Luxor West Bank: Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut & Colossi of Memnon

At first glance the West Bank seems like barren cliffs — until you step underground. In the Valley of the Kings, sixty-two rock-cut tombs were hidden to foil robbers, their walls exploding with scenes of the sun god's nightly journey through the underworld. Descend into three superbly preserved royal tombs with your guide, and opt to add the famous tomb of Tutankhamun itself.

Rise to Deir el-Bahari, where the terraced mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut melts into the cliff face in three breathtaking levels. Walk the ramp once used by processions of priests bearing offerings to Amun, and hear the remarkable story of the woman who ruled Egypt as king for two decades.

On the way back, stop at the twin Colossi of Memnon, eighteen meters of quartzite guarding what was once the largest temple ever built in Egypt. Your Egyptologist tailors the pace to your interests, with a local lunch breaking the day in two before you return across the Nile.