A day trip spends 8 to 10 hours on the road for about 5 hours in Luxor. A two-day tour adds a hotel night and splits the drive.
The short answer
A day trip is enough if you want Karnak, three tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut and can face a 14 to 16-hour day, with pickup between about 3:30 and 6:00. Choose two days if you also want the Luxor Temple, Medinet Habu or a balloon flight at sunrise, or a slower pace.
The two-day tours here run by private car or in groups of up to 9 people, with a night in a 3-star or 4-star hotel. Check the tickets: the Nice Tours balloon tours do not include entry fees.
Pick a day, or the first and last day of your stay on the Red Sea coast. We check the booking calendar of every Luxor tour from Hurghada and show which ones still take bookings.
Tutankhamun's tomb: Optional extra
Tutankhamun's tomb: Included
Tutankhamun's tomb: Optional extra
Tutankhamun's tomb: Not included
Duration: 48 h
Duration: 48 h
Tutankhamun's tomb: Not included, no Valley of the Kings
Luxor lies about 290 km from Hurghada, and every tour on this page goes by road. On a day trip that means two drives of 4 to 5 hours on the same day. The two-day tours do the same road once each day and use the time in between for the sites a day trip leaves out. Check the table, then pick the situation closest to yours below it.
Sorted by number of reviews. Tap a column header to re-sort.
| Photo | Tour | Format | Night in Luxor | Beyond the day trip | Vehicle and group | Tutankhamun's tomb | Entry tickets | Pickup | Reviews ↕ | Price ↕ | Book |
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Luxor day trip, small group and Tutankhamun's tomb Ranco Travel Egypt Hurghada | Day trip, 14 h | No, back the same night | Boat across the Nile | Van, small group | Optional extra | Included | Hurghada and nearby resorts | ★ 4.8 (8,939) | €85 per person | Book now |
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Luxor tour with the Valley of the Kings and Tutankhamun Ranco Travel Egypt Hurghada | Day trip | No, back the same night | About 2.5 hours at Karnak, no Hatshepsut | Van, up to 12 | Included | Included | Around 6:00, Hurghada and nearby resorts | ★ 4.9 (3,039) | €83 per person | Book now |
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Valley of the Kings and Tutankhamun's tomb trip FTS Travelss | Day trip | No, return with the group | Ramses V and VI as an alternative extra | Small group, up to 12 | Optional extra | Included | 3:30 to 5:30, Hurghada | ★ 4.9 (2,046) | €68 per person | Book now |
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2-day Luxor tour with hotel, balloon and boat ride Nice Tours | 2 days | 4-star hotel, breakfast and dinner | Balloon, felucca, camel ride, Luxor Temple | Private car | Not included | Not included | 5:00, Hurghada | ★ 4.5 (1,222) | €242 per person | Book now |
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2-day Luxor highlights, hot-air balloon and hotel Nice Tours | 2 days, East Bank only | 3-star hotel, breakfast and dinner | Balloon, Luxor Temple, Avenue of Sphinxes | Private car | Not included, no Valley of the Kings | Not included | About 13:00, Hurghada | ★ 4.3 (124) | €193 per person | Book now |
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2-day Luxor tour with the Valley of the Kings Ranco Travel Egypt Hurghada | 2 days | 4-star hotel, breakfast | Free evening, Luxor Temple listed | Small group, up to 9 | Not stated | Not stated | Hurghada | ★ 4.8 (47) | €260 per person | Book now |
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2 days in Luxor with the Valley of the Kings and Medinet Habu Ranco Travel Egypt Hurghada | 2 days | 4-star hotel, breakfast only | Medinet Habu | Car, up to 9 | Not stated | Not stated | Hurghada | ★ 4.8 (20) | €233 per person | Book now |
Prices and ratings come live from GetYourGuide; on many Luxor tours the lowest price shown is the option without entry tickets or without Tutankhamun's tomb.
One tour for each situation. All tours on this page follow further down.
A day trip covers Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. Ranco Travel's small-group tour lists 14 hours with about 4.5 hours in the van each way, lunch in Luxor and a short boat crossing of the Nile. Tutankhamun's tomb is an extra; the operator can also drop you in Luxor if you want to stay on.
This day trip by Ranco Travel lists the ticket for Tutankhamun's tomb as included, in groups of up to 12. Pickup is at around 6:00, which is late for a Luxor day trip, and it has the longest time at Karnak of the day trips here, about 2.5 hours. The Temple of Hatshepsut is not on its programme.
