Jordan & Egypt Self-Launched: Amman to Cairo by Bus, Felucca & Sleeper Train
14 days · Jordan & Egypt
Travel Talk charges £2,380
No-markup version: ~£826 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 14-day self-launched version of Travel Talk's "Jordan & Egypt by Felucca": Amman, Jerash and Ajloun, a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum, two nights in Petra, the Dead Sea, then Egypt's Pyramids, Aswan, a two-night felucca sail down the Nile, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Luxor. You book the same sites yourself via GetYourGuide/direct tickets, use JETT coaches, a low-cost flight Amman–Cairo, a night train and local minibuses instead of private tour transport, and sleep in hostels and mid-range guesthouses rather than 5-star hotels. All figures are approximate per-person estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Amman & get your bearings
Amman, Jordan
Fly into Queen Alia International Airport (buy the Jordan Pass online before you fly — from ~£56 / JOD 70 it covers your visa fee and entry to Petra, Jerash, Wadi Rum and most other sites, which is essential). Take the Airport Express bus to the 7th Circle or a shared white taxi into Downtown (JOD 3-4 / ~£4). Check into a hostel in Downtown/Jabal Amman (Jordan Tower Hotel, Cliff Hostel or similar, dorm ~£12-16). In the evening walk the Rainbow Street area and eat falafel and knafeh at Hashem's for under £5.
🚌Airport Express bus + shared taxi (~£6)
🛏Hostel dorm, Downtown Amman (~£14)
- →Collect Jordan Pass (pre-purchased)
- →Rainbow Street & Downtown orientation walk
- →Cheap eats at Hashem's
Amman Citadel, Roman Theatre & Jerash
Amman & Jerash, Jordan
Morning at the Amman Citadel and Roman Amphitheatre (both included on the Jordan Pass). Then take a JETT bus or a minibus from Tabarbour bus station to Jerash (~JOD 2-3 / £3, 45 min) for the vast Roman ruins — easily the best-preserved in the region and included in the Jordan Pass. Come back the same afternoon. If you want a guide for context, a GetYourGuide day tour from Amman costs ~£45-60, but self-guiding with a podcast/guidebook is fine. Optional Ajloun Castle add-on by shared taxi if you have energy.
🚌Local minibus/JETT to Jerash return (~£6)
🛏Hostel dorm, Downtown Amman (~£14)
- →Amman Citadel
- →Roman Amphitheatre
- →Jerash archaeological site
- →Optional Ajloun Castle
Amman to Wadi Rum — Bedouin camp
Wadi Rum, Jordan
Take a JETT bus (departs ~6:30am from Abdali station, ~JOD 10-12 / £12) or shared minibus south to Wadi Rum Visitor Centre (about 4 hrs). Park entry is covered by the Jordan Pass. A Bedouin camp with dinner and breakfast runs ~£25-35 per night in a shared tent (e.g. camps around Wadi Rum Village or desert camps bookable on Booking.com). Afternoon: a 2-hour 4x4 sunset tour with a local driver for ~£20-25 — book via your camp, or a GetYourGuide shared jeep tour ~£30. Traditional zarb dinner under the stars included with the camp.
🚌JETT coach Amman–Wadi Rum (~£12)
🛏Bedouin desert camp, shared tent (~£30 incl. dinner & breakfast)
- →Wadi Rum sunset 4x4 jeep tour
- →Bedouin camp dinner under the stars
Wadi Rum to Petra — sunset at the Siq
Wadi Rum → Petra (Wadi Musa), Jordan
Sunrise in the desert, then a short morning jeep or camel ride if you haven't done it yet (camel ~JOD 12 / £13). Take a shared minibus or shuttle from Wadi Rum to Wadi Musa/Petra (~JOD 7-10 / £8-11, about 1h45) — arrange through your camp the night before. Check into a guesthouse in Wadi Musa (~£15-20 private twin, cheaper dorms). Afternoon: optional Petra by Night (Mon/Wed/Thu, ~JOD 17 / £19, book direct at the ticket office) — candlelit walk to the Treasury.
