To fully explore Luxor’s west bank, including its tombs and mortuary temples, set aside three full days. But you can still see the main highlights if you only have two.
While I planned for three, I ended up having an extra fourth day in the area, which I used to revisit some of my favorite tombs and to check out the Roman Isis Temple.
I stayed on the west bank and got around each day by bicycle. Also, I had the Luxor Pass which gave me unlimited access to every site in town. This also made exploration much easier and hassle-free.
With so much to see in Luxor, there are lots of different itineraries you could arrange, but I’ll go over what I did. The routes should also be applicable for those hiring a driver for the day.
DAY 1: Bike (or drive) down the main road from the ferry port area toward the desert. Stop at the Colossi of Memnon.
Head west to visit Medinet Habu. If you get there early enough, you should be the only visitor there. Conveniently, there are some cafes out front if you missed breakfast.
Next, head further north to the Valley of the Queens. There are only four tombs to see here, including the extra special (and expensive) tomb of Nefertari.
Then head a bit east down the road to the workers’ tombs of Deir el-Medina. See the few tombs that are open in addition to the Ptolemaic temple.
Next, ride back to the main road connecting most of the main temples. Head toward the Ramesseum (though you can stop at Merenptah’s temple along the way if you wish).
After the Ramesseum, just across the road are the ‘Tombs of the Nobles.’ Only around five tombs are open here at any given time. (There are many other tombs scattered throughout the west bank that belonged to nobles, though each little cluster aside from this one has its own special name.)
This would be a good place to call it a day. But if you only have 2 full days in Luxor, then see whatever you can nearby before things close around 4PM.
Departing at around 7:00, expect to finish at roughly 14:30.
DAY 2: If you’re getting around by bicycle, this is going to be a tiring day. But it’s definitely possible if you’re reasonably fit. If you’re not feeling too energetic, you may want to hire a driver.
Wake up early and get to the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut as early as possible. The site opens from 6:00. (I only managed to get there as early as 7:45, and there were already groups of people there. It starts to get real crowded from around 8:30. If you don’t care about photographing the temple without other tourists in the way, the afternoon is a better time to see the reliefs.)
If you’re really into tombs, you can stop at the nobles’ tombs of Asasif on the way back to the main road. There are three tombs here with some nice artwork, but they’re not essential.
Next, head to the Valley of the Kings. You’ll first have to return to the main road and then head further north before making a left. Thankfully, the signage is pretty adequate around here.
It’s a long uphill bike ride to the valley, though the ride back down is a lot of fun. If you have the Luxor Pass, you can see every tomb (around 12), but normal tickets only allow visitors to see three. If you don’t have the Luxor Pass, visit three regular tombs and also buy the extra ticket for Ramesses VI’s tomb, which is the best after Seti I’s.
On the way back, you can stop by the nobles’ tombs of Roy and Shuroy. These are some of the best nobles’ tombs in Luxor.
DAY 3: Start with Seti I’s temple if you haven’t seen it yet. This is the northeasternmost temple on the west bank. You can then head back along the main road, stopping at various places on the way.
At the intersection nearby the Seti I temple is the Carter House which includes a full replica of King Tut’s tomb.
If you like, you can revisit the Valley of the Kings. Or keep heading down the main road, checking out various minor mortuary temples (like that of Thutmosis III) or nobles’ tombs (such as Kokha and Drabu el-Naga – see our guide for a complete list).
DAY 4: If you find yourself with yet another day to explore the west bank, this might be a good time to have a leisurely bike ride over to Malkata Palace and the Roman Isis Temple. And if you have the Premium Luxor Pass, you might also want to revisit the tombs of Nefertari or Seti I.
With the Luxor Pass, it’s also worth revisiting Luxor Temple or Karnak over on the east side as well. And while in Luxor, also be sure to set aside a day trip for Abydos and Dendera temples.
***If you don’t have the Luxor Pass, you’ll have to buy the individual tickets at the official ticket offices. These can sometimes be quite far away from the sites themselves. (The Valley of the Kings has its own ticket kiosk.)***