Luxor, Upper Egypt 1-2 hours Easy

Overview

Tombs of the Nobles

Tombs of the Nobles

The Tombs of the Nobles are the burial places of the officials, priests and scribes who served the pharaohs of the New Kingdom, cut into the hills of Sheikh Abd el-Qurna and the neighbouring slopes on Luxor’s west bank. More than 400 tombs are known. While the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings are covered with the books of the afterlife, the nobles chose to paint their own lives: harvests, banquets, hunting in the marshes, workshops, foreign envoys bringing tribute, and the families they hoped to rejoin in the next world.

The tombs are small and often quiet, a short drive from the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut, and several keep their colours almost as bright as the day they were painted. For many visitors, they give the most vivid picture of daily life in ancient Egypt anywhere in the country.

Photo Gallery

Interesting Facts

More than 400 tombs of officials are known on the hills of the west bank, numbered by Egyptologists as "TT" (Theban Tombs). The tomb of Sennefer (TT96) is called the "Tomb of the Vines" because its uneven ceiling is painted with bunches of grapes. The tomb of Rekhmire (TT100) holds the fullest copy of the "Duties of the Vizier", describing how Egypt's chief minister ran the country. The tomb of Ramose (TT55) shows the change of style under Akhenaten: classic reliefs on one wall, Amarna-style figures on another. The scenes in the tomb of Nakht (TT52) include a famous painting of three young musicians and a blind harpist.

History & Significance

Most of the decorated tombs date from the 18th Dynasty, around 1500–1300 BC, when Thebes was the capital of an empire and its officials were rich enough to build their own tombs within sight of the royal temples. Each tomb usually has a courtyard, a wide hall for offerings, a long passage, and a shaft down to the burial chamber. Because the local limestone here is poor, many walls were plastered and painted rather than carved, which is why their colours are so fresh. From the 18th century, the village of Qurna grew among and inside the tombs; its families were moved to new villages in the 2000s, and the hillside is now an open archaeological area.

What to See

Tomb of Rekhmire (TT100)

The vizier of Thutmose III: foreign envoys bringing tribute, craftsmen at work and the text of the Duties of the Vizier.

Tomb of Ramose (TT55)

A vizier under Amenhotep III and Akhenaten, with some of the finest carved reliefs in Egypt and a famous painted funeral procession.

Tombs of Menna and Nakht (TT69, TT52)

Small tombs with vivid paintings of farming, harvest, fishing and banquets, often visited together.

Tomb of Sennefer (TT96)

The "Tomb of the Vines", with a painted grape arbour across its ceiling and the owner with his wife.

Tombs of the Nobles: Tickets and How to Visit

Unlike the Valley of the Kings, there is no single ticket for the whole hill. The tombs are grouped, and each group has its own ticket, sold at the West Bank ticket office near the Colossi of Memnon. The most visited groups are:

GroupWhy visit
Rekhmire and SenneferThe vizier's tomb with tribute scenes, and the "Tomb of the Vines"
Ramose, Userhat and KhaemhatThe finest reliefs, and the change to Amarna art
Menna and NakhtThe brightest scenes of farming, fishing and banquets

Prices change often, so check them at the ticket office or ask your guide. The tombs are open daily from about 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Allow about 30 minutes per group.

How to Fit Them Into Your Day

The tombs lie between the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Ramesseum, a few minutes from the Valley of the Kings and Deir el-Medina, the village of the royal tomb builders. Ask to add one group to our Luxor West Bank tour or the Valley of the Queens, Medinet Habu and Ramesseum tour. Read about the officials who built them in the vizier in ancient Egypt and farmers in ancient Egypt.

Tombs of the Nobles: Common Questions

Are the Tombs of the Nobles worth visiting?

Yes. They are quieter than the royal tombs and show everyday life in ancient Egypt, farming, feasts and family, in bright, well-preserved colours.

Which Tombs of the Nobles are best?

