Undiscovered Egypt: Tackling Luxor’s West Bank

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Luxor's West Bank


Visiting Egypt nowadays is can be both incredibly rewarding and giant pain in the ass, usually a combination of the two. Trying to pick out the ancient sights to visit on famous Luxor’s West Bank? Even trickier!

When I finally plucked up the courage to tell my mother that I was going to Egypt in April, she yelled at me for a good 15 minutes. “Was I crazy? Did I have a death wish, was I asking to be kidnapped and why would I want to punish her” were among some of the more colorful chastisements I received. Although Egypt has it’s problems (among them filth, abject poverty, and constant hustling and hassling), I never actually felt scared in the 2 weeks I was there. Unless you count fear of dying from the ever-present 3rd world stomach virus or from heatstroke.  

Even before the revolution in Egypt, most people stuck to traveling to sites with tour groups or on cruises. Rarely would someone dare to step off the beaten tourist track in this “dangerous Arab country” (quote from you know who).

However, I’m not like most people and if I’ve learned anything while traveling, if you dare to look beyond guidebooks, beyond what’s “safe,” and beyond the typical image of a country, what you will find might surprise you.

This was definitely the case in Egypt. I found that my favorite parts of the trip were the ones that weren’t planned or expected, and my favorite places I visited were not the crowded pyramids or the Valley of the Kings, but the small unknown tombs, empty of touts and tourists alike.

As soon as we left the crowds at the Valley of the Kings, we realized just how much more Egypt had to offer. The hieroglyphics and colors in  the tombs in the Valley of the Queens are much brighter than any we had seen before, and the carvings on the walls of the other temples on the West Bank were much more detailed and much better preserved than those at Karnak and Luxor.

And one of the best parts? As soon as we left the Valley of the Kings, we hardly saw another tourist. We were almost completely alone apart from our hired driver and guide and security at the tombs and temples. This of course meant that we spent our days pretending we were mummies, pharaohs  and great adventurers, like Indiana Jones, sliding down claustrophobic tunnels to the tombs below with borrowed flashlights.  

Here are my 6 favorite ancient sights on Luxor’s West Bank. Have you ever dared to step off the traditional tourist trails in a country like Egypt? Have you ever been to one of these temples? Are you an Egyptology nut like me?

1. Hatshepsut Temple

This was the morturary temple of the famous Pharaoh, queen Hatshepsut. Few images survive of her today since her son erased her from everywhere he could. Few can also pronounce her name; our guide nicknamed her “hot chicken soup”, sounds about right, no? Supposedly designed by one of her lovers, Hatshepsut was only used for the weeks it took to embalm and mummify her, creepy. This temple is one of the hottest places on the planet, so don’t be an idiot like me and go at high noon. 

Luxor's West Bank

Luxor's West Bank

Tip: Put on lots of sunscreen, even on your scalp, or better yet, buy a hat. An Indiana Jones style hat, of course.

2. Medinet Habu Temple

This is Ramses III’s memorial temple, and quite possibly my favorite temple in Egypt. It is so underrepresented but it has some of the best colors and hieroglyphs of all. The hieroglyphs were carved really deep into the walls to keep them from being later destroyed. One of my personal faves was a relief depicting the defeat of Ramses III’s enemies with their manly parts cut off and piled high. Classy. 

Luxor's West Bank

Luxor's West Bank

Luxor's West Bank

Tip: Be prepared to fall in love with this place. It is really impressive, but bring lots of water. I thought I was going to faint right under that giant pile of carved penises.

3. Valley of the Queens

The Valley of the Queens was by far more interesting to me than the Kings. There was no one here to elbow with down the tombs for a look, and they were in much better condition. And since there was no one else around, I couldn’t try to sneak my big camera inside with me. The guards wouldn’t even accept a bribe from me. So unfair. They also wouldn’t listen to my please to go inside the closed tomb of Nefertari, which is supposedly the most beautiful tomb in all of Egypt. She was Ramses II’s wife, and nowadays you can only get in her tomb if you make a $5000 donation. Next time Egypt, next time.

