Luxor

Luxor is the premier travel destination in Upper (southern) Egypt and the Nile Valley. The dynastic and religious capital of Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom Egypt, Luxor has much to offer the traveller, from vast temples, to ancient royal tombs, via spectacular desert and river scenery and a bustling modern life.

Districts

Although a relatively small town by Egyptian population standards, Luxor is quite expansive and is best divided up into several 'districts' or areas that group the main attractions on their respective sides of the river Nile:

Luxor, East Bank the town, hotels
Luxor, West Bank ruins and other sights

These areas may then be divided into small sub-districts....

More remotely:

Get in

By plane

Luxor International Airport is a destination for flights on several European and Middle Eastern routes, as well as the main southern hub for domestic flights within Egypt.

Internal flights (duration approx. 1 hr) from Cairo to Luxor are maintained by Egyptair and cost about $230 for a return trip ticket.

Direct charters from Europe (London Gatwick, for example) are common in the winter high season. From the airport in Luxor, you will probably take a shuttle provided by your hotel. Note that the Airport in Luxor is very small, and getting luggage off the belt is a challenge.

EgyptAir also arranges day trips from Cairo which is an easy way for those who can stand long days to cover the main attractions of Luxor. Taxis are in abundance everywhere for local transportation.

As of Jan 2006, visitor visas are available on arrival to many foreign nationals, just after you enter the terminal building. (LE 150, most major foreign currencies accepted.)

By train

For those unwilling to purchase an expensive plane ticket, who have more time in which to travel and / or who wish to see more of the country, train travel to Luxor is a great and amazingly inexpensive option.

Four different modes of train travel exist between Ramesses Station Cairo, Luxor and on to Aswan (some trains even start in Alexandria:

Air-conditioned express train - travellers to Luxor can choose from 1st and 2nd class carriages, both with comfortable aircraft-style seats. The journey down the Nile Valley takes the larger part of the daylight hours (approx. 9 hrs), but is a relaxing way to sit back and view the lush rural landscape of Egypt, its many towns, people and animals. 1st class tickets Cairo-Luxor cost about LE 65, 2nd class LE 40 (the extra LE 25 is worth it!) Refreshments are served, but are basic and lacking in choice: a good tip is to go shopping before your journey to stock up on water, chocolate and nibbles. A good book also helps while away the hours.

Overnight air-conditioned express train - the night service, otherwise identical, saves sightseeing time compared with travelling by day and costs far less than the deluxe sleeper. Cairo-Aswan costs about LE 60 one-way 1st class air-conditioned.

Overnight deluxe sleeper [www.sleepingtrains.com] - saving time and discomfort, modern air-conditioned sleeping-cars are run between Cairo and Luxor by a company called Abela Egypt. Each train has a selection of 1- and 2-berth rooms and a club / lounge car. An evening meal and breakfast are included in the fare. Note that passengers travelling alone who don't opt for a single-berth compartment will be booked into a 2-berth compartment with another, random traveller of the same sex.

Slow trains - 2nd & 3rd class slow trains also run between Cairo and Luxor, stopping at most stations - these are incredibly basic and are not only not recommended for tourists, but actively discouraged by the Egyptian government.

Tickets can be arranged through most travel agents in your city of departure for minimal commission. Otherwise, tickets can be purchased directly at Ramesses Station by proceeding through the chaos to Platform 11, where signs will point out the ticket booth. Tickets are best bought a couple of days in advance of travel, although the same day is often enough. The big exception to this rule is Egyptian holidays, when it is best to reserve a ticket at least a week in advance. Weekend travel (Thursday and Friday in Egypt) is the busiest time. Train tickets have assigned seating to a particular carriage and seat, written in both English and Arabic. Train travel is possible without a prior reservation, but it will add a whopping (!) LE 3 to the price of your eventual ticket... More seriously, you will not be guaranteed a seat on what is a very long journey or you may be forced to change seats throughout the journey. That said, on quieter travel days, you seem to be able to change seats and even upgrade yourself with impunity....!

By car

By bus

Buses leave regularly from behind the Luxor Temple, to most major cities. For connections to Aswan and Cairo, the train is recommended, but it is a good alternative to get to Sinai (via Hurghada--Sharm el Sheik, or over the Suez canal).

By boat

Get around

By bike

Luxor is brimming with rental shops for bikes and a great many hotels also hire out bicycles. Rental rates vary from roughly 8LE - 20LE, depending on your bargaining skills, the relative demand on bikes that day and the quality of the bike in question.... It is quite normal for people to be asked to leave behind their passport or student ID card as a guarantee of return. Bikes can be rented on both the East and West Banks of Luxor (the latter near the local ferry landing), though the choice and quality of bikes is usually better in the East, and prices can be a little over-inflated on the more isolated West. Note that bikes can be taken on board the local ferry (be considerate though.....!), so feel free to hire on the East, then transport your bike over yourself.

By boat

An essential way of getting between the East and West banks of Luxor is to use a boat. As you walk by the river, dozens of felucca owners will offer you their services to haul you over the river, and normally a taxi driver will be on standby on the other side. This of course is all at a very inflated price, 20-30LE minimum and that is if they don't give you an extra excursion (not necessarily what you asked for). It is much easier to take the blue local ferry, a very basic boat that you can use for around 1LE, sometimes 0.50LE. Taxis are available at the ferry terminal on both sides, and the trip takes just a few minutes.

By calèche

Calèches, or horse-drawn carriages, are common on the east bank and are a delightful way to see the city, especially at night-time. Prices vary according to bargaining skill, but 5LE per hour seems common.

