Petra & the Nile: Self-Launched Jordan-Egypt Adventure
13 days · Jordan & Egypt
Encounters Travel charges £3,040
No-markup version: ~£820 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 13-day independently organised version of Encounters Travel's "Petra and the Nile" — Amman, Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea, then Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and the Nile Valley temples. Instead of a guided group and a 5-star Nile cruise, you'll use local buses and the JETT coach, shared taxis, budget guesthouses and hostels, and self-booked tickets or GetYourGuide day tours. Budget figures are rough backpacker/mid-range estimates and exclude international flights, the Jordan Pass, and entry/tipping kitty costs noted in the operator's own FAQ. Bring cash for Egyptian site tickets and the Jordan Pass bought in advance.
Day-by-day
Arrive Amman — settle into Downtown
Amman, Jordan
Land at Queen Alia International Airport and take the Airport Express bus (approx. JOD 3.30, ~45-60 mins) or a shared taxi to Downtown Amman. Check into a hostel or budget hotel near Al Hussein Mosque / Rainbow Street. Buy your Jordan Pass online before arrival (it covers the visa and most site entry fees). Wander the Roman Theatre, the Citadel at sunset, and eat falafel and knafeh on Hashemite Plaza.
🚌Airport Express bus ~£3.50-4
🛏Hostel dorm or private budget room in Downtown Amman (£12-18 pp)
- →Airport Express bus to Downtown
- →Self-walk Amman Citadel & Roman Theatre
- →Falafel and knafeh street food in Downtown
Jerash day trip by public bus
Jerash & Amman, Jordan
Take a JETT bus or a local minibus from Amman's Tabarbour bus station to Jerash (approx. JOD 1-3, ~1 hour). Spend 3-4 hours exploring the Roman ruins — Hadrian's Arch, the Oval Plaza, the Colonnaded Street and the Hippodrome. Return to Amman and finish the day at Amman Citadel and the Umayyad Palace if you didn't cover them yesterday. Evening: buy a Jordanian SIM or eSIM and stock up on snacks.
🚌JETT bus or minibus Amman-Jerash return ~£4-6
🛏Hostel/budget hotel in Downtown Amman (£12-18 pp)
- →Jerash archaeological site (Jordan Pass)
- →Amman Citadel & Umayyad Palace
- →Street food tasting in Downtown Amman
Amman to Petra via Madaba, Mount Nebo & Shobak
Madaba, Mount Nebo, Shobak & Petra
Hire a shared taxi or take a JETT coach run to Wadi Musa (Petra); a shared taxi/minibus to Madaba (JOD 1) then a taxi to Mount Nebo is the classic DIY route. See the St George mosaic map in Madaba, the Mount Nebo viewpoint, and Shobak Castle en route. Arrive in Wadi Musa, check into a guesthouse just outside the Petra entrance, and take the optional Petra by Night candlelight walk (Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, ~JOD 17) if your dates line up.
🚌Shared taxi or minibus Amman-Madaba + shared taxi onward to Wadi Musa ~£12-18 total
🛏Guesthouse in Wadi Musa (£12-20 pp)
- →St George Church mosaic, Madaba
- →Mount Nebo viewpoint
- →Shobak Castle
- →Optional Petra by Night candlelight walk
Full day in Petra
Petra, Jordan
Enter Petra at opening (6:00-6:30am to beat the crowds and heat) with your Jordan Pass. Walk the Siq to the Treasury, see the Roman amphitheatre and Royal Tombs, then climb the 800+ steps to the Monastery if you're fit. Optional: hike to the High Place of Sacrifice in the late afternoon. Late afternoon shared-taxi ride to a Wadi Rum camp — book a Bedouin camp with sunset jeep and dinner included (approx. £35-45 pp with dinner and jeep tour).
🚌Shared taxi Wadi Musa-Wadi Rum ~£10-15
🛏Bedouin desert camp in Wadi Rum (£20-30 pp for tent, dinner included)
- →Petra: the Siq and Treasury
- →Royal Tombs and Roman amphitheatre
- →Monastery hike (optional)
- →High Place of Sacrifice (optional)
Wadi Rum jeep safari & the Dead Sea
Wadi Rum & Dead Sea, Jordan
Morning 2-4 hour jeep safari through Wadi Rum (approx. £20-30 pp, book at the camp) — Lawrence's Spring, Khazali Canyon and the sand dunes. In the afternoon, take a shared taxi/minibus back toward Amman and on to the Dead Sea (swim at Amman Beach or a cheaper public spot with the day-use fee, ~JOD 20-25). If you'd rather not do the Dead Sea this late, stay in Wadi Rum for another night and shift Amman departure to Day 6 morning.
🚌Shared minibus Wadi Rum-Dead Sea/Amman ~£12-18
🛏Budget hotel in Amman or Dead Sea-area hostel (£15-22 pp)
- →Wadi Rum jeep safari
- →Camel ride (optional)
- →Dead Sea float and mud
Amman to Cairo
Amman & Cairo, Egypt
Morning free in Amman. Fly Amman to Cairo — the cheapest option is usually a direct Air Arabia Jordan, Jordan Aviation or Egyptair flight booked 4-8 weeks ahead (approx. £80-150 one way with cabin bag). On arrival in Cairo, take the Cairo Airport shuttle bus or Uber to Downtown (approx. EGP 150-300). Get an Egyptian e-visa online before flying, buy a local SIM, and take an evening walk along the Corniche or a cheap Nile dinner cruise if the timing works.
