Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut (Deir el-Bahari)
Three terraced colonnades carved into a limestone cliff — the most architecturally daring temple in Egypt.
Terraced facade of Hatshepsut Temple against Deir el-Bahari cliffs
What to expect at Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut (Deir el-Bahari)
Djeser-Djeseru, 'Holy of Holies', was designed 3,500 years ago by the architect Senenmut for Egypt's most successful female pharaoh, Hatshepsut. Its three colonnaded terraces rise directly into the amphitheater cliffs of Deir el-Bahari and look shockingly modernist — you could mistake photographs for a Le Corbusier project. Look for the painted reliefs of Hatshepsut's expedition to Punt (roughly modern Somalia) on the middle terrace: giraffes, incense trees, and a wonderful fat queen of Punt.
The temple sits in a natural sun trap and there is almost no shade — go at 6:30 opening or after 15:00. A small electric tuf-tuf ($1) runs from the ticket gate to the base of the ramp; the walk is 400 m in open sun. Most visitors combine Hatshepsut with the Valley of the Kings (a 10-minute drive over the ridge) and the Colossi of Memnon on the way back to the ferry.
Questions about Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut (Deir el-Bahari)
$10 for adults, half price for students. Included in Luxor Pass.
No — no free entry days.
90 minutes to 2 hours including the tuf-tuf ride and all three terraces.
Open daily year-round.
No, walk-up tickets at the gate.
West Bank near Deir el-Bahari, 4 km from the local ferry. Taxi from the ferry $8-12 return, or included in every West Bank tour package.
Hotels near Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut (Deir el-Bahari)
Every hotel we cover in West Bank
- Gold Ibis Hotel 3★ · 4.3/5
- Shahhat House 5★
- Luxo Bankr West
More museums
All museums
From the journal
All posts
Comparisons & rankings
Hotels with Nile views in Luxor, ranked
Ten Nile-facing hotels in Luxor tested for actual river views, not the ones the booking site photographs with a wide lens — from $28 pensions to $380 suites.
Comparisons & rankings
Best boutique hotels in Luxor, ranked
Nine small hotels in Luxor with actual character, ranging from $60 West Bank guesthouses to a $320 domed retreat — with the honest catch on each one.
Comparisons & rankings
Best family-friendly hotels in Luxor, ranked
Eight Luxor hotels tested with kids, from a $45 pension with a rooftop to a $280 resort with a proper kids' pool — plus which chain to skip.