Major city · Egypt
Luxorالأقصر
Give Luxor 2–3 nights: one full day on the West Bank (Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Medinet Habu), one on the East Bank (Karnak, Luxor Temple), and a dawn start for the tombs.
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- EGP
- Best months
- Nov–early Mar
- avoid Jun–Aug (40°C+ afternoons)avoid Jun–Aug (104°F+ afternoons)
- Airport
- LXR
- Nights
- 2–3
Rules in force · 8Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…
- Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
- Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
- North Africa ↗Plan links between North African countries by air or by ferry via Europe; the only regularly usable land borders for visitors are Tunisia–Algeria and Morocco–Mauritania via Western Sahara.
- North Africa ↗Book Saharan nights (dunes, desert camps, oasis tours) between October and April; from May to September desert day temperatures regularly exceed 40 °C and many tours stop.
- Egypt ↗Check visa rules for your passport on the official Egypt e-visa portal before flying; visa on arrival availability depends on nationality and can change.
- Egypt ↗Drones need prior permission and are routinely confiscated on arrival; leave them at home.
- Egypt ↗Do not photograph military sites, police, bridges or government buildings; some museums and tombs charge for or ban photography.
- Egypt ↗During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public in daylight; hotels and tourist restaurants still serve.
Luxor is the site of ancient Thebes, split by the Nile: the East Bank has the train station, most hotels, Luxor Temple and Karnak; the West Bank has the tombs and temples you came for. Two nights covers the core; three lets you add a balloon flight or a slow West Bank day. Expect persistent sales pressure — it is the main friction of the trip, not crime.
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Luxor, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, also written LE or £E).Egypt-wide
- SIM or eSIMcheckVodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE sell tourist SIMs at Cairo airport with passport; about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB — check.Egypt-wide
- Tap waterTap water is chlorinated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; do not drink Nile water.Egypt-wide
- TippingRestaurant: 10% even when service is added (it rarely reaches staff).Egypt-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets C/F. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 220 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Egypt-wide
- SafetyViolent crime against tourists is rare; the real risk is heat, traffic and relentless sales pressure.
- RestroomsWestern toilets in hotels and restaurants; attendants at sites expect EGP 10–20.Egypt-wide
- Emergency numbers122 police · 123 ambulance · 126 tourist police (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysFriday is the weekend day (with Saturday for offices); sites open daily, some close earlier in Ramadan.Egypt-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportLXR Luxor International Airport (6 km east of the city; no public bus to the centre — taxi or hotel shuttle).LXR Luxor International Airport (3.7 mi east of the city; no public bus to the centre — taxi or hotel shuttle).
- Getting aroundCareem and InDrive work (Uber does not) and take card payments, which avoids fare haggling.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCoffee or karkadeh (hibiscus tea)LE20–60
- Sit-down mealSit-down meal, mid-range restaurantLE150–400
- Street or quick mealKoshari or a falafel sandwichLE40–100
- Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi, about 3 miShort taxi ride, East BankNo meters; agree first.LE15–25
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekLE300–600
- Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per personEGP 400
- Mid-range bedMid-range double room, a night, per roomEGP 2,500
- High-end bedMid-range double room, a night, per roomEGP 5,000
A day, not counting the bed: Budget EGP 1,200 · Mid EGP 2,500 · High EGP 5,000
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- LXR Luxor International Airport (6 km east of the city; no public bus to the centre — taxi or hotel shuttle)LXR Luxor International Airport (3.7 mi east of the city; no public bus to the centre — taxi or hotel shuttle)
Weather and climate
Luxor: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
23°C73°F
7°C45°F
3 rd
Feb
25°C77°F
9°C48°F
0 rd
Mar
30°C86°F
13°C55°F
2 rd
Apr
35°C95°F
18°C64°F
0 rd
May
39°C102°F
22°C72°F
1 rd
Jun
41°C106°F
25°C77°F
0 rd
Jul
41°C106°F
26°C79°F
0 rd
Aug
41°C106°F
26°C79°F
0 rd
Sep
39°C102°F
23°C73°F
1 rd
Oct
36°C97°F
20°C68°F
1 rd
Nov
29°C84°F
13°C55°F
1 rd
Dec
24°C75°F
9°C48°F
0 rd
High / low °C°F · rd = rain days
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Careem and InDrive work (Uber does not) and take card payments, which avoids fare haggling. The blue local ferry links the two banks for LE20 for foreigners (Oct 2025); motorboats cost LE80–100 for one or two people. Taxis have no meters: short East Bank hops run LE15–25, a West Bank round trip about LE100. Bicycles rent on both banks; minibuses cost a flat LE3–3.50 but have no route maps.
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Dendera (Temple of Hathor)
goDoor to door: Half day
Taxi or private car north via Qena, about 1 h each way
Painted ceiling in the hypostyle hall; agree the waiting time and total price before you leave.
