Luxor Temple, Luxor, Egypt

Luxor Temple tickets and prices

A foreign adult ticket costs EGP 500; students with a valid ID pay EGP 250, and children under 6 go free. Phone photography is free with no permit; drones need permission from the Ministry of Defence, so leave yours at the hotel. Tickets are dated, non-refundable and won't be replaced if lost.

You can buy on the official Egymonuments website, in the Experience Egypt app, or at the desk and kiosks at the gate. Visa and Mastercard are accepted on every channel, so a card covers your entry. Local guides still suggest carrying some Egyptian pounds in case a terminal is down, and small notes are handy for toilets and tips.

There's no separate evening ticket: the same entry works whether you come at dawn or after dark. If you plan to see most of Luxor's sites within a few days, compare the unofficial Luxor Pass, sold for cash at Karnak and at the Valley of the Kings, with buying tickets one by one.

Luxor Temple opening hours

Luxor Temple opens every day at 6:00, with last entry at 19:00 all year — the ministry lists the same times during Ramadan. It doesn't publish a closing time and asks visitors to arrive at least an hour before it; unofficial sources put closing anywhere between 20:00 and 22:00.

In practice, aim to be through the gate by 18:00 if you want time to walk the whole axis slowly and wait for the lights. Early morning, from 6:00 to 8:00, is the other good slot: soft light, cool air and almost nobody else inside.

Visiting Luxor Temple at night

Yes, you can visit at night, and it's the best time to go. The temple is floodlit after dark: the colossi, the obelisk and the colonnade glow against a black sky, and the heat drops. In winter it gets dark well before the 19:00 last entry, so you have plenty of time.

There's no Sound and Light show here — that runs at Karnak on a separate ticket. At Luxor Temple you simply walk at your own pace. For the best of both worlds, arrive about an hour before sunset and stay until it's fully dark.

How long do you need, and is it worth it?

Plan 1–1.5 hours to walk from the Avenue of Sphinxes to the sanctuary and back, or around 2 hours if you want daylight and floodlights. The temple runs along one straight axis, so it's easy to see on your own and hard to get lost in.

It's worth it, even after Karnak: it's compact, readable and at night one of the finest sights in Egypt. Just don't expect Karnak's scale — this is a highlight of an evening, not a half-day. If you're in Luxor for only a few hours on a cruise stop, choose Karnak first.

What to see at Luxor Temple

• The Avenue of Sphinxes by the north entrance — human-headed sphinxes marking the processional road to Karnak.
• The obelisk of Ramesses II in front of the First Pylon. Its twin has stood on the Place de la Concorde in Paris since 1836.
• The First Pylon of Ramesses II, 24 m high, and the colossi of Ramesses II flanking the gate.
• The Court of Ramesses II, lined with papyrus columns and statues of the king. Above it, on the ancient columns and walls, sits the working Abu Haggag Mosque, well above the temple floor.
• The Colonnade of Amenhotep III — 14 huge columns in two rows, the classic night shot.
• The Sun Court of Amenhotep III, an open court ringed by papyrus columns.
• The Roman chamber, a hall the Romans turned into a shrine of the imperial cult and later a church.
• The shrine of Alexander the Great, the barque chapel of Amun deep inside, rebuilt in Alexander's name.

Luxor Temple or Karnak?

Karnak is bigger and older; Luxor Temple is compact and at its best after dark. With one day, do Karnak in the morning and Luxor Temple in the evening.

Historic sites in Luxor: compare and choose

Every historic site in Luxor rated by YesGo. Tap a column header to sort.

Nearby and on your route

37

Luxor Museum

Luxor, Egypt

1 h 15 min · EGP 400, students EGP 200 · 18 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Luxor Museum

43

Avenue of Sphinxes

Luxor, Egypt

40 min · Free to view (unofficial) · 23 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Avenue of Sphinxes

How to do it right

• Start at the obelisk and the sphinx avenue, and save the Colonnade of Amenhotep III for when the floodlights come on.
• The Abu Haggag Mosque is a working mosque and isn't part of the temple ticket; if you look in, cover shoulders and knees, and women should bring a headscarf.
• On a budget? Walk the Corniche after dark — the floodlit temple is clearly visible through the railings for free.
• Guides at the gate can be persistent: agree the price and length up front, or decline politely and firmly.
• Pair the temple with the Luxor Museum on the Corniche — check its evening session first.
• Keep a separate early morning for the West Bank — the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut's temple.

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