Rekhmire and Sennefer, Ramose, and Menna and Nakht are the most rewarding groups. If you only have time for one, choose Menna and Nakht for colour or Ramose for carving.

Is there one ticket for all the Tombs of the Nobles?

No. Each group of tombs has its own ticket, sold at the West Bank ticket office.

Where are the Tombs of the Nobles?

On Luxor's west bank, on the hills of Sheikh Abd el-Qurna between the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Ramesseum.

Explore the area

Tours & trips in Luxor

Nearby

More to see in Luxor

Topclass logo 01 3 e1775948613600
Testimonials

Our Clients Reviews

See what our happy travelers say about us

Posted on Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
Elfa Ágústsdóttir profile picture
Elfa Ágústsdóttir
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verified
Top Class Egypt travel is the perfect name of this company!! I just arrived home 3 days ago from my second trip with Top Class Egypt Travel. Last summer it was 4 weeks and this summer it was 5 weeks and what an experience! I was in contact with Mahmoud and Amr in both of my trips, I know Emad was also very active behind the scenes in the planning, and everything was so easy and professional. I said what I wanted and they gave me so many options to choose from and came with amazing suggestions for me too. My trip wasn’t just about the temples, I wanted to experience the country and it’s people spiritually too so they knew exactly what I wanted and needed to see and explore. From Cairo throughout all Egypt and then back, I got to see and experience the most amazing places I’ve ever imagined and I know I will never be the same again 🙏🏻 To experience being in the desert in El Gouna and watch the sunset and see the stars in the sky and to sail and snorkel in the Red Sea, exploring the wonders of Mother Earth is something I will always treasure in my heart. Well, every experience I had in my journey is something precious to me. Even when I got food poisoning (absolutely my fault, I knew I wasn’t supposed to eat vegetables but forgot about it 🙈) on day two and Amr had to take me to the hospital! This sickness affected my hole trip and I had to change my schedule a lot because of that. Amr, Emad and Mahmoud were all in to make my experience the best and very patiently helped me make different memories than we had planned before and I can’t be happier with the solutions they came up with! 🥰 They had to put in a lot of work to change previous bookings and make new ones for me and it was never any problem for them. My wellness and experience was number one for them 🙏🏻 I was so supported and guided and not for a second felt I alone even though I was travelling alone and sick 🥰 I was so taken care of and felt so secure. My previous trip went all very smoothly and was perfect too (no sickness in that trip though 🤭) Every guide, driver, transportation, hotel, Nile cruise and the office was superb. To Amr, Emad and Mahmoud, I send all my best wishes and thank you’s to you with my highest recommendations for your wonderful company 🙏🏻 It matters so much to travel with a company that has your interests, experiences and wellbeing at heart and you never know what can happen in your journeys. The people behind Top Class Egypt Travel is that company! They are a part of my family now and I can’t wait to schedule my next adventure with them and meet my Egyptian family again soon! ❤️
Posted on Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
Kristján Friðri... S profile picture
Kristján Friðri... S
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verified
Couldn’t been a better tour I went on a two day trip to see the pyramids and all of the attractions around them, a mosque, and two egyptian museums and our tour guide Mohammad, or Super-Moe, was a great guide and made this tour amazing. I highly recommend Top Class Egypt Travel for anyone traveling to Egypt
Posted on Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
sperry2nyc profile picture
sperry2nyc
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verified
What an Amazing Experience We had a most amazing two-week trip to Egypt! We were a family of 9. Amr Saladin of Top Class with the help of Mahmoud Nour tailored an unforgettable experience for us. We had very knowledgeable guides everywhere we went. Thank you to Ahmed Ali who was our guide for two days in Cairo. Mohammed Hasan, our private Egyptologist on the 4 night Nile Cruise was very knowledgeable and patient. Thank you Top Class! You are a Top Act and we highly recommend you!
Posted on Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
sperry2nyc profile picture
sperry2nyc
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verified
