West Valley of the Kings

The West Valley of the Kings, often called the Valley of the Monkeys, is the western branch of the royal necropolis near Luxor. It contains far fewer tombs than the East Valley, but includes major royal burials such as Amenhotep III (WV22) and Ay (WV23). Tutankhamun was not buried here; his tomb, KV62, is in the East Valley. The West Valley is especially important for understanding the expansion of royal burial activity during the Eighteenth Dynasty. Access to individual tombs can vary, so visitors should verify current opening conditions and ticketing before making the trip. Visitor planning: Fewer tombs; access varies. Context: Part of the archaeological, architectural or cultural history of ancient and historic Thebes represented across Luxor Governorate. West Valley of the Kings is recorded in the Luxor West Bank area of Luxor. Plan roughly 15 to 40 minutes for the visit. The current planning record recommends early morning as a practical time of day. Expected physical effort is medium. Heat exposure is recorded as high. The recorded recommended transport mode is car or ride hail. The current record indicates that admission or an arranged ticket is required; confirm the current terms before visiting. Ticket data status is inherited from parent ticket; reconfirm any variable or unverified charges before travel.