Karnak Temple

Karnak, on the East Bank at Luxor, is the largest religious complex of the ancient world. For about 2,000 years, from the Middle Kingdom to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, pharaohs added temples, pylons, obelisks and chapels to the great sanctuary of Amun-Ra, the chief god of Thebes. The result covers more than 100 hectares and is divided into three walled precincts: Amun in the centre, his wife Mut to the south and the war god Montu to the north. An avenue of sphinxes linked it to Luxor Temple, about 3 km away, for the yearly Opet Festival. Karnak is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis.

What to see

• Great Hypostyle Hall: a forest of 134 huge sandstone columns, the tallest of them more than 20 metres high, decorated mainly under Seti I and Ramesses II. Look up for traces of original colour.
• Obelisks: Hatshepsut’s obelisk, almost 30 metres tall, is the tallest still standing in Egypt. Her father Thutmose I’s obelisk stands nearby.
• Akh-menu: the festival hall of Thutmose III at the eastern end, with its unusual tent-pole columns.
• Sacred Lake: where the priests purified themselves before rituals. The giant granite scarab beside it is a popular stop.
• Temple of Khonsu in the south-west corner, and the Ptolemaic Temple of Opet beside it.
• Open Air Museum: rebuilt chapels including the White Chapel of Senusret I and the Red Chapel of Hatshepsut (included in the foreigners’ ticket).
• Precinct of Mut: quieter, with rows of lion-headed Sekhmet statues (separate ticket).

Visiting tips

• Arrive at opening time or in the late afternoon to avoid the heat and the main tour groups. Allow at least two to three hours.
• A guide or good guidebook helps a lot: the site is huge and its building phases overlap.
• Ticket offices take cards. Bring water, a hat and good shoes.
• The evening sound and light show walks you through the floodlit temple and ends in seats beside the Sacred Lake. It has its own ticket and runs several shows a night in different languages, so check the schedule.

Getting there

Karnak is about 3 km north of central Luxor on the East Bank. It is a short taxi, ride-hailing or horse-drawn carriage ride from most hotels, or a pleasant walk or bike ride along the Corniche in the cooler months. You can also walk part of the restored Avenue of Sphinxes from Luxor Temple. See the official Karnak page for current hours and prices.

Last checked October 2026. Sources: egymonuments.gov.eg, mota.gov.eg.