The Valley of the Kings is one in every of Egypt’s most spectacular locations. Situated on the west financial institution of the Nile River close to Luxor, this small space incorporates a staggering quantity of exquisitely adorned tombs of Egypt’s historic kings.
When planning our go to, we discovered it very tough to search out any dependable data on-line. Mislabeled images, old-fashioned pricing, and a lack of understanding relating to one of the best tombs to go to dominated numerous the knowledge that we learn on-line. That is partially as a result of the foundations for visiting these tombs adjustments ceaselessly.
With a purpose to offer you the knowledge that you must know to plan your go to, we visited the Valley of the Kings twice. We visited 9 tombs on two separate days, together with the three tombs which have additional tickets. Plus, we timed our go to so we had been within the Valley of the Kings within the morning and the afternoon, so we may try crowd ranges at these two totally different occasions.
We have now numerous data to share with you. I hope this text solutions any questions you may need when planning your journey to the Valley of the Kings.
Vital Word: Pricing, the opening of tombs, and guidelines for images all the time appear to be altering. I shall be updating this text ceaselessly. If you happen to study something new that you just wish to share, with a view to assist future readers, please tell us within the feedback beneath.
Information to the Valley of the Kings
What’s the Valley of the Kings?
The way to Get to the Valley of the Kings
The way to Get Across the Valley of the Kings
Which Tombs are Open?
How A lot Does it Value to Go to the Valley of the Kings?
Finest Tombs to Go to
The Tomb of Ay
Do You Want a Information?
What to Anticipate on Your Go to
How A lot Time Do You Want?
Finest Time of Day to Go to the Valley of the Kings
Sensible Ideas
What’s the Valley of the Kings?
The Valley of the Kings is without doubt one of the most well-known archaeological websites on the planet.
The Valley of the Kings is a royal burial floor for pharaohs from the 18th, nineteenth, and twentieth dynasties (the New Kingdom of Egypt). Well-known kings from this time interval embody Tutankhamun, Ramses II, Tuthmosis III, and Seti I, in addition to highly effective nobles and the wives and youngsters of the pharaohs.
These tombs had been constructed between 1539 and 1075 BC.
The hills on the west financial institution of the Nile River are dominated by the height of al-Qurn, a pyramidal formed mountain that echoes the looks of the traditional pyramids of Giza. In these limestone hills, greater than 60 tombs had been excavated and adorned with intricate reliefs and pictures.
Valley of the Kings with al-Qurn within the background
It’s believed that this space was chosen as a burial floor with a view to keep away from the tomb robbing that was occurring on the Pyramids of Giza and the Nile Delta. By carving these tombs deep throughout the earth, pharaohs believed that their tombs and treasures can be secure from robbers.
These tombs had been sealed with the mum of the king in addition to shrines, treasures, and funerary artifacts to assist the king within the afterlife.
The tombs are labeled with the abbreviation “KV,” which stands for Kings Valley. The labeling begins with KV1 (Ramses VII) and goes as much as KV65. Nonetheless, this can change if one other tomb is found (which may be very seemingly).
The Valley of the Kings consists of two valleys, the East Valley and the West Valley. The vast majority of the tombs are situated within the East Valley. Presently, there is just one tomb which you could go to within the smaller West Valley, the tomb of Ay.
In 1979, the Valley of the Kings grew to become a World Heritage Website.
The way to Get to the Valley of the Kings
On a Tour
There are a number of firms that provide day excursions to the west financial institution from Luxor.
We used Egypt Tailor Made and extremely suggest them. For our group of six (our moms visited Egypt with us), we had a driver, an Egyptologist, and a personal van. Sometimes, we don’t rent guides or drivers, preferring to journey independently. However for Egypt, we needed to do issues in another way. We needed to tour the websites with an Egyptologist, so we may study and perceive what we had been seeing. And by having a driver, we may sit again and loosen up, with out the effort of discovering a taxi and negotiating costs.
Click on right here to go to the Egypt Tailor Made web site to see their excursions and pricing.
By Taxi
If you’re an unbiased traveler, you may get to the Valley of the Kings by taxi.