Ranco Travel's two-day tour takes up to 9 people. Karnak on the first day, a night in a 4-star hotel with breakfast, then the Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut on the second day, with lunch on both days. The evening is free.
Nice Tours picks you up at 5:00 and drives you to Luxor by private car. Day one has the Luxor Temple, Karnak, a felucca at sunset and dinner; day two starts with the balloon, then the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, the Colossi and a camel ride. Entry fees are not included, and children under 6 cannot fly in the balloon.
Open a card for the stops, pickup areas, what the base option leaves out and the cancellation terms, as the listing gives them.
Van, about 4.5 hours each way. Hatshepsut, the Valley of the Kings, lunch, a boat across the Nile and Karnak; Tutankhamun's tomb as an option.
A small-group day trip by van, about 4.5 hours each way with two stops. In Luxor the listing gives 30 minutes at the Colossi of Memnon, 50 minutes at the Temple of Hatshepsut, two hours in the Valley of the Kings with free time, lunch in a restaurant, a 15-minute boat crossing of the Nile and two hours at Karnak. A 30-minute stop at an alabaster shop is part of the day.
Tutankhamun's tomb is an option at an extra fee, as is the tomb of Ramses V and VI. If you want to stay in Luxor, the operator can drop you there instead of driving you back, for a luggage fee.
Hotel pickup in Hurghada, El Gouna, Safaga, Makadi, Soma Bay and Sahl Hasheesh. The operator contacts you at about 13:00 the day before with the pickup time.
Taken from the tour listing on GetYourGuide, checked on 2 November 2026. Entry tickets, Tutankhamun's tomb and pickup outside Hurghada often depend on the option you choose, so read the option before you pay.
Groups of up to 12, pickup around 6:00. Tutankhamun's tomb and three more tombs listed as included, about 2.5 hours at Karnak; no Temple of Hatshepsut.
A day trip by van for up to 12 people, with entry to Tutankhamun's tomb listed as included. The itinerary gives about 4 hours on the road, two hours in the Valley of the Kings with three tombs plus Tutankhamun, 30 minutes at the Colossi of Memnon, lunch in Luxor, a 30-minute stop at an alabaster factory and 2.5 hours at Karnak. The Luxor Temple is a photo stop from outside. The Temple of Hatshepsut is not on the programme.
The listing and the description give the stops in a different order, so expect the guide to decide on the day. A boat trip on the Nile costs extra.
Hotel pickup in Hurghada, Makadi, Sahl Hasheesh, El Gouna, Soma Bay and Safaga at about 6:00. The operator confirms the time at about 13:00 the day before.
Taken from the tour listing on GetYourGuide, checked on 2 November 2026. Entry tickets, Tutankhamun's tomb and pickup outside Hurghada often depend on the option you choose, so read the option before you pay.
Small group of up to 12, pickup 3:30 to 5:30. Three standard tombs included; Tutankhamun or Ramses V and VI cost extra.
A small-group day trip for up to 12 people. The drive out takes about 4.5 hours with a 30-minute rest stop, the drive back about 5 hours. In Luxor: Karnak for about an hour, lunch with free time, the Colossi of Memnon, an hour and a half in the Valley of the Kings with three standard tombs, a 30-minute stop at an alabaster factory and an hour and a half at the Temple of Hatshepsut.
Despite the title, Tutankhamun's tomb is an option at an extra fee; so is the tomb of Ramses V and VI and a boat across the Nile (otherwise you cross by bus). You must return with the group; staying in Luxor is not possible on this tour.
Hotel pickup in Hurghada between 3:30 and 5:30. Makadi, Sahl Hasheesh, El Gouna, Soma Bay and Safaga for a supplement; Magic Life Kalawy and Coral Sun are outside the pickup zone.
Taken from the tour listing on GetYourGuide, checked on 2 November 2026. Entry tickets, Tutankhamun's tomb and pickup outside Hurghada often depend on the option you choose, so read the option before you pay.
Private car from 5:00, 4-star hotel, felucca at sunset, sunrise balloon, both banks. Entry fees not included.
