Quick answer
The Avenue of Sphinxes is the 2.7 km ceremonial road that linked Karnak to Luxor Temple, lined in its final form by hundreds of sphinxes set up mostly under Nectanebo I in the 4th century BC. After decades of excavation it reopened in November 2021, and walking all or part of it is best done early in the morning or around dusk.
What is the Avenue of Sphinxes?
It is the sacred processional road that ran from the Precinct of Mut at Karnak south to Luxor Temple, the spine of ancient Thebes. A route existed from at least the 18th Dynasty, when Hatshepsut built a series of barque way-stations along it, but the stone-paved avenue with sphinxes on both sides that you see today is largely the work of Nectanebo I, one of the last native pharaohs, around 380–362 BC.
Estimates suggest more than a thousand sphinxes once lined the road. Most near Luxor Temple are human-headed, carrying the king's face on a lion's body; near Karnak, the avenue joins the ram-headed sphinxes of Amun. This page covers the road itself; for the temples at either end, see our guides to Karnak and Luxor Temple.
What was the Opet Festival?
Opet was Thebes' great annual festival, held during the Nile flood, when the statues of Amun, Mut and Khonsu were carried from Karnak to Luxor Temple to renew the god's union with the king. Priests bore the gods in gilded barques on their shoulders, pausing at each way-station, while crowds lined the route and received food and beer. In the New Kingdom the festival lasted around 11 days under Thutmose III and grew to more than three weeks under Ramesses III.
Depending on the period, the procession went by land along this avenue, by river, or one way each. Reliefs of the festival survive in the colonnade of Luxor Temple and on Hatshepsut's Red Chapel in the Karnak Open-Air Museum. Many Luxor people see an echo of Opet in the boat procession held at the annual festival of the local saint Abu el-Haggag.
How was the avenue excavated and reopened?
Over the centuries the avenue disappeared beneath the growing town; excavation began in 1949, and a vast clearance project in the 2000s and 2010s exposed its full length, reopening it on 25 November 2021. The Egyptian archaeologist Zakaria Goneim uncovered the first sphinxes near Luxor Temple, and later work removed houses, roads and other buildings that sat over the route, which was controversial locally.
The reopening was celebrated with a lavish evening ceremony, broadcast live, in which performers in ancient costume re-enacted the Opet procession with boats and music. Many sphinxes along the middle stretch are headless or eroded; some have been restored, and others survive only as bases.
How to walk the Avenue of Sphinxes
Start at Luxor Temple and walk north to Karnak, allowing 40–60 minutes, ideally beginning about two hours before sunset or straight after breakfast. There is almost no shade, and between May and September midday temperatures regularly pass 40°C, so carry water and a hat.
- Luxor Temple end: the best-preserved run of human-headed sphinxes stretches north from the temple's First Pylon, and you see it whether or not you walk further.
- Middle stretch: the road crosses modern streets, with intermittent sphinx bases and the remains of Roman-era structures and wine presses found during excavation.
- Karnak end: the avenue reaches the Precinct of Mut and the southern pylons of Karnak, where it meets the ram-headed avenue.
Access arrangements, including which sections are open, whether a ticket is needed and evening opening, have changed since 2021, so check locally or ask your guide. If walking the full length does not appeal, a calèche can drop you at either end.
How long should you spend, and where does it fit in a Luxor visit?
Allow about an hour to walk it with photo stops, or just 10–15 minutes to see the Luxor Temple section. The classic combination is Karnak in the afternoon, then along the avenue to Luxor Temple as the floodlights come on, which works in either direction.
On our Essential Egypt itinerary you see the avenue at dusk from Luxor Temple, while Luxury Egypt guests stroll it from the Winter Palace. If you are planning your own days, see Luxor in two days.
Tips for visiting
Go early or late, wear proper walking shoes, and remember that the sphinxes are best photographed with low side light. The avenue runs roughly north–south, so late-afternoon light rakes across the faces from the west.
- Do not climb on or touch the sphinxes; guards will stop you, and the sandstone is fragile.
- Expect offers of calèche rides along the way; agree any fare before you get in.
- In winter (December to February), evenings can be cool, so bring a light layer.
- Facilities such as toilets are at the temples at either end rather than along the way, so plan stops accordingly.
Avenue of Sphinxes: FAQs
How long is the Avenue of Sphinxes?
About 2.7 km, from Luxor Temple north to the Precinct of Mut at Karnak. Walking it takes 40–60 minutes one way.
How many sphinxes are on the Avenue of Sphinxes?
Estimates suggest the avenue was originally lined by more than a thousand sphinxes. Hundreds have been found, many damaged or reduced to their bases, and the best-preserved run is beside Luxor Temple.
When did the Avenue of Sphinxes reopen?
It officially reopened on 25 November 2021 with a televised ceremony re-enacting the Opet Festival procession, after excavations that began in 1949.
Who built the Avenue of Sphinxes?
A processional route existed from at least the time of Hatshepsut, but most of the surviving sphinxes were set up by Nectanebo I of the 30th Dynasty in the 4th century BC.
Do you need a ticket to walk the Avenue of Sphinxes?
Arrangements have changed since the reopening, with sections sometimes open freely and sometimes managed with ticketed access. Check locally or with your guide at the time of your visit.