You’ll be able to rent a taxi in Luxor and take this to the west financial institution. This drive takes 45 minutes, since it’s important to cross the Luxor Bridge, which is situated south of the Valley of the Kings and Luxor. Rent the taxi for the day (sorry, I don’t have a value estimate for this) to go to the Valley of the Kings and different websites on the west financial institution.
It’s also doable to take a ferry throughout the Nile River and rent a taxi as soon as you might be on the west financial institution. Ferries go away each ten to fifteen minutes and price a number of Egyptian kilos.
The way to Get Across the Valley of the Kings
Your go to begins on the Customer Middle. That is the place you’ll buy your entrance ticket and images passes or entrance tickets for the additional tombs.
To get to the tombs of the Valley of the Kings, you’ll trip a three-minute tram. The tram prices 4 EGP per particular person (about 25 cents in USD) for a spherical journey trip.
From the tram, it’s a comparatively quick, uphill stroll to get to the entrances of the tombs.
Which Tombs are Open within the Valley of the Kings?
There are over 65 tombs within the Valley of the Kings. Nonetheless, not all of them are open to the general public. Many tombs are closed both for restoration work or to reduce the visitors of vacationers within the tombs.
As of July 2, 2022, right here is the record of open tombs which can be included in your entrance ticket into the Valley of the Kings. Of those eight tombs, you may go to three along with your entrance ticket.
KV1 – Ramesses VII
KV6 – Ramesses IX
KV8 – Merenptah
KV11 – Ramesses III
KV14 – Tausert-Setnakht
KV15 – Seti II
KV16 – Ramesses I
KV47 – Siptah
KV2, which is the tomb for Ramesses IV, was open throughout our go to in 2019. Presently, this tomb will not be open.
There are three further tombs which you could go to with an additional ticket. Right here is the record with the extra value for every tomb.
KV9 – Ramesses V & VI 100 EGP per particular person
KV17 – Seti I 1,000 EGP per particular person
KV62 – Tutankhamun 300 EGP per particular person
Click on right here to learn our article about one of the best tombs within the Valley of the Kings. This text contains a lot of images, details about every tomb, and recommendations on how to decide on which tombs to go to.
How A lot Does It Value to Go to the Valley of the Kings?
Whenever you go to the Valley of the Kings, you will want to buy two tickets: an entrance ticket and a tram ticket.
Entrance Ticket
The doorway ticket is the primary entry ticket into the Valley of the Kings. With this entrance ticket, you get to decide on three tombs from the record of open tombs (listed above). If you wish to see greater than three tombs, that you must buy an extra ticket.
The doorway ticket prices 240 EGP per particular person.
About Reductions with Youngsters and College students: If you’re touring with youngsters, they could qualify for a reduction ticket. Considered one of our guides advised us that at most vacationer websites (museums, temples, tombs, pyramids, and so on.), youngsters 5 years and youthful can get free entry. Ages 6 years to 12 years get a 50% low cost. And people aged 12 to 30 can qualify for a pupil low cost (50% low cost) if they’ve a legitimate Worldwide Scholar Identification Card (study extra right here). You should convey the plastic card with you as a result of a duplicate or a photograph of the cardboard will not be sometimes accepted. We didn’t learn about this Identification Card earlier than our go to. Tyler and Kara had been 16 and 15 years outdated throughout our go to. Typically, the attendant would settle for their passport as identification, however it didn’t all the time work so generally we needed to pay full value.
Tram Ticket
The tram ticket prices 5 EGP per particular person. You’ll buy this subsequent to the ticket window for the primary entrance tickets.
Tickets for the Additional Tombs
There are three further tombs which you could add on to your go to. Every of those tombs has an additional payment. These are completely value it, which you’ll be able to see beneath and in our images publish concerning the Valley of the Kings.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: If you happen to solely need to go to the additional tombs (Tutankhamun, Seti I, and Ramesses V and VI), you’ll nonetheless need to buy the primary entry ticket into the Valley of the Kings.
