€78
Duration · 8 hr
- Priority access
- Skip the queue
- Mobile voucher
- Free cancellation
Valley of the Kings — Reserved Tomb Entry & Curated Tours
Beneath the Theban cliffs, pharaohs wait in painted silence.
Compare fares, pick the fit — all bookings are mobile-voucher and eligible for free cancellation where shown.
Duration · 8 hr
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Collect printed tickets, watch the scale-model orientation of the valley of the kings, and board the electric tram up the wadi.
Begin with a shorter 18th Dynasty tomb such as Ramesses IV (KV2) to acclimatise to the humid, low-light corridors.
Use a supplementary ticket for Seti I (KV17), the longest royal burial at 137 metres, to see the astronomical ceiling.
Queue for KV62 where the gilded outer coffin and the mummy remain in situ — the only royal mummy still in his tomb.
End at KV9 for the Book of Gates ceiling; the site's best-preserved blue pigments.
Return to the visitor centre for karkadeh tea before continuing to Hatshepsut or the Colossi of Memnon.
All the details about your upcoming adventure in one place
Carved into the limestone cliffs of Luxor's West Bank, this Theban royal necropolis sheltered the rock-cut tombs of New Kingdom pharaohs from Thutmose I through Ramses XI. Standard valley of the kings tickets cover entry to three rotating chambers, while Tutankhamun's KV62, Seti I, and Ramses VI require separate passes sold at the visitor centre. Painted hieroglyphics and astronomical ceilings survive in sharp detail thanks to the dry desert air of Upper Egypt.
Of the 63 tombs cut into the Theban cliffs, Howard Carter reached only one that thieves had missed: KV62, still sealed, in November 1922.
For five centuries before him, New Kingdom pharaohs chose this limestone wadi for their final passage, walls inscribed with the Book of Gates and the Amduat that map the sun god's night-journey through the underworld.
Curated valley of the kings tours thread Thutmose I to Ramesses XI across a rotating handful of open chambers. Torchlight keeps pigment vivid after three millennia. A private egyptologist valley of the kings guide can still point out tool marks inside KV11's side corridors. Scholars come for the painted Amduat, not the photo-ops. Specialist formats — a valley of the kings vip tour, a private valley of the kings tour, a quieter valley of the kings tour past KV9 — trade volume for access once morning coaches depart.
Dress modestly for the Theban Necropolis: shoulders and knees covered, closed-toe shoes for loose limestone gravel. Linen or cotton in light colours handles the Luxor heat far better than synthetics, and a scarf doubles as sun cover on the exposed ridge paths.
All visitors pass an X-ray scan at the visitor centre before boarding the tram. Large backpacks over 30L and tripods are refused at tomb entrances; a small day bag with water is fine.
A separate 300 EGP photo pass is required to use any camera inside the tombs, and flash is banned to protect the pigments. Mobile phone photos without flash are included in general valley of the kings tickets, but filming inside KV62 (Tutankhamun) is prohibited regardless of pass.
Children under 6 enter free and school-age kids pay half price with ID. The walk between tombs is exposed with no shade, so plan 2.5 hours maximum with young visitors and save the deepest tombs like Seti I for older children.
The main pathway from the visitor centre is level and the electric tram accepts folding wheelchairs, but every tomb descends via steep wooden ramps or stairs with no lift alternative. KV62 and KV11 have the shortest internal descents and are the most feasible for limited mobility.
Only sealed water bottles are permitted past the ticket gate; all food, juice, and hot drinks must stay at the visitor centre cafeteria. A shaded café near the car park sells karkadeh, sandwiches, and fresh dates before or after your circuit.
Quietest weekday morning
Cruise-boat arrivals peak 09:00
Locals visit after prayers
Busiest day of the week
Last tickets sold 16:00
General admission to the valley of the kings costs 600 EGP and covers entry to three tombs, with special tombs such as KV62 and KV17 ticketed separately. Paper tickets purchased at the on-site booth are non-refundable once scanned; pre-booked operator tours typically refund in full up to 24 hours before the scheduled pickup.
| Option | Skip-the-line | Guide | Free cancellation | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Skip-the-line
8 hr
|
— | €78 | ||
|
Standard Entry
16 hr
|
— | €65 | ||
|
Guided Experience
14 hr
|
€82 | |||
|
Premium Combo
3 hr
|
€125 |
Weather · crowds · average price — dots go green to amber to red as each metric rises.
