Al-Qurna
The old village that grew on top of the Tombs of the Nobles — half moved to New Qurna, half still here, all atmosphere.
Colourful mudbrick houses of Al-Qurna village against the Theban hills
Why people stay in Al-Qurna
Al-Qurna is the West Bank's most photographed and most controversial village. For centuries families lived in mudbrick houses built directly over the Tombs of the Nobles, doubling as tomb-guards and tomb-looters depending on who's telling the story. In the 2000s the Egyptian government forcibly relocated most residents to New Qurna to protect the antiquities beneath. Some families refused. What remains is a partial village of painted houses, a few working farms, and the tomb entrances themselves scattered across the hillside.
Base here for the surreal atmosphere and for the shortest walking distance to the Ramesseum, Deir el-Medina, and the mountain path to the Valley of the Kings. Skip it if you want a normal village feel — the empty spaces where houses were bulldozed give the place a slightly haunted quality. A few good guesthouses have sprung up on the fringes, run by families who kept a foothold or bought back land. Nights are pitch dark and totally silent.
Beit Sabée, Nour el-Gourna, Al Baeirat and a scattering of new small guesthouses on the road between the Ramesseum and the Tombs of the Nobles ($40-$90 range). Some rooms have proper mountain views straight into the Theban hills — worth paying $10-$20 extra. Avoid anything advertised as being 'inside the historic village' — those buildings have no water infrastructure and are semi-legal squats.
What to see
Hotels in Al-Qurna
Getting around Al-Qurna
Public ferry to Al-Gezira landing on the West Bank ($0.20), then shared taxi to Al-Qurna ($3-$5 per person) or private taxi ($10-$12), around 10 minutes. Direct from the airport via the southern bridge is $22-$28. Inside the village, walk or hire a bike — nothing is more than 15 minutes on foot. No late-night transport back to the East Bank; last ferry around 10pm, private motorboat $5-$10 after that.
Questions about Al-Qurna
A small number of families, yes — mostly those who resisted the 2000s relocation or have since returned to plots the government couldn’t clear. Numbers are declining every year. The atmosphere of a half-emptied village is a large part of what makes the area interesting.
The village is about 3-4 km from the Valley of the Kings ticket office by road, or roughly 90 minutes on foot via the mountain path. Most guesthouses will arrange a taxi transfer ($5-$8 one way) for the 6am opening.
