Self-Launched: Luxor to Aswan Nile Sail — Temples, Tombs & Abu Simbel
6 days · Egypt (Nile Valley: Luxor to Aswan)
Nilvison Egypt Tours charges £1,260
No-markup version: ~£655 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Nilvison Egypt Tours' 6-day dahabiya cruise from Luxor to Aswan. Instead of paying for a private fully-guided sailing boat, you'll string together the same temple sites using Luxor and Aswan hostels/guesthouses as bases, a cheap overnight or daytime train down the Nile, shared minibuses for Abu Simbel, and self-booked local Egyptologist guides or GetYourGuide day tours at each site. You can optionally swap the dahabiya element for a one-night felucca/cheap Nile cruise leg or a shared dahabiya seat booked directly in Luxor. Costs below are approximate budget-traveller estimates and will vary with season, negotiation and group size.
Day-by-day
Arrive Luxor — Karnak & Luxor Temple by foot and bike
Luxor
Land at Luxor airport and take a local taxi or the airport shuttle to a guesthouse on the West Bank (Al Gezira / Ramla area) or a budget hotel near Luxor Temple on the East Bank — West Bank guesthouses are cheaper and quieter but require a £1-2 ferry crossing. Late morning: walk or cycle to Karnak Temple (entry ~£8). Entry tickets are bought at the gate; a licensed local guide can be arranged at the entrance or pre-booked on GetYourGuide (~£20-25 for a half-day). Afternoon rest, then Luxor Temple at sunset/early evening when it's lit up (entry ~£6). Dinner at a local koshari or West Bank riverside spot.
🚌Airport taxi £5-7; local ferry across the Nile £0.50; bike hire £3/day
🛏West Bank guesthouse or budget East Bank hotel, £12-18/night
- →Karnak Temple self-guided visit (entry ~£8)
- →Optional GetYourGuide half-day Karnak guide ~£22
- →Luxor Temple at sunset (entry ~£6)
- →Nile ferry crossing & West Bank wander
Luxor West Bank — Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut & the Colossi
Luxor (West Bank)
Start early (7am) to beat the heat and crowds. Hire a bike or share a local microbus/tuk-tuk to the West Bank sites. Buy the Valley of the Kings ticket (~£14, includes 3 tombs; add Tutankhamun or Seti I separately) plus Hatshepsut Temple (~£6) and the Colossi of Memnon (free roadside stop). Skip the £45+ private-guide markup by using the site's own signboards plus a cheap audio guide, or split a local licensed guide with other travellers (~£15 each). Optional: hot air balloon at sunrise over the West Bank, bookable direct or via GetYourGuide from ~£65-80 (book the day before and confirm weather). Late afternoon: Medinet Habu or Deir el-Medina if you have energy (each ~£4-5). Overnight Luxor.
🚌Bike £3 or shared microbus/tuk-tuk £3-5 for the day
🛏Same Luxor guesthouse, £12-18/night
- →Valley of the Kings (3 tombs, ~£14)
- →Hatshepsut Temple (~£6)
- →Colossi of Memnon (free)
- →Optional sunrise hot air balloon ~£70
- →Optional Medinet Habu (~£5)
Train to Edfu — Temple of Horus, then on to Aswan
Edfu → Aswan
Take the morning train from Luxor to Edfu (~1.5 hrs, 2nd class ~£3-4 — buy at the station window; foreigners can also use the tourist trains). Leave bags at a café or station-left-luggage, then take a local tuk-tuk or minibus to the Temple of Horus (~£2-3, entry ~£8) — one of Egypt's best-preserved temples, with the famous falcon statue and hieroglyph reliefs. Lunch in Edfu town, then continue by train to Aswan (~2.5 hrs, ~£5-6, or a shared microbus for similar money). Alternatively stay one night in Edfu for a slower pace. Arrive Aswan, check into a guesthouse near the Corniche or on Elephantine Island. Evening stroll along the Corniche and a Nubian dinner.
🚌Luxor–Edfu train ~£3.50; Edfu–Aswan train ~£5.50; local tuk-tuk £2-3
🛏Aswan guesthouse or budget hotel, £14-20/night
- →Temple of Horus, Edfu (entry ~£8)
- →Corniche evening walk & Nubian dinner
Aswan — Philae Temple, souq & optional Nubian village
Aswan
Morning at Philae Temple — take a local minibus/taxi to the boat jetty (~£3-4) then the mandatory short boat ride to the island (~£5 return, negotiable per boat rather than per person). Entry ~£8. A self-booked GetYourGuide guide or local Egyptologist at the jetty costs ~£20-25 if you want context. Afternoon: wander the Aswan souq for spices, scarves and Nubian crafts, visit the Unfinished Obelisk (~£4), and optionally take a felucca sunset sail (~£8-12 per person shared) or a motorboat to a Nubian village for tea (~£10-15). Overnight Aswan.
🚌Taxis/minibuses £4-6; Philae boat ~£5
🛏Aswan guesthouse, £14-20/night
- →Philae Temple (entry ~£8 + boat ~£5)
- →Optional local guide ~£22
- →Aswan souq & Unfinished Obelisk (~£4)
- →Optional sunset felucca ~£10
Abu Simbel day trip — via shared minibus or early flight
Aswan → Abu Simbel → Aswan
The classic budget move: book a shared minibus/coach day trip from Aswan (departs ~4am, ~3 hrs each way, ~£15-20 return including waiting time) through your guesthouse or any Aswan tour office. Entry to Abu Simbel ~£12. Arrive early to beat the heat and the tour-bus crush; consider the optional Sound & Light show if you stay overnight (most budget travellers don't). Alternative: a one-way domestic flight from Aswan (~£45-70) for those short on time. Return to Aswan late afternoon, rest, and a final Nile-side dinner.
🚌Shared minibus return to Abu Simbel ~£18; or domestic flight ~£50
🛏Aswan guesthouse, £14-20/night
- →Abu Simbel Temples (entry ~£12)
- →Optional self-guided audio/guide ~£10
Aswan departure — or extend with a felucca or Nubian stay
Aswan
Breakfast, then either fly out of Aswan airport (taxi ~£4-5) or take the train back to Luxor/Cairo. If you have time, add a 1-2 night felucca sail to Kom Ombo (book direct with a felucca captain on the Corniche, ~£25-40/night including food) to replicate the dahabiya experience on a budget, or a night in a Nubian guesthouse. Kom Ombo Temple (entry ~£6) can be visited en route by felucca or on the train stop.
🚌Airport taxi £4-5; optional train to Luxor ~£6
🛏Departure day (optional extra night £14-20)
- →Optional felucca sail to Kom Ombo ~£30/night
- →Optional Kom Ombo Temple (~£6)
Self-launched vs. Nilvison Egypt Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Nilvison Egypt Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£655 | £1,260 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £605 per person (48%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Nilvison Egypt Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£655
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 Self-Launched: Luxor to Aswan Nile Sail — Temples, Tombs & Abu Simbel cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £655 per person for 6 days in Egypt (Nile Valley: Luxor to Aswan). 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 Nilvison Egypt Tours?+
Yes — Nilvison Egypt Tours charges around £1,260 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £655 — a saving of roughly £605 (48%) per person.
How long is the Egypt (Nile Valley: Luxor to Aswan) trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Egypt (Nile Valley: Luxor to Aswan).
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, adventure, budget trip through Egypt (Nile Valley: Luxor to Aswan), 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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