Two days by private car with a driver and a guide. Day one: pickup at 5:00, about 4 hours to Luxor, lunch, the Luxor Temple and Karnak, check-in at a 4-star hotel, a felucca on the Nile at sunset and dinner. Day two: an early start for a hot-air balloon flight at sunrise, then the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut, a photo stop at the Colossi of Memnon, a camel ride through the villages, lunch and the drive back to Hurghada.
The entry fees for the temples and the Valley of the Kings are not included.
Pickup at your accommodation in Hurghada at 5:00 on day one. The operator contacts you by WhatsApp or email the day before.
Taken from the tour listing on GetYourGuide, checked on 2 November 2026. Entry tickets, Tutankhamun's tomb and pickup outside Hurghada often depend on the option you choose, so read the option before you pay.
Up to 9 people. Karnak on day one, a 4-star hotel, the West Bank on day two; lunch both days, no balloon.
Two days in a small group of up to 9 with an Egyptologist guide. Day one: pickup in Hurghada, the drive to Luxor, Karnak, a buffet lunch and a night in a 4-star hotel with breakfast; the evening is free. Day two: the Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, a buffet lunch and the drive back.
The list of inclusions also names the Luxor Temple, which is not in the itinerary. It describes the sites as visits and does not say whether the entry tickets are included. The sound and light show at Karnak, a balloon flight and a felucca to Banana Island cost extra.
Hotel pickup in Hurghada. The listing gives no time.
Taken from the tour listing on GetYourGuide, checked on 2 November 2026. Entry tickets, Tutankhamun's tomb and pickup outside Hurghada often depend on the option you choose, so read the option before you pay.
Up to 9 people. Karnak and Medinet Habu on day one, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut and the Colossi on day two.
Two days by air-conditioned car in a group of up to 9. Day one: pickup in Hurghada, the drive to Luxor, Karnak, a buffet lunch, Medinet Habu (the temple of Ramesses III) and a night in a 4-star hotel with breakfast only. Day two: the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon, a buffet lunch and the drive back to Hurghada.
The list of inclusions describes the sites as visits and does not say whether the entry tickets are included. The description names tombs such as those of Ramses II and Tutankhamun but does not say that a ticket for Tutankhamun's tomb is included. The sound and light show at Karnak is optional and costs extra.
Hotel pickup in Hurghada. The listing gives no time.
Taken from the tour listing on GetYourGuide, checked on 2 November 2026. Entry tickets, Tutankhamun's tomb and pickup outside Hurghada often depend on the option you choose, so read the option before you pay.
Leaves at about 13:00 by private car. Luxor Temple in the evening, 3-star hotel, balloon and Karnak on day two; no West Bank, no entry tickets.
Two days by private air-conditioned vehicle, starting in the afternoon. Day one: pickup in Hurghada at about 13:00, the drive to Luxor, the Luxor Temple and the Avenue of Sphinxes, dinner and check-in at a 3-star hotel at about 21:00. Day two: a hot-air balloon flight at sunrise, breakfast, check-out at about 10:00, Karnak, lunch and the drive back to Hurghada in the evening.
The tour stays on the East Bank: the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut are not part of it, despite the word highlights in the title. Entry tickets are not included.
Hotel pickup in Hurghada at about 13:00 on day one.
Taken from the tour listing on GetYourGuide, checked on 2 November 2026. Entry tickets, Tutankhamun's tomb and pickup outside Hurghada often depend on the option you choose, so read the option before you pay.
Vehicle and group size, pickup time, the length of the whole trip, shopping stops and the hotel of the two-day tours, as the listings give them. "Not stated" means the listing does not say.
| Tour | Vehicle and group | Pickup time | Whole trip | Shopping stop | Night in Luxor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luxor day trip from Hurghada, small group and Tutankhamun's tomb | Van, small group | Sent the day before | 14–24 h | Alabaster workshop, 30 min | No, day trip |
| Luxor tour with the Valley of the Kings and Tutankhamun | Small group, up to 12 | Around 6:00 | 1 day | Alabaster workshop, 30 min | No, day trip |
| Luxor, Valley of the Kings and Tutankhamun's tomb trip from Hurghada | Small group, up to 12 | 3:30 to 5:30 | 1 day | Alabaster workshop, 30 min | No, day trip |
| 2-day Luxor tour from Hurghada with hotel, balloon and boat ride | Private car | 5:00 | 2 days | Not stated | 4-star, breakfast and dinner |
| 2-day Luxor tour from Hurghada with the Valley of the Kings | Up to 9 people | Not stated | 2 days | Not stated | 4-star, breakfast |
| 2 days in Luxor from Hurghada with the Valley of the Kings and Medinet Habu | Up to 9 people | Not stated | 2 days | Not stated | 4-star, breakfast |
| 2-day Luxor highlights, hot-air balloon and hotel from Hurghada | Private car | About 13:00 | 2 days | Not stated | 3-star, breakfast and dinner |
From the GetYourGuide listings, checked on 2 November 2026. The length of the whole trip is the operator's figure.
