Excursions luxor from sharm. Egypt

Available only with air travel by plane. It so happened that the Sinai Peninsula is known primarily for religious shrines. At the same time, many tourists who have chosen the resort of Sharm El Sheikh for their vacation are interested in the history of Ancient Egypt, the heritage of the pharaohs, their trace in history. This tour is the only chance for those who prefer Sharm El Sheikh to Hurghada, touch the secrets of Luxor, which has preserved a large number of traces of the distant past.

We offer you an unforgettable trip to Ancient Thebes (the former name of Luxor), in which you will be picked up from your hotel around 04:00-04:30, and the road to the airport will take 20-40 minutes depending on the location of the hotel. Tourists who did not buy an Egyptian visa upon arrival in Sharm El Sheikh will be able to purchase it before flying to Luxor. Departure usually takes place at 06:00. Upon arrival in Luxor your group meet a historian guide with whom you will spend the whole day in Ancient Thebes.

Despite the fact that Luxor tries to be modern city, it is more focused on tourists. In addition to tourism, Upper Egypt is known as the agricultural region of Egypt. Almost everything is grown here in the Nile Valley. known to the world vegetables and fruits, harvesting several crops a year. Luxor can also be called one of the greenest cities in Egypt.

The excursion program includes the most significant sights of the Theban kingdom: the Temple of Karnak, the mysterious Valley of the Kings, the Temple of the great Queen Hatshepsut and the huge Colossi of Memnon.

Karnak Temple- one of the most popular places visited during excursions to Luxor from Sharm El Sheikh. This majestic temple was built about 4 thousand years ago, but you can still read the ancient Egyptian inscriptions on the ancient pylons and touch the almost intact statues of the pharaohs. The temple is divided into several parts. Due to its huge size, which is about 100 acres of land, you will not be able to see it in its entirety, but you will see the best preserved part of it, which includes the largest temple of the complex, the Temple of Amun. It is unbelievable to even imagine that the entire temple was built by hand without the use of even elementary construction techniques.

Note! There are a lot of locals in Luxor who earn extra money by taking pictures of you with your own camera. If you ask a local resident (not a guide) to take a picture of you, then be prepared to leave him some small money from 2 pounds to 1 dollar.

Next excursion to Luxor from Sharm El Sheikh will take you to the Valley of the Kings, a huge mausoleum under open sky. Pharaohs are buried in the valley, with whom their wives and children were buried until the beginning of the reign of Ramses the First. After that, a separate place was allocated for the burial of wives called the Valley of the Queens. One of the most famous tombs, namely the tomb of Tutankhamun, was built in the Valley of the Kings. Surprisingly, this pharaoh became famous for almost nothing, except for the wealth of his grave, which is partly located both in the Cairo Museum and in the most famous museums in the world. The Valley of the Kings was chosen so well that for a long time no one knew about its existence, but after its discovery, hundreds of "black" archaeologists began to plunder the tombs of the ancient necropolis. Now the Valley is under the strict control of the Egyptian army and police, the export of jewelry that has historical value, is prosecuted by law.

Excursion to Luxor from Sharm El Sheikh will give you the opportunity to visit the temple built in honor of the truly unique female rulers of Egypt, Queen Hatchepsut. Like most temples, it was built after the death of a female pharaoh in her honor. On the bas-reliefs you can see images of the ruler herself and her parents, as well as the mythical deities of Ancient Egypt. The temple is monumental and huge, striking in its size and grandeur.

The last object of the tour will be Colossi of Memnon- giant statues of another pharaoh Amenhotep III, whom the ancient Greeks called Memnon. These colossi guarded the entrance to ancient temple, which was, unfortunately, destroyed before our era. The colossi themselves have undergone centuries of change, one of them was damaged due to the constant flooding of the Nile (the colossi are located near the "eternal river"), but then it was raised and restored.

Excursion to Luxor from Sharm possible only with a flight by plane, tk. in view of the location of this ancient city, it is very difficult to get to it from Sharm el-Sheikh by highway. But that hasn't stopped history-hungry travelers seeking to travel back to the age of the pharaohs. With the help of this excursion you will be able to visit Ancient Thebes (as Luxor was called a long time ago).

You will be picked up at the hotel around 04:00 and after 20-40 minutes (depending on where your hotel is located) you will enter the airport. There you will find the usual procedure for registration and inspection, plus our guide will help to obtain a visa for tourists who have not done this before - upon arrival in Sharm El Sheikh.

