Valley of Kings, Egypt

Salaam, hi and hello! When we were in Luxor in Upper Egypt 28 years ago, we crossed the Nile by ferryboat to get to the West bank (called Thebes by the ancient Greeks) from where a bus took us to the Valley of the Kings. This isn´t done any more, a bridge was built 7 km downstream 10 years ago and now it´s a bus ride all the way. A bridge, what else is new? Luxor had 30 000 inhabitants when we were there in 1975, now it has 350 000. (Later in Cairo, a man told us that Luxor was a mere village; seen from Africa´s biggest city with an assumed population of 18 to 20 million [nobody knows the ... more

We went to the Valley of the kings whilst on a day trip to Luxor. On entering the valley of the kings i was surprised to see that there were just rocks and hills and some passages leading into the tombs, i had i suppose expected there to be perhaps a museum walkthough or more information about the valley of the kings. We had a guide and i think it is best to go as a part of a day trip as our guide told us which were the best tombs to go in. We went in the tombs of Rameses 1st, 3rd and 6th. We didn't go into the tomb of Tutan Kharmon as there is nothing in there and yet this is probably the ... more

We arrived at 8am in october and it was already up to 40 degrees celcius which i found was far too hot to cope with. Be wary of taking young children as though there is sum shade, it is not easy to find and you have to stand in the sun for very lond periods of time. The tombs were amazing, a once in a lifetime experience and entry entitles you to visit 3 of them. Tutankhamuns temple is an extra cost, an many people advised us that it was not worth it, so we did not visit. Paintings inside them are actually astonishing- you really have to see them to believe them...amazing to think they were ... more