5 Days Cairo & Alexandria — Self-Launched Pyramids, GEM & Mediterranean Version
5 days · Egypt
Ancient Egypt Tours charges £640
No-markup version: ~£285 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself take on the classic 5-day Cairo + Alexandria loop: the Giza plateau, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Islamic and Coptic Cairo, Khan el-Khalili, and a day trip to Alexandria's catacombs, Qaitbay Citadel and Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Instead of a 5-star hotel and private guide-and-driver package, you'll base yourself in a well-reviewed budget hotel or hostel in downtown Cairo, use Careem/Uber and the metro, take the comfortable Cairo–Alexandria train, and pick up local licensed guides or small-group day tours only where they genuinely add value (Giza, the GEM, Alexandria). Costs are rough backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP and exclude international flights and the Egypt e-visa unless noted.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Cairo — settle into downtown
Cairo
Fly into Cairo International Airport. Grab a local SIM with data at the airport (Vodafone/Orange counters, roughly £5–7 for a tourist package) and take a Careem or Uber into downtown Cairo or Zamalek (roughly £5–8, ~45–60 mins depending on traffic) — far cheaper than an airport taxi tout. Check into a budget hotel or private room in a hostel around Downtown/Talaat Harb or Zamalek. Spend the late afternoon walking the streets, getting cash from an ATM, and acclimatising. In the evening, eat koshari at a local chain (Abou Tarek is the classic, ~£2–3) and optionally take a cheap felucca ride on the Nile at sunset (~£5–8 per boat, split between travellers).
🚌Airport to downtown by Careem/Uber (~£5–8); walking and metro locally
🛏Budget hotel or private room in a downtown Cairo/Zamalek hostel (e.g. hostel private double or 3-star hotel, ~£20–30/night)
- →Airport SIM card and cash run
- →Sunset felucca on the Nile (optional, ~£6)
- →Koshari dinner at Abou Tarek
Giza Plateau & the Grand Egyptian Museum
Giza / Cairo
Start early to beat the heat and crowds. Take a Careem/Uber to the Giza plateau entrance (~£4–6 from downtown). Buy your site ticket at the gate (~£10–12 for the plateau; entry inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu is a separate ticket, roughly £12–15) — or pre-book a small-group guided Giza tour on GetYourGuide (~£25–40 including transport) if you want the history explained without paying for a private guide. See Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure pyramids, the Sphinx and the Valley Temple, and get the classic three-pyramids photo from the panorama viewpoint. In the afternoon, taxi 15 minutes to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) near the pyramids — book a timed entry ticket online in advance (~£20–25) and allow 3–4 hours for Tutankhamun's treasures, the Hetepheres collection and the Khufu solar boat. Dinner back downtown or in Giza.
🚌Careem/Uber to Giza and GEM (~£4–6 each way)
🛏Same budget hotel/hostel in Cairo
- →Self-guided or small-group tour of Giza plateau (~£10–40)
- →Great Sphinx and Valley Temple
- →Grand Egyptian Museum with Tutankhamun galleries (~£20–25)
- →Panorama viewpoint photo stop
Cairo to Alexandria — Mediterranean day and overnight
Alexandria
Take an early train from Cairo Ramses or Misr station to Alexandria (a few direct services daily, 2.5–3 hrs; 2nd class AC roughly £5–8 — book on the Egyptian National Railways site or buy at the station). Drop bags at a budget hotel near the Corniche or Raml Station (~£20–30/night). Pick up a licensed local guide or join a small-group Alexandria day tour via GetYourGuide/Klook (~£30–45 including transport and entries) — or do it independently: the Roman Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa (~£4), Pompey's Pillar (~£3), Qaitbay Citadel (~£4), a walk through Montazah Palace gardens (grounds ~£2) and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (library entry ~£5, plus optional antiquities museum). Walk or hop in Careem rides along the Corniche between stops. Eat fresh seafood by the harbour in the evening (Anfushi or the fish market area, ~£8–12).
🚌Cairo–Alexandria train 2nd class AC (~£5–8); Careem/tram locally (~£5)
🛏Budget hotel near the Corniche or Raml Station, Alexandria (~£20–30/night)
- →Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa
- →Pompey's Pillar
- →Qaitbay Citadel
- →Bibliotheca Alexandrina
- →Montazah Palace gardens
- →Corniche sunset walk
Alexandria morning, train back to Cairo, Islamic Cairo & Khan el-Khalili
Cairo
Spend a relaxed morning on the Corniche — coffee and a stroll through the old town or the Alexandria National Museum if you skipped it. Take a midday train back to Cairo (~£5–8, 2.5–3 hrs). In the late afternoon, head to the Citadel of Salah el-Din and the Mohamed Ali Alabaster Mosque (~£8 combined entry, best light near closing and fewer crowds) with views over the city. Then walk or take a short Careem ride down to Coptic Cairo to see the Hanging Church, Abu Serga and Ben Ezra Synagogue (free/cheap, ~£2 total in donations), then finish at Khan el-Khalili bazaar for souvenir browsing, mint tea at El Fishawy and a cheap street-food dinner. (Amr Ibn El-Aas Mosque and the full mosque circuit can be squeezed in if you move fast — skip one thing rather than rush.)
🚌Alexandria–Cairo train (~£5–8); Careem/Uber and metro locally (~£6)
🛏Budget hotel/hostel back in downtown Cairo
- →Citadel of Salah el-Din and Mohamed Ali Mosque (~£8)
- →Coptic Cairo: Hanging Church, Abu Serga, Ben Ezra Synagogue
- →Khan el-Khalili bazaar and El Fishawy cafe
Optional Saqqara or Memphis, then depart
Cairo
If your flight is late, use the morning for Saqqara and Memphis — the Step Pyramid of Djoser and the open-air Memphis museum are an easy half-day (Careem out and back ~£8–10 each way, entries ~£8–10; a GetYourGuide half-day van tour runs ~£25–35). Otherwise have a slow breakfast, do a final wander through Downtown's bookshops and cafés, and take a Careem/Uber to Cairo International Airport (~£5–8). Tip: allow 3 hours before an international flight given Cairo traffic.
🚌Careem/Uber to Cairo International Airport (~£5–8)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional Saqqara Step Pyramid and Memphis half-day (~£10–35)
- →Downtown Cairo coffee and shopping
Self-launched vs. Ancient Egypt Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Ancient Egypt Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£285 | £640 |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £355 per person (55%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Ancient Egypt Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£285
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 5 Days Cairo & Alexandria — Self-Launched Pyramids, GEM & Mediterranean Version cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £285 per person for 5 days in 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 Ancient Egypt Tours?+
Yes — Ancient Egypt Tours charges around £640 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £285 — a saving of roughly £355 (55%) per person.
How long is the Egypt trip?+
This itinerary runs 5 days, covering 5 day-by-day stops through 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, budget, backpacker trip through 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.