Luxor East Bank often gets little mention in mainstream guide books, while they place a lot of emphasis on the West Bank. Nonetheless, you’ll be missing out on a great deal if you fail to spend at least some time exploring Luxor East Bank. Allow us to show you the very best sites, both on the West Bank and the East Bank, with one of our high quality Egypt tour packages or one of our epic 5-Star Nile River cruises.

Aerial view of Karnak Temple and Luxor East Bank, Luxor.

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East Bank vs West Bank

Many travel guides, including countless travel related websites tend to place a considerable amount of emphasis on visiting Luxor West Bank when one goes on a tour to Egypt. Admittedly, the Luxor West Bank is home to many famous historical sites, and it’s here where you’ll find the Valley of Kings and the Valley of Queens.

Nonetheless, you really don’t want to be duped into thinking that it is only the West Bank of Luxor where the best historic sites are found. Let’s just say; if you fail to spend some time exploring Luxor East Bank, you are going to miss out on seeing some of the very best attractions in Luxor.

Recommended Attractions At Luxor East Bank

The best way to describe Luxor East Bank would be to say that it is essentially the heart of the modern city of Luxor. It is also the part of Luxor travelers can spend several days on end exploring places like the amazing Temple of Karnak. Other highly recommended attractions include the incredibly famous Temple of Luxor; the wonderful Luxor Museum and the Museum of Mummification.

The East Bank is also home to a seemingly endless number of hotels; resort and shopping malls.

Visiting The City Of Luxor

Visitors should keep in mind that the city of Luxor is itself often referred to as being a vast open air museum and so travelers need to be aware of the fact that some of the city’s most popular attractions do have admission fees. One should also bear in mind that some Luxor attractions may be open or closed to the public at any time due to restoration or ongoing archaeological projects. Because of this it is always a good idea for travelers to plan their trip ahead of time.

Visiting Luxor Temple And Karnak Temple

The Temple of Luxor and the Temple of Karnak are without question the two most visited attractions on the East Bank. The two sites are connected to each other in a few different ways, but it is highly recommended that visitors use the Avenue of Sphinxes, also known as the Dromos. This “avenue” which is essentially a pathway covering a distance of 3 km was beautifully restored in 2011.

The entire 3 km path is lined on both sides with carved sphinxes. Some have been destroyed and damaged, and some have unicorn heads rather than human heads, but all of this only serves to make the experience even more unforgettable.

More Reasons To Visit Luxor East Bank

The East Bank is also where you’ll find the oldest mosque in the city, El-Mekashkesh. It is a lovely building that also includes the remains of a tenth century Islamic saint. As you leave this site you are only a short distance from the Luxor Museum, and this is also a “must see” destination. It is not a very large museum and can therefore be enjoyed in a single afternoon. It does however provide an invaluable insight into the many temples and sites scattered throughout the city.

Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy the Sharia al-Markaz where it meets Sharia al-Lokanda (Sharia = street) because this is a great place for strolling and taking in the sights, smells, and treasures of a true bazaar. This is where the best cafes and shops are found as well and where you can purchase true Egyptian clay cooking pots at a very affordable price. All in all, Luxor East Bank is fun and exciting, and a traveler could easily spend many days here.

Egypt Tours – Explore The Best Of Egypt

If you really want to experience the very best Luxor has to offer, then we highly recommend doing so with one of our classic Nile cruises from Luxor to Aswan or one of our classic Nile cruises from Aswan to Luxor.

We offer several Egyptian package tours that feature either a flight or a cruise to Luxor, and all of them include a visit to Luxor East Bank. We also do customized Egypt tours which can be tailored based on your own personal preferences.