Highlights of Egypt: Self-Launched Cairo, Aswan & Luxor Adventure

Welcome to Cairo! Most international flights arrive late, so keep Day 1 simple. Check into your guesthouse or budget hotel near Giza or Downtown Cairo, grab some koshari or street food from a local spot, and get an early night. If you arrive in the afternoon, take a walk around your neighbourhood and soak up the energy of one of Africa's greatest cities.

🚌Airport to hotel: Uber or metered taxi (~£5–8) or CTA Airport Bus Line 356 (~£0.50)

🛏Cairo Capital Hotel or similar budget hotel near Giza/Downtown (~£20–28/night)

• →Arrive at Cairo International Airport — take the CTA Airport Bus or a metered taxi/Uber to central Cairo (~£5–8)
• →Check in to your accommodation near Giza or Downtown
• →Optional: stroll along the Nile Corniche at dusk
• →Grab dinner at a local koshari restaurant — Egypt's national dish costs under £2

Today mirrors the Exodus Day 2 itinerary but booked independently. Head to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in the morning — book tickets online in advance via the official GEM website to avoid queues. Spend 3–4 hours exploring the Great Hall, Tutankhamun Galleries, and Khufu Boat Museum. In the afternoon, visit the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) to see the Royal Mummies Hall. Round off the day with an evening wander through Khan El Khalili bazaar — haggle for spices, papyrus, and souvenirs in the lantern-lit alleys.

🚌Use Uber or local taxis between sites (~£3–5 per ride); GEM is near Giza

🛏Cairo Capital Hotel or similar (~£20–28/night)

• →Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) — book tickets online (~£15 standard entry)
• →Explore Tutankhamun Galleries, Great Hall and Khufu Boat Museum
• →Visit National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) including Royal Mummies Hall (~£8)
• →Evening wander through Khan El Khalili bazaar — free to enter, budget ~£5–10 for souvenirs or tea
• →Self-bookable GEM guided tour via GetYourGuide (~£20–30) if you'd like expert context without a full group tour

The big one — the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx in the morning, then Saqqara necropolis in the afternoon. Arrive at Giza early (gates open at 8am) to beat the crowds and the midday heat. Buy your entry ticket at the gate or book via GetYourGuide. Hire a local licensed guide at the site entrance (negotiate ~£15–25 for 2 hours) for rich historical context. Head to Saqqara in the afternoon — it's far less crowded than Giza and home to the world's oldest pyramid, the Step Pyramid of Djoser.

🚌Taxi or Uber from Cairo to Giza (~£5), then on to Saqqara (~£8); total transport ~£13–18 for the day

🛏Cairo Capital Hotel or similar (~£20–28/night)

• →Giza Pyramids Complex entry (~£10); Great Pyramid interior ticket extra (~£15)
• →Great Sphinx — included in Giza complex ticket
• →Hire a licensed local guide at Giza entrance (~£15–25 for 2 hrs) — skip the touts
• →Saqqara Necropolis entry (~£10); Step Pyramid of Djoser interior (~£8 extra)
• →Camel ride at Giza (optional, negotiate hard — ~£8–12)
• →Consider a combined Giza + Saqqara tour via GetYourGuide (~£30–40 all-in)

Enjoy a relaxed morning — take a swim, revisit a site you loved, or explore Islamic Cairo's stunning mosques. In the early afternoon, head to Cairo Airport for your domestic flight to Aswan. EgyptAir and Nile Air both operate this route. Book in advance online for best fares. Aswan is a smaller, calmer city — on arrival, check in and explore the colourful Aswan souk in the evening.

🚌Uber/taxi to Cairo Airport (~£8); domestic flight Aswan (~£50–80)

🛏Nuba Nile Guesthouse or Memnon Hotel Aswan or similar (~£18–28/night)

• →Free morning — optional return visit to Giza or explore Islamic Cairo (Al-Muizz Street is free)
• →Domestic flight Cairo to Aswan — book via EgyptAir or Nile Air (~£50–80 booked in advance)
• →Check in to Aswan guesthouse
• →Evening stroll through Aswan souk — browse spices, Nubian crafts and hibiscus tea

A packed and rewarding day covering all the Exodus Day 5 highlights independently. Take a motorboat to Philae Temple on Agilkia Island — one of Egypt's most beautiful temples, dedicated to the goddess Isis. Then visit the Aswan High Dam. In the afternoon, head to a Nubian village (Animalia or Gharb Sohil) by felucca — the traditional wooden sailing boat is the iconic way to experience the Nile. Negotiate directly with felucca captains at the riverside for a 1–2 hour sail (~£5–8 per person in a group). Round off with dinner at a Nubian restaurant on Gharb Sohil island.