Thank you Top Class Amr Saladin of Top Class with the help of Mahmoud Nour designed an amazing two week trip for our family of 9! We had wonderful guides in each place we visited. Ahmed Ali, our Egyptologist in Cairo is very knowledgeable and always cheerful. Special thanks to Mohammed Hasan, who was our Egyptologist down the Nile River cruise. He explained everything clearly and patiently! Thank you to Top Class for everything!
Posted on Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
Sharon McAdams profile picture
Sharon McAdams
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verified
Excellent Service Excellent service. We had a fantastic and memorable trip because of Top Class attention to detail. The guides we had were very knowledgeable and attentive.
Posted on Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
Amin J profile picture
Amin J
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verified
Memorable Egypt Experience - Beyond Expectation We booked a 15 Days tour of Egypt through Top Class Egypt Travel. We spent 8 days in Cairo and 7 days Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan and back covering all the historical sites. Mr. Amr Saladin accommodated our itinerary and made suggestions to make sure that our trip would be comfortable and memorable. .Thank you. On the site seeing trips, our Egyptologist guides Mr. Mohamed Sultan and Mr. Mohamed Hasan made our trip memorable. They were friendly, courteous, knowledgeable and professional. They made all the sites visits memorable with historical explanations. They took good care of us. Thank you. Overall we were very happy with the trip. Beyond expectation.
Posted on Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
karina r profile picture
karina r
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verified
Spectacular The tour was absolutely amazing, definitely recommend. It was very educational, so many beautiful pictures for memories. Tour guide was very professional.
Posted on Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
Dawn M profile picture
Dawn M
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verified
A Dream trip that came true!! Memories we will cherish foreverver I contacted Mahmoud after watching a trave bloggers video. Mahmoud created an itinerary that INCLUDED every place we wanted to see!!! Including Dendera. .... a site that two other travel companies told us was impossible to include!! Mahmoud arranged the itinerary to best fit my Son's dream, "must see places and best photo spots," all while taking into consideration my 6 year old granddaughter. Top Class Egypt Travels and Mahmoud, were quick to get back to me with any and all questions that I had. They had everything in place and I was assured of the itinerary, accommodations, cruise ship, guides, and transportation before I made a payment. This gave me Peace of mind: that everything was taken care of and if we had any questions we could contact them 24/7. This company really delivers what they promise. They stand by EXCELLENT customer service. The guides: Excellent guides that fit our family. The first guide in Cairo, Mohamed, was friendly, full of knowledge about the pyramids and local culture. It was a rainy day but he arranged our schedule so we avoided the rain!!! He taught us about history, culture,and politics, all in an easy to understand, interesting way. He also took time to take us to the best photo spots AND took great photos of us. We mentioned that our wall charger was missing from our luggage. At the end of the day, he surprised us by stopping back by with a charger! Above and beyond, our first day was amazing! In Luxor, we met up with our guide Hassan Ashor. We spent 6 days with him. He was EXCELLENT. He started out as our guide by the end of 6 days. We considered him as fanily. Hassan talked about history as if it were a story. He even captured our 6 year old attention ! She is still talking about Hassan and mummies! If we mentioned to Hassan that we needed something or wanted to see something, he rearranged our day to fit it in. When Mahmoud told me this was a custom tour, I didn't know we would truly be able to have that much flexibility! Hassan surprised us with a felucca ride and a horse with a carriage ride. Our 6 year old was ecstatic! We stayed out late the last two nights, having dinner and great conversation. The last night, our hearts broke as we said our goodbyes. Cario , before departure, we had Mr. Sultan. He was extremely knowledgeable. We went to the museum. I was worried it would be boring for our 6 year old, but he held her interest and kept us moving. Perfect for seeing the highlights and learning history! Afterwards, we headed to Coptic Cario. Extremely interesting and a great pace that fit my family perfectly. To finish the day, we stopped at the market for shopping, photos, and coffee. We could have talked for hours over coffee. We hated for day to end. Mahamond Sultan was fabulous. I talked to other fanilies that were touring at the same time we were and knew our