Enjoy a 30-minute break, where you can stretch your legs, grab a refreshing drink, and experience a glimpse of local life.

Karnak, known as Ipet-Sut or “The Most Select of Places,” was a major religious complex on the east bank of Thebes (modern Luxor). It housed several temples, including the Great Temple of Amun, the centre of the powerful Amun cult. From the reign of Intef II to the Roman Period, many pharaohs contributed to its construction, making it one of Egypt’s most important sites. The complex includes the Amun Precinct, the Precinct of Mut, the Precinct of Montu, and Akhenaten’s temple to Aten. Karnak’s Great Temple is aligned east-west, symbolising the sun god’s journey, and also features a north-south axis linking it to Luxor Temple via a sphinx-lined avenue used during the Opet Festival. Highlights include the Great Hypostyle Hall with 134 massive columns, two giant obelisks (one by Hatshepsut), and several smaller temples, such as the temple of Khonsu and the temple of Opet. The sacred lake, used for priestly purification, remains a striking feature of this vast open-air museum.

Hatshepsut (c. 1473–1458 BC), the queen who became pharaoh, built her stunning mortuary temple, Djeser-djeseru (“Holy of Holies”), at Deir al-Bahari across the Nile from Karnak. Designed by her chief steward Senenmut, the temple has three levels, each with a colonnade and an upper courtyard featuring statues of Hatshepsut as Osiris. The temple honoured not only Hatshepsut but also her father Thutmose I, goddess Hathor, and god Anubis, with a special sanctuary dedicated to Amun. Its walls display vibrant reliefs of rituals, festivals, and Hatshepsut’s famous expedition to Punt, showcasing exotic people and treasures. Other reliefs assert her divine right to rule, claiming Amun as her true father.

The Valley of the Kings, located on the west bank of the Nile near ancient Thebes (modern Luxor), served as the burial site for Egypt’s powerful New Kingdom rulers from the 18th to 20th Dynasties (c.1550–1069 BC). Although named for kings, some royal family members and high-ranking officials were also buried here. The valley is split into the more famous East Valley, with most tombs, and the smaller West Valley. The west bank location was symbolic, associated with the setting sun and the idea of rebirth. The natural pyramid-shaped peak overlooking the valley symbolised eternal life and was sacred to Hathor, the “Mistress of the West.” To protect their tombs from robbers, pharaohs chose this remote, hidden valley for underground burial rather than pyramids. Thutmose I was the first confirmed New Kingdom ruler buried here, with his tomb excavated in secrecy to keep it safe from looters.

The Colossi of Memnon (Arabic: el-Colossat or es-Salamat) are two gigantic stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, guarding the entrance to his ruined mortuary temple—the largest in the Theban Necropolis. Standing since around 1350 BC, they were famous to ancient Greeks, Romans, and early Egyptologists. The northern statue bears 107 Roman-era inscriptions in Greek and Latin, dating from AD 20 to 250, many linking it to the mythological Greek king Memnon, whom it was mistakenly believed to represent. Scholars continue to explore how this “Memnon” name influenced the Greek term for the Theban Necropolis, known as the Memnonium.

Welcome to Imhotep Alabaster Luxor - the oldest and most trusted workshop among the other 80 on the West bank of the river Nile, in Luxor, Egypt. This place is almost like a museum, with excellent replicas of the known ancient Egyptian art masterpieces. Everything here is handmade - the materials used vary from wood, faience, alabaster, granite, limestone to different stones. To visit our store please don’t hesitate to contact with us for a free pick up and drop back from your stay in and around Luxor west or east bank to avoid any conflicts with others touristic stores with fakes

Begin your return trip to Somabay, enjoying the beautiful views of the Egyptian countryside en route. Pause briefly for a rest before continuing your journey.

Return to Somabay and be dropped off at your hotel, ready to relive your unforgettable Luxor adventure.