Depart your Luxor hotel or Luxor river port by minivan and journey to the west bank of the Nile River. As you travel, listen as your guide tells tales about the Valley of the Kings, the mountain-cut royal necropolis of the capital of Thebes that once stood on the site of Luxor. If you have any particular areas of interest, let your guide know. Your commentary and itinerary can be tailored to your preference. Soak up views of the rugged mountains and, on arrival, enjoy a brief stop at the valley’s visitor center. Then, explore the inner rock-cut chambers and tunnels. Guides are not permitted to accompany you inside the tombs, but your guide will describe what to look for before you enter. Walk through colorful, hieroglyph-covered corridors and see painted chambers that once contained the remains of ancient Egypt’s rulers. If you wish, pay an additional cost direct to enter the tomb of King Tutankhamun. Next, drive to the Temple of Hatshepsut, a vision of geometrical colonnades hewn into a cliffside. Learn about the temple’s history and life of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s first female ruler. Stroll around the courtyards and terraces, and admire the statues and hieroglyphics that adorn them. Then, stop for photos at the Colossi of Memnon: two towering statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, that once stood at his now long-gone funerary temple. Hear the stories and legends that surround the statues, and inspect the Roman-era graffiti engraved in the stone. Before your tour ends, perhaps take the opportunity to visit an alabaster factory and, if you wish, purchase some hand-cut pieces as souvenirs. After four hours, finish your tour with a drop-off at your hotel or cruise ship.