Best of Egypt: Self-Launched

Arrive at Cairo International Airport and make your way into the city. Take the CTA Airport Bus (Line 356) or a metered taxi (~£5–8) to central Cairo. Check into your hostel in the downtown or Zamalek area. Spend the evening wandering around Tahrir Square, grab a koshari from a local spot, and get oriented for the days ahead.

🚌Airport bus Line 356 or metered taxi (~£5–8)

🛏Meramees Hostel or Cairo City Center Hostel (~£12–16/night)

• →Arrive at Cairo International Airport
• →Take public bus or taxi to central Cairo (~£5–8)
• →Check into hostel/budget hotel
• →Explore Tahrir Square area on foot
• →Try koshari — Egypt's iconic street food dish

An unmissable day. Head to the Pyramids of Giza early (open from 8am) — take a local minibus or Uber from central Cairo (~£3–5). Entry to the Giza complex is around £12. Spend the morning exploring the Great Pyramid, Sphinx, and surrounding temples. After lunch, head to the Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square (entry ~£10) to see Tutankhamun's treasures and the royal mummy room. In the evening, board the overnight sleeper train to Aswan from Cairo Ramses Station (book via Egyptian National Railways website or on arrival, ~£25–35 in a shared cabin).

🚌Uber/minibus to Giza (~£3–5), overnight sleeper train Cairo–Aswan (~£25–35)

🛏Overnight sleeper train to Aswan (~£25–35 included in transport)

• →Visit the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx (entry ~£12)
• →Optional: enter the Great Pyramid interior (~£22 extra)
• →Visit the Egyptian Museum, including the Tutankhamun galleries (entry ~£10)
• →Board the overnight sleeper train from Cairo Ramses Station to Aswan (~£25–35)

Arrive in Aswan in the morning. Check into your guesthouse, freshen up, and head out to explore. Book a local felucca or motorboat ride from the Corniche waterfront (~£8–12 per person) to sail past the Aga Khan Mausoleum and Kitchener Island, stopping at a Nubian village on Elephantine Island. Many local boat owners include a traditional Nubian meal at a family home as part of the trip — ask at the waterfront or book via GetYourGuide. In the afternoon, explore the lively Aswan Souk on your own — a riot of spices, scarves, and Nubian crafts.

🚌Local felucca/motorboat from Corniche (~£8–12)

🛏Mövenpick Elephantine Island Budget Wing or Nuba Nile Guesthouse (~£15–20/night)

• →Arrive Aswan on sleeper train, check into guesthouse
• →Book a local felucca/motorboat ride from the Corniche (~£8–12pp)
• →Sail past the Aga Khan Mausoleum and Kitchener Island
• →Visit a Nubian village and enjoy a traditional meal with a local family (~£10–15 including meal)
• →Explore the Aswan Souk independently — spices, perfumes, scarves, and crafts

Today is ideal for the optional but unmissable Abu Simbel excursion. Join a shared minibus convoy that departs Aswan at around 3–4am (book through your hostel or at the bus station, ~£25–35 return including entry). The temples of Ramses II are staggering in scale and worth the early start. Return to Aswan by early afternoon. Spend the rest of the day relaxing by the Nile, visiting the Nubian Museum (entry ~£5), or hiring a bike to explore the island paths.

🚌Shared minibus convoy to Abu Simbel (~£25–35 return)

🛏Nuba Nile Guesthouse or similar (~£15–20/night)

• →Optional: Join a shared minibus day trip to Abu Simbel (~£25–35 return including entry)
• →Explore the Temple of Ramses II and Temple of Nefertari at Abu Simbel
• →Return to Aswan by early afternoon
• →Visit the Nubian Museum (entry ~£5)
• →Relax along the Corniche or hire a bike to explore

Experience the Nile the way travellers have for centuries — on a felucca. Book a shared overnight or day felucca from Aswan to Edfu or Kom Ombo, then continue by local minibus or train to Luxor. Alternatively, take the direct Aswan–Luxor train (~£5–8, around 3 hours). En route, stop at the Kom Ombo Temple — a stunning dual-deity temple on the riverbank — which can be visited for around £8 entry. Arrive in Luxor in the late afternoon and check into your hostel near the East Bank.

🚌Train Aswan–Luxor (~£5–8) or shared felucca + minibus

🛏Nefertiti Hotel or Boomerang Hostel Luxor (~£12–18/night)

• →Take the train or shared felucca from Aswan toward Luxor (~£5–8 by train)
• →Stop at Kom Ombo Temple en route (entry ~£8)
• →Arrive Luxor East Bank in late afternoon
• →Check into hostel and explore Luxor Temple at dusk (entry ~£10, beautifully lit at night)

Rise early and cross the Nile to the West Bank by local ferry (~£0.50). Hire a local taxi or join a shared tour for the morning (~£15–20 for a private driver covering all three sites). Visit the Valley of the Kings (entry ~£15, includes three tombs; Tutankhamun's tomb is extra at ~£15). Continue to the breathtaking Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut (entry ~£8) and the ancient Colossi of Memnon — free to view from the road. Return to the East Bank by afternoon ferry and spend the evening exploring the Luxor Souk.

🚌Local ferry to West Bank (~£0.50), shared taxi or private driver for sites (~£15–20)

🛏Nefertiti Hotel or Boomerang Hostel Luxor (~£12–18/night)

• →Cross the Nile to the West Bank by local ferry (~£0.50)
• →Visit the Valley of the Kings — explore pharaoh tombs (entry ~£15 for 3 tombs)
• →Optional: enter Tutankhamun's tomb (~£15 extra)
• →Visit the Temple of Hatshepsut / Deir el-Bahari (entry ~£8)
• →Stop at the Colossi of Memnon (free)
• →Return by local ferry and browse Luxor Souk in the evening

Spend the morning at the awe-inspiring Karnak Temple Complex — one of the largest religious sites ever built. Entry is around £10 and it's easily walkable from the East Bank. Allow 2–3 hours to explore the hypostyle hall, sacred lake, and Avenue of Sphinxes. After lunch, head to Luxor Airport for a short domestic flight back to Cairo (~£40–70 booked in advance via EgyptAir or Nile Air). Alternatively, take the overnight train (~£10–15) if you prefer to save money. Check into your Cairo accommodation for the final night.

🚌Taxi/tuk-tuk to Luxor Airport (~£5), domestic flight Luxor–Cairo (~£40–70)

🛏Meramees Hostel or Cairo City Center Hostel (~£12–16/night)

• →Visit Karnak Temple Complex in the morning (entry ~£10)
• →Explore the Great Hypostyle Hall, Sacred Lake, and Avenue of Sphinxes
• →Grab lunch at a local Luxor restaurant
• →Take a domestic flight Luxor–Cairo (~£40–70) or overnight train (~£10–15)
• →Check back into Cairo accommodation

Use your final morning to explore anything you missed — the Islamic Cairo district and Khan el-Khalili bazaar are both highly recommended and easily walkable. Alternatively, visit the Citadel of Saladin and the Mohammed Ali Mosque for panoramic views over the city (entry ~£7). When ready, grab a taxi or bus to Cairo International Airport for your departure flight. Cairo has been an incredible adventure — the history, the chaos, the kindness of people — you'll carry it home.

🚌Taxi or bus to Cairo International Airport (~£5–8)

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Explore Khan el-Khalili bazaar and Islamic Cairo
• →Optional: visit the Citadel of Saladin and Mohammed Ali Mosque (entry ~£7)
• →Final lunch of Egyptian street food — foul, ta'meya, or feteer
• →Transfer to Cairo International Airport for departure