Luxor's West Bank
Luxor's West Bank
Luxor's West Bank
Luxor's West Bank
Luxor's West Bank

Tip: bring a flashlight and backsheesh (tips) for the guards. Check out the tomb of Amunherkhepshef (NO 55), he was the son of Ramses III who died young, the colors are incredible here. There is also a mummy of a fetus. Random but kinda cool.

4. Tombs of the Workers

Deir al-Medina or the workmen’s village. The houses and tombs of the workmen who made the royal tombs have been excavated and uncovered. It’s really cool to see the flip side of ancient life, and some of these little tombs have more splendid and better preserved wall art than those of their bosses. If you are naughty like me you can bribe the guards to let you take photos.


Luxor's West Bank
Luxor's West Bank
Luxor's West Bank
Luxor's West Bank
Luxor's West Bank
Luxor's West Bank
Luxor's West Bank
Luxor's West Bank

Tip: Check out the ancient greek graffiti on the walls and bring a camera. You can take pics around here. Don’t forget to see the tomb of Sennedjem (No 1), the walls are completely covered with paintings and colors. Really impressive.

5. Tombs of the Nobles

Hardly anyone goes to visit the Tombs of the Nobles on Luxor’s West Bank. The tombs are divided into groups each with a separate ticket, so pick one or two groups to see. It is really worth visiting these tombs, there is so much more to see than in the picked over and empty tombs in the Valley of the Kings.

Tip: Check out the tombs of Ramose, Userhet and Khaemhet, all close together. Pair visiting the tombs of the nobles with the tombs of the workers. And even finish at the Ramesseum. Makes for a perfect half day trip. Go in the morning unless you want to die of heatstroke. 

6. The Ramesseum

This is Medinat Habu or Ramses II’s enormous memorial temple on the West Bank. If you haven’t gotten it by now, Ramses II was one of the most famous and important pharaoh. Now his temple is mostly in ruins, unlike those at Karnak and Abu Simbel. There are huge statues scattered on the ground and there is classical and 19th century graffiti carved around the place. This place inspired Shelley’s famous poem ‘Ozymandias’ the classical name for Ramses:

Luxor's West Bank
I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, a sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
Luxor's West Bank
Tip: Don’t forget to check out the recent graffiti, and walk along the tall pillars! Find the huge head from the fallen colossus Ramses statue. But don’t climb on it as it offends the Egyptologists.

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8 Comments on “Undiscovered Egypt: Tackling Luxor’s West Bank

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  1. Really enjoyed reading your travel tips, but Medinet Habu was the temple of Ramesses III and is not called Ramesses. Also Hatchepsut’s images were defaced by her nephew, she only had one child a daughter, Neferrure.
    Sorry, I’m kinda into the finer points.

  2. good day! , I enjoy the publishing a great deal! write about we all carry on some sort of letters far more about your own document for Yahoo? I actually call for a consultant on this method to unravel the trouble. May be that is definitely you actually! Looking forward to appearance people.

  3. Egypt is high on my list and your post reminded me! Thank you (even if your mom is pissed)! Love the off beat exploring. Always makes for a great time, alone time with ancient sites isn´t the easiest these days since everything has been discovered mostly. Its great that lots of great stuff still gets overlooked because of higher profile sites. Just our of curiosity, how´s you get there from Spain, got a on best air route?

    1. I flew Egypt Air, not that great but it was pretty cheap even though it was during peak travel season Easter holidays. there is a ton to see in Egypt but most people go on tours that only visit the biggest sites. such a shame when there is so much more to see and do!

  4. That looks so cool! I’ve wanted to go to Egypt for ages and see these tombs and the rest of the country, and I will at some point..looking forward to it even more now after reading this and seeing the pictures (and getting more impatient).

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