Brief Overview
The Valley of the Kings, whose very name conjures up images of Egypt’s historic glory, is one of the country’s most visited sites. It sits on the western bank of the Nile, opposite ancient Thebes on the east bank (now known as Luxor). The valley itself is nondescript, but under its bleak surface are more than 60 rock-cut tombs built for New Kingdom pharaohs between the 16th and 11th centuries B.C.
There are two main branches of the valley: the West Valley and the East Valley. The latter arm is where you’ll find the vast bulk of the tombs. Murals and hieroglyphs painted on the walls of the royal tombs provide a window into the funerary rituals and beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians, but practically all of them were looted in antiquity.
Best time to visit
Between 10 AM and 2 PM, the Valley of the Kings is at its busiest with tourists.
If you can make it there by 8 a.m., you might have the place to yourself. If you wish to visit both types of tombs, I suggest starting with the ones that are free with your ticket and working your way to the ones that you have paid extra for. In addition to beating the crowds, this strategy also allows you to save the most impressive tombs until last.
Additionally, the last couple of hours before closure are excellent for exploring the Valley of the Kings.
During our stay in Egypt, we made our trip to the Valley of the Kings with a guided tour (link below). On the day we went, we rolled in at 9 in the morning. At first, there weren’t many people there, but by 10 a.m., the tombs we saw as part of our package were swarming with tourists.
If you want to avoid the crowds, I suggest going very early or very late.
How to get to the Valley of the Kings
On a Tour
Numerous travel operators in Luxor provide day trips to the West Bank.
Our experience with Get Your Guide was excellent, and we would use them again. We were a group of seven, and we had our own driver, as well as an Egyptologist and a vehicle, all to ourselves. We prefer to explore new places without the assistance of tour guides or drivers. However, in Egypt, we hoped to take a different approach. We hoped that by going on a tour with an Egyptologist, we would be able to better grasp what we were seeing and gain a deeper appreciation for the history of the area. Plus, with a driver, we didn’t have to worry about hailing a cab or haggling over fare.
Book your tour here
Use a Taxi
In case you’re a free-spirited tourist who doesn’t need a tour group to transport you to the Valley of the Kings, you can always take a taxi.
Luxor has taxis you can hire to take you to the West Bank. A crossing of the Luxor Bridge, which lies to the south of the Valley of the Kings and Luxor, adds an additional 45 minutes to the journey. Day cab service to the West Bank’s Valley of the Kings and other attractions is available.
You can also take a ferry across the Nile and then hail a taxi on the other side. It costs around 50-100 Egyptian pounds to ride the ferry, and they depart every ten to fifteen minutes.
Getting around the Valley of the Kings
The beginning of our journey takes place at the Information Centre. There, you can buy not only entry tickets, but also photography permits and tickets to any other tombs.
A tram trip of only three minutes will take you to the Valley of the Kings and its royal tombs. A round trip on the tram will set you back 5 EGP (25 cents USD).
There is a short, steep climb from the tram stop to the tomb openings.
Best Tombs to Visit
We were only able to see 4 of the 11 public tombs that were available to us. There are a total of 11 tombs, 8 of which are included on the general admission ticket and 3 that require a separate purchase.
We enjoyed the tombs of Ramesses IV, III, and Tausert and Seknakht the most out of the eight that were included in the price of the main entry ticket. Ramesses IX’s tomb is likewise very beautiful.
All of the additional-fee tombs are worth it, but each has its own special appeal. Since these tombs cost extra to see, they are typically less busy than the free ones. The paintings and sculptures adorning the walls and ceiling are equally impressive, thanks to their vivid hues, detailed designs, and excellent preservation.
Seti I’s mausoleum is often considered to be among the Valley of the Kings’ most stunning structures. High and low reliefs adorn the walls of the corridors and the pillared rooms. The huge tomb features vibrant wall murals and a painted skyscape on the ceiling.
