After visiting the incredible pyramids, I stayed one more night in Giza, when I finally got a proper rest. The next morning, I needed to get to the GoBus station at Tahrir in Cairo, because I wanted to travel to Luxor. First, I took a minibus that was waiting at the corner of the main road in Giza and rode it to the metro station. From there, I reached Tahrir quickly and without any problems by metro. The bus to Luxor departed exactly on time, and nobody asked me for extra money.

The journey passed fairly quickly. I spent the whole time looking out the window at the desert. The desert changed colors — sometimes dark, sometimes white — with hills of different shapes and wind-shaped sand formations that looked like sculptures. After ten hours of travel, we arrived in Luxor. It was already dark, but the streets were still full of life.

I needed to get to my accommodation quickly, which was about a ten-minute walk away. I wasn’t sure how safe Luxor would be at night, but after a short walk, I felt calm. Only two taxi drivers with carriages approached me, wanting to give me a ride, but after politely refusing, they left me alone.

I arrived at the accommodation, had dinner, and finally rested after the long journey. I was staying in Luxor for several days, so I had plenty of time to explore not only the city itself but also all the beautiful nearby monuments. If you are looking for accommodation in Luxor, you can find filtered best offers on this page.

Luxor was known as Thebes in ancient times, and during the New Kingdom, it served as the capital of Egypt. The city was the main religious and political center for over 1,500 years. Luxor is home to an enormous number of ancient monuments, including the Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, and the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Thanks to these ancient remains, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the Theban Necropolis. Luxor is a hub for archaeological research led by Egyptologists.

But Luxor is not just about monuments. I really enjoyed walking through its hidden streets, where I could perfectly see the everyday life of local people. For some, this place might seem unpleasant, dirty, or dangerous, but I love these kinds of places, where I feel as if I have traveled back centuries.

The streets were full of bustle. Sellers offered everything you can imagine, often sitting on the dirty ground. Fully veiled women passed by me, men in traditional clothes, and people carrying various items on their heads. I stopped at a bird shop. On the ground, a cat was nibbling freshly chopped chicken heads. Not the most pleasant sight, but part of this world. The sellers were happy I had come to see the place and even showed me pigeons, which are considered traditional food in Egypt. The smell was strong, so I didn’t stay long and returned to the busy street, where cars, cyclists, horse carriages, and donkeys passed by.

I could walk for hours in the streets of Luxor. You see the everyday life of middle-class people as well as the poorest. Everyone treated me kindly. They didn’t want to force me to buy anything; they just wanted to greet me and welcome me to Egypt. I was liking this country more and more.

In the evening, I went to the Nile to watch the sunset. There are also sunset trips on traditional Egyptian boats called feluccas. I recommend booking such a trip in advance to avoid haggling with vendors. This is probably the best offer for a two-hour cruise at a great price.

I walked along the riverside promenade, with a beautiful view of the world’s longest river, the Nile. The sunset was truly beautiful. The last rays reflected on the Luxor Temple, which is built right next to the river. Feluccas sailed quietly on the river, which separates Luxor into the west bank, dedicated to the dead, and the east bank, dedicated to the living.

I loved this place and was already looking forward to the next days. The following morning, I was set to explore the east bank at the Karnak and Luxor temples.