Real experiences from real travelers
Our guide timed the valley of the kings tour perfectly for opening, and we had Ramesses VI almost to ourselves for twenty minutes. The hieroglyphs still hold pigment that looks painted yesterday. Bring water and a small flashlight for the deeper corridors.
The painted ceilings inside Ramesses VI's tomb go deeper than any photo suggests, with astronomical figures running the full length. We paid the extra fee for KV62 to see Tutankhamun's sarcophagus in situ. Worth every pound.
Arrived at opening and still queued thirty minutes at Seti I. The Theban necropolis really deserves a full morning rather than a rushed stop between Karnak and Hatshepsut. Skip Tausert if your time is tight.
Walking into the valley of the kings as the sun cleared the cliffs felt almost sacred, cool air still held in the wadi. Our Egyptologist pointed out cartouches I would never have spotted alone. The tram from the visitor centre saves energy for the tombs themselves.
Booked our valley of the kings tickets through the hotel and the entry line moved fast even in peak week. KV11 had the clearest painted ceiling I saw all trip. Pair the visit with Hatshepsut's temple across the wadi for one efficient west bank morning.
Went back after 2pm when most buses had left and the temperature dropped slightly. The Wadi el-Muluk tombs stay cooler than you expect once you descend. Ramesses IV's blue ceiling is remarkable up close.
Guards inside Ramesses III expected tips for letting us linger past the rope. A proper valley of the kings tour with a licensed guide avoids the awkward baksheesh dance at every doorway. The photo permit was worth it for KV9 alone.
Seeing Tutankhamun's mummy inside KV62 after visiting the new Grand Egyptian Museum made the story click for the kids. The painted walls of his burial chamber are small but densely packed with scenes from the Book of the Dead. Our Luxor royal tombs tour combined it with Deir el-Bahari in one half day.
Standard valley of the kings tickets cover three tombs, and we chose Ramesses IV, Merenptah, and Ramesses IX. Merenptah's descending passage is steep, but the sarcophagus chamber repays the climb down. Go early, the limestone absorbs heat quickly.
Our guide led us up the short path to the overlook above the wadi before descending. Valley of the kings tours that include this small hike feel more complete than a straight tomb-hop. Sunrise light on the cliffs is the photo you came to Luxor for.
Everything you need to know for your journey
The site opens daily from 06:00 to 17:00, with the last tickets sold around 16:00 at the visitor centre booth.
The general admission is 600 EGP and grants entry to three rotating tombs; special tombs such as KV62, KV17, and KV9 carry separate supplementary fees.
The base ticket covers any three open tombs from the rotation, usually including Ramesses IV (KV2), Ramesses IX (KV6), and Merenptah (KV8). Check the board at the gate on arrival.
No — Tutankhamun's tomb (KV62) is a special tomb and requires an extra ticket of 360 EGP on top of your general admission. Most guided valley of the kings tours add it as an option.
Arrive between 06:00 and 08:00 to beat both the desert heat and the coach groups that arrive from Luxor cruise boats and Red Sea resorts around 09:00.
The main pathway and tram are step-free, but every royal tomb descends into the bedrock via ramps and stairs. KV62 and KV11 have the shortest descents and are the most feasible options.
Yes, with a separate 300 EGP photo pass; flash is banned everywhere and photography is completely prohibited inside Tutankhamun's tomb. Mobile phones without flash are tolerated in most tombs on a standard ticket.
Modest clothing covering shoulders and knees, closed-toe shoes for uneven ground, and a wide-brim hat. Light cotton or linen handles the Luxor heat better than synthetics.
It is a 15-minute drive from central Luxor across Luxor Bridge, or a 30-minute local ferry-plus-microbus route via Qurna village. Most visitors book a half-day West Bank taxi or a guided valley of the kings tour that includes Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon.
Yes — under-6s enter free and students with ID pay half price. The exposed paths and deep stair descents suit children aged 7 and up better than toddlers.
Yes, and it's the recommended pairing. Finish the tombs by 09:30, then drive 10 minutes to Deir el-Bahari to see the Temple of Hatshepsut before the late-morning crowd builds.
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