The Valley of The Kings: The Royal Burial Site Was the Gateway to the Afterlife | Egypt Travel Blog: Day 6 (Part 45) 05D19

The Valley of The Kings in Luxor, Egypt | Exploring the World’s Most Famous Tombs

Egypt Travel Blog: 10 DAYS Egypt Explorer - Felucca Cruise & Red Sea

The Valley of the Kings refers to the sloping cliffs in the mountains on the Nile’s west bank near Luxor. The valley became a royal burial ground for pharaohs during the era known as the New Kingdom (1539-1075 B.C.). You will find the tombs of Tutankhamun, Ramses II, Seti I, and many queens, high priests, and elites of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties.

63 tombs have been discovered and there are possibly more lying hidden beneath the mountains. The size of these tombs can be from a single chamber to massive complexes spanning several thousand square meters. Inside, the tombs are very colorful and awe inspiring. You will find hieroglyphic carvings and vividly painted decorations illustrating ceremonies, burials, and much more.

Environmental pollution from mass tourism such as friction, carbon dioxide, sweat (2.8 kg from each tourist) is a threat to these tombs and artworks inside. Egypt is working to put a process in place so these ancient antiquities can survive many more thousand years. Some of the measures are having a limited number of tombs open on a rotation and each ticket allows access to only 3 tombs (with an option to pay extra for more), installing dehumidifiers, glass screens, and so on.

It took us about 30 minutes on mountainous road to reach the Valley of the Kings. The road was gradually sloping upward with very dry, hot and humid weather. Even riding in a luxury van, I felt like we were going to an isolated place in the mountains far from the city and people. That made me wonder how it was possible to find this type of place and build this magnitude of structures like these enormous tombs when there was no electricity, no motors, and no nothing.