Most often, departure from Sharm El Sheikh is scheduled for 06:00. After 50 minutes of flight, the plane will land in Luxor and you will be joined by a professional guide who will show you the most amazing prints of the past with interest.

All the antiquities that modern Luxor carefully keeps on its territory cannot be seen in one day, because almost every part of the city breathes history. But as part of an excursion from Sharm to Luxor, you will definitely enjoy the greatness of the huge Colossi of Memnon, visit among the tombs in the Valley of the Kings and breathe in the mystery of 2 unique stone-carved and at the same time very different temples: Hatshepsut and Karnak Temple.

karnak temple was built about 4000 years ago. Despite this, even now the ancient Egyptian inscriptions on its buildings are read and the statues of the pharaohs meet you almost undestroyed. The territory of the Karnak complex is huge and completely inaccessible to the public. You will discover the most interesting site - the Temple of Amun, the ancient pylons and statues of which are best preserved. Wander between them and be as surprised as all the travelers who have been before you - the temple was built by hand without any construction equipment.

Next, you will find a huge "roofless mausoleum" - Valley of the Kings. Pharaohs and their families were buried in this place until the beginning of the reign of Ramses I. Further, the wives of the pharaohs began to be buried in a separate place, which we now call the Valley of the Queens. One of the most famous burials - the tomb of Tutankhamun is also located in the Valley of the Kings. Tutankhamen did nothing remarkable during the years of his reign, and fame was brought to him only by the numerous riches buried with him.

The place for the Valley of the Kings was chosen very well. The ancient necropolis remained undiscovered for a long time. Unfortunately, after the discovery of the "black" archaeologists managed to plunder some of the tombs. Currently, this place is under the strictest protection of the Egyptian police and army.

No less interesting Temple of Queen Hatshepsut will show you on an excursion to Luxor from Sharm. It was built in honor of the only female pharaoh ruling in Egypt. Like most of the temples, it was created after the death of Hatshepsut. The temple is huge and amazing, the bas-reliefs contain images of the queen herself, her parents and other divine persons of Ancient Egypt.

Giant Colossi of Memnon, built in honor of Amenhotep III, will be the end of a magnificent trip to Luxor. Once upon a time, another Temple stood in this place, and these huge statues stood menacingly at its entrance. The temple was destroyed (BC), the Colossi were also affected by time. One of them fell due to the numerous floods of the "eternal river" (the statues are found in close proximity to the Nile), later it was understood and restored.

In cost Excursions to Luxor from Sharm El Sheikh Includes lunch, during which drinks are paid extra. The return flight is planned around 19:00, i.е. at about 21:00 you will already be within the walls of your hotel.

If you do not plan to visit Hurghada in the future, from which the journey to Luxor by bus takes no more than 4 hours, we strongly advise you to book an excursion by plane, because. the history of Egypt will never be revealed to you without Luxor!

I decided to dedicate one of the days of my stay in Sharm to a trip to Luxor. I bought the tour from our tour operator Pegasus. I want to note that in any country there is an unspoken "war" in the field of excursions between Russian tour operators and local tourist organizers. In many areas, the difference in pay sometimes reaches 100%. At first, I bought excursions from our tour operators, but then I began to take only from local ones. Among the locals, I chose the proven one in Sharm, which is on the promenade at ORBIT. Russians living in Egypt work there. I did not see any difference in the quality and safety of excursions, except for the cost. I regret that at that time I was shooting with a film camera, so there are too few photographs, and even then personal ones. What to do, I have to be patient.

