Valley of the Kings: Which Tombs to See
How the Valley of the Kings ticket works, which tombs need an extra ticket, and how to plan your visit to the royal tombs in Luxor.
The standard Valley of the Kings ticket lets you enter three tombs from those open that day. Tutankhamun, Seti I and Ramses VI each need their own extra ticket. With limited time, use the standard ticket for three well-decorated tombs and add Ramses VI for its painted ceiling, or Tutankhamun to see the only royal mummy still in its tomb.
How the ticket works
More than 60 tombs have been found in the valley, but only a selection is open at any time, and the open tombs rotate to protect the paintings. The standard ticket is checked at each tomb door and covers any three of them.
A small electric tram runs from the visitor centre to the tombs. Inside, there is no shade between entrances, and flash photography is not allowed.
The tombs with their own ticket
Tutankhamun (KV62) is small and plainly decorated compared with the others, but his mummy is still displayed there. Seti I (KV17) is the longest and one of the most finely painted tombs in the valley. Ramses VI (KV9) has a famous ceiling covered with the sky goddess Nut and the books of the day and night.
If you choose one extra ticket, Ramses VI gives the most for the price; Seti I is for real enthusiasts.
Good tombs on the standard ticket
Which tombs are open changes, but ones often included are Ramses IV, Ramses IX, Merenptah, Ramses III and the tomb of Tausert and Setnakht. Your guide will pick the three best-decorated of those open on the day.
When to go and how long it takes
Go as early as possible, before the heat and the big groups. Two hours is enough for three tombs plus one extra. Most visitors combine the valley with Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon in one morning.
The tomb of Nefertari is in the nearby Valley of the Queens, not here. It has its own ticket and a short time limit inside.
