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Luxor Temple colonnade lit at dusk beside the Nile
Itinerary · 9 min read

48 Hours in Luxor: An Hour-by-Hour Plan

This itinerary settles the split between the two banks: Karnak and Luxor Temple on day one, the West Bank tombs and temples on day two, with the river crossings built into the timing.

Start with day one→ Book these first
East Bank: city, station, restaurants, Luxor and Karnak temples. West Bank: Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Medinet Habu, the Colossi.
How the Nile splits Luxor
Public ferry through the day, private boat on demand, and a road bridge south of the city
Three ways across the river
Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple at Deir el-Bahari, Medinet Habu, Colossi of Memnon, Tombs of the Nobles, Deir El Medina
Main West Bank sites
Karnak Temple Complex, Luxor Temple, Luxor Museum, Mummification Museum, Avenue of Sphinxes, Luxor Souq
Main East Bank sites

Book these before you arrive

Three things are worth sorting in advance. Everything else in Luxor can be arranged the night before, or on the day.

Work out which sites open when Opening hours shift with the season and with restoration work, so check the ticket office or your hotel for your date rather than relying on a general guide. A site that opens late or closes early can reshape the whole day. →
Decide how you will cross the river The public ferry runs through the day, private boats wait at the landing, and the bridge is south of the city. Knowing which you intend to use changes where you start and how much slack the day needs. →
Pick a base on one bank Most hotels and restaurants cluster on the East Bank, which keeps evenings simple. Staying on the West Bank puts you closer to the tombs for an early start but adds a crossing to any city meal. →
Check the heat and the light Midday sun on the West Bank is the part of the day most likely to wear you down, so the plan pushes the exposed sites into the morning. Afternoon shade and indoor stops are placed where they help most. →
What the entry tickets costThe Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities lists foreign adult / student prices of EGP 600 / 300 for Karnak and EGP 750 / 375 for the Valley of the Kings (checked 23 October 2026), and adult prices of EGP 500 for Luxor Temple, EGP 230 for Medinet Habu and EGP 220 for the separate Ramesses V/VI tomb ticket (checked 22 October 2026). Ticket offices at the main Luxor sites take bank cards rather than cash, according to a Ministry official quoted in January 2024, so carry a card that works abroad. We have not verified taxi, boat or meal prices: agree transport fares before you set off.

The two days, hour by hour

Day one on the East Bank: Karnak at opening, Luxor Temple, the museum through the heat and the temple lit after dark. Day two on the West Bank: the tombs and temples early, before the midday heat.

Day one · East Bank

06:20 Karnak at opening Arriving as the gates open gives you the hypostyle hall before the coach groups build up and before the stone starts radiating heat. Start at Karnak Temple Complex and work from the outer courts inward.
08:40 Walk the Avenue of Sphinxes The restored avenue links Karnak to Luxor Temple, and walking part of it makes the connection between the two temples concrete rather than abstract. If the full length is too much in the heat, take a short stretch and rejoin the road.
10:00 Luxor Temple Luxor Temple sits inside the city, so it is easy to reach and quick to enter. The colonnades and the reliefs reward a slower pass than the morning crowds usually allow.
12:00 Lunch and a long pause This is the hottest stretch, so treat it as a real break rather than a quick stop. East Bank restaurants around Luxor City Center and Al-Sahaby Lane and Aboudi give you somewhere to sit out the peak.
14:30 Luxor Museum The museum is air-conditioned and small enough to see properly in about two hours, which makes it the right shape for the afternoon. It also puts the temple and tomb material you have already seen into a clearer sequence.
17:00 Corniche al-Nil walk The corniche runs along the East Bank waterfront and is the easiest place to watch the river change colour toward evening. It is a walk rather than a site, so you can make it as short or long as energy allows.
19:00 Dinner on the East Bank Sofra Restaurant and the cluster around Al-Sahaby Lane and Aboudi are the standard East Bank choices for a first evening. Booking ahead helps if you want a specific table at a specific time.
21:00 Luxor Temple after dark The temple is lit at night and the site is quieter than in the morning. Check the evening closing time for your date before you build the day around it.

