Empires & Enchantment: Self-Launched Morocco, Egypt & Turkey
16 days · Morocco, Egypt & Turkey
AB Voyages Egypt charges £3,900
No-markup version: ~£1,385 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 16-day loop through three empires: Morocco's medinas and Roman ruins, Egypt's pyramids, Nile temples and Luxor's West Bank, and Istanbul plus Cappadocia's fairy chimneys. Instead of a guided coach group, you'll use Morocco's excellent CTM/ONCF network, Egypt's cheap domestic flights and overnight rail, and Turkey's high-speed trains and budget flights — booking sights directly or via GetYourGuide. Costs assume hostel/guesthouse or budget-hotel twin-share, local eateries, and no private guides (audio guides and small-group day tours where they make sense). All figures are approximate backpacker rates in GBP and exclude long-haul flights into Casablanca and out of Istanbul — the original operator bundled international flights, which is why its price is far higher.
Day-by-day
Arrive Casablanca
Casablanca, Morocco
Land at Mohammed V Airport and take the ONCF train into Casa-Voyageurs (~40 min, ~£3). Settle into a medina-adjacent guesthouse, then walk the corniche at sunset and eat at a cheap local grill near Marché Central. Buy a Moroccan SIM (Maroc Telecom or Orange, ~£8 for data) and pre-book your CTM bus to Chefchaouen for tomorrow.
🚌ONCF airport train ~£3
🛏Budget guesthouse in the old medina, twin share (~£16 pp)
- →Airport train to city
- →Hassan II Mosque exterior & corniche walk
- →Marché Central dinner
Casablanca to Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen, Morocco
Take the CTM or Supratours bus from Casablanca to Chefchaouen (~6 hrs, ~£14) — book online the day before. Arrive mid-afternoon and wander the blue-washed medina, climb to the Spanish Mosque for sunset views over the Rif, and eat a cheap tagine in Plaza Uta el-Hammam. Guesthouses here are excellent value.
🚌CTM bus Casablanca–Chefchaouen ~£14
🛏Riad-style guesthouse in the medina, twin share (~£15 pp)
- →Blue medina wander
- →Spanish Mosque sunset viewpoint
- →Plaza Uta el-Hammam dinner
Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes to Fes
Fes, Morocco
Hire a shared grand taxi or take buses via Ouazzane to Moulay Idriss, then a short taxi to the Roman ruins of Volubilis (entry ~£6). Continue by grand taxi to Meknes (~£4) to see Bab Mansour and the medina, then take the train or CTM bus on to Fes (~£4). This is a full but very doable DIY day — or split it by basing overnight in Meknes if you'd rather go slower.
🚌Shared taxis + bus/train ~£14 total
🛏Fes medina guesthouse, twin share (~£15 pp)
- →Volubilis Roman ruins
- →Moulay Idriss holy town
- →Meknes imperial medina & Bab Mansour
Fes medina & hammam
Fes, Morocco
Self-navigate the Fes medina with a paper map or a budget small-group walking tour booked via GetYourGuide (~£18; a certified guide genuinely saves hours here). See Al-Qarawiyyin, the tanneries from a terrace (small tip expected) and the Bou Inania madrasa (~£2). In the afternoon, book a local neighbourhood hammam (~£6-10) rather than a tourist spa.
🚌Walking + petit taxis ~£3
🛏Fes medina guesthouse, twin share (~£15 pp)
- →Fes medina walking tour (GetYourGuide)
- →Al-Qarawiyyin & Bou Inania madrasa
- →Chouara tannery terrace
- →Local hammam
Fes to Rabat, Salé & Casablanca
Casablanca, Morocco
Take the early train from Fes to Rabat (~3.5 hrs, ~£11). Walk to the Hassan Tower and Mausoleum of Mohammed V, cross the Bou Regreg by boat (~£1) to Salé's old town, then take the tram/train down to Casablanca (~1 hr, ~£4) to stay near the station for tomorrow's flight. Buy your Egyptian e-visa online in advance if eligible, otherwise plan for visa-on-arrival (~£20).
