Valley of the Kings

Tutankhamun Was a Minor King and His Tomb Is the Least Impressive in the Valley

That is the first thing worth knowing. KV62 survived intact because it is small and was covered by debris from later construction; Howard Carter’s 1922 discovery was the most spectacular archaeological find of the 20th century partly because the contents included everything normally missing from looted royal burials. But those famous treasures – the gold funerary mask, the shrines, the gilded furniture – are in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. What you see in the actual tomb is a small underground chamber with painted walls, a stone sarcophagus containing Tutankhamun’s mummy in a climate-controlled case, and not much else. It costs a separate 700 EGP ticket (roughly USD 14) on top of the standard entry.

The Valley of the Kings is on the west bank of the Nile at Luxor, cut into a limestone valley used for royal burials for nearly 500 years from around 1550 BCE. Over 60 tombs are known. The standard ticket (770 EGP as of late 2025 – cash is no longer accepted; bring a credit card) covers three tombs of your choice from the open rotation. Egyptian authorities rotate which tombs are accessible for conservation reasons.

The Tombs Worth Seeing

KV9 (Ramesses VI) is the right choice if you are using the standard ticket. The Book of the Gates painted across the ceiling corridors runs for 100 metres of corridor and is among the most complete decorated tomb interiors in the valley. The painted ceiling shows the sky goddess Nut swallowing the sun at dusk and giving birth to it again at dawn, repeated along the full length.

KV17 (Seti I) costs significantly more – around 1,000 EGP extra – and is the deepest, longest, and most elaborately painted tomb in the valley at 120 metres. The paintings retain real colour and show the full Book of the Gates, Book of the Dead, and Amduat across multiple decorated chambers. This is the premium experience and is justified for serious visitors.

KV11 (Ramesses III) is included in the standard ticket and is genuinely large, with unusual painted side chambers showing foreign captives and royal storerooms that do not appear in other tombs.

Ticketing and Photography

You will need a credit card. Cash is no longer accepted at the site. Photography inside the tombs requires a separate camera permit. Decide in advance whether you want it – policing is inconsistent, but the permit exists.

Getting There

The Valley is on the west bank, opposite Luxor. Options are: taxi negotiated for a half-day rate (roughly 300 to 400 EGP), bicycle if you are comfortable with the Nile crossing and a 5-kilometre ride on the west bank, or an organised group tour. The electric tram inside the valley runs from the entrance to the main tomb cluster; take it in and walk back if you want to see the smaller outlying tombs.

Timing and Logistics

October through early April is the sensible window. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 40 degrees Celsius and the tombs warm significantly from the crowds passing through them. Arrive when the site opens at 6am. By 10am it gets uncomfortable in every sense. Bring water and sun protection; there is no shade between the entrance and the main tombs.

Sofra Restaurant on Mohamed Farid Street in Luxor is the reliable recommendation for Egyptian food: ful medames, kofta, fresh bread. Avoid eating at the valley itself.

The Winter Palace hotel on the Corniche el Nil was where Howard Carter had his base during the KV62 excavation seasons. The terrace bar with its Nile views has been serving drinks since 1907.