Karnak Temple
The greatest temple complex of ancient Egypt - a vast sacred city of pylons, obelisks and a forest of colossal columns at Luxor, built over two thousand years, a UNESCO site.
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Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
UNESCO World Heritage
Karnak is the greatest temple complex of ancient Egypt, a vast sacred city on the Nile at Luxor, ancient Thebes, built and enlarged by pharaoh after pharaoh over more than two thousand years. Its scale astonishes, above all the Great Hypostyle Hall, a forest of 134 colossal columns soaring overhead, alongside towering pylons, obelisks and an avenue of ram-headed sphinxes, part of the UNESCO monuments of ancient Thebes.
What you actually see
- The Great Hypostyle Hall - the forest of 134 colossal columns.
- The pylons and obelisks - the towering gateways and standing obelisks.
- The avenue of sphinxes - the ram-headed sphinxes lining the approach.
- The sacred lake - the great lake within the temple precinct.
When to go
October to April for cooler weather, as Luxor is fiercely hot much of the year; go early to beat the heat and cruise groups. The evening sound-and-light show is a dramatic way to see the columns lit.
Honest expectations
Luxor is very hot outside winter, and the site is large and shadeless, so go early with water and a hat. It is busy with Nile-cruise groups. The scale rewards a guide or audio guide to make sense of the layers of history built by successive pharaohs.
Nearby
Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings and the west-bank tombs are close; Karnak anchors many Nile cruises.
What to pack for Karnak Temple
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
