Valley of the Kings – Royal Necropolis of Ancient Egypt
A curated journey through the greatest royal burial ground of the ancient world, located on the west bank of the Nile opposite modern Luxor (ancient Thebes), Egypt. Home to over 65 rock-cut tombs spanning nearly 500 years of New Kingdom rule (c. 1550–1069 BC), this UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most extraordinary archaeological destinations on Earth. Locations are ordered for an efficient and rewarding visit, starting with the entry area and working deeper into the valley.
Trip Stops
- 1
The gateway to one of the world's greatest archaeological wonders. Begin your visit at the modern Visitor Centre, where a silicon scale model of the entire valley is displayed, giving you an essential overview before entering. From here, a small electric tram shuttles visitors to the tomb entrances. Fun fact: The ancient Egyptians called this site 'Ta-set-aat' ('The Great Place') and it was guarded by a dedicated police force of tomb workers called the Medjay. On a typical day, 4,000–5,000 tourists pass through – so arriving at opening time (6:00 AM) is strongly recommended to beat the crowds and the heat.
📍 Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt
- 2
Conveniently located just inside the main valley, this is one of the first tombs you encounter and a superb warm-up for your visit. The tomb runs 105 metres deep into the hillside and is decorated with vivid paintings from the Book of Caverns, the Book of the Earth, and the Book of the Dead. Fun fact: The tomb's ceiling features a stunning astronomical scene showing the sky goddess Nut stretched across the heavens swallowing and re-birthing the sun – one of the most dramatic celestial ceilings in the entire valley. Ancient Greek and Roman tourists left graffiti here in multiple languages, confirming it has been a sightseeing destination for over 2,000 years.
📍 Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt
- 3
One of the most accessible and impressive tombs included in the standard entrance ticket. Its long, wide corridor is richly decorated with colourful scenes from the Book of Caverns and the Book of the Dead, all in excellent condition. Fun fact: KV2 has been open since antiquity – ancient Greek and Roman tourists left over 800 pieces of graffiti on the walls, one of the highest counts in the whole valley. The tomb was also later repurposed as a Coptic Christian church, and a plan of it drawn by early visitors is one of the oldest known architectural drawings in existence.
📍 Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt
- 4
Widely regarded as one of the most spectacular tombs in the entire valley (requires an additional ticket). Originally built for Ramesses V, it was expanded and co-opted by his uncle Ramesses VI, whose burial effectively sealed and preserved the entrance to Tutankhamun's tomb nearby for millennia. Fun fact: The ceiling is covered with one of the most complete and spectacular astronomical charts from ancient Egypt, depicting the full 12-hour journey of the sun through the night sky. In Greco-Roman times, visitors mistakenly identified this as the tomb of the mythological Ethiopian king Memnon. The tomb is nearly 85 metres long and filled with richly coloured reliefs.
📍 Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt
- 5
The most famous tomb in the world, discovered intact by Howard Carter on 4 November 1922 after years of searching. Although relatively small for a pharaoh (Tutankhamun died aged around 18–19), it contained over 5,000 treasures including the legendary solid-gold death mask. Today, Tutankhamun's mummy still rests in the tomb inside its outermost gilded sarcophagus. Fun fact: KV62 survived plunder because it was buried under debris from the construction of a later tomb above it, remaining hidden for over 3,000 years. It requires an additional ticket but is a must-see for the burial chamber's stunning painted walls and the awe of standing where the boy-king was laid to rest.
📍 Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt
- 6
One of the largest and most elaborately decorated tombs in the valley, stretching 188 metres deep into the rock. Known historically as 'Bruce's Tomb' (after Scottish explorer James Bruce who visited in 1768) and 'The Harper's Tomb' for its famous painting of two blind harpists. Fun fact: Construction of this tomb had to be halted and its axis shifted when workers accidentally broke into the neighbouring tomb of Amenmesse (KV10) – giving the tomb its distinctive dogleg shape. Richly decorated side chambers depict rare secular subjects including the royal armoury, Aegean pottery, and Nile boats – highly unusual subjects for a royal burial.
