Valley of the Kings Hot Air Balloon

Luxor’s balloon flights launch from the West Bank at sunrise and drift for about 30 minutes over the green fields, the Colossi of Memnon and the mortuary temples at the foot of the Theban hills; the Valley of the Kings itself lies behind the ridge, and whether you see into it depends on the wind. Sunrise Ballooning’s flight is from $88 a person in current promotion (usually $110) with hotel pickup, rated 4.8 from 1,894 reviews (checked October 2026).

The flights compared

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Prices, ratings and review counts from GetYourGuide (checked October 2026). Children under 6 and pregnant women cannot fly; bring your passport.

What you see from the basket

The launch site is on the West Bank, among the fields between the Nile and the hills. As the sun comes up you see the Colossi of Memnon, the Ramesseum and, if the wind carries you north, Hatshepsut’s terraces against the cliff; on a clear morning you see across the Nile to Karnak. The pilot rotates the basket so everyone gets the view, and the ground crew follows to the landing field.

Of the 259 reviews of the flight sold as over the Valley of the Kings, 229 give five stars. The three-star ones are honest about what to expect: one guest in March 2026 wrote that the balloon went over the fields, the Colossi and the mortuary temples, not over the valley, and others found the time in the air shorter than listed. Book it for the sunrise over the West Bank, and see the tombs on foot.

Check dates for the sunrise flight →

Weather and timing

Every flight is weather-dependent: flights are cleared each morning by Egypt’s civil aviation authorities, which ground them in wind or poor visibility, sometimes on the morning itself, and the pickup time is confirmed the evening before. Pickup is before dawn and you are back at your hotel or ship in time for breakfast and a morning tour. If you have more than one morning in Luxor, book the first, so a cancelled flight can move to the next day.

A balloon and the valley in one day

Prices and ratings from GetYourGuide (checked October 2026); operators change prices, so treat them as a guide, not a quote.

Flight times, what each flight covers, weather rules and suitability from the GetYourGuide listings; guests’ comments from all 259 reviews of tour 322538; read on 29 October 2026.