Early in the morning we were taken to Sharma airport, from where we flew to Luxor. We flew on the new Tu-204. It was interesting for us to fly on such an aircraft, the first similar to a foreign one. A little over an hour and we landed in Luxor. When they went out onto the ladder, the first thing that happened was a blow of hot air, like in a steam room. The heat in Sharm is nothing compared to Luxor, where it is well over 40 degrees. Buses were already waiting for us, and we moved in a column to the city of the pharaohs. What I saw is indescribable. History was at every turn. The most famous temples in Luxor ancient egypt. The sights of Luxor are great. Many architectural monuments in Luxor have been preserved and have come down to our time. Every pharaoh that built or built his own. We walked among antiquity. The sun was mercilessly hot. I did not go with a group, but went to see everything on my own, since there was only a day, and there were many historical sights. I don’t care what the guide said, I wouldn’t remember, and it’s boring in the heat. I liked the Luxor temple, where the sphinxes stood nearby on both sides of the alley. It is amazing that they have survived to our time. Our modern buildings are unlikely to survive the centuries. The Temple of Karnak delighted me. This is grand building survived history, and represented something impressive. The pharaoh's pillared hall was especially impressive. Walking around the Karnak temple, I saw a lake, which is considered sacred, and a little further on the shore stood a large scarab beetle made of granite. This scarab beetle is considered sacred by the Egyptians. Then we examined the valley of the pharaohs, the tomb of Tutankhamen, the valley of the queens, the grandiose colossi of Memnon. What we saw was a small part of history, which can be looked at endlessly, like paintings by famous artists. Every pharaoh that left behind, as in Russian history. I think that after Vladimir Vladimirovich something will remain. The cities of Luxor and Thebes, the cities of the pharaohs. The first is “the city of the living”, the second is “ City of dead”, separated main river Egypt by the Nile. There are thousands of tourists at each site. Everything is on stream. It seemed to me that the guides were already telling everything automatically, but, despite their fatigue, they continued to smile. I have repeatedly noticed that the guides tell the same story in different ways, despite the fact that they are almost next to each other. The amazing thing is that they do not correct each other, do not criticize. I can’t even imagine that they even have the word criticism in everyday life. The Egyptians live, do not touch each other. They work and earn money. They enjoy life, which is why their history is so well preserved until the new one. What about ours?

At the very end of the 18th century, the soldiers of the army of Napoleon Bonaparte, rising up the Nile, saw the majestic ruins of ancient temples, unlike any previously known to Europeans.

Luxor is an open-air city-museum, it was here that the capital of the ancient Egyptian civilization - Thebes was located. Most of the cultural heritage Ancient Egypt, open to tourists: two temples - Luxor and Karnak - the most ancient places of worship in the world; a three-kilometer alley of sphinxes connecting them. The Karnak temple was founded over five thousand years ago, which is confirmed by research. Touch the stones that have seen the dawn of humanity!

The Nile divides the city into two parts: the western part - the "city of the dead" and the eastern part - the "city of the living". After visiting the colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Pharaohs, the temple of Queen Hatshepsut on the west coast and making a short stop in a souvenir shop, you will be transported by boat to east coast. Here you will visit the Karnak Temple - the most significant temple complex Ancient Egypt. In its southern part is sacred lake, and next to it is a magical scarab beetle, which, according to an ancient legend, fulfills your every wish. At the Papyrus Institute, you can see the process of making papyrus paper, as well as write your name in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Holidays on the Egyptian Red Sea coast are bright and varied - people come here not only for traditional beach relaxation, as many people think, but also for active pastime. During a vacation in Hurghada, vacationers can go on a motorcycle safari, or get acquainted with the history of ancient Egypt, going on a tour with Luxor - an ancient city of temples built three thousand years ago and still keeping the secrets of a lost civilization.

flickr.com/ [email protected]

What is interesting about Luxor

Excursion from Hurghada to Luxor among vacationers is very popular. In that ancient city collected a third. Some temples were built several thousand years ago. They still keep the mysteries of the East, tell about the life of the pharaohs, Egyptian kings, here you can plunge into the world of legends, legends and, if you're lucky, touch the secrets of the universe.

During the tour, tourists visit the Luxor and Karnak temples, the Great Alley of Sphinxes, of which there are 365 pieces - like days in a year, as well as three tombs in the Valley of the Kings, a banana island and the Luxor Museum. If you wish, you can ask the guide to take you to the tomb of Tutankhamun.

flickr.com/tomblackie

The ancient city is divided into two parts by the Nile flowing through it. And although today there are no crocodiles in it, tourists can ride along the yellow river on a small motor boat.

Tanya, Moscow:

“Walking along the Nile caused twofold impressions. On the one hand - a fabulous river, on the other - a terrible mud. I did not like the banana island - there is nothing interesting there: two crocodiles, bananas and hibiscus. But the ancient temples will be remembered for a long time - you can plunge into mysterious world East, see how the pharaohs and kings lived. Photographs are not allowed in the tombs - they do not want us to declassify their secrets. Security strictly monitors this and asks to leave all the equipment on the bus.”

Issue price

There are two ways to visit Luxor: buy a ticket for group tour or rent a car with a local driver and a police escort. The second option is several times more expensive, so it is not in demand. The cost of an excursion with a group in 2017 is 40-70 dollars. It can be purchased at the hotel, at local tour agencies or at a travel agency, even when buying a ticket to Egypt.

flickr.com/onthegotours

If you take several different excursions, then each can turn out 20-40 percent cheaper. Experienced tourists in the reviews recommend not to be seduced low prices , and buy an excursion in local travel agencies that have an agreement with Russia. This will guarantee an air-conditioned bus and an English-speaking guide.

