Pharaoh's Path Self-Launched: Nile to the Red Sea
9 days · Egypt
Nourbelle Tours charges £720
No-markup version: ~£655 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of Nourbelle Tours' 9-day "Pharaoh's Path" group tour — Cairo, the Pyramids and Grand Egyptian Museum, a budget Nile felluca/cruise-style sail from Aswan to Luxor taking in Philae, Kom Ombo and Edfu, the West Bank tombs, then a bus to Hurghada on the Red Sea for a Giftun Island snorkelling day. Same route, done independently using local trains, buses, shared taxis and self-bookable day tours, at a fraction of the guided tour price.
Day-by-day
Arrival in Cairo
Cairo
Land at Cairo International and clear immigration — buy your visa on arrival ($25, ~£20) or e-visa in advance. Grab a taxi/ride-hailing app (Uber/Careem is cheapest and fixed-price, ~£4-6) to a downtown hostel around Talaat Harb or the Zamalek area. Spend the evening easing in: exchange cash, pick up a local SIM (Vodafone/Orange, ~£6 for a data bundle), and eat koshari at a local street joint (~£2).
🚌Airport Uber/Careem to downtown, ~£4-6
🛏Downtown Cairo hostel dorm/budget guesthouse (~£10-14)
- →Buy visa on arrival
- →Local SIM card
- →Koshari dinner downtown
Cairo Sightseeing — Pyramids, Sphinx & Grand Egyptian Museum
Cairo / Giza
Get an early start to beat the coach crowds. Uber out to Giza (~£3) and enter the Pyramids complex (ticket ~£9); extra for going inside a pyramid. On to the Sphinx viewpoint, then take a short ride to the Grand Egyptian Museum (ticket ~£10) — allow 3-4 hours. Round off the day at Khan El Khalili bazaar for tea and souvenirs. Booking a small-group GetYourGuide Cairo day tour (~£45) covers transport, tickets and a guide if you'd rather not DIY the logistics.
🚌Uber/Careem between sites, ~£6-8 total
🛏Downtown Cairo hostel dorm/budget guesthouse (~£10-14)
- →Pyramids of Giza
- →Great Sphinx
- →Grand Egyptian Museum
- →Khan El Khalili Bazaar
Cairo to Aswan — Fly or Overnight Train
Aswan
The group tour flies; the budget DIY option is Egypt's overnight sleeper or seated train from Cairo to Aswan. Seated trains are dirt cheap (~£10-15, book via the Egyptian National Railways site or at the station) but a 14-hour ride; the Watania sleeper cabin is ~£45-60 and worth it for comfort. Arrive Aswan, check into a Nile-view guesthouse, then visit the Aswan High Dam and take a boat to the beautiful Temple of Philae (~£7 ticket + small boat fare).
🚌Overnight train Cairo-Aswan, seated ~£12 or sleeper ~£50
🛏Aswan budget guesthouse with Nile view (~£12-18)
- →Aswan High Dam
- →Temple of Philae
- →Nile sunset walk
Aswan to Kom Ombo & Edfu (Sail/Felucca + Train)
Kom Ombo / Edfu
Option A: book a 1-night felucca sail with a Nubian crew (~£25-35 incl. meals) for the classic Nile experience, or take the train south-to-north. Stop at Kom Ombo Temple (~£6), right on the riverbank, then continue toward Edfu. If a full Nile cruise ship is a bucket-list item, 4-5 day Aswan-Luxor cruises can be booked direct or via Klook for ~£150-250 all-in — the DIY middle ground is felucca plus trains. Optional early-morning Abu Simbel trip via shared minibus (~£35-45, book in Aswan) if you're willing to start before dawn.
