Historical cities and holy places

Which tombs to choose in the Valley of the Kings

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Anorya Team · 30 juin 2026 · 2 min read

Your ticket covers three tombs out of more than sixty. Here is how to spend them well.

The standard ticket admits you to three tombs from a rotating list of about eight or nine that are open at any time. Tutankhamun, Seti I and Ramesses V/VI each need their own extra ticket on top.

Which tombs to choose in the Valley of the Kings

The reliable three

Ramesses IV is the easiest — a short, level corridor with an astonishing painted ceiling of the goddess Nut, and it is rarely crowded. Ramesses IX has some of the clearest surviving colour in the valley. Merenptah is a long descent but the granite sarcophagus lid at the bottom is worth the walk. Together they give you variety without repetition.

The extra tickets

Ramesses VI is the one to pay for if you pay for any: the ceiling carries the complete Book of the Night and the Book of the Day, and the colour is close to intact. Tutankhamun is small, largely bare since the contents went to Cairo, and holds the mummy itself — go for the significance rather than the decoration. Seti I is the finest tomb in Egypt and priced accordingly.

Which tombs to choose in the Valley of the KingsWhich tombs to choose in the Valley of the Kings

Ramesses VI is the one to pay for if you pay for any: the ceiling carries the complete Book of the Night and the Book of the Day, and the colour is close to intact.

Photography is allowed with a camera ticket in most tombs. The valley is a natural sun trap with no shade at all, so the first tour bus hour, around six in the morning, is worth the early start twice over.

Which tombs to choose in the Valley of the Kings
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Good to know

Frequently asked questions

We really have some of the lowest prices that can be offered while keeping the quality of service high. We are an online booking company working directly with large organizers in Egypt, so we can offer very favorable prices thanks to the large flow of tourists. Buying from us, you get quality service and don't overpay intermediaries.
The organizers' fleet has plenty of vehicles - cars, minivans and large comfortable buses. Vehicles for short, medium and long distances are equipped with air conditioning and safety systems, and buses with toilets are provided on long routes. All vehicles are regularly serviced and sanitized, hold the necessary tourist permits, and drivers are inspected before every trip.
We work without prepayment. Group excursions are paid on the bus or during the trip. The exceptions are individual excursions where plane tickets or documents are involved. The organizer comes to you - there is no need to look for anyone to pay. You can pay in cash in dollars or euros, and an alternative payment method can be arranged.
Egypt is heavily regulated when it comes to tourism. For a car or yacht to run a tour, daily permission from the police and military is required, and organizers without a license don't get permits. That is why on some tours we may ask for voucher and passport details (this applies to marine excursions, individual tours and some group tours that leave the city). For other excursions only the number of people is needed.
Some hotel guides wrongly claim insurance does not apply to third-party excursion organizers. That is not true. Your travel insurance is valid throughout Egypt, and once you are on the organizer's ship, bus or transport they carry full insurance responsibility for passengers - otherwise they could not obtain a tour permit at all.
Please check your belongings when you leave the bus or boat at the end of the tour. If something is lost it is hard to recover, as vehicles leave immediately to be cleaned. We will always help you look, but we cannot guarantee a 100% return - so please be careful!
We have a large daily flow of bookings, so most excursions run every day (or on set weekdays per the program's schedule). After booking we send the exact hotel pickup time. Many trips are shared with small hotel groups who bought the same tour from operators - the only difference is that our price is 40–60% lower.
Tour photographers are independent and do not work for the company, so any arrangement with them is your responsibility. We do not recommend paying in advance unless you are sure the photos will be delivered. If you do not want photos, tell the photographers early to avoid any pushiness.