Known as “Thebes, the city of the thousand gates,” Luxor was the center of the power for the Pharaohs for almost 1500 years. Luxor reflects its rich array of magnificent temples and tombs. 
During the seventh century BC 2700 years ago, the Assyrians invaded Egypt and left the “city of the thousand gates” in ruins. Today the new invaders are visitors who frequently arrive on Nile cruises or by airplanes to view the remnants of the truly magnifcoent civilization. 

Karnak Temple
This metropolis of worship is a 50,000 square meter complex of towering pylons, mammoth statues, vast columned halls, sanctuaries, shrines, and obelisks. It was built by successive rulers over the period of 2000 years. The most awesome of its many wonders is the great hypostyle hall with its forest of 134 columns. At the far end of the Karnak is the Secret Lake with seating tiers for spectators to view the breath-taking sound and light show spectacle during the final phase of the tour. 

Luxor Temple
 Once linked to the Karnak Temple by a 2 km long avenue of ram-headed sphinxes of which many still stand. The Luxor Temple was built by Amenhotep III in the 15th century BC, hereto the statues, obelisks and hypostyle halls are of a colossal scale. 

Valley of the Kings
In deep tunneled galleries glowing with colorful mural portraiture and inscriptions, over sixty of Egypt’s most famous pharaohs were entombed. The most famous is the most modest in size tomb of the boy King Tut Ankh Amen. It was discovered in 1922 with its treasures found more or less intact.   

Valley of the Queens
Less imposingin dimensions than the tombs of the Kings but certainly not in artistic depiction. The most beautiful is that of Nefertari, Ramsis II Queen. 

Hatshepsut Temple
The mortuary temple belongs to one of the greatest peacetime pharaohs. Queen Hatshepsut (1503-1482 BC) it rises in terraced tiers with the sheer cliff as a backdrop. One of its walls chronicles pictorially the trading expedition sent by the Queen to the land of Punt (present day Somalia).