experience with ALL the guides that Top Class Egypt Travel, provided was exceptional and not the norm of other travel agencies. We definitely had great guides, the perfect flexible itinerary and no waiting in lines at any place. VIP treatment. This is where Top Class Stands out. Excellent guides, customized itineraries and VIP treatment. Perfect for families or couples that wish to escape from large tour groups, to have a personal experience with getting to learn about Egypt. Transportation: Excellent private vans. They were extremely nice and clean. Drivers were experienced safe drivers, spoke English, always on time, kept our belongings safe, had water on hand, and kept the vehicles clean. We were extremely impressed. Domestic flights: The times were picked to take make the most of each day. We had transportation from flights to hotel and hotels to flights. Everything was arranged, and we didn't have to do anything! At no time were we left, not knowing what to do. A representative met us at the airport and took care of ALL paperwork. When one luggage was missing (held up at Heathrow), our representative Mahamond had the driver take us to the mall for clothing and the pharmacy. To top it all off, they tracked our luggage! It arrived safely the next day. Accommodations The hotels were the best of the best. The cruise was on the Mayfair. Absolutely the best cruise ship, excellent food, and exceptional staff. Again, a representative met us, took us to our hotels, and handled AĹL the paperwork. We had the VIP treatment from start to finish. Price: LESS than the other 2 major companies I contacted AND..... Top Class Egypt included MORE, more days, more places, a better ship, and a PRIVATE guide vs. group! I was shocked at the price. Affordable is an understatement. I broke down the price, and no other company could come close to it. Last but not least safety: We have visited many countries. Egypt was one of the places we felt extremely safe. Every Egyptian we met was friendly and kind to us. The culture there is welcoming and warm. If you have any fears, rest assured that Top Class Egypt is there for you 24/7. If we had any questions, they immeasurable responded. Guides and drivers are top notch. There is security everywhere we went and safety was never a concern for us. I can not say enough good things about Top Class Egypt, Mahmoud who planned our itinerary, the guides, the representatives, and the company. What started out as a wish list of places my son hoped to see but didn't think we would be able to,...Mahmoud made it happen!!!! During our trip,at the end of each day, my son would write about what we did... Each day was titled. "The best day of my life." 8 perfect days = perfect Dream vacation! Thank you, Mahmoud, Hassan Ashor, Mahomed, Mr. Sultan and Top Class Egypt Travel, for making this a trip of a lifetime and becoming lifelong friends. We won't be saying goodbye, we will be saying....until we meet again!
Posted on Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
Sayan D profile picture
Sayan D
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verified
Most memorable trip ever!!!! The most precious item of childhood bucket list, Beautiful Egypt tour finally accomplished!!! Thanks to Top Class Egypt tours for making this happen and make our trip so memorable. A big thanks to our Egyptologist guides Mr. Mahmoud Sultan and Mr. Mohammed Hasan who made our time travel to ancient Egypt so exquisite!! Mr. Mahmoud Sultan guided us in Cairo and Alexandria. With him, we visited the ever-wonder Great Pyramids, museums, Coptic Cairo, Mohammed Ali Mosque in Cairo. In Alexandria we visited the Great library and the Citadel. Mr. Mahmoud Sultan is extremely knowledgeable, very caring, very thorough and precise in his description and a very nice company to be with. He can adeptly illustrate the great Egyptian civilization components to any amateur history-enthusiast. Mr. Mohammed Hasan took us in the Nile Cruise starting from Aswan to Luxor including Abu Simbel. Mr. Hasan walked us through the Philae temple, Abu Simbel, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Karnak Temple, Luxor temple and Valley of the Kings, Queens and Artisans in Luxor. Mr. Hasan is extremely eloquent and has an unique ability of storytelling which made us living the moments and experiencing a smooth surpass through the times of Great Pharaohs as well as Greco-Roman era of the ancient Egypt. Mr. Hasan often adds a tinge of humor in his description which makes the whole experience enjoyable. He describes every monuments with multiple perspectives of why, when, where, who and how in a very detailed logical fashion which always maintains the interest. From the arrangement point of view, Top Class Egypt Travel has taken great care of us in the whole trip. Excellent coordination, on time transport from all point A to point B, airport pick-up, hotel transfer, everything was impeccable. There was no waiting for a single thing, a wholesome experience was beautifully planned, gave back a very high value of trusting them. Many thanks to Mr. Amr Salah, the Chief, being all the time accessible through Whatsapp, supporting and accommodating us throughout and supervising to ensure everything goes right. I would highly recommend Top Class Egypt Travel to make the mission for Egypt memorable for the lifetime. Countless regards and compliments to the Egyptologists Mr. Mohammed Hasan and Mr. Mahmoud Sultan!!!