Listed below are the costs for the three additional tombs:
KV9 – Ramesses V & VI 100 EGP per particular person (50 EGP for college kids)
KV17 – Seti the First 1,000 EGP per particular person (1000 EGP for college kids; no low cost)
KV62 – Tutankhamun 300 EGP per particular person (150 EGP for college kids)
Worth record on the Valley of Kings in December 2019.
Luxor Move
The Luxor Move is a single ticket that features all the archaeological websites on the West Financial institution and East Financial institution of Luxor. There are two variations of this go.
The normal Luxor Move contains all the websites on the East and West Financial institution, except for the tombs of Seti I and Nefertari. The Luxor Move prices $100 USD for adults and $50 USD for individuals beneath 30 years with a legitimate pupil ID card. In euros, the payment is €90 for adults and €45 for college kids.
The Premium Luxor Move contains all the archaeological websites on the East and West Banks, in addition to the tombs of Seti I and Nefertari. The Luxor Premium Move prices $200 USD for adults and $100 USD for individuals beneath 30 years with a legitimate pupil ID card. In euros, the payment is €180 for adults and €90 for college kids.
The passes are legitimate for five days.
If you happen to plan to go to Luxor for 2 days, with visits to a number of websites on the West Financial institution of Luxor, as properly the primary websites on the East Financial institution, then the Luxor Move is value it. If you happen to additionally plan to go to each of the tombs of Seti I and Nefertari, then the Premium Move is value it.
LEARN MORE: Luxor Move and Cairo Move: Are They Price It?
Images Move
The principles for this are altering continuously. Throughout our go to, images was allowed at no cost in all the tombs within the Valley of the Kings, together with the additional tombs. This rule applies solely to cellphones.
If you wish to take a photograph with one thing apart from a cellphone (a DSLR, Go Professional, camcorder, level and shoot digital camera, and so on) you will want to buy a photograph go. This photograph go is priced per gadget and prices 300 EGP. It covers all the tombs within the Valley of the Kings, except for Seti I and Tutankhamun.
If you happen to plan to shoot video along with your cellphone, additionally, you will have to buy a photograph go.
If you wish to take images of Seti I or Tutankhamum with a digital camera, that you must buy a industrial go. I have no idea the precise value of this ticket, however I’ve heard that it will possibly value as much as 5000 EGP, which is a gigantic value to pay.
We had been in a position to get wonderful images with our iPhones, so I don’t assume it’s needed to buy the photograph go. I like to recommend upgrading your telephone earlier than your journey to Egypt, with a view to get prime quality images. This images rule additionally goes for the Pyramids in Giza, the opposite archaeological websites close to Luxor, and a few websites in Aswan.
If you happen to wouldn’t have a photograph go, you wouldn’t have to show in your digital camera, as you may need learn on different posts. Simply don’t take it out of your bag.
The principles are altering ceaselessly, which is one more reason to rent a information that will help you maintain all the guidelines straight.
Including It Up
If you happen to merely need to go to three tombs, your complete value is 244 EGP per particular person (the doorway ticket plus the tram). That is roughly $15 USD.
If you wish to go to three tombs plus the three additional tombs, your complete value is 1644 EGP per particular person (about $100 USD). Including on a images go prices an extra 300 EGP.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: Add up your complete value earlier than your go to and take out sufficient Egyptian kilos to pay to your tickets. Throughout our go to, the bank card machine was not working on the customer heart, so we needed to pay for all the things in money.
PRO TRAVEL TIP #2: You will have to withdraw your money whereas in Luxor. We didn’t see any ATM’s whereas on the east financial institution or on the customer heart.
Contained in the tomb of Ramesses III
Finest Tombs to Go to within the Valley of the Kings
Of the 11 tombs that had been open to the general public throughout our go to, we visited 9 of them. Six are on the included entrance ticket and three are tombs with an additional ticket.
Of the eight obtainable tombs to go to on the primary entry ticket, our three favorites had been Ramesses IV, Ramesses III, and Tausert and Seknakht. The tomb of Ramesses IX can also be very good.
