Valley of the Kings is the burial ground of nearly every New Kingdom pharaoh, located on the west bank of the Nile across from Luxor. The site holds 63 known tombs, the most famous of which is KV62 — the nearly intact tomb of Tutankhamun discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. Royal burials were cut into the limestone bedrock of a hidden desert wadi between c. 1539 and 1075 BCE to thwart the tomb-robbers who had emptied the earlier Old and Middle Kingdom pyramids. The site can be visited as part of a Luxor full-day tour with both banks, a 4-night Nile cruise, or a dedicated Luxor West Bank tour with a private Egyptologist guide.
The Valley of the Kings was selected as a royal necropolis around 1539 BCE by the early 18th Dynasty pharaohs, who wanted a more secure burial ground than the visible pyramids of their predecessors. The site sits behind the Theban hills, in a dry wadi dominated by the peak of al-Qurn — a natural pyramid-shaped mountain that may have been worshipped as a manifestation of the goddess Meretseger.
The first known tomb is KV20, traditionally attributed to Thutmose I (c. 1493 BCE) and later reused by his daughter Hatshepsut. Over the next 500 years, every major New Kingdom pharaoh built a hidden rock-cut tomb here: Thutmose III, Amenhotep III, Akhenaten’s family (KV55), Tutankhamun (KV62), Horemheb (KV57), the Ramessid line (KV7 Ramses II, KV9 Ramses VI, KV11 Ramses III), Seti I (KV17), and dozens of others.
Despite the secrecy, most tombs were robbed in antiquity — often by the necropolis workers themselves. By the late 20th Dynasty, looting was so endemic that the priests of Amun moved the surviving royal mummies to a secret cache at nearby Deir el-Bahari (TT320), where they remained hidden until rediscovered in 1881. A second cache in KV35 yielded another 16 royal mummies in 1898.
Howard Carter’s 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb (KV62) — found nearly intact with 5,398 artifacts including the golden funerary mask — transformed Egyptology and remains the most significant single archaeological find of the 20th century. The complete Tutankhamun collection is now displayed at the Grand Egyptian Museum near the Pyramids of Giza.
The standard ticket admits you to three tombs of your choice from a rotating open list. Special-access tickets are sold separately for KV62 (Tutankhamun), KV9 (Ramses VI), and KV17 (Seti I).
KV62 — Tutankhamun. The most famous tomb in Egypt. Small (just 4 rooms) and modest by royal standards because Tut died young, but the painted burial chamber still holds his sarcophagus and the outermost gilded shrine. The mummy itself is still here, displayed in a climate-controlled case. Separate ticket required.
KV17 — Seti I. The largest and most elaborately decorated tomb in the valley at 137 meters long. The painted ceiling of the burial chamber shows the earliest known complete astronomical chart in Egyptian art. Only intermittently open due to conservation; separate ticket required when accessible.
KV9 — Ramses VI. Famous for the double image of the goddess Nut spanning the ceiling of the burial chamber, the painted Books of the Dead on the walls, and the unusually preserved color. Tutankhamun’s tomb sat beneath the workmen’s huts built to construct KV9, which is the accidental reason KV62 survived undisturbed.
KV2 — Ramses IV. Excellent ratio of decoration to crowds. Painted scenes of the Litany of Ra and the Book of Caverns are well preserved.
KV11 — Ramses III. Long corridor with painted scenes of foreign tribute, food production, and music. Worth the walk.
KV34 — Thutmose III. Located in an isolated side wadi, accessed via a steep wooden staircase. The earliest “stick figure” style of royal tomb art.
KV8 — Merenptah. Less crowded; contains his massive sarcophagus lid.
The Valley of the Kings visitor center near the entrance has a useful scale model and a short orientation film.
The valley sits on Luxor’s West Bank, 10 km from Luxor city center. Most visits start with a 20-minute drive from your hotel or Nile cruise boat, crossing the Nile via the south bridge. From Cairo, the only practical access is a 1-hour domestic flight to Luxor (multiple daily, from $80 one-way) or the overnight sleeper train ($110 in a private cabin). From Hurghada, drive 4 hours.
Opening hours: 06:00 to 17:00 daily (October to April); 06:00 to 18:00 (May to September). The site closes earlier than Karnak.
Entrance fee (2026, subject to change): Standard ticket admitting 3 tombs: approximately 750 EGP (around $15 USD) for foreign-visitor adults. KV62 Tutankhamun: approximately 600 EGP separate ticket. KV9 Ramses VI: approximately 200 EGP separate ticket. KV17 Seti I: approximately 1,800 EGP separate ticket. Photography permit (mandatory for tomb interiors): 300 EGP.
