Family-Friendly 9-Days in Egypt Itinerary in Luxor

Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes, is also known as the best museum in the world. This ancient city is situated on the fertile banks of the River Nile in Upper Egypt. There are a huge number of ancient temples, tombs and giant statues in Luxor. Families looking to take their children with them, will find nine days is the perfect amount of time to do things at your own leisure without getting tired. You can explore all there is to see on the East Bank where the Ancient Egyptians would celebrate life, sun and state temples, as well as the West Bank where the sun sets and Pharaohs would be buried for eternity. A nine days holiday includes plenty of time to relax in the pools during the middle of the day to escape the heat, take a relaxing cruise on the river, enjoy a camel ride in the desert, visit living history villages and go out into the countryside to visit Dendera, Edfu and Kom Ombo. See what you can do on a nine day holiday to Luxor with this handy day by day breakdown.

Day 1: Welcome, Set up and Exploring Luxor Temple at Sunset

Your adventure begins as you arrive in Luxor. You will check into your family friendly hotel or riverside hotel on the East Bank of the Nile.

Relax

You will have a relaxing afternoon to get settled into your hotel. Enjoy some time in the pool and getting used to the warm climate of Upper Egypt. Your children can watch traditional wooden boats called Feluccas pass by.

Luxor Temple at Sunset

As it begins to get cooler in the late afternoon you will head out to visit Luxor Temple. This temple is located right in the centre of Luxor. It is a magical place to visit in the evening as the large pylon walls, giant seated statues of Ramesses II and tall papyrus shaped columns are lit up by warm spotlights. Your children can walk along the remaining part of the Avenue of Sphinxes. This was a stone path lined with hundreds of human headed and ram headed Sphinxes connecting Luxor Temple to Karnak. Finish your day off with a relaxing meal at a riverside restaurant. Enjoy freshly baked Egyptian flat breads, grilled skewers and mild dips.

Day 2: Valley of the Kings & Hatshepsut Temple (West Bank)

On day two you will cross the River Nile in the morning to visit the West Bank.

Valley of the Kings

You will start your day with a visit to the world famous Valley of the Kings. This area is a remote desert valley where the Pharaohs of the New Kingdom were buried. Your children will enjoy riding a small open top electric train from the information centre to the entrance of the tombs. Inside the deep underground tombs (Ramesses III, Ramesses IV or Merenptah) you will walk down the painted corridors and discover giant stone sarcophagus. Your children will be amazed at how well preserved the wall paintings are. The bright blue, yellow and red colours show beautiful pictures of stars, protective gods and ancient spells from the Book of the Dead.

Hatshepsut Temple & Colossi of Memnon

Next you will visit the incredible Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut located in Deir el-Bahari. This temple is amazing because it has been chiseled straight into the rock face of the limestone cliffs. This temple consists of three levels, and was built to honour one of the most famous female Pharaohs in Ancient Egypt. Your children will learn about how Hatshepsut ruled like a king. This is shown through the wall reliefs showing her wearing regal clothing. On the way back to the river you will stop off to view the impressive Colossi of Memnon. These are two eighteen metre high stone statues of Amenhotep III. This is a great photo opportunity.

Felucca Cruise

Once it gets hot in the afternoon you will return to your hotel to relax. In the evening you will head down to the river banks and board a traditional wooden Felucca boat. As the breeze picks up you will gently float along the River Nile. Enjoy some relaxing time with your children whilst listening to traditional music.

Day 3: Ancient Daily Life, Medinet Habu & Banana Island

Today you will discover more about the fascinating lives of the Ancient craftsmen and one of the best preserved fortress temples in Egypt.

Deir el-Medina

In the morning you will visit Deir el-Medina. This was the village where the craftsmen, stonemasons and painters lived who built the royal tombs. This is a very personal place to visit as it does not have any of the grand state buildings. Your children will enjoy visiting the underground tombs (Tomb of Sennedjem). The wall paintings are bright and cheerful showing pictures of farming, gardens and pets. Often your children will find these more welcoming than the royal tombs.

Medinet Habu & Banana Island

Next you will visit Medinet Habu. This is the huge Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III. This temple is famous for having beautifully carved wall reliefs that have kept their original colour. This temple has many tower like structures and stone walls giving the feel of a medieval castle. In the late afternoon you will take a boat ride to Banana Island (Geziret el-Moz). Your children can walk around the shaded banana trees. They can try some sweet fresh bananas. Enjoy a relaxing meal as the sun sets over the river.

Day 4: Hot Air Balloon Ride at Sunrise & Karnak Temple

Today you will experience a truly memorable experience with a hot air balloon ride at sunrise. You will then visit the biggest religious temple complex ever built.

Hot Air Balloon Ride at Sunrise

If you are feeling brave you can take your older children and have a hot air balloon ride at sunrise. As the sun rises over the Eastern Desert you will gently float over the River Nile, green sugar cane fields and illuminated monuments of the West Bank. This is a fantastic way to see the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple from above.

Karnak Temple – Great Forest of Columns

After returning for breakfast you will visit the huge Karnak Temple Complex. This temple was mainly dedicated to Amun-Ra and was the main state temple during the New Kingdom. Your children will be amazed by the Great Hypostyle Hall. This consists of 134 huge sandstone columns. The columns have beautifully carved hieroglyphics. You can visit the sacred scarab beetle statue near the Sacred Lake. Local legend says if you walk around the statue three times you will be lucky!

