Luxor to Aswan: Self-Launched Nile Temples, Balloon & Abu Simbel
4 days · Nile Valley (Luxor to Aswan), Egypt
Egypt Gift Tours charges £700
No-markup version: ~£330 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of Egypt Gift Tours' 4-day Luxor–Aswan Nile cruise: the same temples, the same sunrise hot air balloon over the West Bank, and the same dawn run to Abu Simbel — booked independently. Instead of a 5-star deluxe cruise cabin you'll sleep in cheap Nile-view guesthouses and a budget hotel in Aswan, travel between Luxor and Aswan by public train (or a local felucca if you have time), and join shared minibus/group tours bought locally or on GetYourGuide. Note: the original tour price excludes all monument entrance fees (~£75 / 4,900 EGP), which you'll pay on card/cash at each site either way.
Day-by-day
Luxor: Karnak & Luxor Temples
Luxor
Arrive into Luxor by train or plane and check into a guesthouse on the West Bank or near Luxor Temple — most places hold bags for free. Grab a cheap koshari lunch (£2-3), then walk the corniche to Karnak Temple (600 EGP entry) and follow the Avenue of Sphinxes on foot or by local microbus back to Luxor Temple (500 EGP), which is magical lit up after dark. Skip the guided group: an audio guide (£5) or a copy of the Luxor guidebook covers it, and the sites are extremely well signposted. In the evening, agree a price in advance with a caleche driver or just use Uber/Careem within town for £1-2.
🚌Airport/train station to guesthouse by taxi ~£3-5; walking plus microbus in town
🛏West Bank guesthouse or budget hotel near Luxor Temple (private room, £18-25)
- →Karnak Temple self-guided visit
- →Luxor Temple at sunset
- →Corniche walk and koshari dinner
Sunrise Balloon + Valley of the Kings & West Bank
Luxor West Bank
Book a sunrise hot air balloon flight (30-40 mins) online the day before via GetYourGuide or a Luxor operator — roughly £65-80 including hotel pick-up, versus the cruise's included ride. Flights launch from the West Bank at first light, so you're back by 7:30am. Then hire a bicycle (£3/day) or a private driver for half a day (£18-25 per car, split if you team up with other travellers) to hit the Valley of the Kings (750 EGP + 20 EGP mini-train), Hatshepsut's Temple at Deir el-Bahari (440 EGP + 20 EGP train) and a photo stop at the Colossus of Memnon (free). Alternatively, take the public ferry across the Nile (5 EGP) and local minibuses between sites. Eat at a West Bank café and catch the overnight sleeper or evening train to Aswan if you want a head start.
🚌Balloon operator pick-up; bicycle hire or private car for West Bank loop ~£15
🛏West Bank guesthouse (£18-25)
- →Sunrise hot air balloon flight over the West Bank
- →Valley of the Kings (self-guided, 3 tombs included in ticket)
- →Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
- →Colossus of Memnon photo stop
Train to Aswan via Edfu & Kom Ombo
Luxor → Aswan
Take an early local train to Edfu (£1-2, 1h15) or an Edfu-bound minibus; from the station a shared horse carriage or tuk-tuk runs to the Temple of Horus (550 EGP, ~£2 for the carriage). Continue south — either hop back on a train to Kom Ombo (another £1-2) or take a shared taxi — and see Kom Ombo Temple (450 EGP) right on the riverbank. Note these two stops are much easier with your own wheels: a private car Luxor–Aswan with temple stops costs ~£45-60 and can be shared with 2-3 other travellers from your guesthouse. Arrive Aswan by late afternoon, check into a budget hotel, and eat at a Nubian restaurant near the corniche. The evening folkloric show on the cruise ship is replaced by a sunset felucca sail (£6-8, one hour) — the best-value Nile experience there is.
🚌Local train or shared/private car Luxor–Edfu–Kom Ombo–Aswan (~£15-40 depending on sharing)
🛏Budget hotel in Aswan, private room (£15-22)
- →Temple of Horus at Edfu
- →Kom Ombo Temple
- →Sunset felucca sail in Aswan
Abu Simbel at Dawn & Departure
Aswan / Abu Simbel
Join the classic 4am shared minibus convoy to Abu Simbel — book locally through any Aswan hotel for ~£18-25 per person (or on GetYourGuide, ~£25 including entry assistance), or take the public bus from the Aswan bus station (~£4-6 return) if you're comfortable with a slower, more crowded journey. Entry to the rock-cut temples is 822 EGP (~£13). You're back in Aswan around 1-2pm — enough time for a quick visit to Philae Temple by motorboat (boat ~£10 per group, entry 550 EGP) or the High Dam (200 EGP) before heading to Aswan airport or the train station for your onward journey.
🚌Shared minibus to Abu Simbel ~£20; taxi to airport/station ~£4-6
🛏None (departure day)
- →Abu Simbel temples (Ramses II & Nefertari)
- →Optional Philae Temple by motorboat
- →Optional High Dam stop
Self-launched vs. Egypt Gift Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Egypt Gift Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£330 | £700 |
| Duration | 4 days | 4 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £370 per person (53%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Egypt Gift Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£330
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 Luxor to Aswan: Self-Launched Nile Temples, Balloon & Abu Simbel cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £330 per person for 4 days in Nile Valley (Luxor to Aswan), 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 Egypt Gift Tours?+
Yes — Egypt Gift Tours charges around £700 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £330 — a saving of roughly £370 (53%) per person.
How long is the Nile Valley (Luxor to Aswan), Egypt trip?+
This itinerary runs 4 days, covering 4 day-by-day stops through Nile Valley (Luxor to Aswan), 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, budget trip through Nile Valley (Luxor to Aswan), 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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