The Valley of the Queens and Deir el-Medina

5 min read Updated November 2026 Compare all tours

The Valley of the Queens belongs to the Theban Necropolis on the West Bank of Luxor, and UNESCO names the tombs of Nefertari and Tui when it describes the valley. The main wadi holds 91 tombs, and side valleys add another 19. Deir el-Medina, often visited on the same tour, is the village of the craftsmen who cut and painted the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Each site has its own entrance and ticket.

Tickets and opening hours

According to the official ticket portal, egymonuments.com, the Valley of the Queens costs 220 EGP for foreign visitors and 110 EGP for students as of November 2026. Both sites open at 6:00. Last entry at the Valley of the Queens is 17:00 in summer and 16:00 in winter; at Deir el-Medina it is 17:00 all year. The portal shows no price for Deir el-Medina and does not say on which dates the summer and winter hours begin, so in winter plan to be through the gate by mid-afternoon.

Since 2023 the ticket windows have been switching to card payment. Reports still differ: several 2026 visitors say only cards are taken, while a local portal recommends cash, so carry a card that works abroad and some Egyptian pounds as a reserve. For cameras, a December 2025 report mentions a separate camera ticket sold at the inspectorate office here, while reports from the Valley of the Kings say the photo pass no longer exists. Ask when you buy your ticket.

Which tombs are open

Visitor reports name QV44 and QV55 as the tombs open on the standard ticket. Like the royal valley, the Valley of the Queens closes tombs in turn for restoration, so the board at the entrance has the final word.

The tomb of Nefertari, QV66, is the reason many people know the valley. It was fitted with protective structures and a ventilation system, and visits were limited to 15 minutes on a separate ticket. Travel guides report that it has been closed since 2 March 2024, and no reopening date had been announced by October 2026. Check before you go, and do not rely on a tour to include it, because no tour on this page names Nefertari in its programme.

Deir el-Medina, the craftsmen's village

The village housed the workmen of the royal tombs from the 18th to the 20th Dynasty, roughly 1550 to 1080 BCE. Its ancient name was Set Maat, the Place of Truth. About 68 houses stood on some 5,600 square metres, and the low stone walls of the houses still stand. Schiaparelli excavated here from 1905 to 1909, and Bruyère worked on the site from 1922 to 1951.

The village is known for what its people wrote down. Around 5,000 ostraca, inscribed shards, came out of a single well. Late in the reign of Ramses III, around 1170 BCE, the workers laid down their tools because their grain rations were late. The records preserve their complaint, "We are hungry", in what may have been the first strike in recorded history. Around the village are tombs, among them those of Nakht-Amun and Pashedu, and a temple.

Elsewhere on the West Bank, the Tombs of the Nobles have their own ticket. Among the tombs visitors go to there are those of Sennefer, known as the Tomb of the Vineyards, and Rekhmire.

When to go

The West Bank sites open at 6:00. In late December the sun rises at about 6:30 and sets just after 17:00; in June it is up before 6:00 and stays until about 19:45. From October to April daytime highs in Luxor are roughly 23 to 35 °C, and from June to August the average high is around 41 °C, so in summer the first hours after opening are the most comfortable time.

There is no dress code at the monuments, but a Luxor travel portal advises clothes that cover shoulders and knees, which is also the practical choice against the sun. Phone photos are free in the Valley of the Kings; for cameras here, see the note on tickets above.

Getting there and combining sites

Tours often combine the valley and the village with Medinet Habu, and a private guide can fit the three into about three hours. If you go by taxi, the fare is negotiated rather than metered, so agree on the stops and the price before you leave. Cycling is not recommended in the heat, since the sites are far apart and the roads climb.

The small-group tour that includes the Valley of the Queens pairs it with the royal valley and the Colossi of Memnon and ends with lunch. Private full days on the West Bank can fit both valleys, Deir el-Medina, Medinet Habu and the temple of Hatshepsut into one day.