Status: The Tomb of Nefertari (QV66) has been closed to visitors since March 2024 for restoration, and no reopening date has been announced. The rest of the Valley of the Queens is open. Ticket prices and opening status change often, so confirm both on Egypt’s official ticketing site, egymonuments.com, before your visit.
The Tomb of Nefertari (QV66) in Luxor’s Valley of the Queens is often called the Sistine Chapel of ancient Egypt. It was built for the favorite wife of Ramesses II and is the most beautifully painted tomb in the country. We visited as a family before the closure, and everything below describes what we saw inside, so you know what awaits when it reopens.
Who Was Nefertari, and Why Is Her Tomb Famous?
Nefertari Merytmut was the favorite wife of Ramesses II, the pharaoh behind the colossal temples of Abu Simbel. When she died in the 13th century BCE, he gave her a tomb in the Valley of the Queens whose painted walls are widely considered the finest surviving artwork of ancient Egypt. Scene after scene shows the queen led by the hand through the afterlife by Isis, Hathor and Horus, in colours that still look fresh after 3,200 years.
The tomb, catalogued as QV66, was discovered in 1904 by Ernesto Schiaparelli’s Italian expedition. It had been robbed in antiquity and the sarcophagus smashed, but the looters couldn’t take the walls. In the late 1980s and early 1990s the Getty Conservation Institute spent six years stabilising the paintings, which were flaking from salt damage, and the tomb later reopened to limited visitors.The Tomb of Nefertari (QV66) in Luxor’s Valley of the Queens is often called the Sistine Chapel of ancient Egypt. It was built for the favorite wife of Ramesses II and is the most beautifully painted tomb in the country. We visited as a family before the closure, and everything below describes what we saw inside, so you know what awaits when it reopens.
Inside the Tomb of Nefertari: Our Visit
We visited on Day 6 of our family’s nine-day Egypt itinerary, on the same West Bank day as the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut’s temple. QV66 was never part of the standard Valley of the Queens ticket. It needed a separate premium ticket, and visitors went in as small timed groups for only about ten minutes, to limit humidity inside.
We entered down a staircase cut into the rock. After days of tombs where the paint survives only in patches, we walked into chambers where the colors are complete, and it was startling.
Further down, the burial chamber sits under a deep blue ceiling covered in painted stars. My review at the time was two words: very beautiful. It remains the single most beautiful enclosed space we saw in Egypt.
Tip for families: The only physical challenge is the staircase down and back up. Younger kids may not grasp why everyone is whispering at walls, but ours was the right age to be awed by it.
Was it worth the extra ticket? Completely. We paid the premium as a family and consider it one of the highlights of our whole Egypt trip.
Why Is the Tomb of Nefertari Closed?
The tomb closed in March 2024 for restoration work on the paintings, and no reopening date has been announced. The closure is about preservation, not politics.
The paintings are extremely sensitive to humidity, light and temperature, and the biggest source of humidity in a sealed tomb is visitors’ breath. QV66 has been opened and closed several times since its discovery for exactly this reason. It is frustrating if your trip falls during a closure, but restricted access is why the paintings still look the way they do.
For the latest status, check egymonuments.com, Egypt’s official ticketing site, or ask a Luxor-based guide shortly before you travel.
What to See in the Valley of the Queens Instead
The Valley of the Queens itself is open and still worth your morning.
- Three other painted tombs. The standard Valley of the Queens ticket usually covers the tombs of Queen Titi, Prince Khaemwaset and Prince Amenherkhepshef. They are smaller than QV66 but hold real Ramesside artwork, and the valley is far quieter than the Valley of the Kings across the ridge.
- Tomb of Seti I, Valley of the Kings. This is the other great painted tomb of Luxor and the closest substitute for Nefertari’s. It needs its own extra ticket.
Open tombs rotate and prices change, so check egymonuments.com for the current list and ticket prices.
Planning the rest of your Luxor stay? Start a West Bank morning with a sunrise Luxor hot air balloon ride, which we did with kids on the same trip. If you have extra days in Egypt, our Egypt desert safari through Fayoum and the Black and White Desert is a complete change of pace from temples and tombs.
Tomb of Nefertari Tickets and Rules When It Reopens
Based on how QV66 operated when we visited, expect the following.
- A separate premium ticket. We paid about 1,400 EGP per person on top of the valley ticket. The fee had risen to 2,000 EGP by the time the tomb closed, so expect it to be higher still when it reopens. Check egymonuments.com for the current price.
- Limited timed entry in small groups. It could sell out, so ask your guide or hotel to arrange it early in your Luxor stay and keep a fallback day.
- A short visit. We had around ten minutes inside.
- No flash photography. Follow the attendant’s instructions; the rules exist to keep the paintings alive.
- Check status before you plan around it. Confirm shortly before your visit, not months ahead.
More from Our Egypt Trip
- Egypt with Kids: 9-Day Cairo, Aswan & Luxor Itinerary: the full trip this visit was part of.
- Luxor Hot Air Balloon Ride with Kids: sunrise over the West Bank.
- Egypt Desert Safari: Fayoum, Black and White Desert: overnight camping in the White Desert.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Tomb of Nefertari open now?
No. QV66 has been closed to visitors since March 2024 for restoration, and no reopening date has been announced. Check egymonuments.com for the latest status.
Why is Nefertari's tomb closed?
For conservation. The 3,200-year-old wall paintings are extremely sensitive to humidity, light and temperature, and visitors' breath is the main source of humidity in a sealed tomb.
When will the Tomb of Nefertari reopen?
No date has been announced. Check Egypt's official ticketing site or ask a Luxor-based guide close to your travel dates.
Is the Tomb of Nefertari worth it?
When it is open, yes, without hesitation. The colours survive nearly intact, unlike the patchy remains in most other tombs. It was one of the highlights of our Egypt trip.
Can children visit the Tomb of Nefertari?
When it is open, yes. The only physical effort is the staircase. Whether young kids will appreciate painted walls in near-silence is a judgment call for parents.
What is the best alternative while QV66 is closed?
The Tomb of Seti I in the Valley of the Kings, which needs a separate extra ticket. It is the other great painted tomb of Luxor and the closest experience to Nefertari's.
Shaminee is a U.S.-based mom and family travel blogger who designs detailed itineraries for her own family and turns them into practical guides for others. Her goal is to make family travel simpler, more organized, and more enjoyable.
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