Karnak Sound and Light Show

In the evening you will return to Karnak to watch the amazing Sound and Light Show. As you walk around the temple the lighting creates a magical atmosphere. The narration and sound effects create a magical experience as the Pharaohs and Gods come to life under the stars. Your children will enjoy a fun visual recap of Egyptian history.

Day 5: Day Trip to Dendera Temple (Temple of Hathor)

Today you will take a comfortable private day trip north to visit one of the best preserved temples in Egypt.

Temple of Hathor

A two hour scenic drive along the River Nile will take you to Dendera. Your children and parents will be amazed by this huge temple complex. It was built during the late Ptolemaic and Roman period. This temple is famous for having a stunning Hypostyle Hall with twenty four huge columns. Each column has a Hathor head (goddess of music, joy and love) on top. Unlike most Ancient ruins this temple still has its roof intact so you can walk inside the beautiful halls.

Astronomy Ceilings & Underground Crypts

Inside the temple you will be able to look up at the beautifully restored ceilings. The ceilings have beautiful astronomy scenes, constellations and the goddess of the sky Nut. Your children will enjoy walking around the narrow underground crypts inside the thick foundations. They can also climb up the stone steps on the roof to view what the ancient priests would have seen during New Year celebrations. Return to Luxor in the late afternoon after having a relaxing lunch in the countryside.

Day 6: Day Trip to Edfu & Kom Ombo Temples

Today you will travel south to visit two stunningly preserved Ptolemaic temples.

Temple of Horus

Traveling south in a private vehicle you will stop off at Edfu. This temple is incredibly well preserved and is dedicated to Horus (falcon headed God). Your children will love walking up to the large pylon entrance. They can pose next to the giant black granite falcon statues. The high outer walls and preserved roof chambers give a great insight into Ancient temple design.

Kom Ombo Temple

Continuing your journey south along the river you will arrive at Kom Ombo. This unique temple is dedicated equally to two Gods. Sobek (crocodile God) and Haroeris (falcon God). Your children will love seeing the beautifully carved reliefs showing ancient surgical tools. They can also visit the Crocodile Museum next door to see mummified Ancient Nile crocodiles. These were discovered in local catacombs. Return to Luxor in the late afternoon to enjoy a relaxing evening by the pool.

Day 7: Valley of the Queens & Carter House

Today you will discover more about the Queens, Princesses and modern discoveries that opened Tutankhamuns tomb.

Valley of the Queens (Biban el-Harim)

In the morning you will head across to the West Bank to visit the Valley of the Queens. You can explore the underground tombs of the Queens and young Princes of the New Kingdom (Tomb of Prince Khaemwaset). The tombs have bright wall paintings showing young Royals being presented to the Gods by their protective Mothers.

Howard Carter House & Replica of Tutankhamuns Tomb

Next you will visit the famous Howard Carter House. This is located at the entrance to the Valley of the Kings. Your children can visit the well preserved mud brick house where the famous archaeologist Howard Carter lived whilst searching for King Tutankhamuns tomb. The gardens surrounding the house have an exact replica of Tutankhamuns burial chamber. There are interactive displays to help your children learn how the treasures were discovered in 1922.

Day 8: Tombs of the Nobles, Camel Ride in West Bank Village & Local Crafts

Today you will visit some hidden gems of Ancient Egypt. You will also enjoy some hands on activities.

Tombs of the Nobles & Ramesseum

In the morning you will visit the Tombs of the Nobles (Tomb of Nakht or Menna). These are small beautifully preserved tombs. The tombs have cheerful wall scenes showing fishing, catching birds in the papyrus reeds and picking grapes from the vines. After your visit you can have a short visit to the Ramesseum. Your children can stand next to the giant collapsed statue of Ramesses II. This inspired the famous poem Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Camel Ride in West Bank Village & Alabaster Workshops

In the late afternoon you will enjoy a gentle camel ride through the peaceful villages and sugar cane fields of the West Bank. The sun will be setting over the desert hills. After your ride you can visit some local crafts workshops in Gurna. Watch master craftsmen carve alabaster stone into glowing vases, scarabs and statues using traditional hand tools.

Day 9: Museum Visit & Souk

Today you can finish your holiday in Upper Egypt at your own leisure. You can visit some world class museums.

Luxor Museum & Mummification Museum

In the morning you can visit the Luxor Museum. This is widely regarded as one of the best and most thoughtfully put together museums in Egypt. The museum has beautifully lit statues discovered in local temple caches, ancient weapons and golden artefacts. Next you can have a short visit to the Mummification Museum. Your children will enjoy learning about the tools, natural resins, animal mummies and sacred rituals used by the embalmers to achieve physical immortality.

Souk

Before you leave you can visit the covered market (Souk) in Luxor. Your children can practise their polite haggling skills to purchase some personalised souvenirs. These could include stone scarabs, hand carved alabaster vases, small papyrus paintings or silver Cartouche necklaces with their name carved in hieroglyphics. To finish your nine day holiday in Luxor you can enjoy a celebratory meal overlooking the River Nile. You will then be transferred back to the airport/train station in a private vehicle.