Best of Jordan & Egypt — Self-Launched

Land at Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) and take the Airport Express bus to the Tabarbour/north bus station or a shared taxi into downtown (roughly £4–6). Check into a hostel or budget hotel in the Al-Weibdeh or downtown area. Spend the late afternoon wandering the old downtown: the Roman Theater, the Nymphaeum, the souq streets of Al-Balad and the gold market, plus a coffee at Hashem café. Buy a Jordan Pass online in advance (JD70+ / about £78 for the 2-day Petra option) — it covers your visa fee and most major sites including Jerash, Ajlun, Petra and Wadi Rum.

🚌Airport Express bus ~£4–6

🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, downtown Amman — £12–18

• →Roman Theater of Amman
• →Downtown souqs and Al-Balad walking loop
• →Hashem café / street falafel

Take a JETT bus or a minibus from Amman's Tabarbour station to Jerash (about £2–4, 1 hour). Allow 3 hours to walk the whole site: Hadrian's Arch, the Oval Plaza, the Great Colonnade Street, the two theatres, and the Temples of Zeus and Artemis. Many travellers negotiate a shared taxi from Jerash up to Ajlun Castle (Qala'at ar-Rabad) with its views over the Jordan Valley — about £8–12 per car split between passengers — then return to Amman by late bus. Cheaper and more flexible alternative: a GetYourGuide Jerash + Ajlun day tour from Amman (approx. £45–60 including entry).

🚌Minibus/JETT to Jerash £2–4 each way; shared taxi to Ajlun £8–12 per car

🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, downtown Amman — £12–18

• →Jerash Roman ruins (Jordan Pass)
• →Ajlun Castle (Jordan Pass)
• →Optional guided Jerash tour via GetYourGuide

The Desert Castles have no public transport, so the practical self-launched option is a shared day tour from Amman booked on GetYourGuide or with your hostel (approx. £55–75 including a Dead Sea swim stop) — it visits Qusayr Amra, Qasr al-Kharaneh and Azraq Fort. Alternatively hire a car for the day (from about £30–40 plus fuel) and drive the loop yourself. Finish with a float in the Dead Sea at Amman Beach or a public-access resort; bring old swimwear, rinse off afterwards and don't get water in your eyes. Return to Amman for the night.

🚌Shared day tour or self-drive car hire

🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, downtown Amman — £12–18

• →Qusayr Amra (UNESCO frescoes)
• →Qasr al-Kharaneh
• →Azraq Fort
• →Dead Sea float

Take a minibus or service taxi from Amman's south station to Madaba (about £1–2, 45 mins). See the 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land in the Church of St George, then grab a taxi up to Mount Nebo (about £6–8 return) for the view over the Jordan Valley. From Madaba, catch a bus or shared taxi south along the King's Highway toward Wadi Musa/Petra (about £8–12, 3–4 hours; some connections change at Al-Karak). Check into a guesthouse in Wadi Musa village, buy provisions for Petra, and get an early night.

🚌Minibus Amman–Madaba £1–2; shared taxi Madaba–Wadi Musa £8–12

🛏Guesthouse in Wadi Musa — £15–22

• →Church of St George mosaic map, Madaba
• →Mount Nebo viewpoint
• →Wadi Musa village evening

Enter at opening time (6am in summer) to beat the crowds and the heat. Walk the Siq to the Treasury, then the Street of Facades, the Theatre, the Royal Tombs and the Byzantine Church mosaics. The climb to the Monastery (800 steps, 1.5–2 hours return) is the highlight if you have the legs — go early or late in the day. Optional: hire a local Bedouin guide at the gate (about £30–40 for 2–3 hours) or book a guided Petra day via GetYourGuide. Entry is covered by your Jordan Pass if you chose the 2- or 3-day Petra option.

🚌Walk from guesthouse (or £2 taxi to visitor centre)

🛏Guesthouse in Wadi Musa — £15–22

• →Siq & Treasury (El Khazneh)
• →Petra Theatre
• →Royal Tombs
• →Byzantine Church mosaics
• →Monastery climb

Take a minibus or shared taxi from Wadi Musa to Wadi Rum Visitor Centre (about £6–10, 1.5–2 hours). Book a Bedouin camp direct by email/WhatsApp — most include a 2–4 hour 4x4 tour, dinner and breakfast, with a shared tent from about £25–35 per person (private tent £40–60). The jeep tour covers Lawrence's Spring, the Khazali Siq inscriptions, sand dunes and the Mushroom Rock, with sunset from a viewpoint. Dinner is zarb (meat and veg buried in the sand) and the stargazing is superb — bring a headtorch and warm layers.

🚌Shared taxi/minibus Wadi Musa–Wadi Rum £6–10

🛏Bedouin desert camp, shared tent — £25–35 including dinner, breakfast and jeep tour

• →Wadi Rum 4x4 jeep tour
• →Lawrence's Spring & Khazali Siq
• →Sunset viewpoint
• →Zarb dinner and stargazing

Morning transfer from the camp to the Wadi Rum road, then a bus or shared taxi down to Aqaba (about £4–7, 1–1.5 hours). Spend the afternoon on the Red Sea: swim at the public South Beach, snorkel the Japanese Garden reef with rental gear from a dive shop (about £15–20), or just eat fresh fish by the water. Aqaba is duty-free and relaxed — a good reset day before the Egypt leg. Book tomorrow's crossing: check whether the Aqaba–Nuweiba ferry is running or take the cheap flight option instead.