🚌Local taxis and motorboats throughout the day (~£10–15 total)

🛏Nuba Nile Guesthouse or similar (~£18–28/night)

• →Motorboat to Philae Temple — boat hire shared (~£4–6) + entry (~£12)
• →Aswan High Dam entry (~£3)
• →Nubian Village visit — Animalia village is walkable or short taxi ride
• →Felucca sailing on the Nile — negotiate directly with captains at the Corniche (~£5–8/hr per group, split the cost)
• →Dinner at a Nubian restaurant on Gharb Sohil Island (~£6–10)

A free day in Aswan — the perfect pace to slow down and soak it in. The big optional excursion is Abu Simbel, ~3.5 hours south by road. The two temples of Ramses II are genuinely breathtaking and absolutely worth the early start. Book a shared minibus day trip from Aswan (departures typically at 4am to arrive at sunrise) via your guesthouse or local operators — far cheaper than a group tour. Alternatively, fly Abu Simbel (Egypt Air does a short hop from Aswan). If skipping Abu Simbel, enjoy Aswan's botanical garden on Kitchener's Island, or hire a bike and explore at leisure.

🚌Shared minibus to Abu Simbel included in day trip price if booked as a package

🛏Nuba Nile Guesthouse or similar (~£18–28/night)

• →Optional: Abu Simbel shared minibus day trip from Aswan — book through guesthouse (~£20–30 including transport + entry)
• →Abu Simbel temples entry (~£15) — two temples of Ramses II and Nefertari
• →Alternative: Kitchener's Island Botanical Garden (~£2 entry + felucca to island ~£3)
• →Alternative: Hire a bicycle and explore Aswan's west bank (~£5/day)
• →Relaxed evening on the Aswan Corniche with fresh juice

Today is a long but rewarding overland day — Aswan to Luxor with stops at two spectacular temples en route. The most budget-friendly option is to hire a private taxi or join a shared service taxi (microbus) for the day, stopping at Kom Ombo and Edfu before continuing to Luxor. Private taxis for this full-day route cost ~£35–50 split between travellers — extremely good value. Alternatively, book a budget day-tour from Aswan via GetYourGuide. The Kom Ombo temple is uniquely dedicated to two gods (Sobek and Horus), and Edfu's Temple of Horus is the best-preserved temple in Egypt. Arrive in Luxor by evening.

🚌Private taxi Aswan to Luxor with temple stops (~£35–50 split); or book a shared day tour via GetYourGuide (~£30–40pp)

🛏Nefertiti Hotel Luxor or Bob Marley Peace Hotel or similar (~£15–25/night)

• →Depart Aswan early — private taxi Aswan–Kom Ombo–Edfu–Luxor (~£35–50 total, split between travellers)
• →Kom Ombo Temple entry (~£8) — crocodile museum included
• →Edfu Temple of Horus entry (~£10) — take a horse-drawn carriage from the riverbank (~£3)
• →Arrive Luxor evening — check in and explore Luxor souk

Luxor's ancient sites are among the most jaw-dropping on earth — and completely doable independently. Start early on the west bank: Valley of the Kings (entry includes 3 tombs — book Tutankhamun and Ramses VI separately at the gate if you want them), then the extraordinary Memorial Temple of Hatshepsut. Cross back to the east bank for the afternoon: Karnak Temple complex (allow 2–3 hours — it's vast) and Luxor Temple, which is stunning at sunset and into the evening when it's floodlit. Hire a local licensed guide at the Valley of the Kings entrance for expert context (~£15–25 for 2 hours) and celebrate your final evening at a rooftop restaurant on the Nile.

🚌Local ferry (west bank crossing ~£0.50) + bicycle or local taxi on west bank (~£5–8); taxi/walk between Karnak and Luxor Temple on east bank

🛏Nefertiti Hotel Luxor or similar (~£15–25/night)

• →West bank: Valley of the Kings — entry includes 3 tombs (~£12); Tutankhamun's tomb extra (~£15); Ramses VI extra (~£6)
• →Hire a local guide at Valley of the Kings entrance (~£15–25 for 2 hours)
• →Memorial Temple of Hatshepsut entry (~£8)
• →Rent a bicycle or hire a local taxi for west bank (~£5–8)
• →Karnak Temple Complex entry (~£12) — allow 2–3 hours
• →Luxor Temple entry (~£10) — magical at sunset/floodlit in the evening
• →Farewell dinner at a rooftop Nile-view restaurant (~£8–12)

Your Egyptian adventure ends in Luxor today. If you have an early flight, arrange an airport taxi the night before (~£5–8). If your flight is later, enjoy one last Egyptian breakfast of ful medames, eggs and flatbread at a local café, or return to any sites that caught your eye. Luxor airport is small and easy to navigate. Alternatively, extend your trip: consider a few nights in Hurghada (3 hrs by bus) for Red Sea diving and snorkelling.

🚌Taxi to Luxor Airport (~£5–8)

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Enjoy a final Egyptian breakfast at a local café (~£2–4)
• →Optional: return visit to Luxor Temple or local market browse
• →Transfer to Luxor International Airport by taxi (~£5–8)
• →Extension option: bus to Hurghada for Red Sea diving (~£8, 3 hrs)