The Avenue of Sphinxes: Luxor's Restored Processional Road
Nearly two miles of sphinxes once linked Karnak and Luxor temples. Reopened after decades of work, it's one of the great sights of the Nile, a guide.
Imagine a straight road nearly two miles long, lined on both sides by hundreds of sphinxes, connecting two of the greatest temples on earth. That road is real, it's ancient, and after decades of excavation it has been reopened to walk.
The road of the gods
The Avenue of Sphinxes once linked Karnak Temple to Luxor Temple, and it was the stage for the great Opet Festival, when statues of the gods processed between the two in a joyful parade. Rows of ram-headed and human-headed sphinxes stood guard the whole way.
Rediscovered and reopened
Buried and built over for centuries, the avenue was painstakingly excavated and grandly reopened, restoring one of the ancient world's great ceremonial routes. Walking even part of it, with Luxor's temples at either end, is a genuine wow moment.
See it with the temples
The avenue joins Karnak and Luxor Temple, so plan all three together, and see Luxor Temple after dark.
Walk the road of the gods with an Egyptologist.
See our Luxor journeysFrequently Asked Questions
What is the Avenue of Sphinxes?
An ancient processional road nearly two miles long, lined with hundreds of sphinxes, that linked Karnak and Luxor temples and hosted the Opet Festival. It was recently excavated and reopened.
Can you walk the Avenue of Sphinxes?
Yes. After decades of excavation the route has been reopened, and walking it with Luxor's great temples at either end is a highlight of a visit.