Tourists and visitors of Luxor can now navigate the two famous sites on the West Bank of the Nile, Hatshepsut’s Temple at Deir al-Bahari and the Valley of the Kings, in solar-powered carriages.
Mustafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that earlier this year electric vehicles were introduced to the two sites, as the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities’ endeavours to implement measures of sustainable tourism in the vicinity of museums and archaeological sites.
The move comes in tandem with Egypt’s preparations to host the 27th round of the international climate conference COP27 in the South Sinai resort of Sharm al-Sheikh next November.
The solar-powered carriages are in operation at the two West Bank sites during their official opening hours, ready to shuttle visitors back and forth. According to Bahaa Abdel-Gaber, Director of the West Bank Antiquities, more solar vehicles are expected to go into operation soon, especially with the increase in tourist numbers in winter.
Mr Waziri said that the goal is that solar-powered vehicles would be used in all archaeological and antiquity sites in Egypt.
Watani International
11 October 2022