Luxor is often called the world's greatest open-air museum. This city in southern Egypt was once ancient Thebes, capital of Egypt at the height of its power, and its temples and tombs are among the most spectacular sights on Earth. The Nile divides the city in two, and the whole area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The East Bank, where the modern city sits alongside the river, is home to the massive Karnak Temple Complex, with its forest of giant columns, the Temple of Luxor, beautifully lit at night, and the excellent Luxor Museum. Cross to the West Bank to explore the Valley of the Kings, where pharaohs including Tutankhamun were buried in elaborately painted tombs, along with the Valley of the Queens and Deir el-Medina, the village of the artisans who built them. Don't miss the striking terraced Temple of Hatshepsut, the towering Colossi of Memnon and Medinet Habu. For a breathtaking start to the day, take a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the ruins.

Luxor is the starting or ending point of most Nile River cruises. I'll plan your temple and tomb visits with an expert Egyptologist and connect Luxor with Aswan and Cairo.