Before this trip, I honestly didn’t know much about Luxor—just that it was a stop on our tour. I hadn’t done much research and didn’t know what to expect. I guessed that it had to be interesting since so many tours were offered there. Well, it wasn’t just interesting. Our time in Luxor ended up being some of the most incredible parts of our entire journey. Between wandering the grand temples in the heart of the city and exploring the hauntingly beautiful tombs in the Valley of the Kings and scattered across the Theban Necropolis, the experience completely blew me away. The sheer scale of the monuments, the detail carved into every wall, and the feeling of walking through so much layered history—it’s something I’ll never forget. The pyramids in Giza were awesome, but our days in and around Luxor were something else.
History
The Valley of the Kings is located on the West Bank of the Nile, just outside of Luxor. For 500 years (the 16th to 11th century BC), tombs were cut into the rock hills for the pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom. There are 63 known tombs in the valley, 20 of which are for pharaohs, the other being nobles and/or queens. There are still excavations and discoveries occurring, some a recent as 2008.
Tomb decoration, wall carving and painting detail elaborate preparation for the next world, in which humans were promised continuing life and pharaohs were expected to become one with the gods. Mummification was used to preserve the body so that the deceased’s eternal soul would be able to reanimate it in the afterlife.
The underground tombs were also well stocked with all the material goods a ruler might need in the next world. Both treasures and mundane goods were found in the tombs – all things someone would need for the afterlife: furniture, clothing, food, pets, jewelry, and even servants (these were symbolic findings, not real servants).
For the most part, the tombs had been open to the public to visit for hundreds of years. Most of the tombs had been raided and robbed, which is why finding Tutankhamun’s tomb untouched, filled with all its goods, was such a brilliant discovery.
Our Visit to the Valley of the Kings
The valley is a short drive from Luxor, about an hour; the only delay is the bridge crossing over the Nile. Keep in mind that the valley is a heavily touristed stop; bearing an early wake-up call is worth it. The $10 entrance ticket gives admission to 3 tombs. There are a few special exceptions which cost extra. We also had to buy a camera ticket, which allowed photography inside the tombs, even just cellphone photography. The guards were very strict in checking for tickets (or seeking a small bribe…)
I was expecting the tombs to be similar to the rooms in the pyramid – bare with a sarcophagus, perhaps some carvings on the walls. I was so wrong. SO WRONG!
Yes, there were carvings, but everything was painted in vibrant yellow, blue, red, green, black and white. All original natural (earth-based pigment) paints. The only restoration was to clean. The details in the carvings, the hieroglyphics on the walls. SO. AMAZING. The preservation of the artwork blows my mind. No wonder we know so much about the Egyptians – their lives and beliefs are written all over the tombs.
Tombs Visited
We visited 4 tombs: Ramses IV, Merenptah, Ramses III and Sety I. They varied in size, detail and colour. Tombs are only constructed while the pharaoh is alive, regardless of completion. So if a pharaoh died shortly after coming into power, only a small amount of work would have been done on the tomb.
We didn’t go into King Tut’s tomb, even though he is a well-known pharaoh. Our guide said that the impressive part of his tomb was all his belongings, which are now housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
The best, and worth the extra cost, was Sety I’s tomb. The hieroglyphics and wall art were done in relief. This is a technique where the images are raised from the stone, meaning the stone was removed from around the shape rather than removing stone in the shape. The shapes were then painted. Such a little detail makes a huge difference in the appearance. Apparently, Sety was known for his preference for quality over quantity.
You can kind of see the difference in carving styles in the 2 photos below. Because of the additional fee, there were very few people in the tomb, so we felt free to wander at our leisure, whereas in the more crowded tombs, you feel the need to walk with the flow of people.
Final Thoughts
Standing in the tombs of pharaohs is a rare privilege — a moment where you feel the weight of human time carved into stone. If you make it here, don’t rush it. Let the silence sink in. Let the colour sink in. The ancient Egyptians built these places to be eternal — and somehow, they still are.
Have you been inside a royal tomb in Egypt? Which one shook you the most? Tell me in the comments!
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