Road under guard

From Hurghada to Luxor, a tourist bus leaves at six in the morning. At this time, you already need to be in a special place - near Safaga. This is the name of the Hurghada Menaville Safaga hotel, it is located in the center of the resort and is easy to find. Tourists are brought back here - in about 12-14 hours. There are many people who want to see the ancient temples, so from 50 to 100 buses immediately depart from Hurghada. In which of them to sit, guides suggest. Usually in half an hour they form groups and seat all tourists, depending on the preference of the language of the tour.

flickr.com/viator-things-to-do

Political. Concerning buses are escorted by an armed convoy. Outwardly, the procession of dozens of buses and Egyptian special forces resembles a caravan. Between Hurghada and Luxor lies the Arabian Desert. Tourists can feel like real Bedouins, although instead of camels they are brought by comfortable sightseeing buses.

“To be honest, at first it was scary to take this tour. When you see the news, it's scary to leave the house. But everything went great. The police went with us in vain. The city turned out to be very beautiful, colorful, full of all sorts of antiquities. A little tired from a long walk, but overall I was satisfied with the trip. I took great photos for memory - the temples turned out cool against the backdrop of a bright red sunset.

On a tour - like on an expedition

The distance from Hurghada to Luxor is 325 km. The journey takes 3.5-5 hours. There are several stops along the way - the opportunity to have a bite to eat in local cafes and visit Bedouin bazaars with souvenirs. The bus is usually double-decker, with two toilets. Tourists are accompanied by a local guide who speaks good Russian.

flickr.com/talkingphotographer

“On the way to Luxor, we had three stops, each half an hour. During this time, you can drink coffee and run to the market. I really liked one - I bought an excellent colorful scarf. This is the main product of the Bedouins, it cost only two dollars! I was struck by the fact that the Bedouins are very stubborn and do not like to bargain at all. I drank a cup of coffee in a small cafe - it cost less than a dollar, but it turned out to be unusually tasty. But the dry ration, which was given at the hotel, had to be given to local children. Tears welled up when local kids ran up to the bus and asked for food. To them, our tourists seem unimaginably rich.”

The trip is advised to prepare as a real expedition. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes - you will have to walk a lot. In summer, the air temperature in Egypt reaches 50 degrees, so when buying an excursion, sellers always warn - you need to take a hat and wear long-sleeved clothes so as not to get burned. A bottle of water and a good camera should also be in your backpack.

flickr.com/elmarbajora

“Luxor is the place to be seen with your own eyes! And it is not clear why some call it "the ruins of a universal scale." This is the real Egypt. I was struck not only by ancient monuments, but also by people. The locals are all smiling at the tourists and don't jump on them like they used to. We went in August, and regretted it a little - it was hellishly hot. Then I read in the reviews that it is better to go to Luxor in autumn and winter. Children are advised not to take - the trip is difficult, and for the little ones it is tiring.

Free time

In total, tourists spend about 4-5 hours in Luxor. Of these, about an hour is allotted for free time. Some guides, at the request of tourists, can slightly change the program: instead of a papyrus museum, they are more willing to choose a shop for perfumes and oils. There is a large assortment there: in Luxor there is an oil factory where fragrances are made according to ancient recipes inherited almost from Cleopatra herself. And you can visit the souvenir market: you always have to bargain there, because the sellers initially call the price several times inflated, relying on the generous guests of Egypt.

flickr.com/amorton

Tourists walking without a guide are not disregarded by the cunning locals- for a couple of dollars, they offer to show a "secluded corner" or excavations in temples where a tour is not allowed. One of those places is a monument to the Scarab beetle, near which it is customary to make a wish.

The trip from Hurghada to Luxor is always memorable. Emotions can be positive or negative. The latter are usually associated with heat and fatigue. But the journey to the ancient oriental fairy tale does not leave anyone indifferent. You just need to properly prepare and go in suitable clothes and not in the hottest season. And then there will be an opportunity to touch the mysteries of the distant East with pleasure.

In addition to the widespread pilgrimage to the Luxor Temple and other sightseeing, vacationers always face the question: where else to go? From reviews Russian travelers it follows that excursions to Israel and are especially popular. Comfortable buses also go there, and erudite guides do not let you get bored.

Dec 28, 2015 Katia