Luxor is an essential part of any visit to Egypt. Take in the cursed tomb of Tutankhamun, in the dramatic Valley of the Kings at Thebes, which is a must for all intrepid travellers. Luxor is also home to the biggest temple in Egypt, the vast Karnak Temple complex that holds the Great Temple within its walls.
But there's more to the ancient city than visiting pyramids, for a taste of luxury take a trip over the ruins of Thebes in a hot-air balloon. Or take a trip down the Nile in a hired felucca for a river-view of Luxor and the ancient ruins. And if you want a taste of "real" Egyptian life sneak off into one of Luxor's souks – try to get away from the touristy areas and lose yourself in the bustle and colour of Egyptian street life.
On 24 April 2006, there were three explosions at three separate locations in the resort town of Dahab in the Sinai Peninsula, resulting in a number of deaths and injuries.
Always consult the Foreign Office before travelling.
Where to stay in Luxor
LUXOR SHERATON
The Luxor Sheraton Hotel & Resort (00 20 95 374 544) is fine, although admittedly a bit far out of town. £
OLD WINTER PALACE
The Old Winter Palace (00 20 95 380 422) is a Victorian hotel overlooking the Nile. Recently refurbished, it is well worth the extra money. The hotels terrace is the best place to watch the sun go down over the Nile. ££
HILTON HOTEL LUXOR
Hilton Hotel Luxor (00 20 95 374 933). The Luxor Hilton is a resort hotel on the east bank of the Nile in the village of Karnak. It is a two minute drive from Karnak Temple, five minutes from the city of Luxor and 15 minutes from Luxor Airport. There are two swimming pools and tennis courts.
£
NOVOTEL LUXOR
Novotel Luxor (00 20 95 374 887). The hotel is situated in the center of Luxor, facing the Nile, 11 km from the international airport. There is a nearby ferry service to the west bank. The hotel has 185 rooms, a restaurant boat and a swimming pool. £
MOVENPICK JOLIE VILLE
Movenpick Jolie Ville, on Crocodile Island (00 20 95 374 855). A little way out of town, on Crocodile Island, but a courtesy boat crosses three times a day. It also offers more character than the rest of the chain hotels £
Where to eat out in Luxor
Try The Oriental, just by Luxor Temple. The Sheraton does very good pizzas. The Old Winter Palace has two restaurants. The Amoun Restaurant, in the tourist bazaar on Sharia el-Karnak, and The El-Hussein are also recommended.
What to see in Luxor
Luxor is not short of breath-taking sights. Among the best are:
Luxor Temple - Situated in the middle of town, it's at its most atmospheric at night when the crowds have gone home and the shadows gather between the papyrus columns in the Hippostyle Hall.
Karnak - A vast complex of temples, obelisks, sphinxes and very hefty Pharaonic paraphernalia. Every evening there's a Sound and Light show, hailed locally as being one of the finest of its kind in the world. Go if you must, but try Karnak during the day as well.
Valley of the Kings - Try to get there early. The sites on the West Bank open at 6am. Be prepared to queue at the most popular tombs: Tutankhamun and Ramses VI. If you can't stand to queue, it's best to head to the far end of the valley where the tombs, such as the unusual tomb of Tuthmosis III, attract fewer people even though they are no less interesting.
Ramesseum - Most tourists tend to leave Ramesseum, where lies the fallen colossus of Ramses II (famed by Shelley's Ozymandius), and the temple complex of Medinet Habu on the West Bank till last - and often have to drop them from their itineraries altogether. As a result they're a lot less crowded and better for it.
Medinet Habu - The huge and excellently preserved Mortuary Temple of Ramses III, once a haunt of Gustave Flaubert, is of particular interest. It's said Flaubert chose to breakfast there on milk and hard-boiled eggs.
Queens Temple of Hatshepsut - Featured on every guided tour, the Temple was heavily restored in the Fifties with East European money and now resembles a Romanian bus depot.
The best way to get from one site to another is to walk: tell your driver to meet you later, and take the donkey track with a guide down from the Valley of the Kings to the Valley of the Queens. It is a reasonably arduous climb and will take about an hour, but it's well worth it. The path runs along the top of the huge sandstone escarpment and offers a fantastic view down onto the Temple of Hatshepsut across the Nile. The only drawback is that you are bound to be tackled by souvenir vendors every few hundred yards.
The best way to get around Luxor
CROSSING THE NILE
You can take a taxi over the bridge about four miles up-river from the centre of town. There, catch a public ferry or come to an arrangement with one of the many motorboat or felucca owners along the shores. On the West Bank, you can expect to hire a taxi for the day to take you across the river and around the sites for around £15.