Classic Egypt with Nile Cruise + Red Sea — Self-Launched
13 days · Egypt
Explore! charges £2,270
No-markup version: ~£563 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 13-day self-launched version of Explore!'s Classic Egypt with Nile Cruise + Red Sea Extension — Cairo's pyramids and Grand Egyptian Museum, an overnight sleeper train to Aswan, Philae and Abu Simbel temples, a 3-night Nile cruise to Luxor via Kom Ombo and Edfu, the Valley of the Kings and Karnak, then Red Sea wind-down in Hurghada. Everything is booked independently: budget hotels and hostels, Egypt's excellent-value sleeper train, the public Nile cruises sold locally, and shared minivans. Costs are rough per-person estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Cairo — Khan el Khalili & Nile promenade
Cairo
Land at Cairo International and take an airport taxi or Uber to your hotel in Downtown or near Tahrir Square (30-60 min, ~£3-5). Settle in, then head out on foot: wander the medieval lanes of Khan el Khalili bazaar, sip mint tea at El Fishawy café, and stroll the Nile promenade in the evening. Buy your SIM/data eSIM on arrival and change cash — ATMs are everywhere but small notes matter for tips.
🚌Airport taxi/Uber into the city (~£3-5)
🛏Budget hotel/hostel in Downtown Cairo (private or dorm, ~£12-18/night)
- →Khan el Khalili bazaar walk
- →El Fishawy café mint tea
- →Nile promenade evening stroll
Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & Grand Egyptian Museum
Cairo
Take an Uber or the Metro + minibus outc to Giza (Uber ~£4-6, 45 min). Entry to the Giza plateau ~£4 (extra for going inside the Great Pyramid). Book a small-group guide via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£15-25) if you want context — otherwise self-guide with a good audio app. In the afternoon visit the Grand Egyptian Museum (ticket ~£12) with its Tutankhamun galleries. Evening: dinner at a local koshari shop (~£2-3).
🚌Uber to Giza and back (~£8-12 round trip)
🛏Budget hotel/hostel in Downtown Cairo
- →Giza pyramids & Sphinx self-guided visit
- →Grand Egyptian Museum
- →Koshari dinner
Optional Saqqara & Islamic Cairo, then overnight sleeper train to Aswan
Cairo to Aswan
Morning option: day-trip to Saqqara and the Step Pyramid of Djoser (~£6 entry, taxi ~£15 return shared) or Islamic Cairo and the Citadel (~£4 entry). In the evening board the Watania overnight sleeper train from Ramses Station to Aswan — book ahead on the Watania website or via a local agent. First-class single cabin with dinner and breakfast served in your compartment. This is the same train the group tour uses.
🚌Watania sleeper train Cairo to Aswan (~£45-70 incl. meals)
🛏Overnight sleeper train cabin (Watania, Cairo-Aswan)
- →Saqqara / Step Pyramid (optional)
- →Islamic Cairo & Citadel (optional)
- →Board overnight sleeper train
Arrive Aswan — Philae Temple & Nubian village
Aswan
Arrive Aswan mid-morning. Check into a guesthouse near the Corniche (~£10-15). Take a public motorboat or share a felucca out to Philae Temple (~£2-4 boat + ~£4 entry). In the afternoon, take a boat across to a Nubian village for a home-cooked dinner with a local family (arrange via your guesthouse, ~£10-15 incl. meal) — one of the trip's highlights. Wander the Nubian bazaar in the evening.
🚌Motorboat/felucca to Philae (~£2-4), local boats
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel near Aswan Corniche (~£10-15)
- →Philae Temple by boat
- →Nubian village dinner with local family
- →Nubian bazaar
Abu Simbel day trip, then board Nile cruise
Aswan (Nile cruise)
Early start for the classic Abu Simbel trip: join a shared minivan convoy departing ~3:30-4am (~£15-25 shared transport + ~£8 entry; the convoy is mandatory for safety). The rock-hewn temple of Ramses II is extraordinary at sunrise. Back by early afternoon, then board your Nile cruise boat for the 3-night Aswan-Luxor sailing — book a cabin directly with a local boat operator in Aswan or via a budget cruise site (~£150-250 for 3 nights full board). Dinner onboard.
🚌Shared minivan to Abu Simbel (~£15-25), board cruise boat
🛏Nile cruise boat cabin, Aswan to Luxor (3 nights)
- →Abu Simbel day trip
- →Board Nile cruise
- →Dinner onboard
Kom Ombo Temple
Nile cruising
Breakfast onboard as you cruise toward Kom Ombo. Walk up from the boat to Kom Ombo Temple, the unusual double temple dedicated to Sobek and Haroeris (~£3 entry). Afternoon on the sun deck with the Nile sliding past. Optional: a felucca sail around the Aswan islands or a visit to the botanical gardens. All meals on the boat.
