Luxor in 2 Days on a Budget (With Daily Costs)
Two banks, two days, one ticket strategy
Two days covers Luxor’s essential sights on both banks without rushing: Karnak and Luxor Temple on Day 1, the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut’s Temple on Day 2. Add the secondary sites at a slower pace with the 5-day or 7-day version of this same plan.
Book these before you go
- Check East Bank hotel rates on Booking.com , especially December to February, when rooms run tightest and priciest.
- Book a Valley of the Kings tour on GetYourGuide for context a bare ticket will not give you.
- Arrange a sunset felucca sail on Viator and fix the total price and duration before you board.
| Day | Focus | Rough cost (tickets, food, transport) |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Karnak Temple, Luxor Museum optional, Luxor Temple by night | EGP 1,600 to 1,900 (~$32 to $38) |
| Day 2 | Ferry to the West Bank, Valley of the Kings, Colossi of Memnon, Hatshepsut’s Temple | EGP 1,600 to 2,000 (~$32 to $40) |
Day 1: East Bank, Karnak and Luxor Temple by night
Morning. Karnak Temple (EGP 600 foreign adult, card only) opens around 6am; arrive at opening to beat both the heat and the tour buses working through the Hypostyle Hall. Walk the full axis to the Sacred Lake and do not skip the Open-Air Museum, included in the same ticket.
Lunch. A street stall bowl of koshari runs EGP 30 to 80. A sit-down restaurant a few blocks off the corniche runs EGP 150 to 350.
Afternoon. Use the heat of the day for the Luxor Museum (EGP 400) if you want an air-conditioned break, or rest at your hotel.
Evening. Luxor Temple (EGP 500) stays open past 7pm and is genuinely better lit after dark than in daylight. Walk the corniche back to your hotel afterward; it costs nothing.
Should you buy the Luxor Pass for just two days?
No. The $130 Standard Pass only pays off across a multi-day, multi-site stay. Two days of Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings general ticket, and Hatshepsut’s Temple totals roughly EGP 2,290 (about $46) bought separately, already well under the Pass price. Cross-check current entry fees on egymonuments.com before you buy anything.
Day 2: West Bank, Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut
Morning. Cross on the baladi ferry (EGP 5 to 10, foreigners) rather than a private motorboat, then rent a bike (EGP 10 to 20) or hire a taxi for the half day (EGP 300 to 600, negotiated). The general Valley of the Kings ticket (EGP 750, confirm current tiers on valleyofthekingsegypt.org ) covers about three tombs from the day’s rotating pool, not Tutankhamun or Seti I.
Midday. Stop at the Colossi of Memnon on the way past; it is free, roadside, no ticket needed.
Afternoon. Hatshepsut’s Temple (EGP 440) closes the day. If time and energy allow, add Medinet Habu (EGP 200).
Is Tutankhamun’s tomb worth the extra EGP 700?
For most first-time visitors, no. The general ticket already includes three tombs, and Tutankhamun’s chamber is small and often crowded relative to the cost. It is worth the add-on if seeing that specific tomb matters more to you than seeing more tombs overall; otherwise put the EGP 700 toward Day 2’s guide fee instead. Verify current tomb add-on pricing before you decide, since these figures shift.
Lunch and evening. A local West Bank eatery near the ferry landing beats anything priced for tour buses. Head back across the Nile before the evening heat settles in, or stay for a felucca sail as the sun drops.
Bring both a card and small EGP notes: the ticket gates take card only, the ferry and baksheesh do not.