Egypt Self-Launched: Pyramids, Alexandria, Red Sea & the Nile
10 days · Egypt
ToBadaa charges £1,400
No-markup version: ~£478 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 10-day version of ToBadaa's "One in a lifetime experience" tour, running from Giza to Aswan. You'll cover the Giza and Saqqara/Dahshur pyramid fields, a day trip to Alexandria, a Red Sea break in Hurghada with snorkelling and a semi-submarine reef trip, then Luxor's Valley of the Kings and Karnak before following the Nile south to Abu Simbel and Philae. Instead of group coaches and a bundled hotel package you'll use Egypt's excellent-value trains, Go Bus coaches and shared microbuses, book budget hotels and hostels directly, and hire local guides or join small-group day tours for the headline sites. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller estimates and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Cairo & the Giza Plateau
Giza / Cairo
Land at Cairo International and take an airport taxi or the metro plus taxi to a budget hotel in Giza with pyramid views (lots of small guesthouses around Nazlet El-Semman, £15–25/night). In the afternoon walk into the Giza Plateau (general site ticket ~£7–8 / EGP 540); the Great Sphinx and the three main pyramids are all included. Optional extra ticket to go inside a pyramid (~£4–5). Stay for sunset and take a cheap felucca sail on the Nile from the Giza or Maadi corniche (~£5–8 for a shared/hour-long sail, negotiate). Eat at a local koshary or grilled-chicken place in Giza (~£4).
🚌Airport taxi to Giza ~£5–7 (or metro £0.30 + local taxi)
🛏Budget guesthouse in Giza / Nazlet El-Semman (pyramid-view room)
- →Giza Plateau & Great Sphinx (self-guided with ticket)
- →Optional interior of a pyramid
- →Sunset felucca on the Nile
Saqqara, Dahshur, Abu Sir & Islamic Cairo by night
Cairo
Hire a driver for the day (~£25–35 split between 2–3 travellers, or join a small-group Saqqara–Dahshur–Memphis day tour on GetYourGuide/Klook for ~£25–35 pp). See the Step Pyramid at Saqqara, the Bent and Red Pyramids at Dahshur (you can often climb inside the Red Pyramid for free with the site ticket) and the smaller Abu Sir fields. Back in Cairo, ride the metro to the Citadel area and wander El Moez Street in the evening — free to walk, and the Elfishawy Cafe in Khan el-Khalili does mint tea and shisha for a few pounds. Finish with the optional Sound & Light show at the Giza pyramids (~£12) if you want it.
🚌Private driver hire for the day ~£30 split, or small-group tour
🛏Budget guesthouse in Giza / central Cairo
- →Saqqara Step Pyramid & Mastabat al-Fir'aun
- →Dahshur Bent & Red Pyramids
- →Abu Sir pyramids
- →El Moez Street & Khan el-Khalili
- →Optional Giza Sound & Light show
Day trip to Alexandria
Alexandria
Take an early train from Cairo Ramses or Misr station to Alexandria (~2h15, £2–5 in 2nd/1st class). From Sidi Gaber or Misr station, grab a taxi or the tram to the Corniche. Visit the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (~£2.50), the Alexandria National Museum (~£3) and the Roman Catacombs of Kom el-Shuqqafa (~£2.50), then walk the Corniche to Fort Qaitbey for rooftop views (~£1.50). Seafood lunch on the Corniche is the local move (~£6–8). Return by evening train to Cairo, or stay the night in a cheap Alexandria hotel (~£15–20) and travel onward tomorrow.
🚌Cairo–Alexandria train ~£2–5 each way; local taxis/tram ~£3
🛏Budget guesthouse in Giza / central Cairo (or Alexandria hostel)
- →Bibliotheca Alexandrina
- →Alexandria National Museum
- →Catacombs of Kom el-Shuqqafa
- →Fort Qaitbey & Corniche walk
Overland to Hurghada & Red Sea snorkel trip
Hurghada
Take a Go Bus or Blue Bus coach from Cairo to Hurghada (~6h, £8–12) or fly if you'd rather save time (~£60–90 one-way). Check into a budget hotel or hostel in Hurghada (~£15–20) and head straight for the water: a shared boat trip to Giftun Island with snorkelling stops is the classic half-day option (~£18–25 including lunch, bookable via GetYourGuide or any Hurghada dive shop). Evening stroll along the marina.
🚌Cairo–Hurghada coach ~£8–12 (or flight ~£60–90); shared boat ~£10
🛏Budget hotel / hostel in Hurghada
- →Giftun Island boat cruise
- →Snorkelling on the Red Sea reefs
Hurghada wrecks & Old Town
Hurghada
If you're a diver, the SS Thistlegorm wreck is a full-day boat trip for certified divers (~£70–90, book via a local dive centre in advance — it's a long run north). Non-divers can do the same wreck as a snorkel/glass-bottom combination instead, or swap for a second reef trip. In the afternoon visit the El-Mina Mosque and the small Marine Biology Museum. Note: the Thistlegorm is not reachable on a standard 45-minute boat cruise, so plan it as a real dive day if it's a priority. Dinner on the cheap in the Old Town (~£3–5).
