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No trip to Egypt would be complete withoutvisiting “The Valley of the Kings”. The valley of the kings is one of Egypt'smost iconic archaeological sites, located on the west bank of the Nile Rivernear Luxor. It served as the burial place for many pharaohs and nobles of theNew Kingdom period (around 1539 to 1075 BCE). The Valley of the Kings waschosen as a burial site due to its secluded and hidden nature, offering betterprotection against tomb robbers. The first royal burials in the valley date backto the 16th century BCE, and it continued to be used for royal burials foraround 500 years. Over 60 tombs have been discovered in the valley so far,including those of famous rulers like Tutankhamun and Ramses the Great, howevernot all of them are open to the public. In this article we’ll go through theones that are available to enter with the regular entrance ticket, the onesthat require an additional fee to enter, and a few of our favorites.
There are 63 tombs in the Valley of the Kings,ranging from small, simple pits to elaborately decorated chambers. These tombswere filled with treasures and artifacts to accompany the deceased pharaohsinto the afterlife. Of the 60 tombs in the valley only thirteen are currentlyopen to the public. The regular entrance ticket allows you to choose threetombs to enter from ten available options.
Keep inmind that the number of tombs available to enter changes frequently due torestoration and preservation efforts.
Available tombs to choose from:
The remaining three that require an additionalfee to enter are:
Tomb ofAI 150 EGP per person
KV stands for "Kings' Valley" or"Valley of the Kings." The prefix "KV" followed by a numberis used to designate each tomb in the valley. For example, KV62 refers to thetomb of Tutankhamun.
For the purpose of this article we will listour favorites in order of historical significance and personal preference.
This is perhaps the most famous tomb inthe valley, discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. Though relatively smallcompared to other royal tombs, it gained fame for its remarkable preservationand the treasures it contained, including the golden death mask of KingTutankhamun.
Tutankhamun's tomb is relatively smallcompared to other royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings. It consists of fourchambers: the antechamber, annex, burial chamber, and treasury. The antechambercontained a vast array of treasures, including furniture, chariots, weapons,and statues. The burial chamber housed Tutankhamun's sarcophagus and coffins,including his famous gold death mask. Among the most famous items found withinthe tomb are:
Tutankhamun's tomb provided invaluable insights into ancient Egyptian burial practices, art, and culture. The treasures discovered within the tomb have toured the world in various exhibitions, captivating millions of people and furthering our understanding of ancient Egypt.
The tomb of Ramses VI consists of a series oflong corridors, chambers, and side rooms decorated with intricate reliefs andhieroglyphic inscriptions. The tomb is accessed through a sloping entrancecorridor that leads to the burial chamber. The tomb is renowned for itswell-preserved decorations, which depict scenes from the Egyptian Book of theDead, religious texts, and rituals associated with the afterlife.
Thewalls and ceilings of the tomb are adorned with colorful paintings and reliefs,showcasing the pharaoh's journey through the underworld and his transformationinto a god.
Theburial chamber of Ramses VI's tomb features a large granite sarcophagus, whichwould have once contained the pharaoh's mummy. The chamber is decorated withscenes depicting the pharaoh's journey to the afterlife and his reunificationwith the gods.
While Ramses VI's tomb did not contain the vasttreasures found in other royal tombs, such as that of Tutankhamun, it stillheld valuable artifacts and funerary items. These included items of personalsignificance to the pharaoh, as well as offerings for his journey to theafterlife.
Ramses VI's tomb was first discovered andexplored in modern times in the early 19th century. It has since been studiedby numerous archaeologists and Egyptologists, contributing to our understandingof ancient Egyptian burial practices and religious beliefs.
Overall,the tomb of Ramses VI is a remarkable example of ancient Egyptian funeraryarchitecture and artistry, offering valuable insights into the beliefs andcustoms of the New Kingdom period.
one of the most impressive and elaboratelydecorated tombs in the entire necropolis, and one of the largest in the valley.
The tomb of Seti I is one of the longest and deepest tombs in theValley of the Kings, consisting of a complex series of corridors, chambers, andside rooms. The tomb descends steeply into the bedrock, reaching a depth ofover 100 meters (328 feet) below the surface.