The listings give 4 to 5 hours in the vehicle each way, with a rest stop of 15 to 30 minutes. In Luxor the time goes roughly like this: Karnak for one to two and a half hours, the Valley of the Kings for one to two hours with three tombs on the standard ticket, the Temple of Hatshepsut for 45 minutes to an hour and a half, a short stop at the Colossi of Memnon and an hour for lunch. Several day trips also stop for about 30 minutes at an alabaster workshop. The Luxor Temple is usually only a photo stop from outside.
That is the core of ancient Thebes. Reviewers on one of the small-group tours often call the day long but worth it; reviews on other tours mention the pace at the sites and the drive. Two listings advise bringing a pillow, and FTS Travelss suggests asking your hotel for a breakfast box the night before. Ranco Travel can drop you in Luxor at the end of its small-group day trip if you want to stay on, and one Nice Tours day trip sells a one-way option; the FTS Travelss tours require you to return with the group.
With a night in Luxor, the two-day tours reach sites a day trip skips. The Luxor Temple is on the programme of both Nice Tours tours, one of them with a walk along the Avenue of Sphinxes in the evening, and is listed on one Ranco Travel tour. One Ranco Travel tour adds Medinet Habu, the temple of Ramesses III on the West Bank. The balloon tours add a felucca on the Nile at sunset or a camel ride. On the Ranco Travel tours the evening is free, and the sound and light show at Karnak can be booked as an extra.
The drive does not get shorter, but it is split: Ranco Travel's tour without Medinet Habu does Karnak on the first day and the West Bank on the second, so you are not in the van before and after a full day of temples. The Nice Tours tour that leaves at about 13:00 stays on the East Bank and skips the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut altogether, which suits you only if you have seen them or care mainly about the balloon.
Both Nice Tours two-day listings exclude entry fees, so you pay for every temple and the Valley of the Kings on top. The Ranco Travel two-day listings name the sites as visits without saying whether the tickets are included. Ask the operator through the booking platform before you pay, or read the option description. Official entry fees: what is included.
Both Nice Tours two-day tours include a hot-air balloon flight over the West Bank at sunrise on the second morning. Children under 6 cannot fly, according to the listing. The Ranco Travel two-day tour lists the balloon as not included. Before you book a balloon, read the travel advice: as of 2 November 2026 the German Federal Foreign Office notes that balloon accidents caused by technical faults are relatively frequent in Egypt, and the UK Foreign Office reports that some British tour operators have stopped selling balloon flights because they could not check the safety standards. Reviews on one balloon tour also ask for clearer information on what happens when a flight is cancelled.
The Ranco Travel tours and the Nice Tours tour with both banks use a 4-star hotel, the Nice Tours tour that leaves after lunch a 3-star hotel; all include breakfast. The balloon tours add dinner on the first evening and include lunch on one or both days. The Ranco Travel tours include lunch on both days but no dinner. Reviewers on both Ranco Travel tours mention a hotel on the Nile.
Reviews from the booking pages, critical ones included, each under the tour it was written for. On the day trips reviewers mention rushed visits and an early return before dark. On the two-day balloon tour they mention cramped minivans, the same restaurant for lunch and dinner, and balloon flights that did not run in summer; several reviewers say June to September, with a refund or another activity instead.
“We had a great two days. Clear instructions, driver was on time, our tour guide Amr Elzen was waiting on us, very friendly and knowledgeable man. […] Both give us enough time and wasn’t rushing at all. Hotel was good and staff there really friendly. The felucca ride on river Nile was incredible on sunset. We’ve got the experience with the hot air ballon. It was incredible. Highly recommend!”