🚌Train + felucca sail, ~£15-25
🛏Edfu/Nile guesthouse or onboard felucca (~£12-20)
- →Kom Ombo Temple
- →Optional Abu Simbel day trip
- →Felucca sailing
Edfu Temple & On to Luxor — East Bank
Edfu / Luxor
Visit the remarkably preserved Temple of Edfu in the morning (horse carriage there is cheap, ~£3, or walk). Then take a train or shared minibus north to Luxor (~£4-8). Check into a guesthouse near the Luxor Temple/Corniche, and in the afternoon explore the East Bank — Luxor Temple and the vast Karnak Temple complex (combined-area tickets ~£8-12). Catch the sunset over the Nile from a riverside café.
🚌Train Edfu-Luxor, ~£4-8
🛏Luxor budget guesthouse near Corniche (~£12-18)
- →Edfu Temple
- →Luxor Temple
- →Karnak Temple
- →East Bank sunset
Luxor West Bank — Valley of the Kings & Hatshepsut
Luxor
Cross to the West Bank early (local ferry ~£0.50 or shared taxi). Hire a bicycle or split a taxi for the day (~£8-12). Hit the Valley of the Kings (~£10, extra for Tutankhamun's tomb), the striking Temple of Hatshepsut (~£6) and the Colossi of Memnon (free). Consider a hot-air balloon sunrise flight over the tombs (~£70-90, book in advance, weather permitting — reviews noted cancellations). If you want a guide, GetYourGuide runs small-group West Bank tours from ~£25.
🚌West Bank ferry + shared taxi/bike, ~£6-10
🛏Luxor budget guesthouse near Corniche (~£12-18)
- →Valley of the Kings
- →Temple of Hatshepsut
- →Colossi of Memnon
- →Optional hot-air balloon
Luxor to Hurghada — Red Sea Arrival
Hurghada
Travel day to the Red Sea. The cheapest route is a direct bus (Go Bus / Blue Bus, ~£6-10, 4-5 hours) or a shared/private transfer (~£15-25). Arrive Hurghada and settle into a budget hotel or mid-range resort — this is the spot to splurge slightly: an all-inclusive resort is exceptional value here from ~£30-45/night. Spend the afternoon swimming and watching the sunset.
🚌Go Bus Luxor-Hurghada, ~£6-10
🛏Hurghada budget hotel or all-inclusive resort (~£20-40)
- →Red Sea beach afternoon
- →Sunset by the marina
Giftun Island Snorkelling & Fishing Day
Hurghada / Giftun Island
Book a Giftun Island boat day trip via GetYourGuide or a local dive shop (~£20-30) — includes boat transfer, snorkelling gear, lunch and time to swim offshore. The reefs and coral around Giftun are excellent; add diving or an extra reef stop for ~£15-25 more. Options include a dolphin-spotting boat, a desert safari with ATV/dune buggies (~£25-35), or simply relaxing at the resort. All bookable independently the day before.
🚌Included in the boat trip / local taxi, ~£3
🛏Hurghada budget hotel or all-inclusive resort (~£20-40)
- →Giftun Island boat trip
- →Snorkelling
- →Fishing
- →Optional desert safari
Hurghada to Cairo & Departure
Hurghada / Cairo
Fly Hurghada-Cairo (fares often ~£35-55 one-way booked in advance) or take a long-distance bus (~£8-12, ~7 hours) back to the capital. If time allows, add an Old Cairo half-day — Islamic Cairo and Coptic Cairo are walkable and cheap by Uber (~£15-20 with a guide). Then head to Cairo International for your onward flight.
🚌Hurghada-Cairo bus ~£10 or flight ~£45
🛏N/A (departure day)
- →Optional Old Cairo half-day
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. Nourbelle Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Nourbelle Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£655 | £720 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £65 per person (9%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Nourbelle 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 Pharaoh's Path Self-Launched: Nile to the Red Sea cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £655 per person for 9 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 Nourbelle Tours?+
Yes — Nourbelle Tours charges around £720 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 £65 (9%) per person.
How long is the Egypt trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 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, adventure, budget 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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