The Valley of the Kings is the necropolis of the New Kingdom pharaohs, cut into the cliffs of the west bank of the Nile, opposite Luxor. According to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, it holds more than sixty tombs, and about twenty others left unfinished. The site opens every day from 6 am to 5 pm; the full-price foreign ticket is 750 Egyptian pounds (EGP) according to the official website. This page focuses on visiting the valley itself: how the ticket works, which tombs to choose, what time to arrive according to the sun, and the rules to know before you go in.
For the rest of the city (Karnak, Luxor Temple, the west bank), see our guide to visiting Luxor and our page on Karnak Temple. For month-by-month weather, see the best time to visit Egypt.
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Valley of the Kings: key facts
- Opening hours: every day, 6 am to 5 pm (checked 27 October 2026 on egymonuments.gov.eg)
- Foreign ticket: adult 750 EGP, student 375 EGP (same source). The tombs included and any supplements are not specified on the official page: check on site
- Where: west bank of the Nile, in a desert valley opposite ancient Thebes
- Safety: the UK FCDO lists Luxor and the Valley of the Kings among the places excepted from its Western Desert advice (GOV.UK, updated 4 August 2026)
- Bring: water, hat, closed shoes; the site is in full sun
The Valley of the Kings in brief
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities presents the valley as the burial place of the rulers of the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties, between about 1550 and 1069 BCE. A few members of the royal family and a handful of high officials were also buried there. The Arabic name of the site, Wikipedia reports, means « valley of the gates of the kings », referring to the gates that once closed the tombs.
The valley is divided into two branches: the East Valley, where most of the royal tombs are, and the West Valley, known as the « Valley of the Monkeys », which is less visited. It is overlooked by a peak shaped like a natural pyramid, Al-Qurn (« the Horn »), associated in ancient Egypt with the goddess Meretseger, protector of the necropolis.
Tickets: how it works
The site’s official page on egymonuments.gov.eg showed, on 27 October 2026, a foreign adult ticket at 750 EGP and a student ticket at 375 EGP. The page does not say which tombs this ticket includes or whether supplementary tickets exist; the amounts circulating on blogs and resale sites contradict each other, so we do not copy them.
Booking a west bank guided tour
Many agencies and platforms sell « Valley of the Kings + Hatshepsut Temple + Colossi of Memnon » excursions from Luxor, with transport and a guide. Before buying, check four points: whether entry fees are included or payable on top; whether the guide speaks your language (guides generally do not give commentary inside the tombs); the departure time (as early as possible); and the cancellation terms. Compare with the official price of the ticket alone.
Which tombs should you see?
The list of tombs that are open, and those that need a separate ticket, is not on the official page we consulted: ask at the ticket office at the site entrance. We do not recommend a particular tomb, for lack of a readable official source on this date.
Opening hours and best time of day
The official site gives opening hours of 6 am to 5 pm every day. The table below gives sunrise and sunset on the 15th of each month in the valley: it lets you see how much « cool » visiting time you have after opening. For temperatures, see our page on the best time to visit Egypt.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:37 am | 5:20 pm | 10 h 42 min |
| February | 6:25 am | 5:42 pm | 11 h 18 min |
| March | 5:59 am | 5:58 pm | 11 h 59 min |
| April | 5:27 am | 6:12 pm | 12 h 45 min |
| May | 6:04 am | 7:27 pm | 13 h 24 min |
| June | 5:57 am | 7:42 pm | 13 h 44 min |
| July | 6:07 am | 7:43 pm | 13 h 36 min |
| August | 6:22 am | 7:25 pm | 13 h 03 min |
| September | 6:35 am | 6:54 pm | 12 h 19 min |
| October | 6:48 am | 6:22 pm | 11 h 34 min |
| November | 6:07 am | 5:00 pm | 10 h 54 min |
| December | 6:28 am | 5:00 pm | 10 h 33 min |
The takeaway: in winter, the sun rises after the gates open, and you visit the first tombs in the cool. From May to August, it rises around 6 am, right at gate opening: the heat builds quickly in this limestone bowl that reflects the light. In all cases, arriving at opening is the best choice. At the end of the day, the site closes well before sunset in summer.
Getting there from Luxor
The valley is on the west bank. You reach it by taxi, car with driver, organized excursion or, for the more adventurous, by bike, after crossing the Nile by bridge or ferry. We give no travel time or fare, for lack of an official source. Plan your « west bank » day with our guide to visiting Luxor, which also covers the Valley of the Queens and the funerary temples.
Rules and common mistakes
- Arriving in the middle of the day in summer: the site is very exposed and shade is rare.
- Touching the walls or leaning on them: the paintings are fragile, and visitors’ moisture damages them.
- Relying on a list of tombs found online: the open tombs change, check them at the entrance.
- Photographing without checking the rule of the day: photography conditions are set by the authorities and can change; ask at the ticket office.
- Forgetting general safety: re-read your government’s travel advice before you leave (see below).
Safety and entry requirements
According to the UK FCDO (GOV.UK, updated 4 August 2026, read 26 October 2026), the FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the area west of the Nile Valley and Nile Delta, with an exception that expressly includes Luxor and the Valley of the Kings; the FCDO also says terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Egypt, including in places visited by foreign nationals. The U.S. State Department (travel.state.gov, last updated August 11, 2025, read 26 October 2026) says to stay alert throughout the country due to the threat of terrorism. See entry requirements for Egypt for passport and visa rules, and our travel insurance guide.
What to see around the Valley of the Kings
The west bank also has the Valley of the Queens, Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el-Bahari, the Colossi of Memnon and the artisans’ village of Deir el-Medina. On the east bank, Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple complete the visit. For the whole country, see our guide to traveling to Egypt.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Valley of the Kings’ opening hours?
According to the official website of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the site opens every day from 6 am to 5 pm (checked 27 October 2026).
How much does the Valley of the Kings cost?
The official site shows 750 EGP for a foreign adult and 375 EGP for a student. The tombs included are not specified on the official page: check at the ticket office.
How many tombs are in the Valley of the Kings?
More than sixty tombs, and about twenty others left unfinished, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
What is the best time to visit?
At opening, at 6 am. In summer, the sun rises around that time according to our NOAA calculation, and the heat builds quickly.
Is it safe to visit Luxor?
The UK FCDO (GOV.UK, updated 4 August 2026) lists Luxor and the Valley of the Kings among the places excepted from its advice against all but essential travel to the Western Desert, but it and the U.S. State Department (travel.state.gov, last updated August 11, 2025) both point to a terrorism threat in Egypt. Check the latest advice before you go.
Our sources
- Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, egymonuments.gov.eg, « Valley of the Kings » page (hours, prices, number of tombs, dynasties), consulted on 27 October 2026
- UK FCDO, Egypt travel advice (GOV.UK, updated 4 August 2026), consulted on 26 October 2026
- U.S. Department of State, Egypt travel advisory (travel.state.gov, last updated August 11, 2025), consulted on 26 October 2026
- Wikipedia, « Valley of the Kings » article (geography, Arabic name, coordinates), consulted on 27 October 2026
- Astronomical calculations: NOAA solar algorithm, applied by Destination de Voyage to the coordinates of the Valley of the Kings (Wikipedia) (15th of each month, year 2027, clear horizon)
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026. Prices and hours may change: check the official website before you go.
