Pricing policy
All prices are per person in US dollars and depend on the size of your group. Your quote lists the final price and what it covers. After the deposit, changes to your plan cost US$25 per request, plus any third-party fees.
Karnak Temple Sound and Light Show
A 3-hour evening at Karnak Temple in Luxor for the Sound and Light Show: a walk from the avenue of rams to the Hypostyle Hall, then a seated finale by the Sacred Lake. Your show ticket, a guide, water and private transfers from your hotel or cruise are included.
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Tour type
- Private, your own group
- Pickup
- From your hotel
- Guide
- Private guide, English-speaking
- Entrance fees
- Included
Overview
Karnak is the largest temple complex of ancient Egypt: for some two thousand years, kings added pylons, halls, obelisks and chapels to the house of the god Amun at Thebes. By day it is hot, crowded and so big that it is hard to take in. At night, during the Sound and Light Show, it is a different place: the crowds are gone, the stone glows under the lights, and a recorded narration with music tells the story of Thebes and its kings as you walk through the temple.
Your guide and driver collect you from your hotel or Nile cruise ship in Luxor in the evening and drive you to Karnak, about ten to twenty minutes away. Before the show, your guide gives you the background you need to follow it. The show itself has two parts: a walk through the temple, from the avenue of ram-headed sphinxes to the Hypostyle Hall, with the narration moving from one lit scene to the next, and a seated finale on the stands above the Sacred Lake. You are back at your hotel or ship about three hours after pickup.
Who this tour suits
- Travelers on a Nile cruise or a stay in Luxor with a free evening.
- Anyone who visited Karnak in the heat of the day and wants to see it again in a calmer mood.
- Families: children who find a guided temple visit long often enjoy the lights and music.
- Photographers who want the columns and the obelisks lit at night.
The show is a son et lumiere in the classic style, with a recorded script, music and lighting rather than a modern projection show; some visitors find it old-fashioned. It does not replace a daytime visit with an Egyptologist, which you can book among our Luxor day tours.
Why go with a guide
During the show the narration does the talking, and you move with the other visitors. Your guide's role is before and after: on the way and at the entrance, the guide explains what you will see and in which order, who built the great halls and why Karnak mattered, so that the narration makes sense; after the show, you can ask the questions it raised.
What you will love
- Karnak at nightThe temple of Amun without the daytime crowds, its stone lit in warm colours against the night sky.
- The Hypostyle Hall lit upA walk among the 134 giant columns of the great hall as the narration tells the story of its builders.
- Finale by the Sacred LakeThe seated last part of the show above the lake where the priests purified themselves.
- The story of ThebesTwo thousand years of kings and gods told in sound and light, set up by your guide beforehand.
- Show ticket bookedYour ticket for a show in English, or your language when it runs, bought in advance.
- Private transfersA private air-conditioned car from your hotel or Nile cruise ship and back after the show.
Your stops
Times are for a winter show starting at about 19:00; in summer the shows start later, and the exact pickup time follows the show you are booked on.
Stop118:15 Pickup from your hotel or Nile cruise ship in Luxor
Your guide and driver meet you in the lobby or at the ship's reception and drive you north along the corniche to Karnak. On the way, your guide explains the layout of the temple and the story you are about to hear.
Stop218:45 Arrival and the avenue of rams
After the security check you gather at the entrance, in front of the avenue of ram-headed sphinxes that leads to the great first pylon. Your guide hands you over to the show and waits for you at the exit.
Stop319:00 The walking part of the show
The narration begins at the gate. You walk with the other visitors from one lit scene to the next: through the first pylon and the great court, into the Hypostyle Hall with its 134 columns, and past the obelisks of Thutmose I and Hatshepsut, with the voices of the kings telling their part of the story.
Stop419:40 The finale by the Sacred Lake
The last part is seated on the stands above the Sacred Lake, where the whole temple is lit in turn while the narration ends the history of Thebes.
Stop520:15 Back to your hotel or ship
Your guide meets you at the exit for any questions, and the driver takes you back. You arrive at your hotel or Nile cruise ship at about 20:45.
Price
Group size and pricing
Prices are per person in US dollars. Children pay less, see the children policy below.
Get a quoteWhat is included
- Pickup and drop-off at your hotel or Nile cruise ship in Luxor in a private air-conditioned car.
- Your ticket for the Karnak Temple Sound and Light Show.
- A private English-speaking guide who sets the scene before the show.
- Bottled water in the car.
- All taxes and service charges.
