Luxor Travel Guide Cheap Deals and Attractions Abu Simbel Karnak Valley of Kings<<>> Luxor travel guide is about Egyptian Luxor sites such as Abu Simbel Luxor and the Karnak Luxor attractions which are terrific temples. You will need your camera here. This view about Luxor guide is not only giving you information on the monuments. It will also point you to cheap Luxor deals as well as more expensive options. It is not intended to give every detail of every site such as the Egyptian Abu Simbel twin temple.
For that you’re better off getting good guide and
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Luxor is one of the world’s greatest open-air museums, with the number of monuments, temples and tombs in the area being unparalleled anywhere else. It has drawn tourists since the Greek and Roman periods of our history. When Napoleon’s troops rediscover this jewel, it stopped unprompted and broke into spontaneous applause. Nowadays Luxor attracts tourists from all over the world who descend on this area to be overwhelmed by all it has to offer. Luxor has all the amenities the modern tourists expect, hotels, bars, nightclubs, bazaars, souvenir stalls, cafes and restaurants. Holidays here aren't just about visiting Pharaohs' tombs and temples because as well as the ancient sights; this enticing city has much more to offer. With many first-class hotels relaxing in style is the norm here. Palm-shaded pools with views over the Nile and sophisticated lounge bars and restaurants provide everything you need to chill out.
Luxor is really three different areas, the City of Luxor on the east side of the Nile (city of present life), the town of Karnak to the north and Thebes on the west side of the Nile (city of after life).
Of course, Luxor travel is all about sightseeing and that is why the vast majority of tourist visit the area.
One of the first visits must be the Temple of Luxor, which is located in the city itself. This temple used to be connected to the Karnak Temple via a long stone processional street, lined on either side by sphinxes, called a dromos The well-preserved remnants this 3 km dromos can be found in front the Luxor temple and in front of Karnak. The temple was started in the 14th century B.C. and dedicated to the King of the Gods, Amon-Ra. The 25-meter obelisk at the front pylon or gate used to have a twin but that now stands in the Place de la Concorde Paris. On the way to the entrance you will see a Roman chapel of burnt brick dedicated to the god Serapis, this was built during the rule of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. The best time to visit this temple is as it opens in the morning or at dusk when as it grows dark it slowly lights up.
Unfortunately you cannot take the dromos route to Karnak Temple so grab a taxi or a caleche and be prepared to be astounded. The entrance road is built along a canal that was once connected the Nile to the Temple. As you arrive at the entrance you will again follow the dromos with its sphinxes. There is also a statue of Ramesses II with his son between his feet. As you begin to explore this vast sight just stop and imagine what it would have been like in its heyday. Each evening there is a sound and light show that meanders towards the sacred lake, were the priests used to purify themselves every morning before starting their holy rituals. Don’t miss it.
Back in Luxor opposite the Mina Palace Hotel you will find the Mummification Museum, here you will find out everything you want to know about the mummification process.
Not far from there is the new Luxor Museum. Only a small museum, it is most impressive as to the selections of carvings and artefacts on display. Well worth a visit.
Call in at the oldest mosque in Luxor, the El-Mekashkesh Mosque. There is also a Coptic basilica and a Franciscan Church.
A visit to the West bank by taxi, bus or organised tour brings you to a host of tombs and places of interest. There are so many, so only some of the main sites will be mentioned here for your Luxor visit.
The Valley of the Kings is the centerpiece with over 62 tombs, and more being discovered, you have to be selective as to which to visit. Not all were for the king and royal family. Some tombs belonged to privileged nobles and were usually undecorated. Most of the tombs were cut into the limestone following a similar pattern: three corridors, an antechamber and a sunken sarcophagus chamber. In 1922, Howard Carter found the most well known of these tombs, that belonging to the young Tutankhamun. One not to be missed tomb is that belonging to Ramesses VI it is one of the largest tombs in the valley. And is decorated with scenes from the books of the underworld. The burial chamber is dominated by the king’s massive granite sarcophagus. Read a good guidebook before your Luxor travels and decide which tombs you want to see.
The huge complex known as Medinet Habu, is another must see site. A Temple of Ramesses III the palace and town is enclosed within a great defensive wall. Behind the temple is the ruin of a village called Deir el-Medina. The workmen who built and decorated the royal tombs used to live here. The workers could reach the Valley of the Kings in about 30 minutes by walking along the steep mountain paths and over the hill.
In contrast to the Valley of the Kings there is The Tombs of the Nobles a hillside with about 80 numbered tombs. Belonging to mainly priests and officials the depictions are of everyday life and are most interesting. <<>> Possibly the most picturesque temple is the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut. She declared herself pharaoh and dressed in men’s clothes even wearing a false beard. Throughout the temple there are statues and sphinxes of the queen. Many have been reconstructed from the thousands of smashed fragments found by the excavators. Some are now in the Cairo Museum, and others the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
One of the major tourist attractions is the Colossi of Memnon these gigantic statues guarded a mortuary by the outer gates. The 23-m (75 ft) high, one thousand ton statues though damaged by earthquake are still impressive.
The famous Ramesseum built by Ramesses II took twenty years to complete. However, the temple was built too close to the Nile and the floodwaters have taken their toll. The remains of the temple include a royal palace and a large number of mud-brick granaries and storerooms, as well as a small temple dedicated to Ramesses' mother, Tuya, and wife, Nefertari. Luxor travel is not just about the city area there is much more to be discovered by taking one of the Nile cruise ships. Perhaps you will return and sail down to Aswan and on to Abu Simbel.
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