Valley of the Kings: how to pick your three tombs

The Valley of the Kings is one of Luxor’s most extraordinary sights. From which tombs to choose and what tickets cost to how to get there and when to go, here’s how to plan your visit.

Since the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, the Valley of the Kings has captured the imagination of travellers worldwide.

This “gateway to the afterlife” on the West Bank of Luxor offers an extraordinary look at how the ancient Egyptians lived, what they believed and how they buried their most powerful rulers.

Want to visit the tombs? Of course you do! Who wouldn’t want to see the ancient necropolis where many of Egypt’s most famous pharaohs were buried in pomp and splendour?

I have to be honest: visiting these tombs was one of the highlights of my Egypt trip, and I know it will be one of yours too. I visited in June on a private tour of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, chose three tombs on the standard ticket, paid extra for Tutankhamun and spent my splurge on Nefertari’s tomb instead of Seti I’s.

In this guide, I’ll cover how the valley works, which tombs you can visit (and which you should), what tickets cost now, the history of the site and how to plan your trip. Let’s go.

The valley at a glance

Tall eroded limestone cliffs and a gravel path at the head of the Valley of the Kings in Luxor — The cliffs at the head of the valley on my June visit

Where: the West Bank of the Nile, opposite Luxor, behind the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari
What: the burial ground of New Kingdom pharaohs, with more than 60 known tombs, about a dozen open at any one time
Standard ticket: 750 EGP (375 EGP for students), including any three of the open tombs on the standard list
Extra tickets: Tutankhamun (KV62) 700 EGP, Ramses V and VI (KV9) 220 EGP, Seti I (KV17) 2,000 EGP
Hours: daily from 6am to 5pm (4pm on some winter schedules)
Time needed: two to three hours for three tombs plus one or two extras
Payment: by bank card at the ticket office
Photography: phones are free to use; no flash

Why visit?

Why wouldn’t you visit the Valley of the Kings is probably a better question!

Along with the Pyramids of Giza, Karnak and perhaps Abu Simbel, the valley is one of Egypt’s best-known (and most-visited) sights.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say that no trip to Egypt would be complete without it. Hieroglyphs carved into the stone, colourful scenes of the afterlife and the hush of corridors cut deep into the mountain: there’s nowhere else quite like it.

Top Tip

I’d highly recommend taking a guided tour or getting a private guide for your visit. Although there’s information outside each tomb, a guide will really help the stories of the pharaohs and their tombs come to life. Mine certainly did.

What the valley is and why it exists

Painted vaulted lunette with a winged deity and gods in the tomb of Tausert and Setnakht, Valley of the Kings — A painted lunette deep inside the tomb of Tausert and Setnakht

I’ll delve deeper into the history of the necropolis further on in this guide, but what is the Valley of the Kings and why does it exist?

It’s the burial ground of the pharaohs (and a few queens, princes and nobles) of the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties, a span of about 500 years. To understand it, you have to know a smidgen about the ancient Egyptians themselves.

The gateway to the afterlife

Ancient Egyptians believed that you had to do certain things to get into the afterlife, one of which was preserving your body whole. Mummifying your body to keep it intact for this second life was paramount.

You also had to bring everything you would want or need for the afterlife… so you can see why a lavish tomb, packed with goods and your mummified body, might have seemed like a great idea.

While earlier dynasties used pyramids as royal tombs, the kings of the New Kingdom, starting with Thutmose I, turned to this remote valley instead.

The walls tell the rest of the story. Most tombs are decorated with funerary texts such as the Book of Gates, the Book of Caverns and the Amduat, which map the sun god’s nightly journey through the underworld, a journey the king hoped to share. Visiting the tombs is a fantastic way to see the craftsmanship and artistry of the ancient Egyptians up close.

How a visit works

Paved path with low stone walls running between desert hills in the Valley of the Kings, Luxor — The main path up the valley between the tombs

Every visit starts at the visitor centre at the mouth of the valley. Buy your tickets at the ticket office here (including any extra tombs you want to see), then walk or hop on the tuff-tuff, the small electric tram that runs up to the tombs for about 20 EGP.

From the tram stop, a network of paved paths leads to the tomb entrances. Each tomb has its number (KV stands for “Kings’ Valley”) and an information board outside with a plan of its corridors and chambers. Inside, wooden walkways and handrails lead you down sloping corridors, and many walls are now protected by glass panels.