🚌Included in cruise
🛏Nile cruise boat cabin
- →Kom Ombo Temple (self-guided)
- →Sun deck relaxation
- →Optional felucca sail
Edfu Temple & onward to Luxor
Nile cruising to Luxor
Morning stop at Edfu — reach the Temple of Horus by shared horse-drawn caleche from the landing (agree the price first, ~£2-4 each way; entry ~£4). It's one of Egypt's best-preserved temples. Continue cruising north toward Luxor. Evening option: a shared taxi to the Karnak sound-and-light show (~£15-20) or a cheap dinner in Luxor town.
🚌Cruise + caleche to Edfu temple
🛏Nile cruise boat cabin
- →Temple of Edfu by caleche
- →Cruise to Luxor
- →Optional Karnak sound & light show
Disembark in Luxor — Karnak Temple
Luxor
Disembark the cruise and check into a budget hotel or guesthouse on the East Bank near Luxor Temple (~£12-18). Visit the vast Karnak Temple complex (~£5 entry) — go late afternoon to catch the light. Optional: Luxor Museum (~£5) and the Mummification Museum. Dinner along the Nile Corniche. Optional next-morning hot air balloon can be booked via GetYourGuide (~£70-90).
🚌Local taxi/caleche from boat to hotel (~£2)
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse, East Bank Luxor (~£12-18)
- →Karnak Temple
- →Luxor Museum (optional)
- →Nile Corniche dinner
West Bank — Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut & lunch with a local family
Luxor West Bank
Cross the Nile by public ferry (~£0.30) and tour the West Bank. Valley of the Kings entry includes three tombs (~£8; extra for Tutankhamun). Then the Temple of Hatshepsut (~£4) and the Habu Temple complex (~£2). Arrange a home-cooked lunch at a local West Bank family home via your guesthouse or a GetYourGuide experience (~£8-12) — traditional koshari, okra stew and tagen with fresh bread. Cycle or share a minivan between sites.
🚌Public ferry + shared minivan or hired bicycle on West Bank (~£3-6)
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse, East Bank Luxor
- →Valley of the Kings
- →Temple of Hatshepsut
- →Habu Temple
- →Home-cooked lunch with local family
Luxor to Hurghada
Hurghada
Travel to the Red Sea by public bus (Go Bus or Super Jet, ~4-5 hrs, ~£5-8) or shared minivan. Arrive Hurghada and check into a budget hotel near the beach (~£15-25) — or a budget resort for a bit of comfort. Afternoon: pool or sea swim, waterfront stroll, cheap seafood dinner. Note the group tour uses a 4* spa hotel; budget options in Hurghada are plentiful and good value.
🚌Go Bus/Super Jet Luxor-Hurghada (~£5-8)
🛏Budget hotel/hostel near Hurghada beach (~£15-25)
- →Red Sea swim
- →Waterfront stroll
- →Seafood dinner
Hurghada reef snorkelling boat trip
Hurghada
Full-day snorkelling boat trip to the Hurghada reefs — book via GetYourGuide, Klook or your hotel (~£20-35 incl. lunch and gear, ~6-8 hrs). Expect vibrant coral, reef fish and a couple of snorkel stops. Alternatively, budget a day or two toward a PADI Open Water course if you want to dive (~£250-300, book locally). Sunset back at the marina.
🚌Hotel pickup usually included with boat trip
🛏Budget hotel/hostel near Hurghada beach
- →Full-day reef snorkelling boat trip
- →Optional scuba intro
Hurghada wind-down
Hurghada
A slow day: leisurely breakfast by the sea, a spa or hammam treatment (~£15-25), more Red Sea swimming, and browsing the local markets in Hurghada town. Mint tea at a seaside café. Optional gift shopping — haggle. This mirrors the original tour's free day in Hurghada.
🚌Local taxis/tuk-tuks (~£2-4)
🛏Budget hotel/hostel near Hurghada beach
- →Beach & sea swimming
- →Spa/hammam treatment
- →Hurghada local markets
Departure from Hurghada
Hurghada
Final breakfast, then transfer to Hurghada International Airport for your flight home (taxi ~£5-8) or continue onward independently. Confirm your onward flight time and allow buffer for the transfer.
🚌Taxi to Hurghada Airport (~£5-8)
🛏—
- →Airport transfer
- →Final town exploration
Self-launched vs. Explore!
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Explore! | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£563 | £2,270 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,707 per person (75%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Explore!-style trips? Check them out here.~£563
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Classic Egypt with Nile Cruise + Red Sea — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £563 per person for 13 days in Egypt. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Explore!?+
Yes — Explore! charges around £2,270 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £563 — a saving of roughly £1,707 (75%) per person.
How long is the Egypt trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 day-by-day stops through Egypt.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, adventure trip through Egypt, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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