🚌Wadi Rum–Aqaba bus/shared taxi £4–7

🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Aqaba — £15–22

• →Aqaba South Beach
• →Snorkelling at Japanese Garden reef
• →Aqaba souq and seafront

Two routes south. Cheapest is the Aqaba–Nuweiba ferry (about £40–55, 3–4 hours plus slow immigration), then a bus from Nuweiba to Cairo (about £12–18, 8–9 hours overnight) — tiring but very budget. Faster and often better value overall is a direct flight Aqaba–Cairo (Royal Jordanian, Air Cairo/Nile Air, roughly £90–140 one way; book early). Land in Cairo, take an Uber or the airport shuttle bus to a hostel in downtown or Zamalek. Get an Egyptian e-visa in advance (about £25) to avoid queue hassle, and pick up a local SIM (Vodafone/Orange, ~£5 for data).

🚌Ferry + bus ~£55–70, or flight ~£90–140; airport transfer £3–5

🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, downtown Cairo — £10–16

• →Optional Sound & Light Show at Giza (~£20–25)

Start early at Giza (Uber, ~£3) — enter the plateau (about £10), and add the Khufu pyramid interior extra if you want the climb. See the Sphinx and the panorama viewpoint. Then the Grand Egyptian Museum or the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir for Tutankhamun's treasures (entry ~£10–15, Royal Mummies room extra). In the afternoon walk Coptic Cairo: the Hanging Church (El Muallaqa) and Ben Ezra Synagogue, both free or a few pounds. End with a self-guided wander through Khan el-Khalili bazaar and dinner at a local koshari joint (£2–3). Optional: book a GetYourGuide Giza + museum guide for about £25–35.

🚌Ubers around the city £3–6 total

🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, downtown Cairo — £10–16

• →Great Pyramids & Sphinx
• →Egyptian Museum / Grand Egyptian Museum
• →Hanging Church, Coptic Cairo
• →Ben Ezra Synagogue
• →Khan el-Khalili bazaar

Daytime in Cairo, then take the overnight sleeper train from Cairo to Aswan (Watania, about £40–60 for a single berth, ~13 hours) — book online in advance, it sells out in peak season. If you'd rather fly, EgyptAir fares Cairo–Aswan are often £45–70. Arriving early morning, drop bags and take a taxi to the High Dam (£2–4 entry), the Granite Quarries with the Unfinished Obelisk, and then a boat across to Philae Temple (temple ~£8, boat ~£5 shared). Alternative if you sleep first: arrive Aswan today and do the sights tomorrow. Optional Abu Simbel add-on via GetYourGuide (shared bus tour ~£35–50, or air ~£130–160).

🚌Sleeper train Cairo–Aswan £40–60 (or flight £45–70)

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse, Aswan — £10–18

• →Aswan High Dam
• →Unfinished Obelisk & Granite Quarries
• →Philae Temple by boat
• →Optional Abu Simbel tour

Instead of a group Nile cruise, do the budget version: a morning felucca sail around Aswan's islands (about £8–12 for a couple of hours, split between passengers) and a swim. Then take the train north to Kom Ombo (about £3–5, 1 hour) to see the twin temple of Sobek and Horus the Elder at the river's edge (~£6 entry). Continue by train to Luxor (about £5–8, 1.5 hours) and check into a guesthouse on the West Bank or in the city. Trains run regularly — buy tickets at the station or via the Egyptian National Railways app.

🚌Felucca £8–12; train Aswan–Kom Ombo–Luxor £8–13

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, Luxor — £10–18

• →Nile felucca sail
• →Kom Ombo Temple
• →Luxor West Bank evening

Morning shared taxi or local bus to Edfu (about £5–8 each way, 1 hour) for the beautifully preserved Temple of Horus (~£7 entry) — go at opening to miss the cruise-ship crowds. Back in Luxor, explore Karnak Temple (~£9 entry) in the afternoon, walking the avenue of sphinxes, the hypostyle hall and the sacred lake. Finish with Luxor Temple at sunset, when it's lit and cooler (~£7). Optional Sound & Light show at Karnak, about £18–22. A local guide at Karnak through GetYourGuide costs around £20–30 and is worth it for the history.

🚌Shared taxi/bus to Edfu £10–16 return; local taxis £2–4

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, Luxor — £10–18

• →Edfu Temple of Horus
• →Karnak Temple
• →Luxor Temple at sunset
• →Optional Karnak Sound & Light show

Cross the Nile by public ferry (a few pence) and hire a shared micro-bus or bicycle on the West Bank. Buy the Valley of the Kings ticket (~£12, includes 3 tombs; Tutankhamun and Seti I extra). Then see Hatshepsut's terraced funerary temple at Deir el-Bahari (~£6) and the Colossi of Memnon (free). Return to Luxor, and take the overnight sitting or sleeper train back to Cairo (sitting ~£8–12, sleeper ~£40–60), or a late afternoon flight (~£40–70). Booking a guided West Bank half-day via GetYourGuide is about £25–35 if you want context.

🚌West Bank ferry and micro-bus £2–4; overnight train to Cairo £8–60

🛏Overnight train, or budget hotel in Cairo — £10–16

• →Valley of the Kings
• →Hatshepsut Temple, Deir el-Bahari
• →Colossi of Memnon
• →West Bank village cycle

Depending on your train arrival, spend the morning on a last wander — the Al-Azhar area, a proper Egyptian breakfast of ful and ta'meya, or the Nile Corniche. If you have time and haven't yet, the Grand Egyptian Museum near Giza is worth a half day. Take an Uber or the airport bus to Cairo International for your flight home. Total travel time from Luxor overnight train is around 10–12 hours, so book evening flights where possible.

🚌Uber or airport bus to CAI £2–5

🛏None (departure day)

• →Al-Azhar & Islamic Cairo wander
• →Grand Egyptian Museum (optional)
• →Last souq shopping