Stay an extra day in Luxor?
 

Debating if I should add an extra day in Luxor. I plan on taking a Nile Cruise that includes a visit to the East Bank, (the Temple of Karnak Luxor Temple) and the West Bank (Valley of the Kings & Queens, Queen Hatshepsut's Temple and the Colossi of Memnon).

Is it worth spending an extra day in Luxor before I go back to Cairo? Any advice will be appreciated. Is it safe to walk around the city?

Thank you.

The city is safe. But how many days are you there for the east and west banks? IMO you can't do the east AND west banks in one day. The area is crawling with fabulous sites. I could have spent a week, but don't know what your tolerance for Egyptian temples/tombs is.

LAleslie, thanks for the reply. I will be in Luxor for two days, on the cruise I plan on taking, one day's sightseeing is the sights on the East Bank the following day's sightseeing is on the West Bank. Honestly, I get bored of things quickly, I'd like to go to Egypt and see different things, but I wouldn't be up for seeing the same this and same that everywhere. I'll probably get templed out if the sights (not only the sights in Luxor but around Egypt) are similar.

In Luxor you have temples (Luxor, Karnak, Medina Habut, Hatshepsut (or something like that), and a couple of others) and tombs (Valley of kings, queens, nobles).

There are two museums in Luxor also. The Luxor museum proper(very nice) and one for mummification.

You will see other temples in Abydos, Dendara, Qom Ombo, etc...

This is about it. We spent six days in Luxor alone and were not at all bored. But... this is personal.

If you get bored quickly, this might not be your kind of dish.

I thought I'd get templed out, too, but I actually got about the right amount. You'll see a lot in two days. I pretty much had my fill, although if you're with a group, you're kind of stuck doing what they do. In Luxor, you'll undoubtedly see the Valley of the Kings, probably Hatshepsut's Temple, Karnak Temple, and Luxor Temple. Those are the biggies. All are worthwhile, although I could have skipped Luxor Temple and even Hatshepsut's Temple (the view from a distance is, in my opinion, better than up close - it's the setting that spectacular) and not felt like I missed much. Try, try, try to squeeze in the Luxor Museum. It's fabulous if you enjoy museums even a little. A hot air balloon ride is also definitely worthwhile. It was a highlight of our entire trip. One thing we missed, which I would have like, was more tombs. I'd have liked to to see Valley of the Queens (or nobles). Still, by the end of the trip, I was ready to leave Luxor. I agree with LAleslie, though, that the city has an incredible number of fabulous sights. Are you going to Abu Simbel? (That's another must-see in my opinion.)
Karen

We visited Hatsepshut's Temple, Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens starting early in the morning, and ended up visiting Temple of Karnak and Luxor Temple that same afternoon, after a long lunch break. Now, we were there when it was 108 °F, so we couldn't really linger (but honestly, we wouldn't have anyway, we're just not the lingering type!). We spent the next entire day at the pool at the Steigenberger Nile Palace Hotel and it was a lovely day!

We did the Valley of K & Q one morning, starting at 6am before it got too hot. By 9am it was well in the 90s with more heat to come. Were scheduled for Luxor and Karnak Temples for late afternoon, but we decided we'd rather visit next morning (we weren't departing Luxor till that evening), so took our entry vouchers from guide.

Instead spent afternoon on our own leisurely walking the Promenard (sp) main street viewing the boats, did some shopping, even a caleche ride. Then met some boat friends at hotel for cocktails on their terrace watching the sunset. Finally, walked into the Souk where we were all to meet other boat friends for dinner.

Having what I thought was a good sense of direction (wrong) we were soon lost, but the locals were more than glad to assist (re: baksheesh), instead it was more like us the Pied Pipper with all these kids following with laughter, singing and trying to direct us to their relative's place of business. :) You had to see us... too funny. Children soon went on their ways; we did find the restaurant, but seems our friends had left, so we headed back to the Promenard. Almost lost again, we came upon 3/men smoking their hubble-bubble whom I walked over and asked for directions and we were then on our way. Returning to Karnak Temple for the Light 'n Sound Show, then taxi back to our Nile boat on Crocodile Isl.

Next morning we took shuttle bus from boat into town and visited Luxor and Karnak Temples on our own. By 12N, too hot, so returned to boat's pool deck for balance of afternoon, before late transfer to Luxor airport and flight to CAI.

There is lots to do if you want, but there is the heat, so suggest you schedule whatever very early morning or late afternoon (from 5pm on). During mid-day best to relax and the boat or a hotel's pool are great for this.

Temples, temples, tombs, tombs, and more of these throughout. But all are so different, we never tired.

It's up to you.

Thanks for the feedback.

I get the impression that 2 days is enough just to stract the surface of what Luxor has to offer. I will look into adding an extra day.

If you have an extra day, have someone take you out to Gargos or Girgis or whatever it's called, north of Luxor. You have to go with the convoy headed to Abydos, but you cut off before getting to the temple. In Gargos there is a monastery that has a ceramic factory at it. They are making wonderful things - dishes, serving platters and bowls, tagens (casserole dishes with lids) and more. You can watch the men throwing the clay and shaping it into all the wonderful bits they make, and then go through their show room. It is NOT at all like the Carpet Schools, Perfume Factories, Papyrus Museums, or Alabaster Factories you will be taken to on your tours. First of all, it's real. Second of all, they are not ripping you off and telling you lies to get you to spend 5 times the money on their goods than you'd spend elsewhere for the same thing, and third, you really get out into the villages - real villages - not Disneyland made up villages for tourists, like so many you will go to are - and meet and see real people making and selling things you might want to buy.