The Valley of the Kings and the Tombs of the Pharaohs – A Must See Adventure on all Tours of Egypt

Top 10 Tombs in the Valley of the Kings

1. Tomb of Tuthmosis III (No.34)

2. Tomb of Amenhotep II (No.35)

3. Tomb of Tutankhamun (No.62)

4. Tomb of Horemheb (No.57)

5. Tomb of Ramses I (No.16)

6. Tomb of Seti I (No.17)

7. Tomb of Merneptah (No.8)

8. Tomb of Ramses III (No.11)

9. Tomb of Ramses IV (No.2)

10. Tomb of Ramses VI (No.9)

Tuthmosis III (No.34)

Tuthmosis III was one of the first pharaohs to be buried in the Valley of the Kings. His tomb is at the furthest end, burrowed high into the mountainside in an attempt to outwit tomb robbers. The tomb paintings from this period are very crude, with figures represented almost as stick people.

Amenhotep II (No.35)

This is one of the deepest tombs in the Valley of the Kings, with 90 steps leading down to the various chambers. Amenhotep II ruled immediately after Tuthmosis III and this tomb has similarly basic wall paintings, as well as containing Amenhotep’s sarcophagus.

Tutankhamun (No.62)

This is a very small tomb, but it is one of the most visited thanks to the story of its discovery by Howard Carter. All of the treasures have been removed and visitors must be content with seeing the king’s mummy, which lies inside a gilded coffin.   It is often closed to the public due to ongoing investigation of the tomb and of the Mummy.    The tomb has hit the headlines recently with the possible find of two additional hidden chambers in the tomb.   It is also suggested that Tutankhamun may be sharing his tomb with the very famous Queen Nefertiti.  Her tomb has never been discovered.   It is also suggested that many of the artefacts found in Tutankhamun’s tomb actually belonged to his father Arkhenaten.  Arkhenaten was a pharaoh of Egypt during the 18th dynasty who ruled as Amenhotep IV but when he died all records of his reign were erased from the records.  It is thought that due to Tutankhamun’s sudden demise all the family possessions were put into the tomb with Tutankhamun.

Horemheb (No.57)

This tomb saw the introduction of using bas-reliefs in tombs in which figures are carved out on the wall before being painted.  This was a process introduced in temples as well.   Not all figures are finished and it is fascinating to see the work in various stages of completion.

Ramses I (No.16)

Ramses I ruled only for a single year and his tomb is correspondingly modest in size. It has the shortest entrance corridor in the valley leading to a small burial chamber. However, the colours of the tomb paintings remain particularly vibrant.

Seti I (No.17)

If you visit only one tomb when you visit the Valley of the Kings, it should be this one – the longest, deepest and most lavishly decorated tomb in the Valley of the Kings. You will need to purchase an extra ticket for this beautiful tomb but it is well worth it.  The vaulted burial chamber boasts a beautiful ceiling, showing the constellations surrounded by a line-up of deities.  The vibrant blues and yellows in this tomb really do take your breath away.

Merneptah (No.8)

One of the many sons of Ramses II, Merneptah’s tomb almost equals that of Seti I for grandeur. This is the first tomb in which the axis is completely straight, ending in a tomb chamber containing the pharaoh’s magnificent granite sarcophagus.

Ramses III (No.11)

This is also known as the “Tomb of the Harpists” after the bas-relief of two musicians. Unusually for a royal tomb, its colourful reliefs include scenes of everyday Egyptian life.   This gives us a wonderful insight into how the ancient Egyptians lived and the type of activities they were involved in.

Ramses IV (No.2)

Ramses III was the last of the great pharaohs. The quality of the craftsmanship in the tomb of his successor is noticeably poorer than those that came before but it is still worth a visit.

Ramses VI (No.9)

This tomb has the most amazing paintings with magnificent vivid colours, representing sacred texts and imagery, central to which is the voyage of the sun god Ra through the underworld and his victorious re-emergence in the morning.   This truly is a spectacular tomb to visit.

The Valley of the Kings is a must see place to visit and it is best done with a knowedgeable egyptologist. Here at Holidays Egypt we only work with the best there is and we have the most amazing visits to the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Why not come with us on our next tour of Egypt.

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