🚌Local minibus/taxi ~£3; dive boat included in trip price
🛏Budget hotel / hostel in Hurghada
- →SS Thistlegorm wreck dive (certified divers)
- →El-Mina Mosque
- →Marine Biology Museum
Semi-submarine & free beach day
Hurghada
Take a semi-submarine trip — a glass-hulled boat that descends over the reefs with panoramic windows — usually ~90 minutes with snorkelling included (~£20–25). Spend the rest of the day at a public beach or your hotel's beach/pool; public beach access in Hurghada is ~£2–4. Great day to do laundry, book your Luxor transport and rest.
🚌Local taxi/minibus ~£3
🛏Budget hotel / hostel in Hurghada
- →Semi-submarine reef trip with snorkelling
- →Beach and swimming
Free day in Hurghada
Hurghada
Slow day. Options: a kitesurfing or intro-dive lesson (~£35–50), a quad-bike desert run (~£20), or simply lounge. Pick up snacks and water for tomorrow's journey. Confirm your Go Bus seat to Luxor for the morning.
🚌Local taxi/minibus ~£3
🛏Budget hotel / hostel in Hurghada
- →Optional kitesurfing or intro dive
- →Beach relaxation
- →Book onward transport to Luxor
Hurghada to Luxor, Valley of the Kings & Karnak
Luxor
Take the early Go Bus or a shared taxi from Hurghada to Luxor (~4h, £6–10 coach, £15–20 shared taxi). Drop bags at a West Bank or city-centre hostel (~£10–15). Hire a West Bank taxi for the afternoon (~£12–15 for the loop): Valley of the Kings (site ticket ~£8 including three tombs, Tutankhamun and Ramesses V/VI extra), Temple of Hatshepsut (~£3.50) and the free Colossi of Memnon viewpoint. In the late afternoon visit Karnak Temple (~£4.50) — go near closing for the light and fewer crowds. A local guide can be hired at the gate for ~£15–20 for the group.
🚌Hurghada–Luxor coach ~£6–10; West Bank taxi loop ~£13
🛏Budget hostel/guesthouse in Luxor (West Bank or city centre)
- →Valley of the Kings
- →Temple of Hatshepsut
- →Colossi of Memnon
- →Karnak Temple
Luxor to Aswan via Abu Simbel
Aswan
Take an early train from Luxor to Aswan (~3h, £3–6). The Abu Simbel trip needs to be arranged the day before — from Aswan the standard option is the pre-dawn shared convoy bus or minibus (~£13–20 return, ~3h each way, plus entry ~£10). If you'd rather not do a very long day, do Abu Simbel as a morning trip today and see Aswan's sights tomorrow. Alternatively join a Klook/GetYourGuide Abu Simbel day tour (~£35–45 including transport). Evening: walk the Aswan Corniche and eat at a Nubian restaurant on the river (~£5).
🚌Luxor–Aswan train ~£3–6; Abu Simbel shared bus ~£15
🛏Budget guesthouse in Aswan (Nubian-style houses on Elephantine Island are cheap and lovely, £12–20)
- →Train down the Nile Valley
- →Abu Simbel temples with Egyptologist guide option
Philae Temple, High Dam & Unfinished Obelisk
Aswan
Morning: local boat across to Agilkia Island for Philae Temple (~£3.50 entry plus ~£3 boat). Then the Aswan High Dam viewpoint (~£1.50) and the Unfinished Obelisk quarry in the northern granite quarries (~£2). If you want an Egyptian-guided half-day covering all three, book locally through your guesthouse (~£20–25 pp). Finish with a koshary lunch and a taxi to Aswan airport or the sleeper/standard train back to Cairo if you're flying home from there.
🚌Local boat to Philae ~£3; taxis ~£5; optional onward train/flight
🛏—
- →Philae Temple
- →Aswan High Dam
- →Unfinished Obelisk
- →Nubian village stroll
Self-launched vs. ToBadaa
| This itinerary (self-launched) | ToBadaa | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£478 | £1,400 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £922 per person (66%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more ToBadaa-style trips? Check them out here.~£478
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 Egypt Self-Launched: Pyramids, Alexandria, Red Sea & the Nile cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £478 per person for 10 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 ToBadaa?+
Yes — ToBadaa charges around £1,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £478 — a saving of roughly £922 (66%) per person.
How long is the Egypt trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 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 adventure, culture, beaches 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?
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