“Our driver Mohammed was lovely - kind and thoughtful - however his English wasn’t great, so at times communication was interesting. The minivan we were collected in and then travelled (4 hours + to and from our hotel to Luxor - and throughout the two days) was cramped and so uncomfortable. […] Lunch and our evening meal on day one were at the same restaurant and the food was pretty much the same each time and really wasn’t great. The balloon ride didn’t happen as they never run between June and September so not sure why it is listed as part of the tour. […] Overall we saw some amazing things but the days were spoilt by the little things.”
“We had a fantastic trip for 2 days with our guide Joo. Also our driver Mohamed was super. We enjoyed the program with all the sightseeing of the highlights of Luxor . It was great that they were making sure that we had a good time, especially because we were travelling with kids. The hotel in Luxor (Jolie Ville) was superb. Bring your swimwear and you can enjoy their fantastic pools. […]”
“There was confusion from the start. Our 6am start was actually 5am. […] The drivers were very polite and courteous however the transport was described as comfortable and air conditioned. It was neither. What arrived was a battered minibus, seats were not comfortable. When we arrived our guide too over. He was very friendly and polite but he was so rushed we didn’t feel we learned anything […] We were supposed to arrive back at midnight but arrived at 19:30 so 4.5 hours was shoved off our experience.”
“Had a great two days on the luxor tour. Pickup was prompt and in a very welcomed air conditioned car which made the long journey to Luxor very comfortable. […] The stops at the sites are brief but didn't feel rushed as it's only a two day itinery there is alot to see. […] couple of things to mention, the balloon trips over the summer are all cancelled due to temperatures but a refund was given without asking. Secondly all good apart from breakfast was out of our pocket so bare this in mind, and take plenty of loose change in local, euros/dollars for tips. […]”
“[…] Driver also spoke no English. Day1 The itinerary was not followed: rushed temple visits, almost no free time, and the “sunset” boat ride was at 14:00. The guide left before lunch, and we were dropped at the hotel around 15:00 with nothing to do. Lunch and dinner were at the same restaurant with the same menu, and the “4‑star hotel” was a basic for […]. Day 2 was only better because we complained directly. Hot air balloon was cancelled (due to wind), but the refund offered was far too low. […]”
“We had an absolutely fantastic day trip from Hurghada to Luxor. […] Our guide, Nana, was simply amazing. […] The day started with the magnificent Karnak Temple, continued with a wonderful boat trip on the Nile and ended with a visit to the Valley of the Kings. […]”
“[…] We had a wonderful day overall, although we felt that the afternoon was a little too rushed and stressful in terms of timing, as we had to return fairly early because of the ban on driving in the desert at night. We particularly enjoyed the morning, which we found very interesting, but a little too short. […]”
“bola was a great guide, I had some difficulties understanding him at time but my wife was fine with it. balloon ride was amazing amazing, temples was good. boat ride was great could have been a little longer tho another 15/20 mins. […] how ever it is very tiring getting up very early for 2 days on the go with no real downtime.”
Reviews written by guests after their trip to Luxor, as shown on GetYourGuide, each under the tour it was written for. Shortened reviews are marked […].
It is long: 14 to 16 hours, of which 8 to 10 are on the road, with pickup between about 3:30 and 6:00. In return you see Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and, on most tours, the Temple of Hatshepsut in one go. If you sleep badly in a vehicle or want more than three tombs and two temples, two days are the better fit.
Depending on the tour, the inside of the Luxor Temple, the Avenue of Sphinxes, Medinet Habu, a felucca on the Nile and, on the balloon tours, a sunrise flight over the West Bank. You also get more time at each site and an evening in Luxor.
Not on the Nice Tours balloon tours, whose listings exclude entry fees. The Ranco Travel two-day listings name the sites as visits but do not say whether the tickets are in the price, so ask before you book.
No. The Nice Tours two-day tours include one on the second morning. The Ranco Travel two-day tours have no balloon, and one of them lists it explicitly as not included.
The Nice Tours tour with both banks picks up at 5:00, the one that stays on the East Bank at about 13:00. The Ranco Travel listings give no time; operators usually confirm it the day before.
With some tours. Ranco Travel's small-group day trip can drop you in Luxor for a luggage fee, and one Nice Tours day trip has a one-way option. The FTS Travelss day trips require you to return with the group.
Entry tickets, Tutankhamun's tomb, the boat and lunch, tour by tour.
When the van comes, how long each stop takes and when you are back.
Van, coach or private car for the long drive.
Heat in the Valley of the Kings, and the months that are easier.
Small group, big bus, private or two days, in one table.
See the comparison