Hot Air Balloon Ride

Hot Air Balloon Ride in Luxor: See Ancient Thebes from Above

An air balloon ride in Luxor represents a totally different kind of experience of the city and its amazing archaeological landscape. Passengers can see from the air such wonderful things as the Nile Valley, the desert mountains, the agricultural land, villages, and some of the famous ancient monuments of Egypt.

In this respect Luxor is especially good for ballooning, as the majority of archaeological sites are situated on the West Bank of the city. From the balloon travellers will be able to see the monuments in context with the rest of the landscape of ancient Thebes.

Usually a balloon ride starts at dawn when the passengers get transported to the launching spot and observe the process of balloon preparation. Once in the air the passengers will have an amazing view of temples and their surroundings as the first rays of the sun touch the ground.

For those tourists who are looking for activities in Luxor, a balloon ride is a perfect combination of sightseeing, viewing, and adventure without the need to walk all day long around archaeological sights. A balloon ride may also be combined with a West Bank sightseeing tour.

What Makes a Luxor Balloon Ride Special?

Luxor hot air balloon ride is very special since this experience will unite ancient traditions of Luxor and panoramic views of the Nile Valley. In contrast to a view of separate sights, passengers will have an opportunity to see the entire West Bank of the Nile as a united archaeological and natural landscape.

Hot air balloon ride will occur at the time when sun is rising. Due to such conditions, people will be able to watch how valley comes into light and colors of the desert, fields, the Nile River, and monuments become clear to eyes. It will be very interesting to look how bright the colors of green cultivated land contrast with colors of the desert.

Probably, one of the most amazing things in this trip will be the ability to see that all historical sights of Luxor are quite close to each other. Passengers will have an opportunity to see the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Colossi of Memnon, and other monuments against the background of ancient Thebes.

Usually hot air balloon ride occurs in calmness, without any special program. So people can enjoy their flight since it is always unexpected.

Discover Luxor’s Famous Landmarks from the Sky

Flying in a hot air balloon allows tourists the chance to view the magnitude and setting of Luxor’s historic structures from a unique angle. The hot air balloons flights mainly occur in the West Bank area, which is inhabited by the tombs of pharaohs and their temples among others and stretches between the desert mountains and the Nile River. Travellers are likely to view some of the famous structures, depending on the wind flow.

Valley of the Kings

Valley of the Kings, in the mountains on the West Bank of Luxor. Burial place for pharaohs in the New Kingdom. From a vantage point above it really shows off the location's secrecy.

The entries to the tombs cannot be seen from high up but the views are awesome. The tourists can enjoy seeing the tombs after the balloon ride.

Hatshepsut Temple

Temple of Hatshepsut built over three levels with long access ways which combine to give it its characteristic design that we see from above. The temple is quite majestic with light streaming from behind the cliffs to it in the early morning sun. The building itself was constructed to house Queen Hatshepsut and serve as a religious monument to her. Today, for visits down in the area, you can examine the reliefs on the temple walls more closely together with the unique design elements of this particular place.

Colossi of Memnon

These are the two huge stone seated figures located at the West Bank plain.
The Colossi of Memnon were part of the mortuary temple of the pharaoh Amenhotep III, and their sheer size makes them an easily distinguishable landmark against a sea of fields.
From balloon level they can be seen in the context of the current road, village, and green fields. An ideal place to stop by on the West Bank once landed.

Medinet Habu Temple

One of the few best-preserved temple complexes on Luxor’s west bank, it was especially developed during Pharaoh Ramesses III. It has gateways, courtyards, walls and so many reliefs and inscriptions on the stones from where one can clearly see the immense space and the large position it holds when seen from above flight. The reliefs and inscriptions on the walls are clearly seen when visited after flight, it was difficult for eyes from plane to perceive the carvings at air travel.

Valley of the Queens

More tombs can be found in the valley of the queens. The area is part of a sprawling necropolis complex on Luxor’s West Bank of tombs of queens, princes, and princess. Its situated amidst the undulating desert hills on Theban burial landscape .

The tomb of Nefertari is extremely spectacular interior decoration. View from top provides a sense of the larger scope of area before going to visit tombs.

Karnak Temple

Karnak Temple is situated on Luxor's East Bank, and it can be seen across the Nile, depending on the flying route. It’s a massive complex build through thousands of years, where mainly, they worship Amun. Its enormous scale renders an impressive, but scattered urban view, when flying over Luxor.

A bird’s eye view also places the Temple in relation to the surrounding landscape, with the modern city, Nile river and the surrounding terrain. Afterwards the visiting experience would bring you to walk thru the impressive pylon(s), courtyards,columns and inscribed halls from up close.

Luxor Temple

Luxor Temple sits right in the middle of modern Luxor, located on the East Bank of the Nile.
The position creates an interesting juxta position of past structures with the present day life around them. Travelers can sometimes spot the temple from above amidst the general sprawl, depending on which path the balloon is taking.
The religious and regal ceremonies of ancient times had many religious proceedings within the walls of the temple, it became an important site. Visiting it later after it has set in Luxor is entirely different from seeing Luxor from the air.