Moment · Egypt
The Valley of the Kings with a Private Specialist Egyptologist
Descend into the painted tombs of Luxor's West Bank with an Egyptologist who knows which are open and what their walls are saying.
When the Pharaohs Gave Up the Pyramid
For almost five centuries of the New Kingdom, Egypt’s kings stopped building pyramids. Generations of tomb robbers had shown that a monument seen for miles was also a target, so the pharaohs had their tombs cut deep into the limestone hills above Thebes, under al-Qurn, a peak that already formed a natural pyramid over the valley.
With a specialist Egyptologist, you move through that hidden necropolis and see how history, religion and discovery shaped each tomb.
Sixty-Five Tombs, from Pits to Palaces
Since digging began, sixty-five tombs have been found and numbered here, ranging from vast underground complexes to plain storage pits. The largest, KV5, was made for the sons of Ramesses II and has more than 120 rooms.
Two stand out for their art. Seti I’s tomb reaches deeper into the mountain than any other in the valley; its walls are carved in raised relief, not just painted, and its burial chamber ceiling charts the constellations in black and gold. In the tomb of Ramesses VI, sited higher and so spared from floods, the colour is among the brightest to survive, with the sky goddess Nut stretched across the ceiling above the burial chamber.
Carter’s Wonderful Things
Most archaeologists thought the valley had given up all its secrets when Howard Carter, after ten years of searching funded by Lord Carnarvon, found Tutankhamun’s tomb on November 4, 1922. Looking by candlelight through a small gap in the sealed door, he was asked what he could see. “Yes, wonderful things,” he replied. It remains the only royal tomb in the valley found virtually intact.
The best trips begin with a conversation, not a booking form.
Request a quote →Which Doors Are Open Today
At any one time, only a rotating group of around 8 to 12 tombs is open, to protect fragile paintings from the humidity every visitor’s breath adds. Some of the most important, including Ramesses II’s own, are closed for long restoration, and others need access beyond the usual rotation.
Knowing what’s open on the day, and moving between tombs with real context instead of a script, changes everything. Your Egyptologist can show you why the long sloping corridors echo the sun god’s journey through the underworld each night, and what sets Seti I’s carving apart from the colour of Ramesses VI.
A Morning Shaped Around You
Because the tour is private, it moves toward whichever tombs hold your attention, not down a fixed list against the clock. Your Out Of Office specialist plans the day within your wider Luxor stay, and our Egypt guide covers LGBTQ+ rights and travel advice before you travel.
No two trips we plan are the same. Yours will be no exception.
Every itinerary starts as a blank page and is shaped around your pace, your routing and the places you actually want to see.
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We plant trees for every booking
For every booking made with Out Of Office we commit to planting trees in your name to help reduce the impact of travel on future generations. You'll even get a link to see where your trees are planted in the world via our partner Ecologi.
We donate to Rainbow Railroad with every booking
Rainbow Railroad helps LGBTQ+ people escape state-sponsored violence and persecution. A donation goes with every trip we sell, funded by us and never added to your price.
Start Planning Your Trip
Tell us where you would love to go, when you are thinking of travelling and what kind of trip you have in mind. One of our LGBTQ+ travel specialists will create a tailor-made itinerary designed around your destination, style and preferences.
One named specialist, first enquiry to homecoming. No call centre, and nothing is charged until you decide to book.