🚌One-way flight Amman-Cairo ~£80-150; airport transfer ~£4-6
🛏Downtown Cairo hostel or budget hotel (£10-18 pp)
- →Optionally the Wild Jordan Centre in Amman
- →Evening walk along the Nile in Cairo
Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis & Saqqara
Giza & Saqqara, Egypt
Book a GetYourGuide small-group day tour covering Giza, Sphinx, Memphis and Saqqara (approx. £25-40 pp without entry fees) or DIY with Uber to Giza then a hired driver for Memphis/Saqqara. Site tickets roughly: Giza plateau EGP 540, entry inside Khufu EGP 900 extra, Saqqara EGP 450, Memphis EGP 150. Finish with a cheap koshari dinner in Downtown.
🚌Uber or GetYourGuide day tour ~£10-15 transport share
🛏Downtown Cairo hostel or budget hotel (£10-18 pp)
- →Giza Plateau and Great Pyramids
- →Sphinx
- →Memphis and the Ramses II statue
- →Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara
Train to Luxor — Valley of the Kings & Luxor Temple
Luxor, Egypt
Skip the flight and take the overnight sleeper train (Wagons Lit, ~£45-60 pp one way in a shared cabin, booked on the Egyptian National Railways site) or a daytime first-class train (~£15-20). Arrive/check in on the West Bank or near Luxor Temple. In the afternoon, visit the Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Kings (EGP 750 for 3 tombs) and Hatshepsut's Temple (EGP 240), and Medinat Habu. Evening: see Luxor Temple lit up (EGP 400).
🚌Train Cairo-Luxor ~£15-20 (or sleeper ~£45-60)
🛏Guesthouse on Luxor West Bank or near Luxor Temple (£10-18 pp)
- →Valley of the Kings
- →Temple of Hatshepsut
- →Colossi of Memnon
- →Medinat Habu
- →Luxor Temple at night
Karnak & optional hot air balloon
Luxor, Egypt
Optional sunrise hot air balloon over the West Bank (approx. £75-100 pp booked via GetYourGuide or your guesthouse, weather permitting). Otherwise, an easy morning and a cooling mid-day. In the late afternoon, explore the Karnak Temple Complex and Great Hypostyle Hall (EGP 450) — it's at its best in golden light. Cross the Nile by local ferry (EGP 5-10) and eat at a West Bank local restaurant.
🚌Local ferry, tuk-tuk and shared minibus ~£3-5
🛏Guesthouse on Luxor West Bank (£10-18 pp)
- →Sunrise hot air balloon over Luxor (optional)
- →Karnak Temple Complex and Hypostyle Hall
- →Local Nile ferry crossing
Edfu & Kom Ombo en route to Aswan
Edfu, Kom Ombo & Aswan
The classic DIY approach is the Cairo-Aswan train stopping at Edfu — a minibus and horse cart from Edfu station to the Temple of Horus (EGP 450), then a shared taxi or train to Kom Ombo for the twin temple with crocodile mummies (EGP 360). Alternatively book a shared minibus/day tour Luxor-Aswan with stops via GetYourGuide (~£25-35 pp). Continue to Aswan and check into a budget hotel near the Corniche.
🚌Train Luxor-Aswan with stops or shared minibus ~£6-12 (or guided day tour)
🛏Budget hotel in Aswan (£10-18 pp)
- →Temple of Horus at Edfu
- →Kom Ombo Temple and crocodile mummies
Philae Temple, High Dam & felucca
Aswan, Egypt
Morning traditional felucca sail on the Nile (EGP 200-400 for 1-2 hours) or visit a Nubian village. Afternoon: shared taxi to the Aswan High Dam, then boat to Philae Temple (EGP 450 + boat EGP 100-200). Optional Abu Simbel day trip the following dawn if you add a day — shared-coach tours run approx. £25-40 pp plus EGP 600 entry. Sunset at the Aswan Corniche with tea and a shisha.
🚌Shared taxi / boat transfers ~£5-8
🛏Budget hotel in Aswan (£10-18 pp)
- →Feliucca sail on the Nile
- →Aswan High Dam
- →Philae Temple by boat
- →Optional Abu Simbel shared-coach trip
Fly to Cairo — Grand Egyptian Museum
Aswan & Cairo, Egypt
Fly Aswan to Cairo (approx. £50-90 one way booked ahead) or take the overnight sleeper train. Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum (entry EGP 1,200 for GEM, check current ticket tiers) — pre-book the timed slot online and choose a guided highlights tour or audio guide (approx. £15-25 pp via GetYourGuide) for Tutankhamun's treasures. Evening wander through Khan el-Khalili bazaar — haggle for souvenirs and drink mint tea at El Fishawy.
🚌One-way flight Aswan-Cairo ~£50-90; Uber ~£4-8
🛏Downtown Cairo hostel or budget hotel (£10-18 pp)
- →Grand Egyptian Museum and Tutankhamun collection
- →Khan el-Khalili bazaar
Final morning in Cairo & departure
Cairo, Egypt
If time allows, add an Alexandria day trip by train (approx. EGP 100-150 each way, ~2.5 hours), a morning at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, or a street-food tour of Cairo's old quarter. Transfer to Cairo International Airport by Uber or airport bus (approx. £5-10) for your onward flight, or stay an extra night if your international departure is late.
🚌Uber / airport bus to Cairo International ~£5-10
🛏Not included (onward travel)
- →Optional Alexandria day trip by train
- →Optional Cairo street food walk
- →Optional Egyptian Museum, Tahrir
Self-launched vs. Encounters Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Encounters Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£820 | £3,040 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,220 per person (73%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Encounters Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£820
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 Petra & the Nile: Self-Launched Jordan-Egypt Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £820 per person for 13 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 Encounters Travel?+
Yes — Encounters Travel charges around £3,040 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £820 — a saving of roughly £2,220 (73%) per person.
How long is the Jordan & Egypt trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 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, budget 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?
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