🚌Shared minibus Wadi Rum–Wadi Musa (~£9)
🛏Guesthouse, Wadi Musa (~£18)
- →Desert sunrise
- →Optional camel ride
- →Petra by Night (optional)
Petra full day — Siq, Treasury & Monastery
Petra, Jordan
Full day inside Petra (entry included in the Jordan Pass — a huge saving vs. the ~£50 day ticket). Enter at opening (6am in summer) via the Siq to the Treasury, then walk the Street of Facades, the Theatre, the Royal Tombs and the colonnaded street. Strong walkers should climb the 800 steps to the Monastery — the best reward in the site. Optional local guide at the gate ~JOD 25-40, or a GetYourGuide Petra guided day from ~£35. Take water and snacks; site restaurants are pricey. Evening: cheap eats in Wadi Musa.
🚌Walk to site entrance
🛏Guesthouse, Wadi Musa (~£18)
- →Petra: Siq, Treasury, Theatre, Royal Tombs
- →Monastery hike
- →Optional local guide
Shobak Castle & float in the Dead Sea
Petra → Dead Sea → Amman
Hire a shared taxi or join a minibus service north; stop at Shobak Castle (included in Jordan Pass) on the way. Then a few hours at a Dead Sea public/private beach — Amman Beach or a hotel day pass (~JOD 20-25 / £22-28) for mud, showers and safe entry. Salt float and mud bath are free with the pass. Afterwards continue to Amman by bus (~£5) and stay near Downtown again — or overnight at a Dead Sea budget hotel if you'd rather not rush.
🚌Shared taxi/minibus Petra–Dead Sea–Amman (~£15)
🛏Hostel dorm, Amman (~£14)
- →Shobak Castle
- →Dead Sea swim, float and mud bath
Fly Amman to Cairo
Amman → Cairo, Egypt
Morning flight Amman–Cairo on Royal Jordanian, EgyptAir, Air Arabia or flynas (~£90-140 one way booked a few weeks ahead; the operator uses this instead of costly transfers). On arrival get your Egypt e-visa in advance online (~£20 / US$25) so you skip the queue, and buy a local SIM at the airport (~£8 for 20GB). Take a Careem/Uber from the airport to Downtown or Zamalek (~£5-7). Check into a Downtown hostel or budget hotel (~£15-22). Evening: koshari dinner for ~£2 and a wander along the Nile Corniche.
🚌Flight Amman–Cairo (~£110) + airport taxi (~£6)
🛏Hostel/budget hotel, Downtown Cairo (~£18)
- →Nile Corniche walk
- →Koshari dinner in Downtown
Pyramids, Sphinx & Egyptian Museum
Giza & Cairo, Egypt
Get an early Uber to Giza (before 8am to beat the tour buses). Site entry ~EGP 540 (~£9); going inside the Great Pyramid is an extra ~EGP 900 (~£15) and worth it if you're keen. A camel/horse ride should be negotiated firmly (~£10-15). Afternoon: the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir (~£10) — or the new Grand Egyptian Museum if it's fully open by your dates, book direct. A GetYourGuide half-day Pyramids + museum tour with a guide runs ~£30-45 if you want narration. Evening: Khan el-Khalili bazaar for tea and shopping.
🚌Uber/Careem around Cairo (~£6)
🛏Hostel/budget hotel, Downtown Cairo (~£18)
- →Giza Pyramids & Sphinx
- →Optional interior of Great Pyramid
- →Egyptian Museum (or GEM)
- →Khan el-Khalili bazaar
Cairo to Aswan by sleeper train — Philae Temple
Cairo → Aswan, Egypt
Daytime: optional Islamic Cairo walk (Citadel, Sultan Hassan Mosque) or a slow morning. Evening: board the Watania sleeper train from Cairo Ramses to Aswan (~US$60-80 / £50-65 for a single berth with dinner and breakfast, book online at watania website or via a local agent; the alternative is a ~£40 flight). You'll arrive Aswan around 9-10am the next morning — so plan Philae Temple for the following day and just settle into your Aswan guesthouse from the station (walkable/short taxi).
