An Epic Adventure into Egypt’s Valley of the Kings

My journey began at 6:30AM when my Memphis Tour Guide, Ahmed, arrived to pick me up from my hotel. Despite having actively asked for an early departure to the Valley of the Kings, I woke up feeling extra sluggish that morning. Perhaps it was from traveling by car the day before, but I was running 5 minutes late and now anxious about making a bad and typically American first impression with a guide I had yet to meet in person.

Despite my tardiness, however, Ahmed seemed calm as I excitedly rushed to meet him, arms filled with my large camera, a bag of lenses and other accessories and my wide brimmed Indiana Jones style hat.

We quickly made our introductions before he motioned me toward a Memphis Tours van parked in the hotel’s valet, “Ready?”. And was I ever!

We drove in that van for almost an hour traveling from my hotel on the east bank to the Valley of the Kings on Luxor’s west bank, all the while my stomach was doing backflips in anticipation for the ancient wonders that lay ahead.

As we made our arrival, Ahmed, who spent the entire car ride pointing out ancient sites as we passed them, suddenly became serious. “Do you have sunglasses?”, he asked. I did.

“Before we arrive at the ticket office, we will go through some shops. Make sure to wear your sunglasses as we pass through and do not look at or talk to any of the salesmen, unless you want to buy something. They can be aggressive with tourists.”

Following his advice, I donned my large tortoise sunglasses and exited the van. Ahmed’s sunglasses tip did wonders – there were definitely a few persistent salesmen who came straight toward me with goods in their hands, asking questions to get me to engage, but they seemed much less aggressive with me as they were with the few other tourists who also arrived at that early morning hour.

Within a few minutes, we had successfully passed through the shops and reached the ticket office. Here, we bought my four desired entry tickets, plus a tram ticket:

1. General Admission – includes admission to 3 of the 65 tombs – 240 EGP*
2. Ramses V and Ramses VI – Tomb KV9 – 100 EGP*
3. Tutankhamun – Tomb KV62 – 300 EGP*
4. Photography Pass – Allowed for digital camera and video shooting – 300 EGP*
5. Tram Ticket – 4 EGP*

*At time of writing.

Since we were among the first to the ticket office that morning, Ahmed and I were able to quickly load onto the tram that then took us and a few others to the actual entrance of this historic Valley.

I still remember the vast expanse of desert stretching out before us, with huge mountains looming over on either side. Once we were close enough to the tombs to hop off the tram, I noticed the groups of excavators placed at strategic points around the Valley and in between the publicly-opened tombs. “The Valley of the Kings is still quite an active dig site” Ahmed told me as I began fantasizing of a discovery being made just as I was visiting.

Close the tram drop-off point was our first stop: The Tomb of Merenptah, or KV8.

Normally, guides are not permitted inside the tombs due to overcrowding. However, because of how early we had arrived, because Merenptah is a less frequently visited tomb and also because the nearby guards wanted a baksheesh (tip), Ahmed was allowed to venture in with me.

Stepping inside, I felt the heat of the day quickly being replaced by a cool and eerie feeling. I slowly began to descend the narrow staircase that drew from the Tomb’s mouth and into the heart of that ancient burial place. Half watching my step down the main passage stairs and and half admiring the artwork on the walls, I couldn’t help but be taken aback. I’d seen hieroglyphs twice before, both times in California during traveling Egyptian archaeological exhibitions, but never like this.

This was completely different, a permanent art piece and story unfolding before my eyes in a place that held so much meaning to this ancient civilization. The backflips in my stomach suddenly died off and were replaced by the chill of goosebumps across my arms. I’d finally made my journey to ancient Egypt and was bearing witness to the extraordinary history that had long amazed me from textbooks and movies. What magic it was.

Down in the burial chamber, one of the guards motioned toward a dark, blocked-off chamber. It was rather small, with no lights, but with what appeared to be interesting hieroglyphs. The guard lifted the wooden barricade that was otherwise preventing us access, encouraging us to go in for a closer look. I immediately knew he was working even harder to get the inevitable baksheesh that I’d already planned to hand over and was happy to oblige.

Being still the first visitors to Merenptah that day and standing inside this “forbidden” space void of any modern fixtures was an exciting plot twist I hadn’t expected! My mind flashed to Brenden Fraser uncovering ancient tombs in The Mummy and I was reinvigorated by the thrill of adventure!

Many people around the world – myself included – have seen pictures of the famous gold funerary Mask of Tutankhamun. In fact, I even remember the first time I saw its photo. I had been sitting in elementary school turning a page in my history textbook, and there it was in all its glory. I remember marveling over this ornate piece of ancient art, absorbing all the details in its blue and gold striped head cloth and closely studying everything I could find in its piercing gaze.

Of course, the mask was found and made famous in 1922 when Howard Carter discovered the Tomb of Tuthankhamun. Because learning about this very mask and tomb is what ignited my childhood-to-adulthood fascination with ancient history, I was particularly to visit KV62: the Tomb of Tutankhamun.

“Due to its popularity and its small size , you’ll need to leave your large camera with me. They are not allowed inside”, Ahmed explained as we inched closer to the tomb’s protective walls and gate.

I eyed the entrance to the Tomb and said, “I understand, but, I definitely need a photo by the sign as proof for my friends and family back home that I’ve actually been!”. Ahmed then laughed, obliging me with my cheesy tourist photo.

Inside, the tomb was small as he said, but beautifully decorated, with vibrant paintings that seemed to jump right off the walls of that dimly lit chamber. Sealed just beneath these paintings was a glass box – and inside Tutankhamun’s mummy.

It felt surreal to stand in the very same tomb that the boy Pharaoh was still resting in today and that he had been sealed with his famous funerary mask for over 3,000 years.

I was even more lucky as there was a minute inside where no other tourists came to view this usually popular spot. One of the guards took this opportunity to offer me a photo – on my phone – in exchange for a baksheesh, which I agreed to. I knew these types of offers would be very common and persistent throughout the day, but I absolutely had to mark the occasion.

As I moved further inside, I became suddenly aware of the large smile I had plastered itself on my face, stars also replacing my eyes. I must’ve looked both focused on my surroundings and as if I was in a dream, all at once.

My favorite details of the tomb by far, however, were in the ancient burial chamber. Walking in, my eyes immediately tracked the adult-size, broken sarcophagus on the ground, bringing me back to those adventurous Mummy feelings I had first received in the Tomb of Merenptah. Scanning the room, I noticed a large black granite box to my right. It had sheltered the now broken sarcophagus at one point in time.

For the final stop, Ahmed and I walked over to KV6, the Tomb of Ramses IX. The tomb was almost completely empty when we arrived so the guards there allowed Ahmed to journey inside with me.

The site here was small, with one short passage leading to a compact burial chamber. But like the Tomb of Ramses III, the walls were still decorated in their original and vibrant shades of blue, red and gold, albeit due to the protective glass layer that surrounded them.

Almost immediately, I was drawn to KV6’s walls and the ceiling. Ahmed definitely noticed, telling me how they bring to life the details inside the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead, which was used here as a way to help the Pharaoh find his way to the afterlife. Everywhere I looked there were inscriptions with intricate spells, carvings of unique animals and colorful depictions of the gods. It was a glorious sight to see, one where you feel both the presence and the weight of the meanings they formerly held.

Making my way back up the Valley’s dusty road and toward the exit with Ahmed, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of reverence for the ancient civilization that had created this breathtaking place. The tombs in the Valley of the Kings were a sheer testament to their skill, dedication, and belief in the afterlife. And for me, it was a magical travel moment and a humbling reminder of the incredible history waiting to be discovered around every corner of the world.