Day two · West Bank

06:00 Cross to the West Bank Take the public ferry from the East Bank, or a car over the road bridge about 8 km south of Luxor Temple. Settle with your hotel the evening before which one you will use, and agree any driver's fare in advance.
06:30 Valley of the Kings The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities lists the valley as open from 06:00 to 17:00. Arriving early gets you into the tombs before the groups and the heat build. Ask at the ticket office which tombs your ticket covers that day.
09:30 Hatshepsut Temple at Deir el-Bahari The terraced temple sits under the cliffs with little shade, so it belongs in the morning. The Ministry lists it as open from 06:00 to 17:00.
11:00 Medinet Habu The temple of Ramesses III is usually quieter than the valley, and its deeply carved reliefs reward a slow walk round.
12:15 Colossi of Memnon The two seated statues stand beside the main road, so this is a short stop on the way back towards the river.
13:00 Lunch and a long pause Sit out the hottest hours, either on the West Bank or back across the river.
16:00 Tombs of the Nobles or Deir el-Medina If you still have energy, one of these quieter painted tomb sites fills the late afternoon. Check the closing time for your date before you go.
18:00 Back across the river Return to the East Bank for the evening. If you are not using a car, ask your hotel what time the last public ferry leaves on your date.

If your two days look different

If you have only one full day Compress the plan to Karnak at opening, Luxor Temple mid-morning, then a single West Bank afternoon covering the Valley of the Kings and Medinet Habu. You lose depth but keep the two halves of Luxor in one day.
If you are travelling with children Drop the longest tomb interior and add the Mummification Museum on the East Bank, which is short and visual. Keep the West Bank morning but plan an unhurried afternoon.
If you want a slower pace Spend day one entirely on the East Bank and day two entirely on the West Bank, with a single crossing each way. This removes the back-and-forth and gives each bank a full day.

What we would drop first

Two days is enough only if you are willing to leave things out. In the order we would cut them:

  1. The Avenue of Sphinxes walk: You lose the physical link between the two temples, but you keep both temple visits.
  2. The Colossi of Memnon stop: You lose a quick roadside view, which matters least if the day is already full.
  3. The Luxor Museum: You lose the clearest explanation of what you have been looking at, at the cost of an easier afternoon.
  4. The second West Bank tomb site: You lose either Deir El Medina or the Tombs of the Nobles, and with it the quieter, more painted end of the West Bank.

Questions

Which bank should I stay on for a 48-hour trip?+

Most hotels, restaurants and the railway station are on the East Bank, which makes evenings and arrivals simpler. The West Bank puts you closer to the tombs for an early start. With only two days, the East Bank usually saves more time than it costs.

Where to Stay in Luxor →

How do I get between the two banks?+

There is a public ferry that runs during the day, private boats that leave on demand, and a road bridge south of the city. Which one suits you depends on your schedule and where you are staying. Check current operating times for your date, since they change seasonally.

Getting Around Luxor →

When should I start the West Bank day?+

As early as you can manage, because the Valley of the Kings fills quickly and the tombs hold heat later in the day. The first ferry or an early private boat puts you ahead of the coach groups. Check the site opening time for your date before you plan the crossing.

Valley of the Kings →

Is 48 hours enough to see Karnak and the West Bank?+

Yes, if you accept that you are seeing the main sites rather than all of them. Day one covers Karnak and Luxor Temple; day two covers the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut and one more West Bank site. Anything beyond that needs a third day.

One Week in Luxor →

What should I know about opening hours?+

Hours change seasonally and individual tombs and sites close for restoration without much notice. Check the ticket office or your hotel for your date rather than relying on a general guide. Build a little slack into each day so a closure does not break the plan.

When to Visit Luxor →

Guides that pair with this one

All guides →

Two days works. Book the right side of the river.

East Bank, walking distance from the temples and the ferry landing.

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