The tombs that require an additional ticket are wonderful, every for a barely totally different cause. Because you pay additional to go to these tombs, they are typically much less crowded than the included tombs. Plus, the paintings on the partitions and ceiling are dazzling, with vibrant colours, intricate carvings, and well-preserved paintings.
The tomb of Seti I is without doubt one of the most stunning temples within the Valley of the Kings. The partitions of the passageways and the pillared rooms are adorned excessive and low reliefs. The huge burial chamber is adorned with colourful scenes on the partitions and an astronomical scene on the ceiling. The quilt photograph for this publish was taken contained in the tomb of Seti I.
The tomb of Tutankhamun is without doubt one of the smallest and least adorned tombs within the Valley of the Kings, however the spotlight right here is seeing the mum of King Tut.
The tomb of Ramesses V and VI was my private favourite within the Valley of the Kings. The pillared hallway, at concerning the midpoint of this tomb, is breathtaking. The burial chamber is gigantic and the astronomical ceiling is adorned with the e-book of the Heavens, displaying the each day regeneration of the photo voltaic disc.
For a lot of extra images of those tombs, with recommendations on tips on how to slim down the lengthy record of tombs which can be obtainable to go to, check out our article Finest Tombs to Go to within the Valley of the Kings.
The Tomb of Ay within the West Valley
All the tombs listed above are situated within the East Valley of the Valley of the Kings. There are a number of tombs within the West Valley. Of those tombs, solely the tomb of Ay is open to the general public.
To enter this tomb, you will want to buy a separate entrance ticket. You should buy this ticket on the customer heart for the Valley of the Kings. The ticket prices 60 EGP.
To get to the tomb of Ay, it’s a lengthy, hilly stroll from the car parking zone of the customer heart of the Valley of the Kings. Since it’s a hike to get right here, this tomb tends to have very low crowds. If you happen to like the thought of climbing to a quiet tomb, this could possibly be value including on to your tour of the Valley of the Kings.
Do You Want a Information?
You do not want a information to go to the Valley of the Kings, however I believe that it’s value it to have one. That is a tremendous historic website and to get essentially the most out of your go to, I believe it’s value it to rent an Egyptologist.
With that being stated, guides will not be permitted inside the tombs. Your information will provide you with an outline in the beginning of your go to, with suggestions for what to search for in every of the tombs, after which you’ll tour the tombs by yourself.
Nonetheless, in case you simply need to snap a number of images, a information will not be needed.
What to Anticipate on Your Go to
You’ll arrive on the Customer Middle. Within the heart of the room is a big 3D map of the Valley of the Kings, with every tomb labeled. If you happen to look beneath this map, you may see the lengthy tunnels that result in every tomb.
There are restrooms right here and these are quite a bit cleaner than the restrooms situated throughout the Valley of the Kings.
Stroll by the constructing. As soon as outdoors, you will notice the highway and the trams taking guests to the Valley of the Kings. Flip proper to buy your tickets on the ticket sales space and to buy your tram tickets.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: You’ll be able to solely buy tickets on the customer heart. When you trip the tram to the Valley of the Kings, you may not buy tickets. If you happen to change your thoughts and need to add on an additional tomb, you will want to trip the tram again to the customer heart to buy your ticket.
A 3-minute trip on the tram takes you to the Valley of the Kings. A guard will test your ticket right here and permit you thru the doorway gate.
Simply previous this entrance is a coated space with seating. To the fitting there’s additionally a small trailer with restrooms. From the doorway, it takes about 10 minutes to stroll to the farthest tomb within the Valley of the Kings.
A view of the Valley of the Kings from the second stage of the cafe
If you’re touring independently, take a photograph of the map of the Valley of the Kings (these maps are posted at a number of places), so the situation of every tomb. In case you have a information, they’ll level you in the fitting path to the tombs you propose to go to.
Every tomb has an indication labeled with the tomb title and a map of the inside of the tomb.
On the entrance to every tomb, the attendant will test your ticket and punch a gap in it. After getting three holes in your important entrance ticket, you could have used up your three tomb visits. In case you have a photograph go, present that as properly, since they may also punch a gap on this.
