With brown sands and hills covering the area in all directions, Valley of the Kings might seem unassuming from the outside, but underneath its sand covered surface lies a treasure trove of history, spells and myth as well as riches. Breath-taking golden colored long corridors, life size paintings of Ancient Egyptian gods and tales that tells the life of the Pharoah sleeping in its chambers and his journey into the afterlife is what you will find inside Valley of the Kings.

The world’s most famous burial place of once powerful Pharaohs, this place was known as the Place of Truth or Gates of the Kings and is located in the West bank of Luxor. While 63 tombs have been uncovered in this burial place, the valley still holds countless secrets and archaeological digs and excavations still occur today. You can see these ongoing expeditions while visiting the valley.

Take a full day Valley of the Kings Tour including East Bank

That said, visitors can only access 18 tombs and a maximum of three with one entry ticket. So to decide which ones shouldn’t be missed here are eight of the best tombs in the Valley of the Kings that should be on your list.

For visiting the valley of the kings with ease, stay in one of these hotels in Luxor for easy access. You can also book your entry ticket in advance so you can get ahead of the crushing crowd.

Why Pharaohs were Buried in The Valley of The Kings

Ancient Egyptians built colossal structures, extravagant statues and temples so detailed that it’s hard to believe human hands could have made it without any sort of technology. So why did the Ancient Egyptians pick a seemingly plain and unassuming ground to bury their most powerful and important kings and nobles?

A lot has to do with its geography. Valley of the Kings was carefully selected due to numerous factors, one of them being that it was located on the west side of the Nile. The Ancient Egyptians believed that their sun god Ra set in the western horizon to be reborn in the easter one, so funerary rituals were associated with the west side.

Another reason is that the hills on the valley had a particular pyramid shape and triangles played a big divine role in their belief of rebirth and eternal life. The isolated location also played a role for hiding treasures from grave robbers, which was a problem even in ancient times. Hence why they laid their kings to rest in underground tombs away from all eyes.

According to the Ministry of Tourism and antiquities, Ineni, the high official in charge of overseeing Thutmose I’s burial mentioned “I oversaw the excavation of the cliff-tomb of his Person [the king] in privacy; none seeing, none hearing.”

Tombs Included In The Entry Ticket

Most of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings can be visited with the entrance ticket. But be informed that you can only visit three tombs with one entry ticket. So, if you have a list of more than three tombs to visit then make sure to purchase more than one ticket.

You should also be aware that not all tombs are open all the time. Out of the 63 tombs only 18 are open to the public on rotation, meaning the tombs that you can visit change in every season. So, plan ahead for the tombs you want to visit in case one is open and not the other.

Tomb of Merenptah

The deepest tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the second largest one, the tomb of Merenptah, sometimes spelled Merneptah, sits at a depth of more than 500ft (160 meters). Merneptah’s tomb is intriguing for a number of reasons. Rather than it’s preserved status (which isn’t much compared to the other tombs on this list), it’s the sheer size and contents of the tomb that makes this so important.

One, it’s said that the hieroglyphics in the King’s tomb speaks of both history and religions where he defeated Libyans and drew Israelis out of his land and some claims that the writings could possibly also hint to the reference of Prophet Moses/Musa during his time.

There have been speculations that the pharaoh during the time of Moses could be Merenptah while others believe it could be his father, Ramses II.

Another thing that makes Merenptah’s tomb worth visiting is his sarcophagus. A humungous four-stone sarcophagus ranging from 13 feet long, 7 feet wide and towers more than 8 feet above the ground still lays in the tombs burial chamber. Though the color has faded after centuries, the lid with the King’s form is still intact.

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With Merenptah’s tomb stretching for quite a length, you can find tons of hieroglyphics that talks about the Amduat (lit. That Which is In The Afterworld) and the Literary of Ra (the most spiritual funerary text) at the entrance.

With that, if you’re planning to enter this tomb, be informed that this is a hard climb. Our tour guide, Ahmad Scarab, said that to explore the tomb you need “a pair of strong legs and lungs”. It’s a hefty climb up and down. Outside the tomb, several visitors were gasping and sweating after exiting the tomb.

Tomb of Sennefer

Photo credit: Ameena Navab

Tomb of Sennefer also known as the “Tomb of the Vineyards” is one of the most decorative tombs in the Valley of the Kings. The name is derived from the decoration in the tomb’s burial and anti-chamber’s ceiling which has vineyards drawn all throughout the tomb and retains its white and green colors. With the vine art stretching throughout the area, it gives one the impression of standing under a real vineyard with large grapes all over the place.

One might think why Sennefer’s tomb has this theme. The vine in Ancient Egyptian symbolizes rebirth and grapes symbolizes resurrection. This is a theme that’s depicted in Sennefer’s tomb numerous times with the resting place also depicting the tranquility of the afterlife.

Other than the vines, the tomb is said to be one of the most preserved with much of its colors still intact. Some area also has red and white cheque patterns on the ceilings. The hieroglyphics depicting the pharaohs and gods also retains its colors as if it was just drawn yesterday.

Private Valley of the Kings Tour for you and your group only

Tomb of Siptah

Photo credit: Ameena Navab

Siptah’s tomb stands out from the rest of the decorative tombs in Valley of the Kings because it’s an incomplete one. With dark winding tunnels and a sarcophagus room devoid of inscriptions and hieroglyphs, the tomb of Siptah makes you feel like you’ve just uncovered a lost tomb of the pharaohs and there are secrets to be explored.

