News from Luxor

News from the town

Parts of the centre of Luxor are in a bit of a mess at the moment! Since October 2005 the town has been undergoing some massive changes.

Station Road (see the central Luxor map) has been widened. Shops have been demolished along its length and some new ones built further back from the road's edge. From the station there is now a clear view to the temple complex. The station itself has been redeveloped. The kiosk near McDonald's and the clock tower in the roundabout near the entrance to the Old Market have gone. The roundabout has been rebuilt and paved.

Old Market Street has been dug up and arches and trellises have been erected. Cars, horse carriages and other vehicles are no longer allowed through Old Market Street. At the southern entrance to Old Market Street (the tourist end) an arch announcing the market has been built. The market is still quieter than the old one, partly because caleche drivers can no longer drive through, so they try to convince tourists that the market is closed and to go to a 'local market' instead. The market is not closed - ignore anyone who says it is.

The changes are part of the grand plan of Dr. Samir Farag, president of the Supreme Council of Luxor. Other ideas are to relocate the part of the market that serves the needs of local people to a market hall and to open up the views to the important monuments.

A controversial part of the plan is to restore the 3km long road connecting Luxor with Karnak. The road is clearing a 60 meter wide open space between the temples, involving the demolition of huge numbers of buildings, mostly residential.

Progress is very evident. When you come from the airport you can see part of the new causeway as you go over a bridge coming into Luxor town. There are also open areas, especially to the north of the temple, where buildings have been cleared. The area around the temple itself is much tidier and largely paved, including a large decoratively paved area between the temple and the road to the station.

The old tourist shops near the temple and restaurants, such as Amoun's, have moved to the new 3 storey Savoy centre near the Mercure hotel, which has also replaced the arcade that used to be there.

There is now a two-lane bowling alley on the lower corniche between the Metropolitan and El Kababgy restaurants and a new rowing club between El Kebabgy and the Al Soury restaurants at the Iberotel end of the Corniche.

Work is going on elsewhere in the town as well, so getting around can be very hazardous in places.

News from the tombs

Tutankhamun's tomb will be closed for at least a year from May 2008. In the meantime, access is being limited to 200 visitors in the morning, then a break, and 200 in the afternoon.

Entry prices for tombs, temples and museums are being revised upwards from October 2008.

News about hotels

The Prime Minister visited Luxor in mid March to attend meetings at which decisions were made about the development of Luxor. It had been mooted for some time that the New Winter Palace would be reduced in size to be more in keeping with the Old Winter Palace and to improve the skyline. The decision was to demolish the New Winter Palace completely, along with the neighbouring Mahaba shopping centre. A new lower-rise Four Seasons hotel will be built instead.

Between the Sonesta and the Lotus hotels, the public swimming pool will be demolished and replaced with a new hotel, probably run by Holiday Inn.

The Mercure Inn is now owned by Swiss Inn, who are renovating it.

The Hilton hotel, which has been closed since October 2005, is due to re-open after substantial refurbishment, in October 2008. Promised improvements include better Nile views, separate group booking-in arrangements, a lounge apart from the reception area and a separate spa area.