At the base of the dramatic limestone cliffs of Deir el-Bahari on Luxor’s West Bank stands a temple that challenges everything you think you know about ancient Egyptian architecture. The Temple of Hatshepsut is not a pyramid. It is not a forest of columns. It is three colonnaded terraces rising into the cliff face — horizontal, geometric, modern-looking — designed 3,500 years ago by an architect named Senenmut for a pharaoh who happened to be a woman. And for that reason, after her death, her successor spent decades trying to erase her from history. He failed. She is back, and her temple is one of the most beautiful and most visited monuments on the Nile.
Hatshepsut Temple 2026 — Complete Visitor Guide
Quick Facts
| Location | Deir el-Bahari, Luxor West Bank — opposite the Karnak Temple complex across the Nile |
| Built | ~1470 BC — 18th Dynasty, by architect Senenmut for Pharaoh Hatshepsut |
| Entrance Fee 2026 | 440 EGP (~$8.5) adults · 220 EGP students |
| Opening Hours | 6:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily |
| Best Time to Visit | 6:00–8:00 AM before heat and crowds · Late afternoon for golden cliff light |
| Access | Taf-Taf (electric tourist train) from car park to temple base — included in Egypt For Travel tours |
| UNESCO Status | World Heritage Site — part of Ancient Thebes |
Who Was Hatshepsut?
Hatshepsut (reigned approximately 1479–1458 BC) was the fifth pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty and one of the most remarkable rulers in Egyptian history. Daughter of Thutmose I, she initially served as regent for her young stepson Thutmose III before declaring herself pharaoh — taking the full royal titles, wearing the double crown, and being depicted in statuary with the false beard of male kingship. This was not unprecedented in Egyptian history but it was extraordinarily rare. Her reign lasted approximately 22 years and is marked by ambitious building projects (including her temple at Deir el-Bahari and numerous additions to Karnak), an extraordinary trading expedition to the land of Punt (modern Somalia/Eritrea), and the obelisks at Karnak that still stand today.
After her death, her stepson Thutmose III — who had been effectively sidelined during her reign — ordered her image chiselled from temple walls and her name erased from records. For 3,000 years she was largely forgotten. It was only in the 19th century that archaeologists began piecing together who she was from surviving fragments. Today she is recognised as one of ancient Egypt’s greatest rulers. The irony of Thutmose III’s erasure campaign is complete: every visitor to Luxor knows the name Hatshepsut. Almost no one casually remembers Thutmose III.
Key Highlights at Hatshepsut Temple
The Punt Colonnade
The most important carved reliefs in the temple are on the Punt Colonnade (southern side of the second terrace), depicting Hatshepsut’s famous trading expedition to the land of Punt — a wealthy and exotic country to Egypt’s south that provided myrrh, ebony, ivory, gold and live animals. The reliefs show the Egyptian fleet sailing to Punt, the reception by its chief and his famously obese wife, and the return cargo of myrrh trees being transported by ship. These are among the most detailed and narrative ancient Egyptian reliefs anywhere — a story, not just religious iconography.
The Divine Birth Colonnade
The Birth Colonnade (northern side of the second terrace) shows the god Amun in the form of Thutmose I visiting Hatshepsut’s mother, resulting in the divine conception and birth of Hatshepsut herself. This was the ideological justification for her rule: she was not merely the daughter of a pharaoh — she was the direct offspring of the chief god Amun. The scene is depicted with extraordinary delicacy and is one of the finest examples of New Kingdom relief carving in existence.
The Cliff Setting
The architectural drama of Hatshepsut’s temple is inseparable from its setting. The pale limestone cliffs of Deir el-Bahari rise vertically behind the temple’s three terraces, creating a natural amphitheatre. In the early morning, when the low sun catches the cliff face and the shadows of the columns reach across the forecourt, the visual impact is among the most powerful of any monument in Egypt. Behind the cliff, less than 500 metres away, is the Valley of the Kings — both sites are connected by the same rocky promontory. Ancient Egyptians understood this proximity: Hatshepsut’s tomb (KV20) is directly beneath the cliff behind her temple.
The Taf-Taf — How to Get From the Car Park to the Temple
Hatshepsut Temple sits approximately 600 metres from the car park, across an open, flat approach. The Taf-Taf — a small electric tourist train — runs continuously between the car park and the temple base, transporting visitors who don’t want to walk the approach on foot. Egypt For Travel includes the Taf-Taf in all itineraries. The walk is actually pleasant in the early morning or late afternoon, but becomes uncomfortable midday in summer when the exposed approach bakes in direct sun. The three ramps from the base level to the upper terrace are gently sloped and accessible.
Practical Tips for Visiting in 2026
- Arrive before 8:00 AM: Hatshepsut Temple is one of the most-visited sites on the West Bank. By 9:30 AM the tour buses from Hurghada and the Red Sea begin arriving. The experience at 6:30 AM — with the cliff shadows long and the forecourt quiet — is completely different from the 10:00 AM experience.
- Bring water: The approach from the car park and the ramps between terraces are exposed. Carry at least one litre. Egypt For Travel provides water on all excursions.
- Look for the erasures: Your Egyptologist guide will point out the places where Thutmose III’s workmen chiselled away Hatshepsut’s face and cartouche from the walls. The erasure is visible, as are the places where it was only partially carried out — Hatshepsut’s image surviving behind pillars that protected it from the erasure teams.
- Allow 90 minutes: A thorough visit to all three terraces with explanations of the Punt colonnade and birth colonnade reliefs takes approximately 90 minutes.
Hatshepsut Temple and the Nile Cruise
Hatshepsut Temple is visited on the morning of Day 2 of every Nile cruise departing from Luxor — after the Valley of the Kings and before the Colossi of Memnon. All entrance fees and the Taf-Taf are included in Egypt For Travel Nile cruise packages. Browse Nile cruises from $499 per person.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Hatshepsut erased from history?
Hatshepsut was systematically erased from Egyptian records by her stepson Thutmose III approximately 20 years after her death. The precise reasons remain debated among Egyptologists. The most widely accepted view is that Thutmose III acted for dynastic reasons: by erasing Hatshepsut, he could present his own son (Crown Prince Amenhotep II) as the direct successor to his own father Thutmose II, removing the “anomalous” female reign from the dynastic record. It was political housekeeping rather than personal revenge — though the timing, 20 years after her death, suggests he waited until everyone who had served under her had died before proceeding.
What is the entrance fee for Hatshepsut Temple in 2026?
The entrance fee for Hatshepsut Temple (Deir el-Bahari) in 2026 is 440 EGP (~$8.5) for adult foreign visitors and approximately 220 EGP for students. This is one of the lower entrance fees of any major Luxor site, which surprises many visitors given the temple’s scale and quality. All Egypt For Travel Nile cruise packages include the Hatshepsut Temple entrance fee.
How do you get to Hatshepsut Temple from the Nile?
Hatshepsut Temple is on Luxor’s West Bank, approximately 6km from the Nile ferry crossing. Egypt For Travel provides private air-conditioned vehicles that cross by ferry and drive to the site. The Taf-Taf (tourist train) covers the final 600 metres from the car park to the temple entrance. The entire transfer from the mooring of a Nile cruise ship to standing in front of the temple takes approximately 30 minutes.
Hatshepsut Temple is included in all Egypt For Travel Nile cruises from $499 per person, visited at dawn with a private Egyptologist guide. Browse Nile cruises or WhatsApp: +20 155 555 2466. ETA Licence No. 1947.
.webp)
.webp)
