Luxor Travel Forum

Hi,

I am visiting Luxor in October for 2 weeks - would value input on what see aside from the more obvious Valley Of Kings, Temple of Luxor & Karnak. Also would like to visit Cairo - what is the best way to go about this and how much time would be necessary to spend there?

Any info appreciated!

Thanks, janey

Hello Janey : )
Welcome to Egypt! Luxor is rich city really and there are much to do! in addition to what you mention (luxor and karnak temple and valley of kings) you have :
valley of queens,valley of nobles

Hatshipsut temple and clossi of memmnon
you have 2 museums also Luxor museum and Mummies museum.

you can also enjoy felucca tour in the nile and visit banana island,you have ride ballon.

if you are christian or interested in coptic monuments you can visit Roman Catholic church and it is located in same street where karnak temple is found : )

please look my tips about Egypt,may be you find them helpful and i would be glad to answer any of your questions you or any VTers please feel free to e-mail me : )

RoseGirl

Cairo is best reached by train from Luxor: about a ten hour trip. There are night trains with couchettes, but I’d recommend doing at least one leg by day. It’s a wonderful way to see the everyday life of rural Egypt. As to how long to spend….what have you got? The Egyptian Museum is worth a whole day, there are the various pyramid fields, and you could easily spend a couple of days just wandering around the Fatimid city, absorbing the street life and visiting the odd mosque. Altho a frenetic metropolis…the traffic is truly something else, it’s quite relaxing after Luxor because you can actually walk around most areas without being hassled witless. Cairenes have better things to do.

Definitely check out the Luxor Museum - it is very well laid-out and detailed explanations are provided for the artifacts.

You have enough time to go down to Aswan or even Abu Simbel- an awesome sight! Aswan is only a few hours from Luxor by train, and has lovely landscapes along the river. Also, a visit to the Nubian village across the river is really interesting- many of the homes are basically mini museums, which you can enter and take photos for a nominal gratuity. Any driver or felucca man will know exactly how to get you there. Of course, there are temples, monasteries, and a great Nubian museum to check out also. In Cairo, if you can manage to be there on a night that the sufi dancers are performing at the citadel, it is a wonderful experience. The schedule changes somewhat frequently, so you'd need to confirm the days of performances through a travel office, guide or maybe even a taxi driver. I'd give Cairo a few days, depending on what your interests are. Wherever you are, smoking a shisha in a local coffee shop is a fun way to do some people watching. And of course, throughout Egypt, there's non-stop shopping! Although the museum in Cairo cannot be missed, I agree that the Luxor museum is definitely worth a visit. It's also very enjoyable to take a carriage ride out to the surrounding countryside from Luxor- it's a whole different view of Egypt. Just tell the driver that you'd like to see the village, and he'll know where to go. Felucca rides are great- but also enjoy the sunset from a table in any of the hotels along the corniche. They all have bars with views over the river, but you have to go a little early to get the best seats/views.

Hi,
Go to the Luxor Museum and check out the Colossi of Memnon. My first trip I missed these two places, glad I got to check it out he last time I went. I would take the sleeper train from Luxor to Cairo (Abela Egypt Train Line.)
Cairo can be a little expensive you won't get a major hassle like Luxor 3 days in Cairo should about do it. Definitely go to The Cairo Museum, Khan el Khalili Bazar, and don't forget to see the Pyramids of Giza. Just keep in mind, that traffic in Cairo is unbelievable. Allow time for this. If you have more questions check out my page, or e-mail me. Have fun I may see ya there I'm going back in October too!