Self-Launched Nile Valley: Cairo, Luxor, Edfu & Aswan by Train and Felucca
4 days · Egypt (Cairo, Luxor, Edfu, Aswan)
Egypt Gift Tours charges £700
No-markup version: ~£310 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched DIY version of Egypt Gift Tours' 4-day Cairo–Luxor–Aswan Nile cruise. Instead of a chartered 5-star cruise ship and private transfers, you take the overnight sleeper train from Cairo to Luxor, base yourself in Luxor and Aswan hostels/guesthouses, use the local train and shared minibuses between the Nile towns, and hire local guides or join small-group day trips (GetYourGuide/Klook) on-site for the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae and the Nubian Village. You'll see all the same monuments — Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon, Edfu, Kom Ombo, the High Dam, Philae Temple and a Nubian village — and do a budget-speedboat/felucca village trip instead of a cruise-ship excursion. Note that the operator's package price includes Cairo–Luxor and Aswan–Cairo flights; here we use the cheaper overnight train, which is where most of the savings come from. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP and will vary with season, haggling and your appetite for hot-air balloons.
Day-by-day
Cairo to Luxor: overnight sleeper train + Karnak and Luxor Temple
Cairo → Luxor
The operator flies you out of Cairo at dawn; you'll do it cheaper on the iconic Watania overnight sleeper train. Book a single cabin online (approx £45–65 one way) departing Cairo Ramses around 20:00 and arriving Luxor around 05:30–06:30. If you'd rather not sleep on a train, a daytime EgyptAir flight Cairo–Luxor can be found for £50–80 booked ahead. Dump your bag at a Luxor East Bank hostel (Bob Marley House, Nefertiti Hotel or similar, £10–18/night), then head straight to Karnak Temple (entry ~£11) and, after a cheap koshari lunch (£3), Luxor Temple (~£8) in the late afternoon golden light. Skip the private guide and download an audio guide or hire a licensed guide at the gate for £15–25 for two hours.
🚌Watania overnight sleeper train Cairo–Luxor, ~£50; local taxi/microbus from station ~£2
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Luxor East Bank (~£12–18)
- →Karnak Temple (self-guided entry ~£11)
- →Luxor Temple (~£8)
- →Koshari dinner on Luxor corniche
West Bank: Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and Colossi of Memnon
Luxor West Bank → Edfu
Be at the West Bank ferry by 06:30 (local ferry ~£0.20, or a shared taxi across the bridge for ~£1). Buy the Valley of the Kings ticket (~£16, includes 3 tombs; add Tutankhamun or Seti I for extra) rather than an operator's ticketed tour. A shared West Bank taxi for the morning (Valley of the Kings + Hatshepsut + Colossi of Memnon) costs £12–20 if you split it with other travellers — or join a GetYourGuide/Klook West Bank half-day group tour for £25–40 including a guide. Hatshepsut Temple is ~£7, Colossi of Memnon is free. Back to Luxor for lunch, then catch the afternoon train Luxor–Edfu (approx 1h15, £3–5 in 2nd class) and overnight in a small Edfu guesthouse (~£12). This replaces the cruise's afternoon sailing and Esna Lock crossing — you can also stop at Esna village by minibus if you want a glimpse of the lock.
🚌West Bank ferry ~£0.20; shared West Bank taxi ~£4–7 pp; train Luxor–Edfu ~£4
🛏Small guesthouse in Edfu town (~£10–15)
- →Valley of the Kings (3 tombs ~£16)
- →Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut (~£7)
- →Colossi of Memnon (free)
- →Optional Esna Lock viewpoint by minibus
Edfu Temple, Kom Ombo and on to Aswan
Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan
Walk or take a five-minute tuk-tuk (~£1) to the Temple of Horus at Edfu when gates open at 07:00 — entry ~£7, and the early start means near-empty colonnades (the cruise groups don't arrive until 9-ish). A horse carriage ride is a classic local option (~£5 shared) but agree the price firmly before getting in; a tuk-tuk is simpler. Then take the local train or shared minibus down the Nile to Kom Ombo (~1 hour, £2–4), see the twin Temple of Sobek and Haroeris right by the river (~£5), then continue to Aswan by train or minibus (~1h30, £3–5). Overnight in Aswan (Bob Marley Guesthouse, Nubian House or similar, £12–20) and eat at a Nubian restaurant on the corniche (£5–8). Evening: felucca sail at sunset (~£6–10 shared) instead of the cruise's folkloric party.
🚌Tuk-tuk ~£1; train/minibus Edfu–Kom Ombo–Aswan ~£6–9 total
🛏Budget guesthouse in Aswan (~£12–20)
- →Temple of Horus, Edfu (~£7)
- →Kom Ombo Temple (~£5)
- →Sunset felucca sail on the Nile (~£8)
High Dam, Philae Temple and Nubian Village, then back to Cairo
Aswan → Cairo
Start early: shared taxi or local bus to the High Dam viewpoint (~£2, free to walk the viewpoint area), then motorboat across to Agilkia Island for Philae Temple (entry ~£8 + shared motorboat ~£4 pp return). Follow with the Nubian Village trip on Soheil/West Bank — the cruise version is a motorboat excursion, but you can simply take a public motorboat across from Aswan's West Bank pier (~£2) or book a small-group Nubian village walk via GetYourGuide/Klook (£15–25) and have tea with a local family. If you have time, the Nubian Museum (~£6) is excellent. Afternoon: either an EgyptAir Aswan–Cairo flight (£50–80 booked ahead) to mirror the operator's included flights, or take the daytime train / overnight sleeper back to Cairo (~£25–50) — the overnight train saves a hotel night and gets you to Cairo for the morning.
🚌Local bus/shared taxi to High Dam ~£2; motorboat to Philae ~£4; West Bank motorboat ~£2; flight Aswan–Cairo £50–80 or sleeper train ~£45
🛏Overnight sleeper train to Cairo (included in transport) or budget hotel in Cairo (~£15)
- →Aswan High Dam
- →Philae Temple by motorboat (~£12 combined)
- →Nubian Village visit on Soheil/West Bank
- →Optional Nubian Museum (~£6)
Self-launched vs. Egypt Gift Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Egypt Gift Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£310 | £700 |
| Duration | 4 days | 4 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £390 per person (56%) | |
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.~£310
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 Self-Launched Nile Valley: Cairo, Luxor, Edfu & Aswan by Train and Felucca cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £310 per person for 4 days in Egypt (Cairo, Luxor, Edfu, Aswan). 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 £310 — a saving of roughly £390 (56%) per person.
How long is the Egypt (Cairo, Luxor, Edfu, Aswan) trip?+
This itinerary runs 4 days, covering 4 day-by-day stops through Egypt (Cairo, Luxor, Edfu, Aswan).
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 Egypt (Cairo, Luxor, Edfu, Aswan), 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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