Sunday 27 November 2016

Even more Info on the Luxor Pass

This update is important as they mention Euros

Last Tuesday (22 November 2016), Karin Khalif and Marcel went to see Ahmed Khalifa, Director of Public Relations at the Ministry of Antiquities Office in Luxor, to get some answers
The Luxor Pass:
There are 4 versions of the Pass:
• The Red Pass:
Gives you access to all the museums and (open) tombs in the Luxor area, including (about 10-15 minutes) access to the tombs of Nefertari (QV66) and the tomb of Seti I (KV17)
• The Blue Pass:
Same as above, but without access to Nefertari and Seti I tombs
• The Yellow Pass (For students only):
Gives you access to all the museums and (open) tombs in the Luxor area, including (about 10-15 minutes) access to the tombs of Nefertari (QV66) and the tomb of Seti I (KV17)
• The Green Pass (For Students Only):
Same as above, but without access to Nefertari and Seti I tombs.
All Luxor Passes have a validity of 5 CONSECUTIVE days.
What does the Luxor Pass cost:
The Red Pass: U$ 200,-
The Blue Pass: U$ 100,-
The Yellow Pass: U$ 100,-
The Green Pass: U$ 50,-
Where can I buy the Luxor Pass:
To purchase a Luxor Pass, you will need a passport photograph and a photocopy of your passport details page. Take these to the Department of Foreign Cultural Relations at the Ministry of Antiquities in Zamalek or from the Public Relations Office in the Luxor Inspectorate, which is behind the Luxor Museum on the east bank of Luxor, behind the Museum. The office is open 9:00 am to 4:30 pm each day, Monday to Friday.
How can I pay for the Luxor Pass?

In Cash only. Although the tickets are priced in US Dollars, Mr. Ahmed Khalifa told us, that they accept Euros too. The Red Pass (U$ 200,-) will cost you € 180,-. If you do the math, the following prices would apply (although these can be different, depending on the exchange rate $ - €):

The Red Pass: € 180,-
The Blue Pass: € 90,-
The Yellow Pass: € 90,-
The Green Pass: € 45,-
How long does it take to make the pass?
The pass will be made on the spot, so it shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes.
NOTES:

• The pass can ONLY be paid for in US Dollars or Euros. You CANNOT pay in Egyptian Pounds or any other foreign currency.

• There is NO possibility to pay with Credit or Debit Card
• You have to bring your passport and a pass photo. If you do not have a pass photo (which can be easily obtained in Luxor), bring a copy of your passport. This will be attached to the back of your Luxor Pass.
• Students have to bring their University pass or other proof of being a student.

7 comments:

Farley Flavors said...

Thanks for the updates Jane. So a passport photocopy will suffice if you don't have a passport photo?

Also, are you restricted to a single visit to Seti and Nefertari over the five days?

Jane Akshar said...

I reckon you could visit every single day lol

Farley Flavors said...

That's what I was hoping!

Farley Flavors said...

Hi Jane,

A few updates on the Luxor Pass...

We went along to purchase them at 1545 on a Friday. After about ten minutes at the gate, I was passed a phone and told by the person at the other end that they closed at 1500 on Fridays. So our planned early morning trip to Karnak the following day was ruled out!

Picking up the pass the next day took only ten minutes or so. Without asking, we were told that we could only visit each site once per day. I confirmed that this applied to both Seti I and Nefertari. We took full advantage of this and went to both tombs four days in a row - a total of 80 minutes in Nefertari and five hours(!) in Seti I. The pass details are recorded in a ledger at both sites.

We had red pass ticket numbers 86 and 87, indicating that they appear to have sold an average of roughly one per day since 1st November.

We didn't encounter problems using the pass at any of the sites we visited so the guardians now seem to be familiar with them. The only minor problem we had was with people having trouble reading the validity dates. Writing them in Arabic would have helped with this.

Jane Akshar said...

The guardians are obviously getting used to them :) Really glad the daily visits worked out for you and many thanks for the additional information. I am sure others will be grateful for that

Unknown said...

Hi Jane,

Any idea how long Seti I and Nefertari will be open? I would like to plan a trip for Nov. or Dec. this year. Also, what is best way of hiring private transportation and guide for a 5- 7 day period in Luxor. I am a 73 y.o. female who will be traveling alone. Any safety concerns?

Jane Akshar said...

They havent announced any closure dates so I have no idea.

The best way to arrange guide and transport is to contact me privatly and I can sort it out for you. jane@flatsinluxor.co.uk.

Luxor is as safe as anywhere else these days :)