The standard ticket gets you into any three tombs from the list that’s open that day. An attendant at each door checks and punches your ticket, so decide on your three before you set off. Tutankhamun, Ramses V and VI and Seti I each need their own ticket on top.

The open tombs rotate for conservation, so the list changes from season to season. In 2026, visitor reports list these ten on the standard ticket: Ramses VII (KV1), Ramses IV (KV2), Ramses IX (KV6), Merenptah (KV8), Ramses III (KV11), Tausert and Setnakht (KV14), Seti II (KV15), Ramses I (KV16), Thutmose IV (KV43) and Siptah (KV47). Check the board at the ticket office on the day.

Which tombs to choose on the standard ticket

Out of the tombs that were open when I went, I chose Ramses IX, Merenptah, and Tausert and Setnakht. Here’s what each is like, followed by the other open tombs, so you can choose your own three.

Tausert and Setnakht (KV14)

Julianna Barnaby standing on the wooden walkway in the decorated first corridor of tomb KV14, Luxor — Me in the first corridor of the tomb of Tausert and Setnakht

This double tomb is one of the largest in the valley, at more than 110 metres long. It was begun for Tausert, the Great Royal Wife of Seti II, who went on to rule Egypt in her own right as the last pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty.

After her reign, Setnakht, the founder of the 20th Dynasty, took the tomb over, painted over many of her images and extended it with a second burial chamber for himself. Inside, you’ll still see Tausert’s burial chamber, scenes of Tausert and Setnakht, and Setnakht’s broken red granite sarcophagus.

Of all the tombs on the standard ticket, this one was actually my favourite. Unsurprisingly, given that it’s a double tomb, it’s really large, but its location at the top of the valley also meant it was the quietest tomb I visited too.

Ramses IX (KV6)

Raised relief of Ramses IX behind glass in the first corridor of his tomb KV6, Valley of the Kings — A raised relief of the king in the first corridor of Ramses IX’s tomb

The tomb of Ramses IX is close to the entrance of the valley, with one of the widest entrances of any tomb here. A long, broad corridor leads you in, lined with scenes of the king before the gods and the strange cartouche-shaped figures of the Litany of Ra.

It runs about 105 metres into the hillside to a burial chamber with one of the most striking ceilings in the valley: two huge figures of the sky goddess Nut, arched back to back over deep yellow and black stars. The sarcophagus is long gone, but the pit cut for it is still in the floor.

Its position near the entrance makes it one of the busiest tombs, so try to go early or late in the day.

Merenptah (KV8)

Red granite sarcophagus lid carved with Merenptah's effigy above an inscribed box in tomb KV8, Luxor — The granite lid of Merenptah’s sarcophagus in his burial chamber

Merenptah, the 13th son of Ramses II, was probably in his sixties when he came to the throne. His tomb is very long and quite deep, with a steep descent on wooden stairs to a large, pillared burial chamber.

Ancient floods have washed away much of the decoration in the lower half of the tomb, but the upper corridors keep some really beautiful painted reliefs, and the burial chamber holds the star of the show: the huge red granite lid of his sarcophagus, carved with his effigy as Osiris.

Top Tip

Keep an eye out for scenes from the Book of Gates, the Book of Caverns and the Book of the Earth, which survive high on the walls and ceiling of the burial chamber.

Ramses III (KV11)

One of the largest tombs in the valley, KV11 is the resting place of Ramses III. You enter down long passageways with incredibly detailed artwork, now thankfully protected behind glass, including a series of small side chambers off the corridors. One of them shows two blind harpists, which is why the tomb is sometimes called the Tomb of the Harpers.

These sunken, painted reliefs illustrate several religious texts of the age, such as the Litany of Ra and the Book of Gates, and they’re well worth taking a little time over if crowds aren’t pushing you along.

Don’t expect to see the sarcophagus of Ramses III, though: the pieces are scattered around the world. The box is in the Louvre in Paris, the lid is in the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, and his mummy is in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) in Cairo.

Ramses I (KV16)

Ramses I founded the 19th Dynasty but reigned for less than two years, so his tomb is small. A steep corridor and staircase lead straight down to the burial chamber, where you’ll find his open red granite sarcophagus, painted with images and texts.

The chamber walls are vividly painted on a blue-grey background, with scenes from the Book of Gates and the king’s journey through the underworld. It’s short, but the colour is wonderful.

