Luxor

Luxor is often referred to as the “world’s greatest open-air museum,” and for good reason. Situated along the banks of the Nile in Upper Egypt, this city stands on the site of the ancient city of Thebes, the powerful capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom. The scale of the historical sites here is truly staggering; the city is split into the East Bank, where the living city resides, and the West Bank, the ancient necropolis where the pharaohs built their elaborate tombs and mortuary temples to ensure their transition into the afterlife.

The East Bank is dominated by two of the most spectacular temple complexes in existence: Karnak and Luxor Temple. The Karnak Temple Complex is a vast landscape of pylons, chapels, and the monumental Hypostyle Hall, a forest of 134 towering sandstone columns that leave visitors feeling remarkably small. Just a few miles south, the Luxor Temple remains a magnificent centerpiece, particularly at night when the illuminated ruins glow against the dark sky, creating an atmosphere that feels almost untouched by the thousands of years that have passed since it was built.