By foot

It's also possible to travel around the tourist district on foot during the cooler parts of the day, provided you have a good sense of direction. To avoid unwanted attention you will need to constantly repeat the words "No Hassle". Also, be prepared to yell out for the Tourist Police if you have any concerns for your safety.

See

The various Luxor district article pages contain detailed information and suggestions for things to see. Definite highlights, not-to-be-missed, include:

the Valley of the Kings
the temple complexes of Luxor and Karnak
Medinet Habu
the Tombs of the Nobles

Do

Walk from the valley of the Queen's across the desert and over the cliffs to the Valley of the Kings
Hire a bike and ride around Ancient Thebes
Get onto a Felluca and ride on a 2 day trip down the nile to Aswan (the reverse trip is recommended, however, due to river currents).

Eat

Luxor is a vegetarian's paradise with lots of fresh seasonal vegetables such as tomato and cucumber.

A meal often begins with pita-bread and mezze such as baba ganoush or taboulé.

Your main course may include meat or poultry, or regional dishes such as pigeon or rabbit. (To avoid an upset stomach, you may prefer to stick with the beef.)

Dairy products, such as yoghurt or feta cheese, might accompany your main meal.

Finally, many fine vegetarian deserts are available, though some might seem overly sweet to western tastes. (If you can, specify low or medium sweetness.)

While the evening meal is often filling, you may find this doesn't meet the energy requirements of a busy tourist. Be sure to eat a hearty breakfast, drink lots of water, and snack frequently during the day.

For restaurants by district, see:

Luxor, East Bank
Luxor, West Bank

Drink

Egypt is an Islamic country, and it is forbidden for Muslims to buy, sell, or consume alcohol. However, the Egyptians are a pragmatic people and tolerant towards foreigners with money - restaurants and hotels which are not Muslim owned will happily serve alcohol.

Similarly, in shops which sell cola, if you are discreet, the owner will be able to locate some of the locally brewed Stella for LE 10-15.

Egyptian red wine is palatable (thanks to previous French occupation), but not recommended.

For spirits, you can choose between extortionate tourist prices for imported vodka, or to bring some from home.

Keep alcohol out of sight when in public - especially when leaving the shop!

Sleep

Luxor has an extremely wide variety of accommodation options, from camping and hostels, right up to 5 star luxury hotels of extreme opulence. In all Egypt, Luxor probably experiences the greatest seasonal variation in hotel rates - some hotels can be up to 50% cheaper (or more) in the low season (summer), others have no change.

Whilst the vast majority of accommodation options are to be found on the East Bank, an increasing number are to be found (and are being developed), however, on the more laid-back and isolated West Bank, close to the tombs and the Valley of the Kings. A lengthy stay in the area might benefit from staying on both sides of the river for some time.....

If you are arriving in Luxor by train or bus, beware the over-friendly and sometimes pushy hotel touts, especially at the station (these guys are a symptom of the sometimes fierce competition between rival hotels, especially at quiet times). Remember you don't owe them anything, but that they get 25-40% commission for convincing you to stay at their "cousin's" or "brother's" hotel, which is then added to your final bill. It's usually best to pre-book accommodation..... Also, use a map or a taxi to find your hotel - discourage attempts to guide you to your hotel, as you may end up somewhere else altogether, in the expectation that you will give in and stay where your "guide" has led you after all.....

NB: Women travelling without company should exercise extreme caution whilst seeking budget accommodation in Luxor. Several reports have been made of sexual assault after women were given spiked drinks by hotel touts and staff.

Adhan

On your first morning in Luxor, you will be woken at dawn by the adhan, or Muslim call to prayer. This normally lasts 5-10 minutes, and after a few days you may well find yourself sleeping through it.

Contact

See the various Luxor district pages for details of telephone, internet and postal services - being a major tourist town, Luxor is extremely well-served with communication facilities.

Most of the best outlets are to be found where the bulk of the local population lives, in the East Bank of Luxor.

NB: As of August 2004, Luxor has had its telephone exchange upgraded and an additional "2" must now be added to old 6-digit telephone numbers..... The format for overseas callers, for example, should now be +20 95 2xxx xxx. Mobile phone numbers are unaffected by this change. As of June 2005, numbers on the west bank that began with 2426 now begin with 2060. So the format for these numbers is now +20 95 2060xxx rather than +20 95 2426xxx.

Cope

Visa extensions

Luxor Passport Office is located south of Luxor town centre, virtually opposite the Isis Hotel, open Saturday - Thursday, 8am-8pm. Rumour has it that visa extensions are far easier to acquire at this office than its equivalent in Cairo.

Stay safe

Women travelling without company should exercise extreme caution whilst seeking budget accommodation in Luxor. Several reports have been made of sexual assault after women were given spiked drinks by hotel touts and staff.

In shops and the market, the phrase "No Hassle" can often be used to avoid unwanted attention. If problems persist, threaten to call the tourist police with the phrase "You're a hustler!"

On the streets, you may find it easier to feign ignorance of English: "Non Speakee Engleezee" and/or "Non Parlee Arabee" seems to be the most reliable way to show you are not interested in their offers.

Get out

Luxor is a good base for day trips to Dendera, the site of a fantastically well-preserved Ptolemaic temple of Hathor, amongst other destinations. A number of hotels organise such day-trips - you don't need to be staying with them to use these services. The city is also a good staging post for onward travel through Upper Egypt and on to Aswan.

External links

The Theban Mapping Project - combining the Atlas of the Valley of the Kings and the Atlas of the Theban Necropolis in a vast, award-winning Flash-based presentation - an amazing resource for the visitor