Ramses IV (KV2)

Close to the entrance, a staircase with a ramp takes you to Ramses IV’s tomb. On the lintel above the door, the goddesses Isis and Nephthys worship the sun.

You’ll pass paintings and inscriptions, along with plenty of ancient Greek and Coptic graffiti, as you walk down the corridor to the burial chamber. Ramses IV’s enormous granite sarcophagus is still inside, covered in inscriptions and reliefs.

Seti II (KV15)

Seti II’s tomb is close to Tausert and Setnakht’s. It was finished in a hurry, so it’s smaller and less decorated than some of the others, and Seti II may originally have been buried in KV14 before being moved here.

You can still see fine reliefs near the entrance, and the burial chamber holds the remains of his red granite sarcophagus lid. His mummy was found elsewhere in the valley and is now in Cairo.

Siptah (KV47)

At the southern end of the valley is KV47, the burial place of Siptah, a young king of the 19th Dynasty who reigned for about six years with Tausert as his regent. The tomb was found by Edward Ayrton, working for the American Theodore Davis, in 1905.

Siptah’s mummy was actually discovered in another tomb, KV35, but KV47 still has finely painted reliefs near its entrance and its granite sarcophagus, carved with funerary scenes and texts.

Ramses VII (KV1) and Thutmose IV (KV43)

Ramses VII’s small tomb, near the entrance, was finished quickly: it’s a single corridor leading to a burial chamber where the sarcophagus pit is cut into the floor and covered by a stone lid. Thutmose IV’s tomb, found by Howard Carter in 1903, is an 18th Dynasty tomb with long, plain corridors, a few painted scenes on a golden-yellow background and a huge granite sarcophagus. Both are quieter choices if the big names are busy.

Tombs with an extra ticket

There are three tombs in the valley that need their own ticket on top of the standard one. Buy these at the ticket office at the entrance.

Tutankhamun (KV62): 700 EGP
Ramses V and VI (KV9): 220 EGP
Seti I (KV17): 2,000 EGP

I bought a ticket for Tutankhamun, so I’ve gone into more detail about it below. Seti I’s tomb is also beautiful, but I opted to spend the extra money on seeing Nefertari’s tomb in the Valley of the Queens instead.

Tutankhamun (KV62)

Wall painting of Tutankhamun greeted by a goddess on a golden background in tomb KV62, Valley of the Kings — Tutankhamun with the gods on the wall of his burial chamber

Tutankhamun’s tomb is the most famous in Egypt. When Howard Carter found it in November 1922, it was the only royal tomb in the valley found nearly intact, still packed with its furnishings and with the king’s mummy inside.

Sixteen steps lead down to the entrance. From there, a short corridor about 8 metres long takes you to the antechamber and the burial chamber, where the walls are painted with scenes of Tutankhamun’s funeral and his welcome by the gods, and his quartzite sarcophagus still stands. Tutankhamun’s mummy lies in a climate-controlled glass case in the antechamber.

Although it’s quite small, it’s the only tomb in the valley you can visit that still has its mummy inside. Plus, it’s the tomb of Tutankhamun! I’d say it’s well worth paying the extra to see. His treasures, including the famous gold mask, are now in the Grand Egyptian Museum near Giza, which opened in full in November 2025.

Tickets

The Tutankhamun ticket costs 700 EGP (350 EGP for students). It’s sometimes discounted in low season: when I visited in June, it was half price.

Ramses V and VI (KV9)

Begun for Ramses V and finished for Ramses VI, KV9 is often called the best-value extra in the valley. Its long corridors are painted from floor to ceiling, and the burial chamber has a spectacular astronomical ceiling with two figures of the sky goddess Nut swallowing and giving birth to the sun, along with the Books of Day and Night.

Seti I (KV17)

One of the longest and deepest tombs in the valley, the tomb of Seti I (Ramses II’s father) was discovered in October 1817 by Giovanni Belzoni and is sometimes known as “Belzoni’s tomb”.

Many consider it the most beautiful of all the tombs here, with long, fully decorated corridors leading to two vast pillared halls and an astronomical ceiling in the burial chamber. One room is unfinished, with the sketches for its reliefs still visible in red and black ink. Seti I’s translucent alabaster sarcophagus is now in Sir John Soane’s Museum in London.

