Nubian Adventure: Self-Launched Egypt — Cairo, Aswan & Luxor

Arrive at Cairo International Airport and make your way independently to your accommodation in Giza or central Cairo. Take the Airport Bus Line 356 to Tahrir Square (~£1) or a metered taxi/Uber (~£8-10). Get oriented, grab some street food, and rest up. Optionally join an evening Nile dinner cruise — bookable directly at the riverfront or via GetYourGuide for around £20-25.

🚌Airport Bus 356 to Tahrir Square (~£1) or Uber (~£8-10)

🛏Kempinski Nile Hotel area guesthouse or Dahab Hostel Cairo — budget double/dorm ~£15-25/night

• →Arrive Cairo International Airport — take Airport Bus 356 or Uber to accommodation (~£1-10)
• →Explore your local neighbourhood and grab street food dinner
• →Optional: Evening Nile dinner cruise (~£20-25 via GetYourGuide)

Head to Giza early (before 8am) to beat the crowds and the heat. Entrance to the Giza Plateau including the Sphinx costs around £12; interior access to the Great Pyramid is an additional £20 — buy tickets at the gate or book ahead via the official Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities site. Grab a traditional Koshary lunch at a local restaurant for £2-3. In the afternoon, visit the Grand Egyptian Museum — entrance ~£20, audio guide ~£5. In the evening, take an Uber to Giza Railway Station and board the overnight sleeper train to Aswan (Egyptian National Railways, approx. £40-50 for a sleeper cabin). Dinner is served onboard.

🚌Uber/taxi Giza to Giza Railway Station (~£5); Overnight sleeper train Cairo to Aswan (~£40-50)

🛏Sleeper Train Cabin (Egyptian National Railways Cairo–Aswan)

• →Pyramids of Giza — Great Pyramid of Khufu, Pyramid of Khafre, Pyramid of Menkaure (~£12 entrance)
• →The Great Sphinx (included in Giza Plateau ticket)
• →Interior access to the Great Pyramid (~£20 extra, limited — buy early at gate)
• →Traditional Koshary lunch at a local restaurant (~£2-3)
• →Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) — self-guided with audio guide (~£20 + £5 audio guide)
• →Overnight sleeper train Cairo → Aswan (~£40-50, dinner onboard)

Arrive in Aswan mid-morning. Check in to your guesthouse and freshen up. Take a motorboat from the public dock to Philae Temple (~£2 for the boat, £10 entrance fee). In the afternoon, arrange a local motorboat or felucca to a Nubian village — ask at your guesthouse or the dock (£5-10 per person). Nubian-owned guesthouses often include a home-cooked dinner; alternatively, ask locals to arrange a traditional Nubian dinner with a family (~£10-15). The Nubian Guesthouse or similar Nubian-run accommodation is an immersive choice.

🚌Walk from Aswan train station to guesthouse; motorboat to Philae and Nubian village (~£5-10)

🛏Nubian-owned guesthouse (e.g. Eskaleh Nubian Ecolodge or Philae Hotel) — ~£20-30/night, breakfast included

• →Motorboat to Philae Temple (~£2 boat + £10 entrance)
• →Visit traditional Nubian village by local felucca (~£5-10)
• →Explore Nubian homes and learn about local customs
• →Home-cooked traditional Nubian dinner with a local family (~£10-15 arranged via guesthouse)

Arrange a felucca overnight or full-day trip directly with local captains at the Aswan corniche — always agree the price in advance (~£25-35 per person for a full day including lunch and dinner prepared onboard by the crew). This is one of Egypt's great budget travel experiences. Spend the day drifting between temples, villages and sandy banks. The crew cooks fresh meals onboard. If you'd prefer not to sleep on the felucca, negotiate a daytime-only sail and return to your guesthouse in the evening. Optionally, arrange an early morning Abu Simbel excursion (4:30am departure) via a shared minibus from Aswan — ~£30-40 including transport, guide and entrance.

🚌Walk to Aswan corniche to arrange felucca; optional shared minibus to Abu Simbel (~£30-40)

🛏Overnight on felucca (~£25-35 includes accommodation) OR return to Aswan guesthouse (~£20-30)

• →Full-day felucca sail on the Nile with Nubian crew (~£25-35 including meals)
• →Lunch and dinner prepared onboard by felucca crew
• →Overnight on felucca deck under the stars (included in price)
• →Optional: Abu Simbel shared minibus excursion — depart 04:30, ~3hrs each way, 2hrs at temples (~£30-40 all-in)

Take a shared service taxi or minibus from Aswan to Edfu (~£3-5, 1.5hrs) — ask at your guesthouse for the shared taxi station. Visit the magnificent Temple of Horus at Edfu (~£10 entrance) — one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. Continue by shared taxi or local bus from Edfu to Luxor (~£3-4, 1.5hrs). Check into your guesthouse. In the evening, walk or take a tuk-tuk to Luxor Temple for a self-guided night visit — the temple is spectacularly lit and far less crowded after dark (~£12 entrance, open until 10pm).

