Luxor

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Luxor Travel Essentials

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Ideal duration: 2 days

Best Time: December to February Read More

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"World's Greatest Open Air Museum"

Luxor Tourism

Luxor is famously known as the world's greatest open-air museum. Located in Southern Egypt, on the east bank of the River Nile. Luxor is a beautiful city. It has some of the world's most famous temples and tombs, a sprawling desert and the famous Western Valley Ruins.

Known throughout history as Thebes, Luxor was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Egypt. The city is divided into two districts by River Nile. The East Bank is where the main Luxor Town is situated, along with four main sites - Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Luxor Museum and Mummification Museum. The West Bank of Luxor houses the famous tombs, mortuary temples and the Necropolis.

Must Know Before You Travel to Luxor

  • Luxor Pass: A single ticket including all archaeological sites on the East and West Bank. East Pass includes all sites on both banks except Tombs of Seti I and Nefertari. The Premium Luxor Pass includes all sites on both the banks
  • Luxor Pass Cost: Standard Luxor Pass: EUR 90 for adults, EUR 45 for students
    Premium Luxor Pass: EUR 180 for adults, EUR 90 for students.

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Currency in Luxor

The currency of Luxor is the Egyptian pound (LE). There are 100 piastres in one Egyptian pound. Notes in circulation are 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 Egyptian pounds. Old and torn notes tend to be given out by shopkeepers, but do not accept them as they will not be taken by anybody else in the city.

Shopping in Luxor

Luxor is famous for its Old Market, or the Souk. Located on Abd-El-Hameed Taha, this Souk sees tourists as well as locals, bustling around as they look for a good deal. The Souk is also divided into two parts _ one for the tourists and one for the locals. It is safer to steer clear of the locals section, as hassling takes place on a large scale there. Clothes, leather bags, jewellery, spices and more can be found for purchase at the Souk. Bargaining is almost like a game but it is important to remember to be firm with your price.

Nightlife in Luxor

Luxor is not very well-known for its nightlife. For one, this place is generally visited for its architecture and history. Secondly, pubs and taverns are frequented by locals who are not the friendliest towards foreigners. Some restaurants do sell alcohol, so it is safer to enjoy a drink or two in the safety of such an environment. It must also be noted that getting drunk in Luxor is not appreciated.

History of Luxor

Luxor was then the ancient city of Thebes. Back during the 11th Dynasty, Luxor began to thrive. Luxury, an elevated social standing, art and wisdom were what made this city flourish. This period of affluence also saw the arrival of people like the Mitanni, the Babylonians, the Minoans, etc. The grandeur of Luxor began to fall with the invasion by Emperor Assurbanipal, who saw to it that the Libyan prince ascended the throne. Thebes turned into ruins. With time, the city became a spiritual area of visit. Monasteries and temples began to be built to add to the religious aura.

Exchanging Money in Luxor

Avoid paying commission by exchanging your money in Egypt. You can exchange cash at the visa offices in the airport. ATM machines are also available at the airport. There are also several ATMs here. Hotel lobbies,like the Jolie Ville, the Sonesta St George, Sofitel Karnak, the Lotus and the Eatabe also have ATMs in their lobbies. You can even exchange currency at banks, most of which have ATMs right outside. Credit cards are accepted, but not by all hotels and/or cruises.

Best Time to Visit Luxor

How to Reach Luxor

How to Reach Overview

You can get in to Luxor by train, plane, bus and boat services.

How to reach Luxor by flight

Luxor International Airport sees a lot of flights (domestic plus international) coming in, including European and Middle Eastern lines. From the airport, you can take a bus if it has been organized by the hotel or a taxi.

How to reach Luxor by road

You can rent a car or a metered taxi that will drive you into Luxor.

How to reach Luxor by train

There are 4 ways in which you can travel by train between Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. One is an overnight AC express train (22:00 or later), the other is a daytime AC express train that serves drinks and snacks, the third is an overnight deluxe sleeper train, which is faster and saves you time (includes breakfast and an evening meal) and finally, slow trains.

How to reach Luxor by bus

Buses leave from the area behind Luxor Temple, to some cities. You can travel from Aswan to Cairo and Luxor. There is also a bus to Sharm which pulls off by 5:00.

How to reach Luxor by waterways

Boats are available between Luxor and Aswan, as well as Lake Nasser to Abu Simbel. The felucca Nile cruise is also very popular and makes for a beautiful ride into the city.

Local transport in Luxor

Getting around Luxor is a real breeze. Several people walk around the city on foot. However, many more rent bicycles and/or motorbikes. You can rent bikes from shops. However, check with your hotel before doing so, as they may rent bikes themselves. Motorbikes can be rented out at LE 50 or so per hour. However, if you have good bargaining skills, you can hire one for an even lower cost. There are also taxis in Luxor. However, note that they arenêt metered and a firm price has to be set beforehand. You can also hop into one of the many minibuses. Boats can be taken to travel from the West Bank to the East Bank and vice versa. Alternately, you could even opt for a caleche, which is a horse-drawn carriage, to take you around, for about LE 20 or less, an hour.

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Luxor, Egypt

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FAQs on Luxor

What is the local food in Luxor?

It is said that the food of Luxor tastes absolutely delicious. Traditionally, they begin their meals with a plate of pita bread and mezze, which could be taboule or baba ganoush. They use the meat of rabbits and pigeons in their preparations, so know what youêre going for while ordering a non-vegetarian meal. Cheese and other dairy products are used abundantly in their preparations.
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What are the places near Luxor?

The top places near to Luxor are Cairo which is 503 km from Luxor, Jerusalem which is located 721 km from Luxor, London which is located 3983 km from Luxor, Dubai which is located 2270 km from Luxor, New york city which is located 9455 km from Luxor

What are the top hotels in Luxor?

There are 241 in Luxor which can be booked through Holidify. The most popular hotels in Luxor are Kareem Hotel Luxor, Habu Dome Villla, Fayrouz Apartmernts, Amon Apartments, Hagag Appartement et ses terrasses, Horus Apartments Luxor. You can see all the hotels in Luxor here

What is the best way to reach Luxor?

You can get in to Luxor by train, plane, bus and boat services.
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What is the best time to visit Luxor?

The temperature during this time is most favourable for travelling, ranging between 23 and 26 degrees Celsius. Summer months are almost impossibly rough on tourists, so it is always better to visit during December to February, as it is cooler and you will be able to make the most of your trip.
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