Luxor

During my stay at Luxor I visited the following places:

    The Temple of Amun at Karnak

     The city of Luxor                        

     The Valley of the Kings              

The Temple of Amun at Karnak

This temple is undergoing a slow but systematic restoration and is  the most largest & complete temple that I saw on my visit to Egypt. This temple was buried in silt for about thirteen centuries and was cleared by archaeologists in the middle of the nineteenth century.

The building of the temple began about 2000 BC, the most impressive structures include the 134 pillars of Hypostyle Hall, carved all over with scenes of the king worshipping Amun.

Good Points

This is by far the most impressive temple that I have seen in Egypt. The size of the temple  is very impressive, it is a great feet of primitive engineering.  The Sound and Light at Show at Karnak temple  is well worth going to see, it is all in English and read by Shakespearian actors, it give you a great insight in to the history of the temple.

Bad Points

The tour guide during the day sometimes contradicted the stories told at the sound and light show in the evening, it makes the history a bit confusing.

Rating: 9/10

Back to top

The City of Luxor 

Luxor is the tourist centre of Egypt, it caters a lot more for  visitors than Cairo or Aswan. Tourism here accounts for 85% of the cities economy, and it is not surprising that you can hardly move without being importuned to step inside a shop, rent a caleche, or have your shoes shined.

Luxor spreads along the east bank of the Nile, its outskirts encroaching on villages and fields. Its has a lot of attractions that I did not get time to visit including Luxor temple & Luxor museum which I have heard are both very interesting.

Unfortunately not every visitor was as impressed with Luxor as I was, while filming the Death on the Nile, Bette Davis remarked "in my day we'd have built this all at the studio - and better", but what did she know.

Good Point

The City is better catered for tourists that anywhere else I have been in Egypt, with a better quality of restaurants and hotels. The people also seem to be friendlier here, but just a pushy when selling items.

Bad Points

If you fly out from Luxor airport is rather basic and a lot of the staff seem to ask to change English coins, which is rather annoying.

Rating: 9/10

Back to top

The Valley of the Kings 

The Valley of the Kings has a beautiful setting among the bone-dry Theban Hills. There is a road to the Valley but by far the best way of getting there is hiring a donkey and travelling over the hills, this would allow you to ride your donkey along a cliff top looking down at the Valley of the Kings. This is rather peccaries but there are some stunning views, it is best to go very early in the morning, as the heat over the Theban hills is unbearable later in the day. You then get the added bonus of the sunrise.

It was believed by the new kingdom pharaohs that they would achieve eternal life if there bodies were mummified after death, the tombs in the Valley of the Kings were meant to protect the mummies and each pharaohs treasure. Unfortunately over the last three thousand years the tombs have been looted by raiders, the only one that was found complete with treasure was Tutankhamun's tombs.

There are thought to be three undiscovered tomb's somewhere in the Theban Hills, as they have not yet been discovered this means  they are fairly well hidden and there is always a chance that they will be untouched by raiders and thieves and the tomb's will be complete.

Good Points

Very interesting guides at the sight and the views looking onto the valley are very impressive.

Bad Points

There is an extra charge to see Tutankhamun's tomb which is smaller and less impressive than the others, all the tombs are now empty as any treasure's found are now in museums around the world.

Rating: 7/10

Back to top