The temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari

5 min read Updated November 2026 Compare all tours

Hatshepsut's mortuary temple stands at the foot of the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari, on the West Bank across the Nile from Luxor, and faces the river towards Karnak. It was built between the 7th and 20th years of her reign, and the plans were changed several times along the way. Who designed it is still debated: the names put forward are Senenmut and Hapuseneb. UNESCO singles out its "immense porticos and superimposed terraces" in the listing for Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis.

The temple has its own ticket, separate from the Valley of the Kings. According to the official ticket portal, egymonuments.com, it costs 440 EGP for foreign visitors and 220 EGP for students as of November 2026. The gates open at 6:00, and last entry is at 17:00 in summer and 16:00 in winter and during Ramadan. The portal does not say on which dates the summer and winter hours begin. Bring a card for the ticket window and some cash as a reserve, since reports from 2026 disagree on whether cash is still accepted.

The three terraces

Long ramps connect the three terraces, and the top one sits right below the cliff. The colonnades carry the reliefs most people come for. Among them are the Birth Colonnade and the Punt Colonnade, whose scenes, in UNESCO's words, trace the queen's journey to the country of Punt. There are also chapels for Hathor and for Anubis.

Much of the temple has been consolidated and restored. A mission of the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology at the University of Warsaw has worked here since 1961 and has carried out consolidation and restoration across the whole temple.

When to go

The terraces are open to the sky, and the middle of the day is the time to avoid. Travel guides for 2026 advise skipping the midday rush, when the West Bank is at its busiest. On 21 December the sun rises at 6:32 and sets at 17:04 here; in June it rises just before 6:00 and sets around 19:45. The cliff puts the temple in shade earlier in the afternoon than those times suggest.

From October to April daytime highs at Luxor are roughly 23 to 35 °C, and from June to August around 41 °C on average. In the hot months, come at opening time and keep the visit short.

From the air at sunrise

Balloon rides take off from the West Bank before sunrise, and several of them describe the temple of Hatshepsut among the views, together with the Colossi of Memnon and the Nile. The route always depends on the wind on the morning, so no ride can promise to fly over Deir el-Bahari, and flights are cancelled when the wind is too strong. The hot air balloon page explains how the flights work.

Photos, clothing and the ticket window

Camera rules on the West Bank have changed several times. Guides from 2026 describe phone photos as free in the Valley of the Kings, while a report from December 2025 mentions a separate camera ticket at the Valley of the Queens, so ask at the window here as well. The UK Foreign Office reminds visitors that photographing military property is illegal and that professional equipment needs a permit.

There is no dress code at the monuments, but a Luxor travel portal advises clothes that cover shoulders and knees, which also keep the sun off on the open terraces. The UK Foreign Office notes that scammers and touts target foreign visitors in tourist areas, so settle any offer of help or a ride before you accept it.

Combining it with the rest of the West Bank

Almost every West Bank tour pairs the temple with the Valley of the Kings. The shared group tours from Luxor usually spend the morning in the valley and come here next; reviews of the large group tours mention a stop at an alabaster workshop and extra tickets offered on the bus. Private days have more room for a longer stop or an earlier start.

From Deir el-Bahari it is about 4.5 km by road, roughly 11 minutes, to the Colossi of Memnon. Private tours often add them and the temple of Medinet Habu, and some include the Valley of the Queens as well. In a taxi, agree on the route and the price before you set off, because there are no meters.

The temple is also a regular stop on the day trips from Hurghada and Makadi Bay. These leave the Red Sea coast in the early hours, with hotel pickups at 4 or 5 am common, and drive about 295 km each way, so the time at each site is limited. The day trips from Hurghada page explains the timetable.