Esna
goDoor to door: 2–3 h
Train or car north, about 45 min
The temple sits below street level in the middle of town; most Nile cruises stop here.
Edfu
goDoor to door: Half day
Train or car south, about 1 h 15 min
One of Egypt's best-preserved temples; pair with a Nile cruise stop rather than a rushed return.
Kom Ombo
cautionDoor to door: Full day
Train or car south, about 2 h
Better done as a cruise stop between Luxor and Aswan than as a day return.
Aswan
overnightDoor to door: 3–4 h by rail
Train, 3–4 h; or a 2-day felucca from Edfu
Foreigner train fares rose sharply after 2022 — book ahead and expect European-level prices.
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
East Bank — city centre
Walk to Luxor Temple, the train station, restaurants and most hotels; the practical base for a 2-night stop.
East Bank — Karnak side
Quieter hotels north of the centre, closer to Karnak; 10–15 min by taxi to Luxor Temple.
West Bank
Small guesthouses near the ferry landing; rural, relaxed, closest to the tombs — but you cross the river for trains, banks and most restaurants.
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- LE1,200–2,000 excl. bed
- Mid
- LE2,000–4,000 excl. bed
- High
- LE4,000+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Mid-range double room1 × 3 nights × EGP 2,500 | EGP 7,500 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × EGP 2,500 | EGP 15,000 |
| Airport taxi to the East Bank1 × EGP 300 · check | EGP 300 |
| Local ferry, both ways2 × EGP 40 · check | EGP 80 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × EGP 400 · check | EGP 800 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | EGP 2,370 |
| Trip total≈ EGP 4,340 per person per day, bed included | EGP 26,050 |
2026 estimate in Egyptian pounds; flights and Nile cruises excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee or karkadeh (hibiscus tea) | LE20–60 |
| Koshari or a falafel sandwich | LE40–100 |
| Sit-down meal, mid-range restaurant | LE150–400 |
| Local ferry, East to West BankForeigner rate, Oct 2025 (check). | LE20 |
| Motorboat across the Nile, 1–2 peopleAsk for the total before boarding. | LE80–100 |
| Short taxi ride, East BankNo meters; agree first. | LE15–25 |
| Bicycle rental, per dayJune 2025 (check); passport often held as deposit. | up to US$5 |
| Hot-air balloon flight at dawn45 min minimum; baskets often hold 21 people. | LE950–1,900 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | LE300–600 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Luxor is known as Egypt's hassle capital: expect to be followed and shouted at near hotels and sites. A firm 'laa, shukran' and walking on works better than arguing.
- Ignore the visa stand right after you enter the terminal — the bank counter 20 m further sells the same visa for US$25 instead of US$45 (Jan 2026, check).
- At the airport, touts grab luggage and demand a fee; keep hold of your bags and walk to a taxi with the driver already in it.
- Guards offer to watch your bicycle, then ask for a tip — lock it yourself.
- Animal-welfare groups advise against calèches because of how the horses are treated; some drivers are fine, many are not.
- Summer afternoons hit 41°C: do tombs at opening, rest midday.Summer afternoons hit 106°F: do tombs at opening, rest midday.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 122
- Ambulance
- 123
- Tourist police
- 126
- Fire
- 180
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
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Luxorالأقصر
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
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—
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لهذا العنوان، لو سمحتTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police122
- Ambulance123
- Tourist police126
Embassy
No embassies in Luxor; most countries keep embassies in Cairo and some consulates in Alexandria — check before you travel.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Airport → East Bank hotel, taxi: up to LE300; ignore touts asking US$10–20 (check)
- Local ferry, East ↔ West Bank: LE20 for foreigners (check)
- Taxi, East Bank short hop: LE15–25 (check)
Say or show
- لا، شكرًا — No, thank you (laa, shukran)
- بكام؟ — How much is it? (bekam)
- غالي أوي — Too expensive (ghali awi)
- فين المعدية؟ — Where is the ferry? (fein el ma'adiya)
- استنى هنا — Please stop here (estanna hena)
- مش محتاج مساعدة — I don't need help (mesh mehtag mosa'ada)
Tourist police (126) are posted around the main sites and can be called if a tout turns aggressive.
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Luxor. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Nov–early Mar · avoid Jun–Aug (40°C+ afternoons) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 5 day-trips, door to door
- 6 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for LXR: taxi fare band, no-bus reality, visa-counter trap, SIM and ATM positions.
- Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Luxor Temple and the souk, Karnak, the ferry and West Bank landing, the Valley of the Kings loop.
- Place pages with verified opening hours and ticket rules (Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Medinet Habu) and eat pages with last orders.
- Hassle scripts and balloon-operator safety checks so gates A–D can go green.