What to expect
You will arrive at the Visitor Centre. A huge three-dimensional map of the Valley of the Kings, with each tomb clearly marked, dominates the room’s focal point. The extensive passageways that connect each tomb can be seen if you look under this map. The Visitor Centre is where you should end up. A massive three-dimensional map of the Valley of the Kings, complete with tomb locations, dominates the room’s focal point. The extensive passageways to each tomb can be seen if you look under this map.
Walk toward the ticket scanners and go outside. Once you exit, you’ll see the main road and the trams that serve the Valley of the Kings. The tram ticket booth and ticket booth itself can be found to the right.
You may reach the Valley of the Kings after only a 4-minute tram ride. Your admission ticket will be checked at this gate.
A covered dining area is located just beyond this entryway. There’s a portable bathroom trailer off to the right, too. The farthest tomb in the Valley of the Kings is about a 10-minute walk from the main entrance. Not too far at all but it is up-hill.
Upon entering each tomb, an attendant will examine your ticket and make a corresponding hole in it. You can only visit the tombs three times before you need a new main admission ticket. If you have a photo pass, show that as well, since they will also punch a hole in this.
Each tomb has a narrow corridor leading to a larger inner room. Some tombs feature long corridors adorned with elaborate artwork, while others may have shorter corridors or walls that are nearly bare. In order to reach the tombs, you must descend a set of stairs, so be prepared for an uphill trek when you emerge.
In general, temperatures in the tombs are high. It becomes warmer the further you travel. Some of the graves still felt quite warm when we visited in January.
There are guards stationed at various points throughout the tombs who monitor visitors, enforce quietness, and check picture passes for those who intend to use cameras instead of smartphones (only enforced when it isn’t busy)
When you visit, the attendants may offer to take your picture or show you a private sanctuary away from the main corridor. A little gratuity is customary if you take advantage of this offer. Just say “no thank you” in Arabic (la shukran) if you don’t want your picture taken.
There are fewer visitors at the tombs that cost more to enter. Wait times for the most visited tombs on the included ticket could be considerable.
There is a café conveniently positioned in the middle of the Valley of the Kings for those who feel hungry or thirsty.
Return to the main gate and hop on the tram to the tourist centre when you’re done. Walking back to the parking lot will take you via a sizable gift shop. Salespeople are notorious for pushing their products on customers. You can say “la shukran” (which means “no thank you”) and keep walking.
Do I Need A Guide?
Although a guide is not strictly necessary, I would recommend getting one if you plan on exploring the Valley of the Kings. Hire an Egyptologist if you want to get the most out of your time at this incredible historical site.
Tour guides are not allowed within the tombs. At the beginning of your tour, your guide will give you an overview and some pointers on what to search for in each tomb, and then you will have some free time to explore the tombs on your own.
However, a guide is unnecessary if you simply wish to take a few photographs.
How long does it take to visit the Valley of the Kings?
You can see the Valley of the Kings in approximately an hour and a half if you like the breeze through things and you only plan on taking photos in three tombs.
Visit three tombs over the course of two hours for a more leisurely experience or with a guide.
A trip to the Valley of the Kings can take up to three hours without counting the extra three tombs (for a total of six tombs).
Practical Information
You’ll need to pay for your tomb entrance with cash, so be sure to have enough. If you want to buy anything from the snack bar or coffee shop, you need have some extra cash. There is a restroom attendant, so you’ll also need some spare cash for them.
Bring some water and a sunblock. As you travel from tomb to tomb, you should expect to spend a lot of time outside in the sunlight.
A restroom is located close to the entrance and tram stop. It takes about ten minutes to walk to the nearest bathroom from the tombs.
The visitor centre is where you should get any and all tickets you need, including the picture pass. Tickets are not available for purchase once visitors have entered the Valley of the Kings. Please take the tram back to the information centre if you need to purchase an additional ticket.
Book tours and Purchase Tickets
Save this post (pin it)
Other Egypt Related Guides
Be sure to check out our other exciting guides related to Egypt:
We loved Egypt! Make sure it’s on your list.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you.