- A daytime visit to Karnak, Luxor Temple at night and other extras not in the program.
- Meals and drinks.
- Tips for the guide and driver (optional).
Practical information for this tour
Show times and languages
There are several shows each evening, starting after sunset, and each show is in one language. The timetable and the language of each show change with the season and the day of the week, so we book the next show in English, or in your language when it runs on your date, and set your pickup time from it. A show lasts a little over an hour.
Tickets and entry
Your show ticket is included and bought in advance by our team. It covers the Sound and Light Show only, not a daytime visit to Karnak. There is a security check at the entrance.
Photography rules
Photos and videos with a phone or camera are allowed during the show, without flash; flash spoils the lighting for other visitors and does not reach the walls anyway. A camera that handles low light gives the best results. Tripods are not practical in the walking part.
What to wear and bring
- Comfortable flat shoes: the ground in the temple is uneven, and it is dark between the lit areas.
- A warm layer from November to March, when the desert evenings are cold, especially on the seats by the Sacred Lake.
- Insect repellent in summer, and a small torch or phone light for the paths.
Pickup, timing and getting there
Pickup is from any hotel on the East Bank of Luxor or from a Nile cruise ship moored in Luxor, about 30 to 45 minutes before the show starts. Hotels on the West Bank are collected by car over the bridge, which takes longer; tell us where you stay. The tour can be combined with a visit to Luxor Temple, which is open in the evening, on request.
Children, mobility and breaks
Children are welcome; the walking part is about a kilometre, at a slow pace. The paths are uneven and there are steps up to the seats, so wheelchair users need help in places; tell us in advance. The second half of the show is seated.
Travel policy guide
Booking confirmation
A deposit of 30% of the total tour cost confirms your booking. We send you a secure payment link for the deposit; the balance is paid in cash or by card on arrival in Egypt, unless your written offer gives another date. We never ask for card details by email, chat or WhatsApp. We confirm every booking by email.
Cancellation and refund
- 22 days or more before departure: 100% refund
- 15 to 21 days: 70% refund
- 8 to 14 days: 50% refund
- 0 to 7 days: no refund
No-show travelers are charged 100%. During peak events in Egypt, hotels and Nile cruises do not refund deposits. Groups of more than 10 people may have different terms.
Children policy
- Under 2: free, sharing the parents’ bed, meals not included
- 2 to 5 years: 25% of the adult price
- 6 to 11 years: 50% of the adult price
- 12 and over: adult price
Add each child and their age in the enquiry form so the quote is exact.
Optional visits
Add a lunch stop, a longer visit or a second site to your day. Tell us what you want and we add it to your quote with its cost.
Extra expenses
Not included in the price: Personal purchases or extra activities not listed in the tour program are not included; Meals or drinks not specified; Tips and gratuities.
Tipping guide
Tipping is customary in Egypt and is not included in the price. A usual amount for a private day tour is US$5 to 10 per person for your guide and US$3 to 5 for your driver.
Questions about this tour
How long does the Karnak Sound and Light Show last?
The show lasts a little over an hour. With the transfers, the evening takes about two and a half to three hours from pickup to drop-off.
Is the show in English?
Each show is in one language, and the timetable rotates through several languages during the week. We book an English show, or your language if it runs on your date, and tell you the time when you book.
Does the guide talk during the show?
No. The narration and music carry the show, and you follow it with the other visitors. Your guide explains the temple before the show and answers questions afterwards.
Is this the same as visiting Karnak by day?
No. The show is an evening performance with a fixed route; a daytime visit with an Egyptologist goes into the temple's chapels, reliefs and inscriptions. Many travelers do both.
Is the tour private?
The transfers and the guide are private. The show itself is a public performance shared with other visitors.
What travelers say about Egypt Online Tour
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Christiane SMay 2026
Amazing Egyptian vacation! We did an 11 day private tour of Cairo, cruise on the Nile between Aswan and Luxor and a 4 day stay in Hurghada. The guided tours were very interesting, with extremely knowledgeable guides, attentive and helpful.
Ehrhart MAugust 2024
Egypt package to the Pyramids of Giza and Saqqara was a fascinating journey through Egypt's ancient past ,guide knowledge, the majesty of the pyramids, and the historical depth of Saqqara made this tour truly enriching!
Clayton Z973August 2024
our honeymoon to Egypt ,Giza and Saqqara was a magical escape into history The pyramids looming in the distance, the quiet serenity of the desert, and the ancient wonders of Saqqara created moments that will be with me forever!
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