Luxor: A Step Back In Time

By Lydia Horrex

The wonders of Luxor

On my arrival in Luxor I wondered if my plane was in fact a time machine transporting me back one hundred years.  Horse-drawn carriages sped down dusty, uneven streets whilst locals clothed in the traditional galabaya dress smoked lazily on a sheesha-pipe by the side of the road.

My trusty guide book told me that Luxor had a population of over 440,000 people and was split into three main areas – Luxor city, the West Bank, and Karnak to the north.  Dividing the East and West Bank stood the River Nile, what I had been longing to see.  The world’s longest river was obviously a precious and limited resource for the locals.  Providing fertility in a desert landscape, it is essential for survival.

I experienced a culture shock on arrival to this strange new land.  I was being rudely awoken at 6 am by the drone of the chanting mosques, having three cold showers a day to combat the August heat, and just discovered I wouldn’t see a single pork sausage the duration of my holiday.  

Things didn’t get any better when I left the hotel.  

Egyptians seemed to have no qualms about hassling me in the street.  I felt like I was their main target.  I was bombarded with ‘special offers’ on tacky ornaments of King Tutankhamun.  I couldn’t work it out.  Surely if they just left people alone they would profit more.

Fortunately I found a bazaar which held plenty of opportunity for some serious souvenir shopping.  The busy marketplace was an Aladdin’s cave of healing spices, smooth silk rugs, and vibrant costume galabayas. 

It didn’t take too long for me to discover that Egyptians were passionate merchants.  As much as hassling tourists in the street seemed illogical, I was beginning to understand.  Tourism is their main source of income, it isn’t just a way of life - it’s a fight for survival. 

Haggling was an alien concept to me but I was willing to give it a go. I had been told a good rule of thumb; aim for a third of the asking price.  There was only one way I was going to find out.

Luckily for me there were some things in Luxor I didn’t have to haggle for.  I purchased my ticket and was on my way. I was excited to visit my first temple.  I gingerly passed the armed guards and followed the crowds down.  With every step closer to Luxor temple it seemed to grow even grander.  

By the time I had reached the entrance I felt like an extra in ‘Honey I Shrunk The Kids’.  Ramses II guarded the temple from his glorious throne.  The statue towered above me.  To give you an idea of the size of things, I was just about level with Ramses ankle.  

I quickly snapped out of my trance-like state, there was no time to waste.  I had a whole temple to explore.

The following day I woke to the ringing of my travel alarm clock.  The time was 4.45am and a long day lay ahead. I left my hotel at this ungodly hour and headed for the Cornishe, Luxor’s main street.  

I was catching a fulucca boat and would be having my first taste of life on the West Bank.  The fulucca operator helped me on to his small boat and made sure I was comfortable.  It was still dark and the tired faces of the group confirmed this was not a normal waking hour.  

The fulucca operator then offered us either an awakening coffee or a refreshing karkadeh. I thankfully drank the karkadeh, a combination of dried hibiscus flower and sweet sugar.

The fulucca ride took 15 minutes. From the Nile bank we were transported to an open field where I would be taking-off on my first hot air balloon ride.  As I was lifted up into the basket I felt the intense heat from the flame which roared above me; I was about to see Luxor from a birds-eye view. 

As dawn hit, I could clearly see where the verdant green arable farmland met the arid dessert.

We floated over Queen Hatshepsut’s temple and headed towards a residential area.  Clusters of two-storey mud-huts lay side by side between crop fields and famous temples.  As we flew over the houses I could see astonished looks from my fellow passengers.  

As I looked down I noticed locals waving to us from the comfort of their beds.  No one had mentioned the locals slept on their roofs!

After an exciting start to the day I was off to explore the rest of the West Bank by foot.  

I had been told that visiting the tombs of the Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs without a guide was like watching TV with the sound turned off.  I didn’t want to miss anything so I booked with an organised group tour, costing in the region of $60.  The morning was spent visiting the final resting place of the Ancient Egyptian royalty; The Valley of the Kings. 

My pass allowed me into 6 of the 62 tombs.  Our guide Ali informed us of the different tombs and where they were located, which were the most adventurous, and most importantly, which still displayed the most vibrant colours.  

Ali then explained how the treasures found at the Valley of the Kings had given invaluable evidence to the life of the Ancient Egyptians. He showed us pictures from excavations in the area and told us the story of Howard Carter’s amazing discovery.  Lastly, he pointed us in the direction of Luxor’s best-loved (and most famous) site, the tomb of the boy king, Tutankhamun.

Luxor primarily accommodates those who wish to experience the grandeur and mystery of the great temples, re-trace the foot-steps of the famous Pharaohs, and for some, fulfil that once-in-a-lifetime dream vacation.  

At first I was nervous at Luxor’s horse-drawn carriages, haggling merchants, and sheesha-smoking locals.  They made me wonder why anyone would want to visit such a backwards destination.  I soon learnt that this is what makes Luxor so unique and so enticing; you actually feel like you have stepped back in time and cultural experiences are unforgettable.

Fact File

• You can arrive in Luxor by train or road from Cairo, as well as domestic and international flights. Luxor is an excellent base from which to explore all that southern Egypt has to offer.  Cruise boats depart daily heading up the Nile towards the city of Aswan.  Usually taking about a week most cruises will stop at the temples of Esna, Edfu, and Kom-Ombo along the way.

• Luxor’s signature blue and white Peugeot Taxis are the main form of transport.  About $6 will get you anywhere along the East Bank.  A trip to the West Bank will be around $15, and to hire for the whole day, approximately $40.  Like most services in Egypt, and all transportation, you will have to haggle for a price.

• A great way to get to know the city better is to hire a caliche (horse and carriage).  Hiring a caliche will cost in the region of $10 an hour.  Your caliche driver will be more than happy to show you where his whole family lives, teach you a little about Luxor’s past, and end the tour at his cousin’s jewellery store.