🚌ONCF trains Fes–Rabat–Casablanca ~£15
🛏Budget hotel near Casa-Voyageurs (~£17 pp)
- →Hassan Tower & Mausoleum
- →Salé medina
- →Bou Regreg river crossing by boat
Fly Casablanca to Cairo
Cairo, Egypt
Budget flights (Air Arabia Maroc, Royal Air Maroc connections via a hub, or Turkish) run roughly £130-180 one way — book 6-8 weeks ahead. Land at CAI, buy an Egyptian SIM (~£6) and take the airport shuttle bus or Uber to downtown/Garden City (~£4). Evening wander along the Nile corniche with koshari for dinner (~£2).
🚌One-way flight ~£150 + airport transfer ~£4
🛏Downtown Cairo hostel/budget hotel, twin share (~£14 pp)
- →Flight to Cairo
- →Nile corniche walk
- →Koshari dinner downtown
Pyramids, Sphinx & Grand Egyptian Museum
Giza & Cairo, Egypt
Take an Uber to Giza early (~£3) to beat the heat; site entry ~£10 plus optional pyramid interior. Cross to the Sphinx viewpoint on foot or by camel if you negotiate hard (skip it if unsure). In the afternoon, the Grand Egyptian Museum is a short Uber away (entry ~£20, book a timed slot online). Return via Metro from Giza station for pennies.
🚌Ubers + Metro ~£8
🛏Downtown Cairo hostel/budget hotel, twin share (~£14 pp)
- →Great Pyramids of Giza
- →Great Sphinx
- →Grand Egyptian Museum
- →Khan el-Khalili evening stroll
Cairo to Luxor — Karnak & Luxor Temple
Luxor, Egypt
Either take the 1-hour budget flight (~£55) or the overnight sleeper train from Cairo (~£50-60 one way via the Watania sleeper, book online). On arrival, check into a West Bank or town guesthouse, then visit Karnak Temple in the late afternoon light (~£9) and walk the Avenue of Sphinxes to Luxor Temple (~£7), which is beautifully lit at night.
🚌Flight Cairo–Luxor ~£55 (or sleeper train ~£55)
🛏Luxor guesthouse, twin share (~£12 pp)
- →Karnak Temple Complex
- →Avenue of Sphinxes
- →Luxor Temple at night
Valley of the Kings & West Bank
Luxor, Egypt
Cross the Nile by public ferry (~£1) and hire a bike or shared taxi for the West Bank (~£5). Valley of the Kings ticket covers three tombs (~£12); add Hatshepsut's temple (~£5) and the free Colossi of Memnon. Optional sunrise hot air balloon booked directly with a local operator via GetYourGuide (~£70-90) — cheaper than the tour version but worth booking a day ahead.
🚌Ferry, bike hire and shared taxis ~£8
🛏Luxor guesthouse, twin share (~£12 pp)
- →Valley of the Kings
- →Temple of Hatshepsut
- →Colossi of Memnon
- →Optional hot air balloon (GetYourGuide ~£80)
Edfu & Kom Ombo to Aswan
Aswan, Egypt
Take a local train or shared minibus south from Luxor (train Luxor–Aswan ~£8, get off at Edfu; or book a shared day-transfer minibus ~£15). Ride a horse-drawn carriage to the Temple of Horus (~£3), then continue to Kom Ombo's riverside double temple (~£6). Arrive Aswan in the evening. Alternatively, a 1-night budget Nile cruise Luxor–Aswan runs from ~£90-140 pp — the tour's luxury version costs several times more.
🚌Train/minibus ~£18
🛏Aswan guesthouse, twin share (~£12 pp)
- →Temple of Horus, Edfu
- →Kom Ombo Temple
- →Optional budget Nile cruise leg
Aswan: Philae & High Dam
Aswan, Egypt
Take a shared taxi/boat to Philae Temple (~£7 entry plus ~£4 boat) and then the High Dam viewpoint (~£2). In the afternoon, walk the Nubian villages on the West Bank or take a cheap felucca sail at sunset (~£8-10 shared). Eat Nubian food in a local guesthouse — cheap and excellent.
🚌Shared taxis and boats ~£10
🛏Aswan guesthouse, twin share (~£12 pp)
- →Temple of Philae
- →Aswan High Dam
- →Felucca sunset sail
- →Nubian village walk
Abu Simbel day trip & fly to Cairo
Aswan & Cairo, Egypt
Join the early-morning shared convoy minibus to Abu Simbel (~£25-30 incl. entry, 3 hrs each way via the desert road) — book with your guesthouse the night before. Return by early afternoon and take an evening budget flight Aswan–Cairo (~£50) or the sleeper train back. Overnight near the airport for tomorrow's flight.
