Egypt

The Valleys of the Kings and of the Queens. pharaohs tombs

The Valley of the Kings is one of the most important necropolises in Egypt. It is located very close to the city of Luxor and more than 60 tombs of pharaohs of the New Kingdom have been found there, including that of the most famous of the Egyptian pharaohs: Tutankhamun.

The Valley of the Queens is located very close, on the other side of the mountain where the Valley of the Kings is and in it the queens of the same era are buried, although there are also some princes. The most famous is the tomb of Nefertari.

We recommend you take this excursion to the Valleys of the Kings and Queens, the Colossi of Memnon and the Temple of Hatshepsut.

The tombs of the Valley of the Kings

Egypt - Valley of the KingsIf you go to Egypt, visiting the Valley of the Kings is essential and with the ticket you will have the opportunity to enter 3 tombs that are open at that time.

If you want to visit more tombs, you can buy more tickets and you are entitled to another 3, but we think that 3 tombs is enough.

It is not known exactly how many graves there are at this location. More than 60 have been discovered but excavations are underway for others.

The tombs began to be built when the pharaoh came to power and their construction ended when he died. For years, the rock was excavated to build what would be the final resting place of the pharaoh.

Therefore, by the size of the tomb it is possible to know how long a pharaoh lived. Tutankhamun died at the age of 17, which is why the tomb of the most famous pharaoh is also the smallest.

Egypt - Valley of the Kings - TombsThe pharaohs were buried with all their belongings but all the tombs were looted in their day and nothing was found inside, they were all empty.

All but one, Tutankhamun ‘s, which was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922 completely intact.

Nothing was missing and now all his treasure can be visited in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Until recently you could visit the tomb and even see the mummy, but in 2011 it was closed.

Each tomb is completely different and has different paintings on its walls, so it is difficult to describe them in a general way. All of them, as a general rule, have an entrance, some corridors with different decoration and at the end the sepulchral chamber where the sarcophagus where the mummy was deposited is located.

The Valley of the Queens

Egypt - Valley of the QueensThe tombs of the Queens were not as hidden as those of the Kings and many were located in plain sight.

That is why it has been easier to discover them, although what has not been so successful is knowing who each one belongs to.

As we have said, the most famous is that of Nefertari, although unfortunately it is closed to the public for conservation reasons.

But you can visit others, although normally very few are open.

Like the tombs of the Kings, these tombs were also looted in ancient times and today have been found empty, although at least they have preserved their beautiful decoration.

Practical information to visit the Valley of the Kings and the Queens

Egypt - Kings Valley - Ramses III TombIn organized trips, a visit to the Valley of the Kings with its three tombs is usually included.

However, the Valley of the Queens is not usually included and can be offered as an option, so it is a fairly unknown place.

In any case, if you go on your own or do not have the visits included, you can get there from Luxor by taxi for about 100LE round trip. Remember to agree with the taxi driver to wait for you.

The valleys are in the middle of the desert so it is highly recommended to go first thing in the morning as the heat is quite intense. At 9 in the morning it may already be 40º in the area.

And you also have to remember that it is forbidden to take photos inside the tombs, so the only memory you will have will be the one that remains on your retina. The vigilantes are very attentive so that the prohibition is fulfilled.

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