbitrarily closing off areas and only letting you through for a fee. Whether you go along with this is up to you.
ChrisChris
20
Absolutely beautiful paintings inside the tombs. The history of this place is breathtaking, especially when you think of all these tombs lying there in the darkness for so many centuries. *** We visited on a weekday around 8, and the place was swarming with other tourists. The normal ticket costs 400 EGP for adults and 200 for students, and you can visit three tombs. You can also take additional tickets for the tombs of Ay (100 - apparently outside the main complex), Tutankhamun (360), Seti I (1400), and Rameses V and VI (120). We bought the Rameses ones and would recommend - the tomb was beautiful and also less crowded. We did not buy Tutankhamun's as it is the smallest, and anyway pretty much everything is now in the Cairo Museum. The place is very very hot 🥵, so try to get there early. Guides are not allowed inside the tombs, so getting a guide may not be worth it if you have done your research and know the basics of Egyptian history.
Devika RajeevDevika Rajeev
10
What else can be said about this place, that hasn't been said already. One of the most amazing archeological sites in the world. Numerous tombs have been and are still being discovered to this day. The site only has a few tombs open to the public at a time and it pays to visit right when it opens. We had the whole place to ourselves from 6 am to 9am, after that the tour buses start showing up and the atmosphere is ruined. The general ticket only allows you to visit 3 tombs though, so you should be done by then.
JohnJohn
30
The Valley of the Kings contains 65 tombs and chambers… visiting all of them would take more than a day… we visited three of them and it totally worth it, although the most beautiful of them is tutankhamun tomb which needs special ticket to visit, we unfortunately didnt visit it.. the tombs are located at various depth below earth level, some are really deep… we‘ve visited three of the not so deep ones
Loai ZLoai Z
20
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A deep dive into Valley of the Kings, Luxor
