What to bring to the Valley of the Kings
Water, and the rule that governs it
Two independent sources state that food and water may not be taken into the tombs. It changes how a hot morning works: your bottle is for the walking and the waiting, not for the descent. Drink before you go down, and treat each tomb as a stretch without water.
Water is sold on site, at one small café, and three sources describe the prices as inflated.Fill a bottle in town before you cross. That is one purchase avoided on a day that already involves up to four ticket windows — see what the day costs.
Money: both kinds, in the right order
A card. Cash has not been accepted for entry tickets at the Valley of the Kings since June 2023. Visa and Mastercard work at the window. Bring a card, because the EGP 750 cannot be paid in notes.
Cash as well. The tram is EGP 20 per person round trip. The ferry is roughly EGP 10 to EGP 20 each way and wants small notes. Tips are cash. Several of the smaller West Bank sites remain cash-only. So cash is still needed in Egypt, especially for the tram. The payment page has the announcement behind the card rule.
Documents
- A student card, if you are claiming EGP 375 instead of EGP 750. One source adds that the holder’s age must not exceed 24. Carry the ID and treat that ceiling as something to check at the window. Note that Seti I at EGP 2,000 has no student rate at all.
- Your passport, or a photocopy of the photo page, plus a passport-sized photo — but only if you intend to buy the Luxor Pass, which is sold in person, at Karnak and at this valley’s visitor centre, and never online. Bring two of each to be safe. The pass page has the tiers and the break-even.
Sun
Luxor’s mean daily maximum is 41.4 °C in July and 41.2 °C in June and August, with recorded extremes of 49.2 °C (July 2000), 48.2 °C (June 2010) and 47.8 °C (August 2002). Those are ambient figures for the city. The practical response is the 6:00 AM opening rather than any particular item of kit — see why the hour beats the month.
Camera
No permit and no photography ticket is needed for personal photography, including with a DSLR; the permit was abolished. Tripods are prohibited, flash is prohibited, and drones are prohibited nationwide — which makes a drone the one item on this page that is a problem before you even reach the valley. The photography page has the details.
Worth carrying
- A bottle of water, filled before you cross, for outside the tombs
- A Visa or Mastercard for the ticket window
- Cash in small notes for the ferry, the EGP 20 tram and tips
- A student card if you are claiming EGP 375
- Sun cover, for a place with a July mean daily maximum of 41.4 °C
- Passport photocopy and two passport photos, only if buying the Luxor Pass
What this page sticks to here
- A tripod — prohibited
- A drone — prohibited nationwide
- Flash photography — prohibited
- Food or a drink you intend to carry into a tomb — not allowed inside
- A dress code or footwear rule: none is set
- A torch, a guidebook or other extra kit
What you are carrying it all through
Three tombs at a comfortable pace is about two hours, three to four with the separately ticketed tombs, and none of that includes the crossing, the ticket queue or the tram. Pack for a half day out of a hotel rather than for a hike. The time page shows what those hours do and do not cover, and the crossing page covers the ferry.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take water into the tombs at the Valley of the Kings?
No. Two independent sources state that food and water may not be taken into the tombs. Bring a bottle for the time you spend outside them, and drink before each descent.
What should I bring to the Valley of the Kings?
A card for the ticket window, which has not taken cash since June 2023; cash in small notes for the ferry and the EGP 20 tram; water for outside the tombs; sun cover; and a student card if you are claiming EGP 375.
Do I need cash at the Valley of the Kings?
Yes, alongside a card. Entry tickets are card-only, but the tram, the ferry, tips and several smaller West Bank sites take cash. Cash is still needed, especially for the tram.
Can I bring a tripod or a drone?
No. Tripods are prohibited, flash is prohibited, and drones are prohibited nationwide. Personal photography, including with a DSLR, needs no permit and no ticket.