🚌Watania sleeper train Cairo–Aswan (~£58)
🛏Overnight on the sleeper train (~included in transport cost)
- →Free morning in Cairo
- →Board overnight sleeper train
Aswan — Philae Temple, obelisk & Nubian evening
Aswan, Egypt
Arrive Aswan, check in to a Nubian guesthouse on Elephantine Island or in the Nubian village (~£15-20). Midday: Unfinished Obelisk and a short boat to Philae Temple (~£12 entry + ~£5 boat). Late afternoon: felucca sunset sail (~£8-10 shared). Optional day trip to Abu Simbel — a shared minibus from Aswan costs ~£20-25 return (leaving 4am) vs. the operator's £95 — or a flight. Evening: Nubian dinner in a village home (~£8) with music.
🚌Local taxis, boats and shared minibus (~£12)
🛏Nubian guesthouse, Aswan (~£18)
- →Philae Temple
- →Unfinished Obelisk
- →Sunset felucca sail
- →Optional Abu Simbel day trip
- →Nubian village dinner
Board the felucca — sail & sleep on the Nile
Nile River between Aswan and Kom Ombo
This is the heart of the trip. Book a 2-night/3-day felucca directly with an Aswan captain at the Corniche (~£60-80 per person all-in including meals, cook and blankets) — far cheaper than going through an agency. Sail downstream, stop at villages, swim in the Nile, cook on the boat and sleep on deck under blankets (no cabins; bring a sleeping bag liner and a warm layer in winter). Meals, tea and a riverside sunset feast are included.
🚌Felucca (included)
🛏Felucca deck, blankets provided (included in felucca price)
- →Full-day Nile sailing
- →Village stops and Nile swims
- →Riverside sunset dinner cooked on board
Felucca to Kom Ombo & Edfu
Kom Ombo, Edfu, Egypt
Second day on the felucca, disembarking near Kom Ombo in the afternoon to visit the double temple of Sobek and Horus (~£6 entry). Then take a local minibus or shared taxi to Edfu (~£3-4, 1 hr) and see the extraordinarily preserved Temple of Horus (~£6 entry). Continue by train or minibus to Luxor in the evening (~£5-8) and check into a guesthouse on the West Bank (~£18).
🚌Felucca + minibus + train to Luxor (~£12)
🛏Guesthouse, West Bank Luxor (~£18)
- →Kom Ombo Temple
- →Edfu Temple of Horus
Luxor — Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut & Karnak
Luxor, Egypt
Sunrise optional hot air balloon (~£70-90 booked direct with a Luxor operator or GetYourGuide, vs. £100 with the tour). Then cycle or take a shared minibus to the Valley of the Kings (~£12 entry incl. 3 tombs; Tutankhamun's tomb extra), Hatshepsut Temple (~£6) and the Colossi of Memnon (free). Afternoon: Luxor Temple (~£6) and Karnak Temple Complex (~£9) on the East Bank — ideally in late afternoon light. Return to Cairo by sleeper train (~£50) overnight, or fly the next morning.
🚌Local minibus/cycle + sleeper train Luxor–Cairo (~£52)
🛏Overnight sleeper train to Cairo (~included in transport)
- →Valley of the Kings
- →Hatshepsut Temple & Colossi of Memnon
- →Luxor Temple
- →Karnak Temple Complex
- →Optional hot air balloon
Cairo departure
Cairo, Egypt
Arrive Cairo early morning from the night train. Freshen up at a day-use hotel or the airport lounge, do any last-minute shopping at the bazaar, then take an Uber to Cairo International Airport (~£6) for your flight home. Optional last stop: Coptic Cairo or Saqqara/Dahshur pyramids if your flight is late.
🚌Uber to airport (~£6)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Last-minute shopping
- →Optional Coptic Cairo or Saqqara
Self-launched vs. Travel Talk
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Travel Talk | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£826 | £2,380 |
| Duration | 14 days | 14 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,554 per person (65%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Travel Talk-style trips? Check them out here.~£826
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.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Jordan & Egypt Self-Launched: Amman to Cairo by Bus, Felucca & Sleeper Train cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £826 per person for 14 days in Jordan & 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 Travel Talk?+
Yes — Travel Talk charges around £2,380 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £826 — a saving of roughly £1,554 (65%) per person.
How long is the Jordan & Egypt trip?+
This itinerary runs 14 days, covering 14 day-by-day stops through Jordan & 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 adventure, culture, backpacker trip through Jordan & 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.