For most British holidaymakers the day trip is enough, and it is the cheaper way in. It is a 15-hour day with about eight hours of driving, so it suits people who sleep easily on a coach. The overnight suits anyone who wants to stand inside the temples without watching the clock, anyone travelling in summer, and anyone with older parents or small children.
The difference is not how much you see, because both trips visit the same five places. The difference is the order, the heat and how tired you are by 3 pm. With one night in Luxor, you finish Karnak on day one while you still have energy, and you do the Valley of the Kings at first light on day two.
What the one-day trip covers
The Luxor day trip leaves your hotel at 04:30 and reaches Luxor around 09:00 after a stop on the desert road. The order is the Valley of the Kings at 09:15 with three tombs on the standard ticket, the Temple of Hatshepsut at 11:15, a photo stop at the Colossi of Memnon, lunch at a local restaurant and Karnak at 14:15. The coach leaves at about 16:00 and you are back in the evening, often after 20:00.
- Pick-up at 04:30 from hotels in Hurghada, El Gouna, Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh and Soma Bay.
- About four hours each way in a shared air-conditioned coach or minibus, with up to 16 guests.
- Entrance tickets, an Egyptologist guide, lunch and bottled water are included.
- Gratuities, drinks with lunch and the Valley of the Kings electric cart are not.
What the overnight adds
The two-day trip leaves at 05:00 and spends day one on the East Bank: Karnak with your guide from about 09:30, lunch, hotel check-in, then Luxor Temple in the late-afternoon light. Dinner and the evening are yours. Day two starts with breakfast at 06:30, the Valley of the Kings at 07:15, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi, lunch, and the drive home from about 13:00.
Meals are two lunches, one dinner and one breakfast, and the hotel is a 4-star with a twin or double room. A single-room supplement applies if you travel alone. An optional hot-air balloon flight on day two can be added, but it must be booked ahead and is not part of the standard programme.
Heat, crowds and energy
Luxor is hotter than Hurghada because it has no sea breeze. From June to September it often passes 40 degrees Celsius in the afternoon, and the Valley of the Kings has little shade. On the day trip you walk the tombs at mid-morning and Karnak at 14:15, which is the worst hour in summer. On the overnight you do the open-air sites at the cooler ends of the day.
Which one to pick
- Choose the day trip if you have one spare day, a tighter budget and no trouble with early starts.
- Choose the overnight if you travel between May and September, want a proper evening in Luxor or dislike long coach days.
- Choose the overnight if you want to add a balloon flight, which needs a second morning.
- Think again about both trips if anyone in your party suffers badly from travel sickness.
Why the order of the sites matters
On the East Bank, Karnak is the largest site and the one that rewards time most. It has the Great Hypostyle Hall, with its 134 columns, and a long walk from the first pylon towards the sanctuary. On the day trip you reach it at 14:15 and have about two hours before the coach leaves at 16:00. On the overnight you arrive at about 09:30 with a full morning, and Luxor Temple is kept for the late-afternoon light.
Making a long day easier
Whichever trip you choose, the same habits help. Eat something before you leave, drink water steadily and wear shoes you can walk in over uneven stone. The Valley of the Kings has a long, shadeless approach from the entrance to the tombs, and an electric cart is available for a fee that is not part of the trip. Take a hat, sunglasses and a scarf for the sun.
Think about the coach seat as well. Sit away from the front if you suffer from travel sickness, keep a snack in your bag, and carry your passport and cash with you rather than leaving them on the vehicle. The guide arranges a rest stop on the way out, so use it to stretch and buy a drink.
Practical points before you book
You need the full Egypt visa for any trip to Luxor, which you will already hold if you flew into Hurghada. You can book either trip online up to 48 hours before departure, and inside that window you can send a request through the trip page. Cancellation is free three or more days ahead. Open the trip pages for the current price and the next dates.
Plan with us
Visiting Luxor from Hurghada: a single long day or an overnight stay?
Compare the 15-hour Luxor day trip from Hurghada with the two-day overnight: timings, coach hours, heat at the Valley of the Kings and who suits which.