Luxor is organised by the river. The living city and its great temples stand on the east bank, where the sun rises; the tombs were cut into the hills on the west, where it sets. That ancient division still decides how you spend your days here.
The Luxor East Bank Day Tour takes in Karnak and Luxor temple. Karnak in particular is less a building than a site that kept growing for some two thousand years, each dynasty adding to what it inherited. If you would rather see it after dark, the Sound & Light Show at Karnak Temple uses the columns themselves as the setting.
The Luxor West Bank Day Tour crosses to the Valley of the Kings and the terraced temple beneath the cliffs. This is the harder half in summer heat, which is why it tends to start early.
The Luxor East & West Bank Day Tour puts the two together for travellers with a single day to give the city. And the Hot Air Balloon Ride in Luxor goes up at first light over the west bank, when the temples and the green strip along the river are still catching the early sun — the one view that explains the geography better than any map.
The east bank, the west bank, the combined day and the balloon flight are each $100 per person; the evening Sound & Light Show at Karnak is $50. The day tours come with a French-speaking private guide and a private vehicle.
Most people underestimate Luxor and give it a day. If you have two, tell us and we will spread it out properly: ez_guide25@yahoo.com or +20 11 50014393.