Seti I's tomb is renowned for its exquisite andwell-preserved decorations, which cover virtually every surface of the tomb'schambers and corridors. The walls are adorned with colorful reliefs andpaintings depicting scenes from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, religiousrituals, and mythological stories. The ceiling of the burial chamber features astunning astronomical ceiling depicting the heavens and various celestialbodies.
The burial chamber of Seti I's tomb is locatedat the deepest point of the tomb complex. It once housed a large red quartzitesarcophagus containing the pharaoh's mummy, although the sarcophagus wasremoved in antiquity. The chamber is decorated with scenes of the pharaoh'sjourney to the afterlife and his coronation by the gods.
Visitorsto the Valley of the Kings can explore Seti I's tomb as part of guided tours orindependently, depending on the regulations in place at the time of theirvisit. The tomb is typically open to the public, although some areas may berestricted for conservation purposes.
SetiI's tomb is a testament to the artistry of ancient Egyptian funeraryarchitecture, and it remains one of the most impressive attractions in theValley of the Kings.
KV2 was first discovered and excavated in modern times in theearly 20th century. The tomb was found to be largely intact, although it hadbeen entered and disturbed by ancient tomb robbers. Archaeologists haveconducted extensive studies and documentation of the tomb's decorations andinscriptions.
KV2 consists of a series of corridors, chambers, and side roomsthat lead to the burial chamber where the sarcophagus of Rameses IV would havebeen placed. The tomb follows a typical design for royal tombs in the Valley ofthe Kings, with long, descending corridors intended to deter tomb robbers.
The walls of KV2 are decorated with colorful reliefs andhieroglyphic inscriptions depicting scenes from Egyptian mythology, religiousrituals, and the pharaoh's journey to the afterlife. The decorations includeimages of gods, goddesses, and protective spells intended to ensure thepharaoh's safe passage to the realm of the dead.
The burial chamber of KV2 is relatively small compared to someother royal tombs in the valley. It would have once housed the sarcophaguscontaining the mummified remains of Rameses IV. The chamber is decorated withscenes of the pharaoh's funerary rituals and offerings to ensure his well-beingin the afterlife.
KV14 is a complex tombconsisting of a series of corridors, chambers, and side rooms. The tomb followsthe typical design of royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, with a slopingentrance corridor leading to the burial chamber.
The burial chamber of KV14 would have once housed the sarcophagicontaining the mummified remains of Tausert and Setnakht. However, the tomb washeavily damaged and looted in antiquity, and little of the original burialequipment remains. The tomb was found to have been extensively looted inancient times, likely shortly after its construction. Despite the damage,archaeologists have been able to uncover valuable insights into the reigns ofTausert and Setnakht through the study of the tomb's decorations andinscriptions.
KV11 is one of the largest tombs in the Valley of the Kings, Thetomb follows a typical design for royal tombs in the valley, with a slopingentrance corridor intended to deter tomb robbers.The decorations include imagesof gods, goddesses, and protective spells intended to ensure the pharaoh's safepassage to the realm of the dead.
The burial chamber ofKV11 once housed the sarcophagus containing the mummified remains of RamsesIII. The chamber is decorated with scenes of the pharaoh's funerary rituals andofferings to ensure his well-being in the afterlife.
While KV11 did not contain the vast treasures found in someother royal tombs, such as that of Tutankhamun, it still held valuableartifacts and funerary items. These included items of personal significance tothe pharaoh, as well as offerings for his journey to the afterlife.
The tomb was found to be largely intact, although it had beenentered and disturbed by ancient tomb robbers. Archaeologists have conductedextensive studies and documentation of the tomb's decorations and inscriptions.
These are the tombs we will be covering in this article, in ouropinion these are the best tombs to see during your visit to the valley.
If you need more information about the valley of kings, oranything related to your trip please contact us and one of our team would be happy to help you. If you would like to visit the valley of the kings click here to browse through our catalog, or fill out our form here to design a customized itinerary suited to your needs with one of our hophop.life travel experts.
If you enjoyed this article check out our article “Valley of the Queens travel guide”
