Welcome to my article on Luxor Temple! My name is Milagros Gonzalez Buthet (otherwise known as Mimi). I’m a 28 year old city girl who lived in the same building for almost 15 years. I didn’t travel internationally until my 21st birthday when my parents took me to Disneyland. Who would have guessed that I would become a travel addict?!
My passion for travel started when I got married to a military man. I knew then that I would never have the same house as a home again, my home became Mariano (my husband). After one month of marriage, we moved 14 hours away by car from my family and friends, and that is how it all started.
Last year Mariano got his latest mission: a UN peacekeeping role in Israel. Of course, there were no doubts from me that I would join him. Since we were living in Israel, Egypt seemed to be the perfect place for a trip. Also, visiting the ancient tombs and experiencing the rich history of Egypt has been a dream of mine since I was 18. Witnessing the splendor of the Great Pyramids and exploring the ancient city of Petra in Jordan was nothing short of magical. So we took a 15-day Egypt and Jordan trip to fulfill this lifelong dream. Our itinerary was:
Two and a Half Days Exploring Luxor
We were in Luxor for two and a half days. We did the Nile River Cruise from Cairo to Aswan and stopped in Luxor for some amazing experiences. All of the temples there were epic but Luxor Temple was definitely one of the best. Thankfully, we had the opportunity to be guided through the temple.
Normally, I’m not a fan of tour guides, but for Egypt I recommend them because they provide so much insight into the history of each place. Of course, you have to adapt to the guide’s schedule. However, what you learn from this experience makes having a guide very worthwhile. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known exactly what it was that I was looking at!
Like everyone who visits the temples of Egypt for the first time, my initial impression at Luxor Temple was just: “Wow! How on earth did they build these sublime structures?” It’s mind-blowing to think that after all these thousands of years temples like this are still standing up strong.
And then, as a travel blogger, of course I was thinking about how I could stay for as long as possible so I could take many pictures with the different lightings. The temples are completely different looking during the morning than during sunset. I was captivated by Luxor Temple in so many ways.
My Favorite Aspect about Luxor Temple
Without a doubt, my favorite part of Luxor Temple was the hall of columns. It was just an insane and majestic place to explore! I saw many photos of this place before going and I knew what to expect, but what I found there in person was mind-blowing – honestly it was too hard to put into words.
The size of the columns made me think that something supernatural (outside of human knowledge) was at play. Maybe it sounds stupid but who knows?! The Egyptians have shown us many impressive things. The one thing they forgot to tell the world was how they built these temples!
For me, I choose to believe in something bigger than just human knowledge. I definitely felt this divine inspiration at Luxor Temple. When you go there I’m sure you will get this lump at the back of your throat too.
Thousands of Years of History at Luxor Temple
I learnt some fascinating facts about Luxor Temple when I was there. As most of you will know, religion was the most important part of cultural life in Ancient Egypt. When Alexander the Great arrived in Egypt he tried to show everyone he was the Son of God to have the holy right to the throne.
That is why you can find paintings at the temple of Alexander the Great taking the fertility seed from the fertility god. Besides that, you can also see how Christians tried to remove paintings of Egyptian gods. You can find parts of the temple where there is a painting of Jesus and the last supper.
However, the most magical part of Luxor Temple was when those other paintings faded away and the Egyptian gods appeared again. The history of this place is palpable and you can feel it in every little carving and column.
Need to Know Before you Go
Make sure you visit the temple at night, as well as the daytime. As I said before, the temple changes at different times of the day. I also recommend visiting Karnak Temple during the day and night too. This is another spectacular temple. At night, with the endless stars above you, it makes you really get immersed in the magic of this ancient place.
When you visit Luxor Temple, don’t go trying to learn every single detail. Just let the locals tell you about the magic of the place (what they believe) and go with it. You will get some mind-blowing stories. And honestly, travel is so much better when you actually believe some of these stories!
