Valley of the Kings - An Introduction

It has been almost two weeks since we stepped onto the overnight train to Luxor at the end of the "Whirlwind Tour of the Pyramids"  post below.  It's time to catch up.  Early the next morning, our porter knocked on our door to wake us and deliver tea or coffee along with a breakfast tray.  As Linda describes it, "the breakfast consists of bread, bread and bread."  That's not fair.  There is also butter, honey and cheese to spread on the bread.  The menu hasn't changed for many years.


We were picked up at the railway station in Luxor before 8:00 a.m. by the driver assigned to us by our travel agency.  We dropped off our bags at our cruise ship.  I'd love to include a picture here, but I never was able to get a picture of it.  There are so many cruise ships on The Nile that they are lined up four abreast along the shoreline.  Passengers pass from one to another through their lobbies after boarding the one closest to shore - in this case, the Nile Vision.


There is quite a variety to the lobbies of the ships, some with dark wood, others bright and modern.


After checking in and dropping our luggage, we returned to our van and headed out to the nearby Valley of the Kings.  Our first stop was at the Colossi of Memnon, the two giant statues that greet visitors to the ancient burial grounds on the west side of the river.



This made a good backdrop for our first group portrait.


You probably noticed the hot air balloons.  Riding these is a popular activity for many visitors to the area.  Mornings usually have calm air in this area.  These are very large balloons carrying up to twenty passengers.  We didn't take advantage of this - their safety record is not particularly good.


The Valley of the Kings is the burial ground for dozens of the Egyptian pharaohs who ruled from about 1600 to 1100 B.C.


The visitor center has an interesting 3-dimensional map of the valley with the tombs and tunnels displayed beneath the surface.


Your admission ticket includes entry to three tombs - King Tut's is an extra cost option.  I chose three that were typical.


The tombs are labeled KV 1, KV 2, KV 3, etc.  Each one has a sign nearby showing which king was buried there and has a diagram that points the highlights to be found along the tunnel down to the king's burial chamber.


KV 6, the burial site for Ramses IX, is distinguished by a very long entrance tunnel.


The colors and well preserved drawings are very impressive.  The crowd of tourists almost guarantees plenty of time to take in the sights.  Ceilings often have particularly well-preserved inscriptions.