Posted on Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
Paul Ransley profile picture
Paul Ransley
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verified
Excellent Seven Day Private Tour Overview We were referred to Top Class Egypt Travel by an Australian friend domiciled in the Middle East who visits Egypt regularly. Her recommendation was gold. Top Class is an extremely professional outfit. It made our visit easy, enjoyable, safe and highly rewarding. I have no hesitation recommending this company and its owners. Itinerary The company will create an itinerary designed specifically for your needs. We are an older couple and contacted the company from Australia by email with our wishlist. We had 7 days available and, from our research, a list of historic sites we wanted to visit in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel. We requested that Top Class provide us with domestic air fares, accommodation (except for Cairo where we would make our own arrangements) and a private vehicle with a driver and guide in each location. Our agent came back to us within a couple of days with an itinerary that absolutely met our needs and some additional options. Price Pricing was extremely competitive. We had previously consulted a foreign provider who required a $US400 deposit to create the itinerary and a total price which was three times that offered by Top Class. Service When we we landed in Cairo we were met in the arrivals area by the company's Cairo representative. He had already arranged out entry visas ($25 per person). He fast-tracked us through passport control and immigration and we were ready to collect our baggage within minutes of landing. No queues. Yes! That kind of service was standard for Top Class throughout our trip. We skipped the queue at just about every location we visited and at the end of each day we were advised that if we needed assistance someone would be available to help 24/7. On one ocassion we needed a vehicle and driver to meet a flight. This was provided at short notice without extra cost. Accommodation The hotels which Top Class booked for us in Luxor and Aswan were both 5-star (Steigenberger and Movinpick) and way above the standard of the so-called 5-star hotel we booked for ourselves in Cairo. We favoured the Cairo hotel because of a long standing club membership with the management chain. Unfortunately, we were charged exhorbitant prices for tired and run down rooms with no benefit gained from our previous association. I am confident that if I had left the arrangement of accommodation in Cairo to Top Class we would have paid less for much much better. Drivers and Guides We could not ask for anyone better to show us around. Our drivers were experienced and safe. Their vehicles were well maintained, comfortable and air-conditioned. Our guides were tertiary educated, excellent english speakers, pleasant, helpful and kind. We were fortunate to have the same driver and guide for our visits to Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel which contained the bulk of the monuments and temples we wanted to see. Our guide, Mohammed Hasan, has been guiding tourists of all nationalities for 20 years. He is an encyclopedia of ancient Egyption history, politics, religion and art. Thanks to Mohammed we received a deeper understanding of the meaning and significance of what we saw than we would have had we travelled alone. We were particularly pleased that on many ocassions he was able to ensure we visited some of the more popular monuments at times of least or minimal crowding. In Cairo, our guide Abdelselam Donia, was equally accomplished helping us to navigate the chaos of Cairo with relative ease and providing us with insight and understanding of the city and its culture. Safety We arrived in Egypt a fortnight after hostilities had erupted in Gaza, so like everybody else we had safety concerns. The truth is we never at anytime felt unsafe. Our guides and drivers ushered us quickly and easily through police and military road blocks and through the tight security at monuments allowing us to avoid any discomfort or issue. Last word Top Class Egypt Travel is one of the better travel agencies we have dealt with. We found them easy to communicate with, always willing to assist and always available when we needed them.