At 2,000 EGP it’s by far the priciest tomb ticket, and it’s included in the premium Luxor Pass.

Should you choose Seti I or Nefertari?

Painted pillar showing Queen Nefertari in a white robe with the goddess Isis in her tomb, Valley of the Queens — Queen Nefertari with Isis in her tomb in the Valley of the Queens

When I visited, I had to choose between Seti I and Nefertari, and I went for Nefertari’s tomb in the Valley of the Queens. I saw a lot in Egypt that blew my mind, but Nefertari’s tomb was something else.

Bear in mind that Nefertari’s tomb is closed indefinitely, and there’s no word on if or when it will reopen. Until it does, Seti I is the tomb to splash out on. Read my guide to Nefertari’s tomb for more.

The history of the Valley of the Kings

Gravel path leading between steep sunlit cliffs into the upper Valley of the Kings, Luxor — The path into the upper part of the valley, under the cliffs

The ancient Egyptians are famous for building impressive monuments to honour their pharaohs, and the Pyramids of Giza also acted as royal tombs.

Burying pharaohs in pyramids was the custom of the Old Kingdom. However, those great, obvious monuments were easy targets, and many of them were vandalised and robbed.

The tombs of the New Kingdom

So the rulers of the New Kingdom (about 1550 to 1070 BC) came up with a different plan to protect their mummies and belongings and to ensure an undisturbed journey to the afterlife.

Instead, they cut their tombs into a lonely desert valley on the West Bank of the Nile, across from Thebes (modern Luxor), under a peak shaped like a natural pyramid. The tombs extended deep into the mountain, with their entrances hidden, and the workmen who cut and painted them lived in their own village nearby, at Deir el-Medina.

The plunder of the valley

Unfortunately, as royal power started to wane, the valley suffered the same fate as the pyramids: grave robbers.

Many of the tombs were looted by the end of the 20th Dynasty. During the 21st Dynasty, the priests of Amun opened the tombs and moved the royal mummies, first to a few tombs and then to hiding places such as the Deir el-Bahari cache and the tomb of Amenhotep II (KV35), for their protection.

Those mummies stayed hidden until the 19th century. You can see many of them today in the Royal Mummies Hall of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation in Cairo.

The discovery of the valley

Members of Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt drew maps and plans of the tombs that were known in 1799, and noted the western branch of the valley for the first time.

European exploration grew during the 19th century, notably with Giovanni Belzoni, who worked for the English collector Henry Salt and discovered the tombs of Ay (WV23) and Seti I (KV17) in 1816 and 1817.

In 1898 and 1899, Victor Loret found 16 new tombs, including KV35 with its cache of royal mummies. In the early 20th century, the American Theodore Davis funded excavations that found several more tombs of pharaohs and non-royals; in 1912 he declared that the valley was exhausted.

He was wrong. In November 1922, Howard Carter, working for Lord Carnarvon, found the tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62). Excavations have continued ever since: KV63 was found in 2005, and in 2025, archaeologists announced the tomb of Thutmose II in the hills to the west, the first royal tomb discovered since Tutankhamun’s.

Top facts about the valley

The mummy of Tutankhamun in its climate-controlled glass case inside tomb KV62, Valley of the Kings — Tutankhamun’s mummy, the only one still in its tomb in the valley

It was the burial ground of the New Kingdom

The valley was the royal burial place of the New Kingdom for around 500 years, across three dynasties, from Thutmose I to Ramses XI.

The first pharaoh buried here was…

Thutmose I is generally thought to have been the first king buried in the valley.

How many tombs are in the Valley of the Kings?

More than 60 tombs and pits have been found and numbered, from KV1 to KV64, plus the West Valley tombs. Not all of them are royal, and only around a dozen are open at any one time. It’s still an active archaeological site.

The curse of Tutankhamun

Legend has it that anyone who disturbed King Tut’s tomb would be cursed. The story took off when Lord Carnarvon, who funded the dig, died in Cairo in April 1923, a few months after the tomb was opened. Howard Carter himself lived until 1939.

KV what?

All the tombs have a number with the prefix “KV”, which stands for Kings’ Valley. The numbers follow the order in which the tombs were recorded, not their age. Tombs in the West Valley use “WV”.

KV5 is the largest tomb in the valley, with well over 100 chambers. Most archaeologists believe it was built for the sons of Ramses II.

