Is Luxor, Egypt a good choice for a holiday destination?

With all the hard work you do you deserve the best kind of holiday, something to enthral the kids, broaden the mind, find out about other cultures and history with guaranteed sun. Luxor, Egypt meets all those criteria, but wait a minute isn’t Egypt dangerous.

Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahri

Well actually that is more about media perception than the reality. On my Trip Advisor listing you can read independent reviews from real people that have visited recently, and without exception have had a trouble free relaxing and culturally rich holiday. The British gov website reports 865,000 Brits visited Egypt and all the tourist areas are green.

A huge choice of apartment at Flats in Luxor

I have lived here for 13 years running self-catering holiday apartments for independent tourists www.flatsinluxor.co.uk . With my Egyptology qualifications I am able to advise people on the things that will appeal to all ages and interests. Kids that want to see battles, families, animals in tomb scenes. Adults interested in architecture and the arch before the key stone. History buffs who are interested in all aspects from Pre dynastic Egypt to the Golden Age of the new Kingdom, to Greek to even Roman remains.

Tomb of Ay in Valley of King

Lots more are described in my guide book Hidden Luxor.

There are loads of non-historical activities available as well, fishermen wanting to make a big catch, bird watchers, star gazers, horse riders and scuba divers. Whatever your interests and activities Egypt offers it and I can arrange it for you. So for your next holiday contact me jane.akshar@flatsinluxor.co.uk and let me make your dreams come true.

Luxor Temple from a hot air balloon

Review of my book Hidden Luxor

Just got a great review of my guide book of Luxor (obtainable at www.hiddenluxor.com)

I have visited all the temples and tombs in Luxor over the last 10 years, some of them many times during the past 5 years of living in Luxor full time, but this book has opened my eyes to so much more to discover that is not shown, or possibly even known, by the tour guides. I certainly will be taking this book with me next time I am out and about in Luxor. The author has given clear guides on where to go, what to look for and even included the tiny details such as 'look up', 'look left' etc that the book is a detailed map of the hidden Luxor most people have no idea is there. A must have guide for lovers of Luxor, Egyptologists and even tour guides could learn something new. VW

HIDDEN LUXOR: LOCAL EGYPTOLOGIST REVEALS EGYPT'S TOURIST GEMS

The Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Karnak Temple ... exciting names that most people will know are in Egypt but few would be able to name another site in the town of Luxor where they are found. A lady determined to change all that is Jane Akshar who was born in Sussex and studies Egyptology at Manchester University. Jane has now been living in Luxor for 8 years.

“Luxor is so often offered as a day trip or at best three days and yet there is so much here that people just don't get a chance to see. There are 23 ticketed sites here of major interest to travellers in Luxor. How can you do that in a day? I want to introduce people to the Hidden Luxor.''

Examples of these gems of history are the tomb of Rekhmire in the Valley of the Nobles, the prime minister of Egypt during the empire period with its full range of Egyptian crafts and foreigners bringing tribute, the tomb of Pashedu, a worker in ‘the Place of Beauty’, in the workman’s village, the Assasif tombs from the period of the Black Pharaohs and the wonderful mini museum of Merenptah, possibly the Pharaoh of the Exodus.

Jane, who visited the country for 32 years before she became a resident, first got interested in Egyptology aged 9, loads of reading and seeing the Tutankhamen exhibition as a teenager further stimulated her obsession. Although there is nothing like going Abu Simbel and the Pyramids it was Luxor that captured her heart and her interest. Billed as the world’s largest open air museum it is rich in ancient history and local culture.

Jane is offering an e-book guide, a series of lectures about the sites and their history and a week long study course. Site visits are with local guides reflecting her commitment to providing employment for local residents.

Hidden Luxor the e-book guide to Luxor sites
Hidden Luxor the video series is a set of lectures on the sites with historical background and the latest excavation knowledge
Hidden Luxor the holiday is a week long Egyptology Extravaganza of daily lectures with site visits.
Also available Hieroglyphs Holiday, a full week unlocking the code of the Pharaohs from the eminent lecturer Suzanne Lax-Bojtos
They are all featured on the website www.hiddenluxor.com

Hidden Luxor e-book, video lectures and now a holiday

With the launch of her study tour of Luxor, Egypt, Jane Akshar has completed her Hidden Luxor trio.

Jane explains

“Luxor is so often offered as a day trip or at best three days and yet there is so much here that people just don’t get a chance to see. Leaving aside local trips like camels and donkeys or fishing and sailing, there are 24 ticketed sites in Luxor, how can you do that in a day. I want to introduce people to Hidden Luxor.”

Her offerings are quite varied, an e-book guide, a series of lectures about the sites & the history and finally a week long study course. Her credentials are impeccable, a lifelong love of all things Egyptological, studying Egyptology with Manchester University, a resident of Luxor for 8 years and a visitor for 32 years she knows what she is talking about. She loves her adoptive homeland and wants to benefit the locals.

Although she conducts the lectures, the site visitors are done with local guides, reflecting her commitment to providing employment to local residents. All the revenue supports her tourism business during the downturn post revolution.

• Hidden Luxor the e-book guide to the various sites in Luxor
• Hidden Luxor the video series, is a set of lectures about the sites with historical background and latest excavation knowledge.
• Hidden Luxor the holiday is a week long Egyptology Extravaganza of daily lectures and sites visit.

They all on the website www.hiddenluxor.com