8 things you need to know about Luxor

Despite Cairo being the Capital city, we experienced many scams and inconveniences. Now, we were prepared to be scammed again in Luxor. But surprisingly Luxor was very pleasant and welcoming. Yes, better than Cairo and Giza. My first impression of Luxor was ”This place is much better than Cairo” and there is no doubt about it. In this blog, you can know everything about Luxor; accommodation, transportation, restaurants, shops and currency exchange centres.

Why we chose Luxor?

Luxor is an ancient Egyptian city which contributes a lot to its history after Cairo. It is also regarded as the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Karnak Temple is the largest religious site in the world covering over 200 acres. The Hatshepsut Temple is a 15th century BC architectural masterpiece dedicated to Queen Hatshepsut.

If you visit the Egyptian Museum in Cairo first without visiting Luxor, I am sure you will not understand the history associated with the Valley of Kings, Karnak Temple and Hatshepsut Temple.

Train station to the ferry point

Luxor main station is located on the East Bank and the ferry point is hardly any distance from the main station. The moment we exited, we were swarmed by taxi drivers and horse riders offering a ride. Initially, we decided to walk but the horse riders and taxi drivers did not let us step out of that area.

1€~18EGP and 1$~16EGP. So we had to hire a taxi and negotiated the price from 50 EGP to 35EGP for 2 people. No matter how hard you try, you will be scammed, so just let it go.

Climate

Egypt is a hot desert climate and a dry country. Luxor is one of the sunniest and driest cities in the world. The ideal time to visit is between September to April. We visited during the 2nd week of May 2019 and we could feel the temperature rising day by day. At 6.30 am it was 30°. So just imagine the weather.

December and January is the best time because the highest temperature is between 18°-20°. During these months expect a lot of crowd at hotels, sites and of course the accommodations are expensive.

Transportation between the East Bank and the West Bank

We reached the ferry point within no time and there was a ferry waiting for us. There is a ferry every 15-20 mins. The boats don’t move until it is 70% full. These are operated by the Egyptian Government and costs 2EGP for localites for one way and 5EGP for tourists. The price is fixed and no bargain. Just pay the money and board.

We did not spot any local buses; taxis, horse carriages and ferries are the only means of transport. There is a bridge connecting the East and the West Bank, but it is located almost 20-25 km away from this point. Once we reached the West Bank, we expected that the taxi drivers would swarm us again. But to our surprise, no one approached us and walked to our accommodation at peace.

East Bank vs West Bank

Everything is available only the East Bank like Currency exchange centres, local bazaars, fruits & vegetable vendors, train station, long-distance buses and also the Luxor international airport. So naturally, accommodations are a little expensive on the East Bank but the choice is up to you. On the West Bank, there is nothing much for a few average restaurants and small shops.

Accommodation on the West Bank

We booked the ”Nile Sunrise Flats” on booking.com. The accommodation was just 2 mins walk from the ferry point. The host’s name is Taha, the best guy we met till date. He allocated us a room on the terrace, so naturally, we had a lot of private areas.

The apartment was cosy with a living room, bedroom(with AC) and a bathroom with 24×7 hot water. The kitchen was outside equipped with few utensils and it looked as if it wasn’t used for long. As the name said, the sunrise over the river Nile was beautiful. Luxor’s accommodation and the host is something that will stay with us for some time because of his kindness and hospitality. This apartment is highly recommended in Luxor. Overall experience with the host:  out of 5

Itenary discussion with the host

Once we were comfortable and settled in our apartment, Taha, our friendly and warm host asked us about our travel plan. After a lot of discussions and negotiation, he agreed to take us to all the touristic sites on East and West bank for 500EGP. This price included all the sites in a private car and a private boat ride in the longest river Nile. We were very convinced and happy with all his pricing because we had suffered a lot in Giza and Cairo with regards to transport.

The best decision

We must agree that it was the best decision we opted to tour with Taha.

1. It was Sunday and we did not even spot one local transport or a tuk-tuk.
2. There were 2 checkpoints on the way (Nothing serious, just casual checking). We felt comfortable because we had a local with us.
3. As I said, it was extremely hot and local transport would be very tiring. If we had opted for local transport we could have saved some bucks but at least we were comfortable in the car which was very much necessary after our experiences in Cairo and Giza.

We were very happy with his service and gesture so we tipped him 100EGP.

Currency exchange centre

When we reached Luxor, we fell short of cash. Since it was Sunday, the currency exchange points were closed. Taha came to the rescue and took us to a centre which is located just opposite to the Luxor temple. There was no proper board outside. So just look closely.

Restaurant

There is a hotel ”Sunflower Roof Garden” right next to the apartment. The owner invited us but we refused thinking it is a scam. After walking around the location for some time, we could not find any good hotels for dinner. So we walked inside this restaurant.

The owner was a very humble and friendly person. He recommended a few dishes and customized the food as per our taste. Once you place the order, food is prepared from scratch and everything is very fresh.

The ambience was nothing great. It was a semi-open restaurant with many country flags hanging. He spoke a little German as well. The food was good and we had every meal here until we left.

Supermarkets and shops

There is no chain of supermarkets. Many small shops are located in every nook and corner of the city. The rates are different for tourists; 2 Ltr water bottle casts 5EGP but she sold it to us for 15EGP. You can’t do anything about it.

Tips

1. If your accommodation offers a deal just like Taha did, then just accept it. Local transport is not convenient.
2. The best time is to start early in the morning and be back before noon. It is extremely hot and you can’t even walk. Start exploring again by 3.30 pm.
3. Carry enough cash.
4. Umbrellas, sunscreen and lots of water are a must.
5. Say no to tap water.
6. Know where you are going so that no one can mess with you.
7. Be stern when you refuse.

Hope this blog post helped you to plan a great trip to Luxor, Egypt. Stay tuned for more posts regarding the places to visit in Luxor. Happy travelling..! Time of visit: May 2019

“I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.”