kakijalan

Based on your experience, how would you rank these places (I fully understand that diff ppl might hv diff preference/experience... but I'm trying to see common trend):
Valley of Kings
Hatshepsut temple
Tomb of Nobles
Medinat Habu
Deir El Medina
Ramesseum
Valley of Queens
Colossi of Memnon

- How long to spend at each venue?

- Which ones do you think is best experienced with a guide and which will work with a good guide book. I'm asking because I only have budget for guide for 1 day, so want to make sure I fully use him/her.

- For Valley of Kings, I've received suggestion to focus on Tutmoses III, Ramses V, Ramses III, Horemheb - comments? What were your favourites?
- What about Tomb of Nobles - which should be the priorities?

Thanks in advance!

Axel2DP

1. VOTK - The decorations on the tombs were amazing. I can't imagine what the workers had to go through back then to carve out and decorate these tombs. The only downside for me was the aggressive demand for baksheese from a couple of the workers inside the tombs, which gave me the creep, but if there are other tourists in the tomb with you then most likely you won't get any hassle from them.

2. Medinat Habu - Lots and lots of carvings on the walls and many of them still have traces of their original colorations.

3. Hatshepsut temple - Its setting in the mountains in the main attraction, I think.

The following two are skippable if you're tight on time:

Valley of Queens - see it if you have the spare time,
othewise I'd skip it. It was a let down seeing the rather bare tombs of the VOTQ right after seeing the higly
ornate tombs of VOTK.

Colossi of Memnon - Not much to see here really. The two Colossi have not weathered well over the centuries. I'm sure you'll pass by it at some point on your drive to other areas of the WB. If you want to take pictures of it, try to do it in early morning light or even in late afternoon. They're not the most attractive looking things in mid day with pigeons perched all over their bodies.

I didn't visit the other sites on your list.

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If you see 3-4 sites in one day then you'll have your guide for that entire day. I thought it was useful to have a guide in the VOTK. He can't go inside the tomb with you but a good guide will give you explanations and details before you step inside the tombs themselves.

kakijalan

great advice Axel2DP. thx!

scotsgirl

I agree completely with Axel

I would say my top three are

Medinet Habu, Hatshepsut's temple and Valley of the Kings, You can see the Colossi of Memnon on the journey to the VofK and stop for a quick photo and back in your car or on your bus.

Definately make sure you get to Karnak Temple, it is really quite a big temple complex but excellent inside.

Scotsgirl

sf7307

<<<Definately make sure you get to Karnak Temple, it is really quite a big temple complex but excellent inside.>>>

Karnak was my favorite of all the antiquities we visited in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. The remains are spectacular, as are the stories of its construction.

Percy

scotsgirl agrees with Axel2DP and I agree with scotsgirl.

Guess that means I agree with Axel2DP too .

LeighTravelClub

Valley of the Kings - Not to be missed.
Hatshepsut Temple - Amazing sight. If you are short of time, you may just want to view it from the car park and the long approach.
Medinat Habu - was pretty empty when we visited. We spent maybe half an hour here.
Deir El Medina - Another 'not to be missed' site.
Valley of Queens - the highlight for us here was the tomb of Nefertari.
But my most vivid memories of the west bank are from the time we spent at the Tombs of the Nobles........just wonderful. Apart from Karnak Temple, this is my No1 sight when visiting Luxor.
Colossi of Memnon - just a ten minute stop-off on route to the main sites.

cheapiano

hey everyone! can i jump in on this and ask what your "must see" tombs were at VOK, etc.? i'm going in january. can't wait!

Axel2DP

Regarding The Tomb of Nefertari at VOTQ, it's now closed to the general public. There's a way to see it if you're willing to shell out a lot of L.E and make prearrangement for it. The 3 tombs at the VOTQ that I got to see were nothing to write home about, IMO.

sandi

Not all of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings are open at the same time. They seem to open/close various tombs for a few months then close and open others.

We were fortunate and paid extra to be able to visit the Tomb of Nefretari (absolutely amazing) in the Valley of the Queens, but it's been closed now for some years.

kakijalan

cheapiano - I'll be there in January too!

Thanks everyone.

Is seeing 3-4 sights the max that one should do in a day?
There are some tips in this forum about which tomb to visit in VoK, but what about the Tomb of Nobles?

cheapiano

yeah, i had read that, w/nefertari now closed to the public, VOQ is fine to skip.

kakijalan---awesome! yeah, just putting the finishing touches on everything, as i'm sure you are too.

yes, any advice on the tombs of the nobles from anyone?

Casual_Cairo

If I'm not mistaken (and I easily could be - haven't been to Luxor in a few years, and haven't seen the Tombs of the Nobles in more than that) there are only 2 tombs of the Nobles open to visit. If they are both open when you are there, see them both.