EGYPT - Luxor

My trip to Egypt was the second trip that I went together with my beau back in 2007. The mystical Egypt is truly a place to be visited at least once in your lifetime. Sadly, Egypt’s unrest is still happening till now since 2012. I’ll just post a brief description of some of the places I’ve been in Egypt.

Luxor is the first city that I visited. It is a city in Upper Egypt and it is often hailed as world’s greatest open air museum. Luxor is also one of the hottest, sunniest and driest cities in the world and I experience it myself while in Luxor.

My flight to Doha was delayed for hours and therefore I need to transit twice instead of once before I arrived in Luxor. Once I arrived in Luxor, the tour guide had no choice but to start the tour right away instead of letting us have some rest after long hours of flight.


In the morning, the first monument you’ll see on the West Bank is the imposing 18m high Colossi of Memnon, which represented the remains of the temple of Amenhotep’s temple. 


The twin statues depict Pharaoh Amenhotep III in a seated position is estimated to weigh 720 tons each. The Colossi was to stand guard at the entrance of Amenhotep’s temple, a massive building constructed during the pharaoh's lifetime.  


The statues have been here for the past 3400 years. Hang in there buddy.


I have arrived at the Valley of the Kings, the burial place of most of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom of Egypt.


With 63 tombs and chambers, the Valley of Kings lies in an unassuming, sun scorched desert valley surrounded by steep rocky hills on the west bank of Thebes.


Outside vehicles are not allowed in the Valley of Kings.


Our Egyptian tour guide explaining the history of the place. He is very good and we later found out that he is an Egyptian Archaeologist and working as a part time tour guide.


Some of the best known tombs are those of Amenhotep II, Tutankhamen and of course Ramses II.


Each of these, located deep within the ground was designed to resemble the underworld. As you can see, I’m wearing one of the tour’s cap. More info on Planet Tours & Travel can be accessed through their website at www.planet.com.eg/


Huge crowd lining up to enter one of the tombs. Accessed through a single entrance, the tombs were created to preserve the pharaoh's mummies for eternity. 


Photographs are not allowed inside the tomb.


After exploring the Valley of Kings, we proceeded to a Alabaster Factory.


Alabaster is said to be derived from the town of Alabastron, Egypt where the stone was quarried. A man showing how to produce alabaster vases. Mind you, its not cheap. But it definitely is beautiful.  


Next is the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut located beneath the cliffs near the Valley of Kings.


The temple is dedicated to the sun god Amon-Ra


Hatshepsut means the foremost of noble ladies.


She was the fifth Pharaoh of the Eighteen dynasty of Ancient Egypt and came to the throne in 1478 BC.


Such magnificent building.


Taking a picture with one the guards at the entrance.


The relief sculptures recites the tale of the divine birth of a female pharaoh.. 


We have reached the main highlight of Luxor. The magnificent Temple of Karnak.


Karnak or Ipet-isut as it is known to the Ancient Egyptians means the most perfect of places.


Surviving as the most stunning architectural as well as the largest temple ever built, the enormous stature and ominous presence dwarfs anything else in Egypt and most probably the rest of the world.


The Great Hyphostyle Hall consist of 134 massive columns. It was built by King Seti I and was completed by his son Ramesses II more than 3 thousand years ago.


The enormous size of the legendary Great Hypostyle Hall is difficult to comprehend. The massive columns reaches a height of up to 24m and 10m in circumference.


One of the inscription on the columns which left us sniggering. That is Min, God of Fertility which can be easily recognised with his erected penis. You often can see him in some of the temples around Egypt. 



These are the two Obelisoues of Queen Hatshepsut.




A sitting Pharaonic statue.







The standing statue of King Ramesses II.


After visiting Temple of Karnak, it’s time to move on to the nearby Temple of Luxor.



This is the entrance of Luxor Temple. The Pylon of the Temple Luxor.


The central corridor of the temple with two large Pharaoh statues, creating an incredible imposing sight. .


Hundreds of sphinx lined the road to nearby Karnak.


Colonnade from the peristyle courtyard of Amenhotep III.




The Amenhotep III courtyard.


The mosque of Abu Haggag perched over the pharaonic temple.


Roman mural in inner chamber. During the Roman era, the temple and the surroundings were a fortress and home of the Roman government here.


Beautiful Egyptian wall inscription can still be clearly seen today.

Although my first day in Luxor was tiring, it was worth while to see so much historical monument and temples of Egypt.