This private 3-night Luxor itinerary is designed for travelers who want to experience the highlights of ancient Thebes without rushing from one monument to the next. Over three carefully planned days, you’ll explore Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, the 5 most important sites on the West Bank of Luxor, Abydos and Dendera with a private Egyptologist guide, private transport and all standard entry tickets included.
Having lived and worked in Luxor for more than two decades, I’ve learned that what makes a great visit isn’t simply the number of places you see. It’s visiting the right places, in the right order, at the right pace, with the right guide, so that ancient Egypt begins to make sense and comes alive for you.
Who This Luxor Itinerary Is Designed For
- First-time visitors who want to experience Luxor properly
- Travelers combining Luxor with Cairo or a Nile cruise
- Visitors who prefer a private guide and flexible itinerary
- People interested in history and archaeology rather than shopping stops
- Travelers who want enough time to appreciate each site instead of rushing through them
Why Three Nights?
Many visitors only spend two nights in Luxor because that’s what their schedule allows. While you’ll certainly see some remarkable places, you’ll also spend much of your time moving from site to site and not have time for the two most important and best preserved temples in Egypt – they are Abydos and Dendera.
Three nights allows a much more balanced experience. We can work around the heat, crowds and opening times while giving each of Luxor’s major sites the time it deserves. It also allows a full day for Abydos and Dendera – two of Egypt’s most extraordinary temples that many visitors never see simply because they don’t realise what they’re missing. From personal visits and experiences I cannot emphasise enough the importance of these two ancient Egyptian monuments.
The 3-Day Luxor Highlights Itinerary
Day 1 – Karnak Temple & Luxor Temple
If you arrive in Luxor this morning before 13.00 hours on day 1 – your first afternoon introduces you to the great temple complexes of ancient Thebes.
Karnak’s Temple of Amun was the religious heart of Egypt for well over a thousand years, growing into the largest temple complex ever built. Later, you’ll visit Luxor Temple, connected to Karnak by the ancient Avenue of Sphinxes – one of Egypt’s most elegant monuments.
Beginning here provides the perfect introduction before exploring the royal tombs on the following day.
Day 2 – The West Bank of Luxor
Today explores the world of the pharaohs and the afterlife.
Your private guided tour of Luxor’s West Bank includes:
- Valley of the Kings – a must visit for everyone.
- Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahri – who was Hatshepsut? Hatshepsut was an amazing woman in a man’s world.
- Tombs of the Nobles – there are a few options here.
- Howard Carter House – takes you back in time. It is perfect!
- Medinet Habu – one of the least understood temples in Egypt. Another favourite of mine but I had to spend a lot of time exploring and thinking about it.
- Colossi of Memnon
- Deir el-Medina (the Workers’ Village)
Additional tombs that require separate tickets can be visited if they are open on the day.
Rather than trying to fit everything into one exhausting circuit, the day is paced to allow time to understand the stories behind each site and how they connect to one another.
Day 3 – Abydos & Dendera
This is one of my favourite days anywhere in Egypt.
Although often overlooked by visitors, Abydos and Dendera contain two of the finest and best-preserved temples in the country.
At Abydos you’ll explore one of ancient Egypt’s most important religious centres, dedicated to Osiris and filled with beautifully preserved reliefs that still retain remarkable detail – including the controversial helicopter, stealth fighter and plane hieroglyphs.
Dendera Temple, dedicated to Hathor, is among Egypt’s most complete temple complexes, famous for its vibrant ceiling decorations, rooftop chapels and extraordinary preservation, and the only temple in Egypt where we can still access the perfectly preserved upper floor with its myriad of rooms and mysteries still unexplained.
Many tour companies treat these temples as optional extras. I don’t. Together they provide one of the richest temple experiences in Egypt and deserve a full day.
We normally finish off a great day at Abydos and Dendera by enjoying the renowned Salahadeen Feast at Mara House
What’s Included
- You have the option of spending three nights at Mara House Luxor or we can discuss alternative accommodation options.
- Three days of private touring
- Qualified English-speaking Egyptologist guide
- Private vehicle and driver
- All standard entry tickets
- Pick-up and drop-off each day from Mara House.
Additional tombs requiring separate tickets are not included because availability changes and some are closed without notice. Please be aware that the day is timed perfectly so it is easily possible to see all the sites listed. However, spending too long in extra tombs in the Valley of the Kings may impact the timing and your guide will make you aware of this and chat with you about your preferences should you run over timing of the day.
My Approach to Touring Luxor
After more than two decades living and working in Luxor, I’ve learned that the order in which you visit these monuments matters almost as much as the monuments themselves.
I don’t design itineraries to see the greatest number of sites. I design them so that the story of ancient Thebes unfolds naturally – from the great temples where gods and kings met, to the royal tombs prepared for eternity, and finally to the extraordinary religious centres of Abydos and Dendera.
My aim is to help you leave Luxor understanding what you’ve seen, not simply remembering that you’ve been there. For years I could not piece the timelines together and so that is what I want to do for you. If you are interested I want Egypt to make sense in your head. I also believe that understanding the culture and history of the countries we visit contributes greatly to our understanding of the world we live in today.
This Luxor combo can stand alone or flow seamlessly from my 2-Day Cairo Highlights Itinerary
Tell me what you are hoping to experience in Luxor
Every journey I create starts with a conversation. Share a few details below with me (when you respond to the questions the form is private) and I will personally look over your plans. I’ll reply with ideas and suggestions, and I’ll also send you some stories from Egypt – the kind of insights that come from living here and knowing these places beyond the usual visitor route.