Fodor's Expert Review Valley of the Queens

The Valley of the Queens was the final resting place for pharaohs' wives, royal children, and members of the nobility for nearly 500 years, from the 18th to 20th Dynasties. Archaeologists have discovered more than 90 tombs, but only four are open to the public, clustered together a short walk from the entrance. The undisputed highlight of the Valley of the Queens is standing in awe of the artwork in the incredible Tomb of Nefertari. Don't let the eye-wateringly high price of entry—this is the single most expensive ticket for any tourist attraction in Egypt—prevent you from entering. It's worth noting, though, that most of the other tombs in the Valley of the Queens are less elaborately decorated but also less frequently visited, meaning that you might even have them to yourself.

The Tomb of Nefertari (QV 66), the most beloved of Ramses II's many wives, has the largest tomb in the Valley of the Queens. It also has some of the most vivid surviving decorations of any ancient Egyptian tomb, with paintings covering every wall and the entire ceiling. The tomb is accessed by a staircase that leads into an antechamber, painted with chapters from the Book of the Dead and offering scenes to Anubis, the jackal-headed god of mummification, and Osiris, god of the afterlife. White stars that resemble starfish dot the dark-blue ceiling. Another set of stairs drops down to the column-supported burial room where the sarcophagus and mummy were once located (alas, the tomb was robbed of its many treasures in antiquity). You're allowed just 10 minutes inside the tomb.

The Tomb of Amun-her-Khepshef (QV 55) was built for a son of Ramses III, and the prince died when he was about 15 years old. The tomb has a simple linear design, and the wall paintings maintain their bright and lively colors. Scenes show the pharaoh introducing the prince, as a child with a side-lock of hair, to various gods, and an uninscribed sarcophagus rests in an undecorated burial chamber at the back. The tomb also contains an unusual item inside a glass case: the mummified remains of a fetus (not the prince).

The cruciform Tomb of Titi (QV 52), a queen of the 20th Dynasty, is well preserved. Her family history isn't well known, but it's thought that she might have been a wife of Ramses III and the mother of Amun-her-Khepshef, whose tomb is nearby. The corridor is decorated on both sides with a kneeling winged figure of Maat, the goddess of truth and justice, and the queen standing in front of different deities. In the chamber on the right is a double representation of Hathor, the goddess of motherhood and love, depicted as a sacred cow coming out of the mountain to receive the queen and then as a woman accepting offerings from Titi.

The Tomb of Khaemwaset (QV 44), a prince who was a young son of Ramses III, has fine workmanship and decoration on the walls. The scenes represent the prince, either with his pharaoh father or alone, making offerings to the gods. Hieroglyphic text from the Book of the Dead accompanies the paintings. Look out for the prince wearing a long translucent garment, showing the masterful skill of the ancient painters.