Every tomb options an entrance hallway that ends in a bigger chamber. Some hallways are very lengthy and coated with intricate paintings whereas different tombs could have quick hallways or nearly barren partitions. You’ll stroll downhill and on collection of staircases to get to every tomb, so anticipate an uphill stroll to get again out of the tomb.
The tombs are typically sizzling. The farther you go, the hotter it will get. We had been right here in December and even then, a number of the tombs felt very heat inside.
There are attendants strolling by the tombs, keeping track of guests, maintaining noise ranges down, and checking photograph passes, for these people who find themselves capturing images with one thing apart from a cellphone.
Typically, the attendants will provide to take your photograph or present you small room or sanctuary situated off of the primary hallway. If you happen to do that, you’ll be anticipated to pay a small tip for the service. If you happen to don’t desire a photograph, merely say la shukran, which implies “no thanks” in Arabic.
The tombs that require an additional ticket are likely to have low crowds. There could possibly be an extended line for a number of the widespread tombs on the included entrance ticket. To get to the tomb of Ramesses IX, we waited nearly 10 minutes in line.
Contained in the tomb of Ramesses IV
We sometimes spent 10 minutes inside every tomb. We spent longer in Seti I and Ramesses V and VI just because they had been spectacular.
If you happen to get hungry or thirsty, there’s a small café centrally situated within the Valley of the Kings.
As soon as you might be completed, stroll again to the doorway and trip to the tram to the customer heart. To get again to the car parking zone, you’ll stroll by a big reward store. The salesperson may be aggressive in making an attempt to get you to buy their gadgets. Merely maintain strolling and so “no thanks” or “la shukran.”
How Lengthy Does It Take to Go to the Valley of the Kings?
If you’re a pace demon and easily need to snap a number of images in three tombs, you may go to the Valley of the Kings in about an hour to an hour and a half.
For a extra leisurely expertise, or when you have a information, plan on spending two hours right here, with a go to to a few tombs.
If you happen to add on the three further tombs (for a complete of six tombs), a go to to the Valley of the Kings can final a complete of three hours.
Contained in the tomb of Ramses V and VI
Finest Time to Go to the Valley of the Kings
Listed below are the hours of operation for the Valley of the Kings:
Winter: 6 am to 4 pm
Summer time: 6 am to five pm
Essentially the most crowded time to go to the Valley of the Kings is between 10 am and a couple of pm.
If you happen to arrive by 8 am, your go to ought to be comparatively uncrowded. I like to recommend visiting the tombs on the included ticket first, and ending with the tombs that require an additional ticket, in case you plan to go to these. Not solely will this aid you keep away from the crowds, however you might be saving one of the best tombs for the tip of your go to.
One to 2 hours earlier than closing can also be a good time to go to the Valley of the Kings.
We visited the Valley of the Kings at two totally different occasions. The primary day we arrived at 9 am. Crowds had been comparatively low, however they did choose up quite a bit by 10 am, and our visits to the included tombs had been full of different guests. On our second day, we arrived at 2:30 pm. Crowds had been low and we shared the tombs with only a handful of different individuals.
So, my recommendation is to go early or go late if you wish to have low crowds.
Contained in the tomb of Seti I
Sensible Ideas
Deliver sufficient money to cowl your entrance tickets to the tombs. You will have further cash in case you plan to buy snacks or drinks on the café. Additionally, you will want small change to offer the lavatory attendant.
Deliver sunscreen and water. You may be outdoors within the solar fairly a bit as you stroll from tomb to tomb.
The closest rest room is on the entrance close to the tram cease. From the tombs, it’s a 5 to ten-minute stroll to the restroom.
Be sure to buy all the tickets you will want (together with the photograph go) on the customer heart. When you enter the Valley of the Kings, you can not buy tickets. If you happen to want an extra ticket, you will want to trip the tram again to the customer heart.
If you happen to missed it, right here is the hyperlink to one of the best tombs to go to within the Valley of the Kings. This text contains a lot of images and useful data that will help you select which tombs to go to.
