Luxor West-bank Private Tour Valley of kings & hatshepsut Temple

The Valley of the Kings is the ancient burial site for the Pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom (c. 1550–1070 BC).

• Expert Commentary: A licensed Egyptologist guide provides historical context, explains the significance of the site, and decodes the complex religious artwork and hieroglyphics found inside the tombs.

• Tomb Exploration: Visitors enter and explore a selection of the intricately decorated, rock-cut royal tombs (the standard ticket usually allows entry to three open tombs, with famous tombs like Tutankhamun's requiring an extra ticket).

• Afterlife Beliefs: The tour focuses on ancient Egyptian funerary practices, the journey of the sun god through the underworld, and the vibrant, symbolic wall paintings intended to guide the deceased into the afterlife.

The Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut is a dramatic architectural masterpiece set against towering limestone cliffs.

• Architectural Wonder: The guide highlights the temple's unique design, which features three massive terraced levels connected by ramps, blending seamlessly with the natural rock face.

• Queen's Legacy: The tour delves into the remarkable history of Hatshepsut, one of ancient Egypt's few female pharaohs, detailing her prosperous reign and accomplishments.

• Intricate Reliefs: Visitors examine the well-preserved carvings and reliefs, which depict key events from her reign, including her divine birth and the famous trade expedition to the Land of Punt.

The Colossi of Memnon are two massive stone statues that stand as the last visible remnants of the mortuary temple of Pharaoh Amenhotep III (18th Dynasty).

• What they are: Two colossal seated statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, carved from single blocks of quartzite sandstone. Each stands approximately 18 meters (60 feet) tall and weighs about 720 tons. They depict the pharaoh enthroned, with his hands resting on his knees and facing the rising sun.
• Original Purpose: They served as the giant guardians flanking the eastern entrance of Amenhotep III's enormous mortuary temple, which was once the largest temple complex in the Theban Necropolis (Luxor's West Bank). The temple itself was largely destroyed by earthquakes and the Nile floods over centuries.
• The Name "Memnon": The statues were nicknamed the Colossi of Memnon by ancient Greek and Roman travelers. This name comes from the Greek mythological hero Memnon (son of Eos, the goddess of dawn). After an earthquake damaged the northern statue in 27 BC, it began to emit a mysterious, "singing" or whistling sound at dawn, which the Greeks poetically attributed to Memnon greeting his mother. This "singing" stopped after Roman Emperor Septimius Severus restored the statue in 199 AD.