The Valley of the Kings is situated in Egypt where for nearly 500 years (since the 16th century BC), rock cut tombs were transported from here for the pharaohs and other powerful nobles of the New Kingdom (the eighteenth to twentieth dynasties of Ancient Egypt). It is situated at the west bank of the Nile River. In 2005 and 2008, archaeologists discovered a new chamber and two further tomb entrances respectively. This brings the total known number of tombs and chambers in the valley to an astounding 63. This was the principal burial spot for the royalty of the Egyptian New Kingdom. Their tombs were scattered with carvings of Egyptian mythology, which have shed light on the rituals associated with the ancient Egyptians. While you might expect to chance upon symbols of wealth over here, almost all of the tombs appear to have been robbed. In spite of that, you can still get a rough idea as to how much power the pharaohs possessed, seeing as the Valley of the Kings still has a certain allure and atmosphere to it. This site remains an archaeological treasure trove, even attaining a UNESCO World Heritage status in 1979, along with the rest of the Theban Necropolis. With rising visitor rates yearly, this is certainly one for the books.