Planning your visit

Wooden sign reading Tomb of Tut Ankh Amun No 62 on a stone wall in the Valley of the Kings — The sign at the entrance to Tutankhamun’s tomb

Ticket prices

Buy your entry ticket from the ticket office at the visitor centre, along with any extra tombs. Prices for foreign visitors in 2026:

Standard ticket (three tombs): 750 EGP (375 EGP for students)
Tutankhamun (KV62): 700 EGP (350 EGP for students)
Ramses V and VI (KV9): 220 EGP (110 EGP for students)
Seti I (KV17): 2,000 EGP (no student discount)
Ay (WV23), in the West Valley: 200 EGP (100 EGP for students)
Tuff-tuff (tram) from the visitor centre: about 20 EGP

The old photography pass has gone, and phones can be used for free.

Tickets

Planning to see a lot of Luxor’s sights? The Luxor Pass covers the main sites on both banks for five days: $130 for the standard pass or $250 for the premium pass, which adds the tombs of Seti I and Nefertari (students under 30 pay $70 and $130). Buy it at the Karnak or Valley of the Kings ticket office, with a copy of your passport and a passport photo.

Opening hours

The valley is open daily from 6am to 5pm, with some official listings giving a 4pm close in winter and during Ramadan. Aim to arrive at least an hour before closing, and check ahead before you go.

Visiting on a tour

An organised tour is the most popular way to visit, and most include hotel pick-up and drop-off, entry to three tombs and a guide. This full-day tour of the East and West Banks adds Karnak and Luxor Temple, or do as I did and book a private tour of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. If you’re short on time, you can also visit on a day trip by air from Cairo.

Getting there from the East Bank

Most hotels are on the East Bank, and the valley is about 6 km away as the crow flies, but around 40 to 45 minutes by road, as you have to cross the Nile at the Luxor Bridge to the south of the city. A taxi or private driver is the easiest option: agree the price, including waiting time, before you set off.

The cheaper alternative is the public ferry across the Nile from near Luxor Temple, then a taxi from the West Bank landing to the valley.

Getting there from the West Bank

Staying on the West Bank puts you much closer. From the hotels near the ferry landing, the valley is a short taxi ride away, and it’s easy to combine with the Valley of the Queens, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut and Medinet Habu in a single day. If you’re doing the sunrise hot air balloon, you’ll float right over this side of the river first.

Best time of day to visit

Go as early as you can. The valley opens at 6am, and the first couple of hours are the coolest and quietest, before the tour buses arrive in force from about 10am. The middle of the day is the busiest and hottest. Late afternoon, an hour or two before closing, is the next best option.

Tips for the tombs

Prepare for the heat: there’s very little shade, and the tombs themselves are stuffy. I travelled in late May and early June, and there were points in Luxor where I was so hot I didn’t know what to do with myself. Bring a hat, sun cream and plenty of water.
Bring a bank card: ticket offices at the main sites are now cashless and take bank cards only. When I went, the card machine at the Nefertari ticket office was broken and I had to pay cash (there’s no ATM nearby), so carry a backup card and some small notes for the tuff-tuff, toilets and tips.
Photography: phones are free to use, and recent visitors report using cameras without a separate pass, but flash is not allowed. Don’t touch the walls, and keep your bag clear of the glass panels.
Choose your three tombs before you go: you can’t swap once your ticket is punched, so pick one tomb at the top of the valley, like KV14, to beat the crowds.
Take the tuff-tuff: the walk from the visitor centre to the first tombs isn’t long, but in the heat the little tram is worth every pound.
Dress for the stairs: tombs like Merenptah’s involve long, steep descents, so wear comfortable shoes and light, loose clothes. See my Egypt packing list.

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Where to stay

El Mesala Hotel is where I stayed. It’s on the West Bank, right by the ferry landing, with a pool and a rooftop terrace looking across the Nile to Luxor Temple, so you’re close to the valley and the other West Bank sights but only a short boat ride from the East Bank.

For something grander on the East Bank, the five-star Steigenberger Nile Palace Luxor has pools right by the Nile and several restaurants, about 2 km south of Luxor Temple. Allow 40 to 50 minutes by road to the valley. (The historic Winter Palace is closed for restoration until 2027.)

For more options on both banks, see my guide to where to stay in Luxor.

Check availability and reviews for El Mesala Hotel on Booking.com