🚌Shared service taxis Aswan–Edfu–Luxor (~£6-9 total); local tuk-tuk to Luxor Temple (~£1)

🛏Budget guesthouse or boutique hotel near Luxor Temple (e.g. Nefertiti Hotel or Bob's Guest House) — ~£15-25/night

• →Shared service taxi Aswan → Edfu (~£3-5)
• →Temple of Horus, Edfu (~£10 entrance, self-guided or audio guide)
• →Shared taxi/bus Edfu → Luxor (~£3-4)
• →Evening self-guided visit to Luxor Temple — dramatically lit at night (~£12 entrance)

Start early with a local ferry across the Nile to the West Bank (~£0.50). Hire a local driver for the day to cover all West Bank sites (~£15-20 for the whole day — agree upfront). Visit the Valley of the Kings (~£12 entrance, 3 tombs included; extra tombs such as Tutankhamun cost ~£15 more), Deir el-Medina (~£7), Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (~£8), and pass the Colossi of Memnon (free). Return to the East Bank and visit the vast Karnak Temple complex in the late afternoon (~£12). Optional: book a sunrise hot air balloon from a local operator at your guesthouse or via GetYourGuide (~£80-100).

🚌Local ferry to West Bank (~£0.50); hired local driver for West Bank sites (~£15-20 for the day); tuk-tuk to Karnak (~£1-2)

🛏Same guesthouse as Day 5 — ~£15-25/night

• →Local ferry to West Bank (~£0.50)
• →Valley of the Kings — 3 tombs included (~£12 entrance; Tutankhamun extra ~£15)
• →Deir el-Medina — ancient artisan village (~£7 entrance)
• →Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (~£8 entrance)
• →Colossi of Memnon (free, roadside stop)
• →Karnak Temple complex, East Bank (~£12 entrance)
• →Optional: sunrise hot air balloon over West Bank — book via local operator or GetYourGuide (~£80-100)

A free morning in Luxor to explore at your own pace. Consider visiting the Mummification Museum on the East Bank corniche (~£5) for fascinating insights into ancient Egyptian burial practices. In the afternoon, explore the bazaars and back streets of central Luxor independently. Optionally, book a day trip to Abydos and Dendera via a local tour operator or GetYourGuide (~£25-35 including transport and guide). In the evening, board the overnight sleeper train from Luxor to Cairo (~£35-45, dinner onboard). Book through the Egyptian National Railways website or at the station.

🚌Tuk-tuk to Luxor Railway Station (~£1); Overnight sleeper train Luxor to Cairo (~£35-45)

🛏Sleeper Train Cabin (Egyptian National Railways Luxor–Cairo)

• →Optional: Mummification Museum, Luxor (~£5 entrance)
• →Explore Luxor bazaars and corniche independently
• →Optional: Day trip to temples of Abydos and Dendera (~£25-35 via local operator)
• →Overnight sleeper train Luxor → Cairo (~£35-45, dinner onboard)

Arrive Cairo in the morning and check into your guesthouse. Spend the day exploring Islamic Cairo independently — walk through the Bab al-Futuh gateway, explore the medieval streets of Khan el-Khalili bazaar, visit the Citadel of Saladin and the Alabaster Mosque of Mohammed Ali (~£4 entrance). Head to the Coptic Cairo area to see the Hanging Church and the Church of St Sergius (free entry, donations welcome). In the evening, sit down for a bowl of Koshary (~£2) and mint tea in the bazaar. Optional full-day trip to Alexandria (~£15-20 by train each way, GetYourGuide day tour from ~£30) or Saqqara & Memphis half-day (~£20-25 via shared tour).

🚌Metro and walking in central Cairo (~£1-2); Uber to Coptic Cairo (~£3-4)

🛏Central Cairo guesthouse or hostel (e.g. Cairo Hostel or Downtown budget hotel) — ~£15-25/night

• →Walk through Bab al-Futuh and Islamic Cairo streets
• →Khan el-Khalili Bazaar — tea, browsing and street food (~£2-5)
• →Citadel of Saladin and Alabaster Mosque of Mohammed Ali (~£4 entrance)
• →Coptic Cairo — Hanging Church and Church of St Sergius (free)
• →Optional: Alexandria day trip by train (~£15-20 return; GetYourGuide tour ~£30)
• →Optional: Saqqara, Memphis & Dahshur half-day (~£20-25 via shared tour or local taxi)

Final breakfast at your guesthouse. Depending on your flight time, you may have time for a quick last wander through the neighbourhood or a final coffee by the Nile. Take an Uber or metered taxi to Cairo International Airport (~£8-12). Allow at least 3 hours before departure for international flights — Cairo airport can be slow-moving.

🚌Uber or metered taxi to Cairo International Airport (~£8-12)

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Final breakfast at guesthouse
• →Last-minute explore or souvenir shopping at local market
• →Uber or metered taxi to Cairo International Airport (~£8-12)