Exploring Luxor’s East Bank – Luxor Museum and Horse-drawn Carriage Ride

The Luxor Museum is located on the East Bank of Luxor where the main temples and big hotels are situated. To cross the river from our Airbnb, we took the local ferry that reminded us a bit of Star Ferry in Hong Kong. On the West Bank, the ferry landing is a dusty and congested drop-off point for locals and a few tourists. There was the option of taking a private boat, which there were many waiting at the dock waving to customers. We opted for the local ferry because it is safe, convenient and offers the opportunity to people watch.

It took us two attempts to make a successful visit to the Luxor Museum. On our first attempt, we made the mistake of spending too much time enjoying a late lunch at a restaurant called Oasis Palace, a restaurant inside an old mansion decorated with photos from different periods of Egypt’s past. By the time we were ready to head to the museum, it was already nearly 3:30 pm. We reached the museum only to find that it closes between 4 and 5 in the afternoon every day. We didn’t want to be rushed so we decided to come back the next day.

The next day, we took the ferry across the river again and arrived at the museum in the morning. All of the artifacts in the Luxor Museum were found in the temples and necropolis of Thebes. The museum is quite small compared to other museums we visited in Cairo. Despite its size, it is known to have a well-curated collection of artifacts on display. We generally prefer smaller, more specialized museums because it allows us to focus our attention on fewer objects without being overwhelmed. We always appreciate thoughtfully curated museums that include explanations, timelines and labels that can help guide us through, establish a thought process and make connections. It is a disappointment when we encounter museums with exceptional pieces but that lack thought or communication in their organization. Since we visited the museum without a guide, the clear labels helped us to appreciate the pieces and made the overall experience worthwhile and enjoyable.

During our visit, I began to notice that the children were remembering and consolidating their understanding and knowledge of what we had been learning. In Cairo, we were bombarded with so much information, stories and visuals about Ancient Egypt, the pharaohs, the temples, the tombs and everything else. By now, they could remember many of the pharoah’s names, their unique stories, and accomplishments. They had an idea about the different periods of Egypt’s history from the Ancient Times to the Ptolemaic, Roman, Byzantine, Islamic and Egypt as a republic.

DY took a particular interest in Akhenaten (also known as Amenhotep IV), the 10th ruler of the 18th dynasty of the New Kingdom. He is best known for the radical new religion he implemented that changed Ancient Egypt’s tradition of worshipping many gods to a monotheistic religion of exclusively worshipping the god Aten, the sun disc. He is easy to identify from the other pharaohs because he is depicted with an unusual appearance, almost like an alien – a long thin face, almond shaped eyes, broad shoulders and a thin waist. Some experts describe his appearance as having both feminine and masculine features. He was the husband of Nefertiti and the father of King Tutankhamen.

After our museum visit, we had lunch at a fantastic restaurant called Sofra located in a building from the 1930s. The décor was rustic and beautiful and we requested a table on the rooftop. We arrived during the midday prayer time and the kitchen crew had gone to the local mosque to pray, so we had to wait a while for them to come back. In the meantime, we enjoyed some hummus and pita. When the chefs came back, they cooked up a delicious meal of stuffed pigeon, lamb, koshari, chicken soup and mahshi.