Self-Launched Egypt Highlights: Cairo, Nile & Aswan in 9 Days
9 days · Egypt
Truly Egypt Tours charges £950
No-markup version: ~£805 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A solo-traveller DIY version of the classic 9-day Cairo–Luxor–Aswan loop, swapping a 5-star hotel and Nile cruise package for hostels, guesthouses, the overnight sleeper train and public ferries. You still hit the Pyramids, Sakkara and Memphis, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Karnak and Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple, Edfu and Kom Ombo, Philae and the Unfinished Obelisk — but with self-bookable day tours, local guides at the gate and far more free time. Costs are rough backpacker/budget estimates in GBP; entrance fees in Egypt are steep and always paid separately, so budget generously.
Day-by-day
Arrive Cairo — settle in and ease into the city
Cairo
Land at Cairo International (CAI), grab a local SIM from the airport (Vodafone/Orange, ~£6 for 20GB) and take an airport taxi or Careem/Uber to Downtown or the area around Tahrir Square — around £5-8. Hostels and budget hotels in Downtown start at £10-15 a night and put you within walking distance of food, the metro and the museum. Skip the operator's out-of-town Tolip Gardens-style hotel: staying central makes everything cheaper and easier. Evening: walk the Nile Corniche at sunset, eat koshari at a local chain (Abou Tarek, ~£2) and sort your sightseeing logistics over mint tea.
🚌Airport taxi / Careem ~£6
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Downtown Cairo (~£12/night)
- →Nile Corniche sunset walk
- →Koshari dinner Downtown
- →Buy local SIM card
Pyramids, Sphinx, Sakkara and Memphis in one day
Giza / Cairo
Take the metro to Giza (Sadat → Giza, then a short Careem ride) and be at the Pyramids gate for opening around 8am. Buy tickets on site: Giza plateau ~£12, plus extra to go inside Khufu's pyramid (~£25) or Khafre's (~£7). Walk the plateau, see the Great Sphinx from the viewing terrace, and consider a camel or horse ride outside the gate (negotiate hard, ~£10-15 for an hour). Then hire a taxi for the afternoon run to Sakkara (Step Pyramid of Djoser, ~£9) and Memphis Open-Air Museum (~£3) — expect ~£25-30 for the half-day car. Self-launched alternative: book a small-group 'Pyramids, Sakkara & Memphis' day tour on GetYourGuide or Klook for ~£45-60 if you'd rather have a guide and transport sorted. Back to Cairo for dinner in Zamalek.
🚌Metro + Careem to Giza; private taxi to Sakkara/Memphis ~£28
🛏Downtown Cairo hostel or budget hotel (~£12/night)
- →Pyramids of Giza and Great Sphinx
- →Step Pyramid of Djoser at Sakkara
- →Memphis Open-Air Museum
Grand Egyptian Museum, Old Cairo and Khan el-Khalili
Cairo
Pre-book a Grand Egyptian Museum ticket online (GEM, near Giza — tickets roughly £12-16 depending on galleries; the Tutankhamun galleries are the highlight). Allow 4-5 hours and, unlike the tour version, take your time. In the afternoon take a Careem to Old Cairo: the Hanging Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue and Amr Ibn El-Aas Mosque are free or by donation — the operator charges US$80 for this as an add-on, so this is a straight saving. Finish at Khan el-Khalili bazaar for shopping and a coffee at El Fishawy. Eat dinner at a local fuul/ta'meya spot (~£3). Book your Luxor transport tonight (see Day 4).
🚌Careem/Uber around Cairo ~£8 total
🛏Downtown Cairo hostel or budget hotel (~£12/night)
- →Grand Egyptian Museum
- →Old Cairo: Hanging Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue, Amr Ibn El-Aas Mosque
- →Khan el-Khalili bazaar
Overnight sleeper train to Luxor — arrive to Karnak and Luxor Temple
Cairo → Luxor
Two good options. Option A: the Watania overnight sleeper train from Cairo Ramses station to Luxor, departing evening and arriving early morning — book direct on the Watania/ENR site, ~£55-75 for a single cabin (tourist-class reclining seat is cheaper, ~£20). Option B: a 1-hour EgyptAir/Nile Air flight Cairo–Luxor, ~£50-80 if booked ahead — useful if sleeper cabins are sold out in high season. Either way you land in Luxor in the morning, check into a West Bank or Luxor-town guesthouse (~£12-18/night) and nap. Afternoon: walk or take a microbus to Karnak Temple (~£10 entry) and, once it cools, Luxor Temple (~£7) — magical at sunset and floodlit after dark. Skip the cruise's folkloric show; instead eat at a local West Bank restaurant (~£5).
