The Valley of the Kings is located on the West Bank of the Nile. A 10 minute drive leaves Luxor, the Nile, and passes green farmlands before entering the desert mountains. One of the canyons contains over 60 underground tombs, mostly built for royalty. Descending into the tombs carved out of solid rock rewards the visitor with colorful scenes from ancient books which are carved and painted into the walls and ceiling. Some tombs have steep staircases and multiple rooms, others are constructed more simply. Whereas the pyramids are merely big, the tombs of Luxor contain impressive artwork that give the visitor a much better impression of ancient Egyptian royal life. These tombs were built around 1,500 BCE - about 1,000 years after the pyramids were built.

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