Arrival at the Train Station
Once you are located at the train station and walk out the main station the first thing you will notice is how pushy and persistent local taxis are and ever more persistent is the locals with the horse buggy. They will not leave you alone until you almost have to show anger or visually getting upset.
We found the city to be safe and easy to walk if you are willing. Our hotel was about a 30 minute walk and we made it there just fine. We constantly were offered rides or tours and it was annoying, but we did arrive to our hotel safely.
On the day we visited Karnak Temple we made arrangements for a taxi to pick us up the night before and the taxi was waiting for us outside our hotel the next morning. This made it much easier for us and to know we could get a good start in our morning. Our goal was to be at the temple soon as it opened for two main reasons. Beat the heat and beat the crowds of people.
Getting to Karnak Temple
Karnak Temple is loaded on the East Bank on the Nile River in Luxor and at the North end of Luxor.
The best and most convenient way is to have a driver get your there. It is possible to walk, but the heat will get to you and depends on where your hotel is located. The drive gives you flexibility and comfort.
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Hours of Karnak Temple
Karnak Temple is open every day from 6:30 am till 5:30 pm in iciness and from 6 am to 6 pm throughout summer. If you are travelling all through the summer time months, then time table your tour of Karnak Temple both early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
The all-inclusive entrance ticket to Karnak Temple fees 200 EGP and it covers the open-air museum and the temple complex. By the way, the open-air museum is positioned to the left of the Second Pylon and includes a series of statues excavated inside the temple area. You can buy the ticket at the entrance to the Temple of Karnak.
How Much Time Do I Need?
Julia and I were there shortly after 7:30am and we were done by 11:30am. The sight might look big on the map, but once you walk it, its not that big after all. Lets just say give yourself 3 to 4 hours depending how much involved you get in studying all the facts and wondering around in the Temple. If you are just there for photos and be out, I say 3 hours.
Tricks of the Guide – Beware!
As knowing nothing before we arrived, we wanted to get a tour guide sorta as to be our personal photographer. It worked, but only some! The trick of the tour guide is they do offer a good rate, so you think. But! Here is the trick to their game, they move slowly and stretch out the time it takes to move through the whole temple. So after an hour and not even making to the Grand Temple where most of the Instagram photos are taken, I knew his scheme and simply did not book another hour with the tour guide.
Should you want a guide make sure to negotiate the price and distance of the tour first.
Why Visit Karnak Temple?
Egypt’s Karnak Temple is an imposing show of historical Egyptian artistry and architecture. Get geared up to delve into this extremely good vacation spot that is certain to blow your mind.
If you ever query whether or not the Ancient Egyptians favored to exhibit off, Karnak have to supply you a clue.
This expansive temple complicated is unparalleled in phrases of scale and detail… I bet that something that took almost 2,000 years of development must be some thing however underwhelming.
Planning your go to to Luxor? You have to visit Karnak. It truely is that simple.
What You’ll See Inside The Temple of Karnak
The Avenue of Sphinxes
Once you step interior the temple complex, you will be amazed with the aid of the Avenue of Sphinxes that strains the processional way main to the Temple of Karnak. Between their paws stands a small statue of Ramses II.
Actually, they are now not sphinxes, however as a substitute criosphinxes, which are sphinxes with the head of a ram.
The First Pylon
The Avenue of Sphinxes leads to the First Pylon. It used to be constructed with the aid of Nectanebo I.
The Great Court
Next, as soon as you pass the First Pylon, you will step into the Great Court. Moreover, make positive to flip round and seem to be at the lower back of the First Pylon. You will be capable to see the mud-brick ramp that used to be left by using the builders. Interestingly, the First Pylon used to be left unfinished.
The row of ram-headed sphinxes traces the right-hand facet of the Great Court.
The left-hand facet of the Great Court is flanked through a colonnade.
Right in the center of the Great Court are the stays of a big kiosk constructed via Taharqa, the twenty fifth Dynasty Pharaoh.
It initially consisted of 10 columns with open papyrus capitals linked by means of a low screening wall. Today, solely one column stays standing.
The Great Court was once constructed by way of Ramses II and his imposing statue flanks the entrance to the Second Pylon.
At his ft is a small discern of one of his daughters.
The Second Pylon
The Second Pylon used to be constructed by way of Horemheb. However, Horemheb left it unfinished.
Later on, Ramses I persisted the work on the Second Pylon and changed Horemheb’s cartouches with his own. Finally, Ramses II brought to the Second Pylon and delivered his cartouches as well.
The Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak Temple
For me, the spotlight of the whole tour of the Temple of Karnak used to be the Great Hypostyle Hall. It used to be constructed by means of Seti I and executed via Ramses II. The corridor covers an place of about 50,000 sq ft. It carries 134 colossal stone columns with stunning capitals.
Specifically, the middle aisle consists of six columns with open papyrus capitals on every side. These columns are 21 meters tall with a diameter of over three meters.
Also, the middle aisle columns guide big roofing slabs. These slabs referred to as architraves are estimated to weigh 70 tons. There is nonetheless a lot of hypothesis about how these architraves have been placed on pinnacle of the columns.
The Obelisks
After the Hypostyle Hall, the Third Pylon leads to the courtroom the place the Obelisk of Thutmose I stands. It is 22 meters tall.
As my tour information advised me, it is the solely obelisk final out of the 4 that used to be in this court.
The Fourth Pylon leads to the final location of the temple. It is a courtroom that carries Egypt’s tallest obelisk. It is nearly 29 meters tall and it used to be commissioned by way of Hatshepsut.
The Great Festival Hall of Thutmose III
Once you bypass via the fourth and fifth pylons, you will get to the Great Festival Hall of Thutmose III.
The parameter of the Great Festival Hall of Thutmose III is supported via 32 rectangular pillars. However, what is absolutely fascinating is that the internal of the shape is supported with the aid of tent pole-style columns.
The Seventh Pylon
The Seventh Pylon have to have been pretty a shape judging from what stays of it today.
Today, we can nevertheless see the alleviation depicting Thutmose III defeating his enemies. Moreover, the two broken statues flank the entrance of the Seventh Pylon.
Beyond the Seventh Pylon, you will locate a courtyard referred to as the Cachette. During the excavations, a massive range of statues and stelae had been located in this area. It is believed that these may want to have been the choices of the worshipers.
The Sacred Lake
The Sacred Lake is placed in the south-eastern section of the temple complex. The lake used to be built at some stage in the reign of Tuthmosis III. It used to be used by using the monks for purification ceremonies.
Right subsequent to the Sacred Lake, you will be capable to see the famous statue of the scarab.
Where to Stay
We found Pyramisa Hotel Luxor on Agoda.com We stayed here for 10 days enjoying our stay and relaxing from the hustle and bustle of our trip. Average night rate was under $35 with breakfast included.
Where to eat
We enjoyed Pizza Roma for many reasons. We had their What’s App number and each day we had room service by them. They would deliver for us time and time again. We really enjoyed both dinning in and delivery.
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