Best time of day: Right at 06:00 opening. Tomb interiors are unventilated and quickly become hot and crowded. By 09:30 the popular tombs have queues of 30 minutes or more.
How long to allow: 3 hours for the standard 3-tomb ticket. 4-5 hours if you add Tutankhamun and Seti I. Combine with a stop at the Hatshepsut Temple for a full West Bank morning.
Photography: Permitted with the paid 300 EGP photo permit (separate from your tomb ticket). Without the permit, phones and cameras must stay in your bag. Flash is banned everywhere.
Accessibility: The site has sand and stone paths to each tomb entrance. Tombs require steep descents on wooden ramps and stairs — most are not wheelchair-accessible. KV2 (Ramses IV) is the most accessible due to its shorter corridor.
Buy the photo permit even if you think you won’t use it. The tomb interiors are stunning and you will regret leaving your phone in your bag at KV9 or KV11.
Pick three tombs in advance, not on the spot. The ticket office staff cannot help you choose. Good defaults for first-time visitors: KV2 (Ramses IV), KV9 (Ramses VI), KV11 (Ramses III). For repeat visitors: KV8 (Merenptah), KV34 (Thutmose III, steep stairs), KV57 (Horemheb).
Skip Tutankhamun if you’ve seen the GEM. The tomb itself is small and modest. The treasures are at the Grand Egyptian Museum, not here. Use the extra 600 EGP toward the Seti I ticket if it is open.
Bring 2 liters of water per person and electrolyte tabs. The walking is moderate but the dry desert heat is brutal year-round. There is shade near the entrance only.
Combine with the Hatshepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon. A West Bank morning that hits all three is the most efficient half-day in Luxor.
Every Luxor and Nile cruise itinerary that includes the West Bank includes the Valley of the Kings. The five best options for first-time visitors:
– Luxor West Bank private day tour — 5-hour private morning tour covering Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, and the Colossi of Memnon with a licensed Egyptologist.
– Luxor day tour covering East and West Bank — 10-hour day combining Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Karnak, and Luxor Temple. The most comprehensive single-day Luxor option.
– 3-Night Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor — Valley of the Kings is the morning stop on Day 3.
– 4-Night Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan — Valley of the Kings is the morning stop on Day 1.
– Sunrise hot air balloon over Luxor — sunrise balloon flight over the valley, followed by the standard West Bank tomb visits.
All Egypt Day Tours West Bank visits include private transport, the standard 3-tomb ticket, photography permit, bottled water, and a licensed Egyptologist guide. Tutankhamun and Seti I supplements quoted separately.
We did KV9, KV11, and KV2 on the standard ticket and added KV62. KV9 was the standout — the colors are unreal. Worth getting up at 5am.
Our Egyptologist guide explained the underworld books painted on the walls of Ramses VI in a way that made 3,000 years of religious symbolism actually make sense. Game changer.
Tutankhamun’s tomb itself is tiny but standing in the room where Carter looked through the hole and saw ‘wonderful things’ is something you remember forever.
The standard ticket admits you to 3 tombs from a rotating open list of approximately 10 to 12 active tombs. Tutankhamun (KV62), Ramses VI (KV9), and Seti I (KV17) require separate tickets and are not included in the standard 3-tomb count.
For first-time visitors who have not seen the Grand Egyptian Museum, yes — seeing the actual burial chamber where Howard Carter found the intact royal treasure is a powerful experience. For visitors who have just been to the GEM and seen the full collection, the tomb itself is small and adds limited value.
Yes, with the paid 300 EGP photography permit purchased at the entrance. Flash is banned everywhere. Without the permit, all cameras and phones must stay in your bag.
KV9 Ramses VI is the best single tomb for visual impact — the double-Nut ceiling and well-preserved color make it stand out. KV2 Ramses IV is the most efficient for first-time visitors. KV17 Seti I is the most spectacular when open but costs an extra 1,800 EGP.
Aim to be in the gate by 06:00 opening. By 09:00 the popular tombs have 20 to 30 minute queues and the tomb interiors get hot and crowded.
No. The Valley of the Queens (3 km south) holds queens and royal children including Queen Nefertari’s QV66, often called the most beautiful tomb in Egypt. The Tombs of the Nobles (north) holds non-royal high officials. Both are separate ticket sites and visited less often.