Luxor tour to the Necropolis of Thebes, Valley of the Kings, Karnak temple
December 27th, 2009

Tour in and around Luxor, to both east and west shores of Nile river. The day starts with a visit to the Valley of the Kings and the Necropolis of Thebes, before continuing to the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, to the Colossi of Memnon, to Karnak and Luxor temples.

Hatshepsut Queen temple Hatshepsut Queen temple
Hatshepsut Queen temple Hatshepsut Queen temple
Hatshepsut Queen temple Pictures of Hatshepsut temple. This tour to Luxor starts with a visit of Queen Hatshepsut temple, from the XVIII dynasty (1495 - 1475 b.c.). The pictures show the temple from outisde, the atrium and several paintings still having excellent colours.

 

Colossi of Memnon Colosses of Memnon
The Luxor tour continues with a visit to the Memnon colossus, enormous statues probably placed in front of a now disappeared temple. The statues are damaged because of an earthquake happened several centuries ago in Egypt.

 

Sphynx avenue Sphynx avenue
Sphynx avenue Sphynx pictures. Outside the Luxor temple there is a Sphynx avenue, about three kilometers long with 800 Sphynxes, connecting with the Karnak temple. Unfortunately most of the Sphynx avenue is currently buried under Luxor city, but there is a project to bring it out again.

 

Luxor temple
The facade of Luxor temple, unfortunately very damaged.

 

Luxor temple - columns Luxor temple - columns
Luxor temple - columns Luxor temple - columns
Pictures of Luxor temple. The first atrium with the beautiful columns.

 

Luxor temple - columns Ancient mosque
Above the ruins of Luxor temple, a mosque was built about 900 years a.c.



 

This relif, unfortunately very damaged, shows the facade of Luxor temple, as it was originally.

 

Ramesses II statue Luxor temple

The enormous statues of Ramesses II.

 

 

 

Luxor temple - Egypt Luxor temple - Egypt
Other Luxor temple pictures. The innermost parts of the temple were built by pharaon Amenhotep III (1390 - 1352 a.c.) and finished later by Tutankhamon.

 

 

Paintings in the innermost rooms of Luxor temple. They were probably made by romans during their Egypt domination.

 

Karnak temple plastic model
Karnak temple is enormous and people can have an idea by looking at this plastic miniature map.

 

Karnak Access to Karnak temple is granted thru an avenue having sphynxes on both sides.
Karnak

 

 

Karnak temple Karnak temple
Karnak temple - columns Karnak temple - columns
Karnak temple pictures. The most beautiful features of Karnak temple are the columns of the first atrium. There are in total 134 columns, started by king Seti I (1313 - 1292 a.c.) and completed by his son Ramesses II.

 

Karnak temple - columns

 

Pictures of Karnak temple, between the incredible columns.

 

 

Karnak temple - column Karnak temple - columns
The top of a column may be closed (left picture) meaning that there was a roof on top, or may be open (above picture) meaning that no roof was above the column. The columns represent a papyrus with a flower.

 

Karnak temple Karnak temple
Karnak temple Karnak temple
More Karnak pictures.

 

Karnak temple - Egypt Karnak temple - Egypt
Walking into Karnak temple, between huge columns, statues and granite Obelisk.

 

Karnak temple - Egypt
Geoglyphic text
Other Karnak temple pictures and pictures of geoglyphs.

 

Karnak temple sanctuary Karnak temple sanctuary
I finally reach the sacred room, with an altar inside.

 

The entire sanctuary is made by pink granite, having relifs on top.

 

TOUR TO VALLEY OF THE KINGS AND NECROPOLIS OF THEBES.

With this Luxor tour, a guided excursion to the Valley of the Kings and Necropolis of Thebes was included, but there are no pictures because it's strictly forbidden to take pictures inside and outside the tombs. You are required to leave your camera in the bus or in the car outside the archaeological site, before passing the ticketing office.

The excuse for no picture policy is because the flash may damage the paitings inside the tombs. But, frankly, I'm much more afraided that the paintings will be damaged, and probably destroyed in a few years, just because of too many people going there. People brings humidity inside the tombs, by either breathing and by traspiration. And there is lot of people. To visit some tomb, the line may be up to half an hour long. There are thousands of people going in and out the tombs, every day of the year. In addition, reflected sun lights enter the tombs. So the actual reason for no picture policy is just because they want to sell you stupid souvenirs all the way from the tombs to the parking outside the site and probably because they think that if there no pictures around, people is more willing to go there to spend their vacations. The business is destroying this place unique in the world, and this is very sad.

Thence, if you are not happy to leave your camera back and if you don't like crowded small places, but, above of all, if you want to contribute by keeping this place "as is", I recommend to get a good book or a DVD and skip the visit here.

Keywords: Valley of the Kings pictures, Necropolis of Thebes pictures, Valley of Kings pictures, Thebes Necropolis pictures.

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