The Nile Valley Attractions
Valley of the Queens Tomb
West Bank
The West Bank is an area of limestone hills and valleys riddled
with tombs and temples across the river from Luxor. Goats roam
freely among the ruins, and the tiny settlements on the slopes
provide a splash of colour in an otherwise desert-like barrenness.
The 59ft (18m) high pair of enthroned statues of the Colossi of
Memnon are the first things most visitors will see on the West
Bank, the only remaining part of the mortuary temple of Amenophis
III. Most travellers come to visit the Valley of the Kings where
the secretive tombs of the Pharaohs were built to immortalise their
mummies and treasures for eternity. In an attempt to thwart tomb
robbers, traps and deceptions were part of the architectural
planning. Dramatic descents, spectacular murals on the passage and
chamber walls and a replica of the original sarcophagus at the end
of the tunnel create an awe-inspiring atmosphere. Highlights
include the Tomb of Tutankhamun and Ramses II. The country's finest
tomb, however, lies in the Valley of the Queens, the Tomb of
Nefertari, which has exceptional painted murals, but is at present
closed to the public. Also worth a visit is Hatshepsut's Temple,
mortuary temple of Egypt's only female Pharaoh.
Opening time: Daily 6am to 6pm (summer), 6am to 5pm (winter)