🚌Abu Simbel minibus ~£28 + domestic flight ~£50
🛏Budget hotel near Cairo airport (~£16 pp)
- →Abu Simbel temples (shared convoy)
- →Evening flight to Cairo
Fly Cairo to Istanbul
Istanbul, Turkey
Take a budget flight Cairo–Istanbul (Pegasus or AJet via a stop, or Turkish direct; ~£85-110 one way). Buy an Istanbulkart at the airport or metro station (~£3 + credit) and take the Metro/Marmaray into Sultanahmet or Beyoğlu. Turkey is visa-free or e-visa for most Western passports (~£40 e-visa for some nationalities — check). Evening meal of balık ekmek by the Galata Bridge (~£3).
🚌One-way flight ~£95 + metro ~£2
🛏Sultanahmet/Beyoğlu hostel, twin share (~£22 pp)
- →Flight to Istanbul
- →Galata Bridge & Eminönü evening walk
Istanbul highlights
Istanbul, Turkey
Do Istanbul on foot: Hagia Sophia (free entry to the mosque, ~£22 for the museum/upper gallery if open — check current rules), the Blue Mosque (free), the Hippodrome, and the Grand Bazaar. Book a small-group old-city walking tour via GetYourGuide (~£20) if you want the history context. Late afternoon: ferry to Kadıköy (~£1.50) for the market food scene, cheap and local.
🚌Trams, ferries and walking ~£5
🛏Sultanahmet/Beyoğlu hostel, twin share (~£22 pp)
- →Hagia Sophia
- →Blue Mosque
- →Hippodrome
- →Grand Bazaar
- →Kadıköy ferry & food market
Istanbul to Cappadocia: Göreme & the valleys
Cappadocia, Turkey
Fly Istanbul (SAW/IST) to Kayseri or Nevşehir (~£35-50 one way with AJet/Pegasus), then the Havas/small-group shuttle to Göreme (~£5). Base in a Göreme cave hostel (~£20 pp twin). In the afternoon, hike the Rose and Red valleys or take a dolmuş to Devrent Valley, Paşabağ (Monks Valley) and Avanos pottery town. Book tomorrow's balloon now — prices are ~£120-170 pp direct through local operators or GetYourGuide.
🚌Flight ~£42 + airport shuttle ~£5 + dolmuş ~£4
🛏Göreme cave hostel, twin share (~£20 pp)
- →Göreme Open-Air Museum (~£8)
- →Devrent Valley
- →Paşabağ Monks Valley
- →Avanos pottery town
- →Rose Valley sunset hike
Cappadocia to Istanbul / depart
Cappadocia & Istanbul, Turkey
If you've booked it, do the sunrise hot air balloon (~£120-170) — the single best-value splurge of the trip and cheaper booked locally than through a tour. Note: many flight-day itineraries skip the balloon; if you fly out early, balloon on Day 15 morning instead by arriving the evening before. Afterwards, shuttle to Kayseri and fly back to Istanbul (~£40) in time for your international departure.
🚌Shuttle ~£5 + flight to Istanbul ~£40
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional sunrise hot air balloon over Cappadocia (GetYourGuide ~£140)
- →Underground city visit (Kaymaklı/Derinkuyu ~£3)
- →Return flight to Istanbul
Self-launched vs. AB Voyages Egypt
| This itinerary (self-launched) | AB Voyages Egypt | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,385 | £3,900 |
| Duration | 16 days | 16 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,515 per person (64%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more AB Voyages Egypt-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,385
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 Empires & Enchantment: Self-Launched Morocco, Egypt & Turkey cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,385 per person for 16 days in Morocco, Egypt & Turkey. 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 AB Voyages Egypt?+
Yes — AB Voyages Egypt charges around £3,900 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,385 — a saving of roughly £2,515 (64%) per person.
How long is the Morocco, Egypt & Turkey trip?+
This itinerary runs 16 days, covering 16 day-by-day stops through Morocco, Egypt & Turkey.
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, backpacker trip through Morocco, Egypt & Turkey, 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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