Siptah’s tomb also gives you a great insight into how the valleys were dug before the Ancient Egyptians decorated them with their spells and inscriptions. This tomb is one of the few that still has an intact sarcophagus kept in its burial chamber. And while much of the tomb doesn’t have the stunning Ancient Egyptian writings, there are still some hieroglyphics at the entrance.

Photo credit: Ameena Navab

These hieroglyphics talk about the process of mummification and also has writings from the Book of The Dead. This alone makes the tomb worth visiting. Just be careful that you don’t read it aloud, in case you wake up the sleeping pharaoh.

Tomb of Ramses III

Photo credit: Ameena Navab

If you want to see a color of a 3000-year-old Ancient Egyptian tomb in HD then head onto Ramses III’s decorated tomb that still has its original vivid colors and neat lines. This tomb is also known as the Tomb of the Harpists due to the drawing of two blind musicians playing harps on either side of the walls singing Ramses III’s praises for the gods.

What makes Ramses III’s tomb a must visit is its bright astral hieroglyphics painted onto the ceiling. The yellow, grey and off-white colors of the hieroglyphs are sharp, well preserved and contrasts the tombs overall ivory tone and is still extremely clear unlike any other tombs in the Valley.

Photo credit: Ameena Navab

Ramses III’s tomb also has great drawings of the famous Ancient Egyptian deities Anubis, Osiris and Isis in life sizes on the walls, covering them from the floor to the ceilings. While the paintings are protected behind glass it doesn’t fail to put you in awe.

Tomb of Ramses IX

The only tomb said to have the Book of Nut and the goddess herself painted on the ceiling; the tomb of Ramses IX has its own unique details that makes the chambers worth the visit.

With thousands and thousands of small hieroglyphics etched as far as the eye can see, this tomb was originally intended to be much larger but was cut short when the Pharoah died early. Today, this is one of the tomb that is well preserved with brown and yellow colors still intact.

Photo credit: Ameena Navab

The entrance of the tomb begins with Ramses IX worshipping the sun disk with goddesses Isis and Nephthys by his side. On the ceiling, you can see the king’s name along with scarabs and falcons. The beautiful writings on the wall also tells the tale of the King’s life and in his burial chamber, the Egyptian gods Anubis, Isis and Nephthys can be depicted as protecting the Pharoah in his sleep.

Tombs With Extra Entry Tickets

These tombs are the most famous in the Valley of the Kings and it’s pharaohs are the most known throughout the globe. Each of these tombs costs an extra entrance fee but that also makes these chambers less crowded than the rest. The prices vary for each tomb and their fees are listed at the ticket counter.

Tomb of Ramses V and VI

Photo credit: Ameena Navab

If you’re wondering what kind of tomb a real-life counterpart to the tombs and scenes would be shown in 1996’s The Mummy‘s Hamanaptra, then the tomb of Ramses V and VI would be a good bet. With gold and black writings, white ivory walls and colored hieroglyphics decorating, enchanting and telling the entire way to the pharaoh’s burial chamber, this tomb should not be left without visiting when you’re in the valley of the kings.

The tomb was first built for Ramses V but was later re-done and taken for the burial of his brother Ramses VI. Walking through this tomb with its white-lit walls and a gazillion hieroglyphs gives out an ethereal feel and makes you think that you are in another world which stands to reason as the writings and spells on this tomb mainly talks about the sun god Ra and his daily journey through the night as well as the maps of Amduat (the Underworld).

Photo credit: Ameena Navab

At the end of the tomb in the burial chamber, you can find the broken sarcophagus of Ramses VI with a cracked lid that contains the sculpture of the pharaoh. With so much to see in this sleeping chambers, this is undoubtedly one of the best tombs in the valley of the kings.

Tomb of Tutankhamun

The most famous tomb discovered by Howard Carter, the tomb of Tutankhamun is one of the most visited and crowded in the valley of the Kings. One of the main reasons it’s visited is because the mummy of the famous boy king still remains there, enclosed in an air-tight glass casket.

Although the tomb of Tutankhamun is relatively smaller compared to other tombs since it was hurriedly prepared due to the unexpected and unseen death of the boy King, his burial chamber is still worth the visit. The writings on the walls are well preserved and scenes depict Tutankhamun in the Osirian position amidst other important deities of Egypt.

The golden casket that he was buried in can be visited in The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities where a room dedicated specifically for Tutankhamun and his riches, including the famous golden bust still remains.

Tomb of Seti I

Thought to be the best preserved and most decorated tomb in the Valley of the Kings, Seti I’s tomb is a heart-fulfilling stop for every Egyptologist and lovers of Ancient Egypt. With heavily decorated chambers, walls and ceilings, Seti I’s tomb takes you to another world of myths and spells. But that’s not all. There are numerous other reasons that makes Seti’s tomb a must visit.

This is the first tomb to have a vaulted chamber and the first one to be entirely decorated from entrance to the burial chamber. To showcase the strength of the pharaohs reign and his historic achievements, his tomb is heavily painted with exquisite quality.

Another intriguing aspect of this tomb is its first series of corridors and descending passageways that leads into a room which is thought to have been a trap room for intruders to believe that this was the actual chamber. Some historians and scholars believe that another actual burial chamber lies deep within the mountain through a hidden tunnel and that this burial chamber could contain a room full of blinding treasure.

Seti’s tomb descends further down from the current open burial chamber even deeper into the earth. It is speculated that the Ancient Egyptians did this to ritually connect Seti’s tomb to the powers of the Amduat (underworld).

The Kings burial chamber has been dubbed as the “Golden chamber” by travelers and visitors due to its striking yellow- and gold-colored reliefs and paintings still vividly present all around the room.

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