🚌Watania sleeper train Cairo–Luxor ~£65 (or budget flight ~£65)
🛏Luxor guesthouse, West Bank or town centre (~£15/night)
- →Karnak Temples Complex
- →Luxor Temple at sunset
Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon
Luxor (West Bank)
Cross the Nile by public ferry (~£0.50) or the local passenger boat and hire a bicycle (~£3/day) or share a taxi with other travellers (~£15-20 for the morning) to do the West Bank loop. Valley of the Kings entry (~£15) includes three tombs of your choice; Tutankhamun's tomb is an extra ~£12 and Seti I is ~£25 if you're splashing out. Then Queen Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahari (~£7) and a photo stop at the Colossi of Memnon (free). Add Howard Carter's house (~£3) if you have energy. Alternatively, a GetYourGuide West Bank half-day tour with an Egyptologist runs ~£35-50. Optional sunrise hot-air balloon the next morning (~£70-90, book locally on the West Bank for the best price).
🚌Public ferry + shared taxi/bike ~£12
🛏Luxor guesthouse (~£15/night)
- →Valley of the Kings (incl. optional Tutankhamun tomb)
- →Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari
- →Colossi of Memnon
- →Howard Carter House
Train to Edfu and Kom Ombo, continue to Aswan
Luxor → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan
Take an early local train or microbus from Luxor to Edfu (~£2-3, 1.5 hrs). From Edfu station, a tuk-tuk to the Temple of Horus (~£1-2) — one of Egypt's best-preserved temples, entry ~£7. Then continue by train to Kom Ombo (~£2) for the riverside double temple (~£5), best in late afternoon light. Hop the next train or a shared microbus down to Aswan (~£3-4, 1.5-2 hrs) and check into a Nubian guesthouse on Elephantine Island or in the Nubian village area — much more characterful than a cruise cabin, ~£15-20/night. This replaces the cruise's Aswan leg at a fraction of the cost while covering exactly the same two temples.
🚌Luxor–Edfu–Kom Ombo–Aswan trains/microbuses ~£9
🛏Nubian guesthouse, Aswan/Elephantine Island (~£18/night)
- →Temple of Horus, Edfu
- →Temple of Kom Ombo
Philae Temple, High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk
Aswan
Take a local motorboat from Aswan's waterfront to Agilika Island for the Temple of Philae (~£8-10 return for the boat, share it with other travellers; entry ~£7) — go early for calm water and fewer crowds. Then a taxi or microbus to the Aswan High Dam viewpoint (~£2 entry, ~£8 for the car) and the Unfinished Obelisk quarry in the northern granite quarries (~£4). Afternoon: wander the Nubian villages, drink tea with a local family, or swim off a felucca on a sunset sail (~£10-12 for a shared boat, one of the best-value experiences in Egypt). Optional Nubian village dinner (~£8) — the operator charges US$59 for a village tour, you can do it for the price of a boat and a meal.
🚌Local motorboat to Philae + taxis ~£20
🛏Nubian guesthouse, Aswan (~£18/night)
- →Temple of Philae via motorboat
- →Aswan High Dam
- →Unfinished Obelisk
- →Sunset felucca sail
Abu Simbel day trip, then fly back to Cairo
Aswan → Abu Simbel → Cairo
The big optional add-on, done independently. Either join the shared early-morning convoy/minibus from Aswan (~£20-30 return, booked through your guesthouse — the operator charges US$135) or take the public bus. Arrive at Abu Simbel for sunrise; entry ~£18. Alternatively fly Aswan–Abu Simbel and back if you're short on time. You're back in Aswan by early afternoon — shower, then take an evening flight Aswan–Cairo (~£55-80 booked ahead) rather than a 14-hour train. Check back into a Downtown Cairo hostel or, if you prefer, a cheap hotel near the airport for an easy departure. Last-night dinner on the Nile.
🚌Shared minibus to Abu Simbel ~£25; Aswan–Cairo flight ~£65
🛏Downtown Cairo hostel or airport-area budget hotel (~£15/night)
- →Abu Simbel Temples at sunrise
Depart Cairo
Cairo
Breakfast, a last wander for souvenirs (papyrus, spices, perfume oils from Khan el-Khalili or the airport), and transfer to Cairo International for your flight home. If your flight is late, the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir (~£5) or a Nile-side café makes a good final stop, and you can leave bags at the hostel for free. Allow 3 hours at CAI for international departures — security is slow.
🚌Careem/taxi to Cairo International ~£6
🛏—
- →Souvenir shopping
- →Optional Egyptian Museum, Tahrir
Self-launched vs. Truly Egypt Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Truly Egypt Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£805 | £950 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £145 per person (15%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Truly Egypt Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£805
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 Egypt Highlights: Cairo, Nile & Aswan in 9 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £805 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 Truly Egypt Tours?+
Yes — Truly Egypt Tours charges around £950 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £805 — a saving of roughly £145 (15%) 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, slow-travel 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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