Luxor: the Theban Horizon at Sunrise

Luxor occupies the site of ancient Thebes, the most concentrated open-air archaeological landscape on earth. The Nile here runs roughly north-south; the East Bank holds Karnak Temple (the largest religious complex ever built) and Luxor Temple, while the West Bank holds the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, and the Mortuary Temples. Hot air balloons launch from the West Bank fields before dawn: from 300 to 500 metres, the Nile, both banks, and the Theban Hills cliffs frame simultaneously at sunrise — the most photographically spectacular balloon window in the world. The Colossi of Memnon, two 18-metre seated statues facing east, align with the sunrise on the West Bank plain. At 25.7°N, golden hour lasts about 26 minutes. October through April gives the coolest mornings and the clearest light; summer haze reduces the cliff and valley colours.