Which one to choose in Luxor
Medinet Habu (Temple of Ramesses III) vs Luxor Temple
Two temples in Luxor. Medinet Habu (Temple of Ramesses III) has 2 tickets and tours to book; Luxor Temple has 20 tickets and tours to book. The table and the two notes below put them side by side; the full pages have what to see, the ticket and the timing for each.
Luxor, Egypt
Medinet Habu has its own entry ticket, bought at the ticket office by the site entrance or online in advance as a dated electronic ticket with a QR code, which spares you the cash queue but costs a little more. The ticket covers the temple of Ramesses III and the surrounding precinct; it is separate from the tickets for the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens and the other monuments of the West Bank, each of which is sold individually. Egypt has largely moved to card payment at its sites, so carry a bank card.
Most organised visits come as part of a West Bank excursion from Luxor.
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Luxor, Egypt
Luxor Temple stands in the middle of the modern city on the east bank of the Nile, so it is the easiest of the great Theban monuments to visit independently: buy an entry ticket at the gate on the Corniche, or in advance as an electronic ticket with a code that you show on your phone, and walk in. Similar electronic tickets exist for Karnak and for Medinet Habu on the west bank, which helps if you want to plan a full day without queuing.
Guided visits are offered as private tours of two to four hours with an Egyptologist, either in the cool of the morning, sometimes with breakfast, or in the late afternoon, running on past sunset as the floodlights come on, which is the most atmospheric time.
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