#32 Flying from Cairo to Luxor

The next phase of our Egypt trip started with a predawn wake-up and trip to the Cairo airport. Even at 4:00 am, the streets of Cairo are bustling with activity and traffic. We took the one-hour trip to Luxor and boarded the riverboat that we would take to cruise up the Nile. The Nile flows north so the Southern section is referred to as the Upper Nile.

Feluccas on the Nile

After lunch, we drove out to The Valley of the Queens. The tombs of the kings and queens were placed on the East bank of the Nile to meet the daily return of the Sun god Ra. In this area, we visited one of the highlights of the trip, the tomb of Queen Nefertari, the Great Wife of Pharaoh Ramesses II, in the Valley of the Queens. It was discovered in 1904.

Wall Carving and Painting from Nefertari’s Tomb - Photo by Joan Naidorf

This jewel of a tomb has limited access to try to minimize the potential damage done by the atmosphere and the humidity of visitors’ breathing. The incredibly vivid colors were restored to their original brilliance during the 1980’s and early 90’s. The experience is pricey and worth every penny. The paintings are found on almost every available surface in the tomb, including thousands of stars painted on the ceiling of the burial chamber on a blue background to represent the sky.

Entry to the tomb of Ramesses III Valley of the Kings
photo by Joan Naidorf

 A short drive brings visitors to the famous Valley of the Kings. Our tour arranged for an after-hours tour of this national treasure. For a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, rock-cut tombs were excavated for the pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom (the Eighteenth to the Twentieth Dynasties of Ancient Egypt).

Tomb of King Tutankhamun - photo by Joan Naidorf

Most notably, in 1922, archeologists found the totally intact tomb of a young king named Tutunkamen, or just King Tut. Nearly all the other tombs had been opened and plundered over the centuries. Finding this untouched, rather small, tomb, gave archeologists an opportunity to see all of the accessories the kings believed they would need in the next life.

King Tut and his wife - Statue at the Luxor Temple - photo by Joan Naidorf

The original photographs of the crowded antechambers look a lot like an overcrowded garage. The iconic gold mask of King Tut, his throne, and his sarcophagi are now on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. We see those treasures on a tour of the museum that came in the last day of our trip.

the Facade of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

In an action of respect, Tut’s mummy was left to rest in a glass case in the original tomb. The kings started building their tombs after they rose to the throne and building was stopped at the King’s death. Since Tut ascended at age 8 and died at age 19, his tomb was small. The paintings in the area of the original sarcophagus are colorful and well-preserved. The country is celebrating the hundredth anniversary of the Tomb’s discovery.

As night fell on the Valley of the Kings, we filed back onto the bus and back to our Nile Riverboat cruise ship. We needed to refresh and rest up for tomorrow. The first taste of the Luxor area could only be topped by the activities of the following morning: visits to the Temple at Karnak and the Temple of Luxor. Stay tuned …