📍 Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt
- 7
The longest tomb open on the standard entrance ticket and one of the most historically fascinating in the valley. Originally built for Queen Tausert (one of Egypt's rare female pharaohs), it was later extended and co-opted by King Setnakht. Unique features include visible stencil lines showing exactly how ancient artists laid out the wall paintings – a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into tomb construction. Fun fact: This tomb changed ownership twice: it was started for the royal favourite Bay, then taken by Queen Tausert as she became pharaoh, and finally seized by Setnakht, who doubled its length. A sarcophagus from an earlier occupant remains visible inside.
📍 Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt
- 8
Universally regarded as the finest tomb in the Valley of the Kings and arguably the most beautifully decorated ancient Egyptian monument in existence. Discovered by Giovanni Belzoni in 1817, it extends approximately 130 metres into the mountain across seven corridors and halls. The burial chamber features a stunning barrel-vaulted ceiling painted with astronomical scenes. Fun fact: KV17 was the first tomb in the entire valley to be fully decorated from entrance to burial chamber. Its alabaster sarcophagus – carved as thin as porcelain – was so breathtaking that, upon its discovery, Belzoni wept. The sarcophagus is now in the Sir John Soane's Museum in London. Requires a premium additional ticket, but visitors consistently call it the experience of a lifetime.
📍 Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt
- 9
The earliest surviving royal tomb that can currently be visited, built for the great warrior pharaoh Thutmose III (reigned c. 1479–1425 BC). Dramatically situated high up a cliff face at the far end of the valley and reached by a steep metal staircase, it rewards the climb with some of the most unique tomb art in Egypt. Fun fact: The oval cartouche-shaped burial chamber is decorated in a style deliberately imitating an ancient papyrus scroll, with stick-figure gods outlined in red and black on a cream background – unlike the elaborate coloured relief of later tombs. It contains the oldest complete version of the Amduat (the Book of What Is in the Underworld), the original ancient Egyptian guidebook to the afterlife.
📍 Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt
- 10
Just a short drive from the Valley of the Kings, this jaw-dropping temple is an essential companion to your tomb visit. Built by Egypt's most successful female pharaoh (reigned c. 1473–1458 BC), it rises in three magnificent colonnaded terraces against a sheer amphitheatre of golden cliffs. Fun fact: The temple's reliefs include the world's first recorded trade expedition, depicting Hatshepsut's famous voyage to the land of Punt (modern-day Horn of Africa) to bring back frankincense trees, ebony, gold, and living animals. Her male successor Thutmose III later had her image and name systematically chiselled off the walls – yet she is now recognised as one of the most accomplished rulers in all of Egyptian history.
📍 Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt
- 11
Two colossal 18-metre (60-foot) seated statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III that have stood guard at the entrance to his long-vanished mortuary temple for over 3,400 years. These are the perfect first or last stop on a West Bank day, located at the road leading toward the valley. Fun fact: In ancient times, one of the statues emitted a haunting musical tone every morning at sunrise – caused by temperature-induced vibrations in the cracked stone. Greek and Roman tourists flocked here for centuries to hear 'Memnon singing to his mother Aurora (Dawn)', and over 100 ancient visitors inscribed their names on the statues' legs. Emperor Septimius Severus had the crack repaired in 199 AD – and the singing stopped forever.
📍 Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt
- 12
The largest and best-preserved mortuary temple on the West Bank, built by Ramesses III (reigned c. 1184–1153 BC), the last great warrior pharaoh of ancient Egypt. Its colossal painted reliefs remain some of the most vivid in all of Egypt. Fun fact: The exterior walls record one of history's earliest major naval battles – Ramesses III's decisive victory over the mysterious 'Sea Peoples', a coalition of invaders who had already destroyed the Hittite Empire and devastated the eastern Mediterranean. Without this victory, Egyptian civilisation itself might have collapsed. The temple walls still show traces of their original brilliant colours, giving a vivid impression of what all Egyptian temples once looked like.
📍 Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt
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