It may sound like a crazy idea to rent a bicycle and cycle your way round the West Bank and up to the Valley of the Kings, but I think it's the only way to go! Granted, we were traveling in April, and the heat was not so intense as it would be during the summer months.
We arrived into Luxor on the overnight train from Cairo, which meant that we were able to leave our luggage at the train station, wander through the early morning streets of Luxor, and catch the ferry over to the West Bank, all before 7:30am. We rented our bicycles for 15 Egyptian pounds for the whole day (until sunset) from the first place we saw after getting off the ferry. We checked them carefully before we agreed to the offer. Setting off for the Valley of the Kings, we stopped at the Colossi of Memnon before the first tour buses got there, and were on our way up the hill before the sun got too hot. The Valley of the Kings is approximately 10km from the ferry dock, and it is uphill most of the way. It's a gradual incline, not steep, and it is perfectly doable even for novice cyclists. Neither my husband nor I had been on a bicycle in over two years, although we are both in good shape. There is no way to lock up your bicycle in the parking lot at the Valley of the Kings, but there are plenty of tour bus drivers and parking lot attendants who are more than willing to keep an eye on your bicycle for a few hours in exchange for a few Egyptian pounds.
The way back to the ferry was considerably more pleasant, as the day had gotten hotter and we coasted the whole way down the hill, creating our own breeze. The views across the desert and out to the Nile are amazing, and if you go early, there is very little traffic; you almost feel you are alone in the desert. On the way back down the hill, we stopped at several other sites, including the Ramasseum and the Tombs of the Nobles. The Medinat Habu, or the Temple of Ramses III, is less than 1/2 km out of your way, and well worth a few extra minutes of pedaling.
If you decide to take this option, be aware that there are no bicycle trails and you will have to ride along the main road. Even with the higher traffic at midday coming down from the Valley of the Kings, we felt perfectly safe, as the drivers give cyclists a wide berth. Do wear sunglasses, as some of the passing tour buses will inevitably throw sand in your eyes! But this doesn't begin to compare to the independence you gain from this mode of travel and the exhilaration of the open air of the desert and the Nile valley!
Tags for this Travel Tip:
luxor
gettingaround
bicyclerental
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