Egypt & Jordan Discovery: Self-Launched 10-Day Pyramids, Nile & Petra Adventure
10 days · Egypt & Jordan
Golden Egypt charges £1,100
No-markup version: ~£585 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Golden Egypt's 10-day Cairo-to-Amman group tour, covering the Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, a Nile sail between Aswan and Luxor, and then Petra, Madaba and Jerash in Jordan. You do the same sights independently: book your own Giza guesthouse, hop the overnight sleeper train to Aswan, sail the Nile on a shared felucca (or join a budget cruise), and take the cheap Wadi Araba border crossing to Jordan instead of a pricier add-on flight. All costs are rough backpacker-level estimates in GBP; entrance fees are paid locally (a Jordan Pass covers most Jordanian sites).
Day-by-day
Arrive Cairo & Giza orientation
Cairo / Giza
Land at Cairo International and take the airport shuttle bus or an Uber/Careem to a Giza guesthouse with pyramid views (the same neighbourhoods the tour uses). Settle in, then walk to the Pyramids viewpoint for sunset and eat koshari or grilled kofta at a local restaurant. Buy a local SIM/eSIM on arrival and pick up your Jordan Pass online before you fly out.
🚌Airport to Giza: Uber/Careem approx. £5-8, or public shuttle bus approx. £1
🛏Pyramid-view guesthouse or budget hotel in Giza (approx. £12-18/night)
- →Sunset at the Pyramids viewpoint
- →Koshari dinner in Giza
- →Buy Egyptian SIM/eSIM
- →Purchase Jordan Pass online
Pyramids, Sphinx & Grand Egyptian Museum
Giza / Cairo
Get to the Giza plateau at opening (8am) to beat the heat and crowds — buy your ticket at the gate or via a GetYourGuide skip-the-line entry. See Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure pyramids plus the Great Sphinx on foot or by camel/horse (agree a price in writing first). Afternoon: the Grand Egyptian Museum near the pyramids — allow 3-4 hours for the Tutankhamun galleries. Book a small-group or self-guided audio tour if you want context.
🚌Local Uber/Careem between sites approx. £3-5 total
🛏Pyramid-view guesthouse or budget hotel in Giza
- →Giza Pyramids & Sphinx (entry approx. £10-12)
- →Grand Egyptian Museum (entry approx. £12-15)
- →Optional camel ride at the plateau
Overnight sleeper train to Aswan
Cairo to Aswan
Morning free for the Egyptian Museum downtown or a walk through Islamic Cairo and Khan el-Khalili. Late afternoon head to Ramses Station for the Watania overnight sleeper train (book online in advance, roughly £45-60 for a single-occupancy cabin including dinner and breakfast) — the same train the tour uses as its budget option. Alternatively take a daytime flight if fares are cheap.
🚌Watania sleeper train Cairo–Aswan approx. £45-60 (or domestic flight approx. £60-90)
🛏Sleeper train cabin (included in train fare)
- →Khan el-Khalili bazaar
- →Optional Egyptian Museum visit
- →Board overnight sleeper train
Aswan: Philae Temple, High Dam & Nubian Village
Aswan
Arrive early morning and check into a riverside guesthouse. Take a shared boat to Agilika Island for Philae Temple (Kiosk of Trajan and Temple of Hathor), then a taxi to the Unfinished Obelisk quarry and the Aswan High Dam. In the late afternoon join a shared felucca or motorboat to a Nubian village for tea and colourful houses — book through your guesthouse for approx. £8-12.
🚌Shared boat to Philae approx. £3; taxi hire for the day approx. £10-15
🛏Aswan riverside guesthouse or budget hotel (approx. £10-16/night)
- →Philae Temple (entry approx. £6)
- →Unfinished Obelisk & Aswan High Dam
- →Felucca trip to a Nubian village
Abu Simbel day trip & Nile sail toward Kom Ombo
Aswan / Kom Ombo
Optional early start for a shared minibus to Abu Simbel (approx. £12-18 return, plus entry approx. £10) with a 3-4 hour round trip on the desert road — arrange the day before at your guesthouse. Later, sail north on a shared felucca or join a budget Nile cruise sector (3-night Aswan–Luxor cruises start around £120-180 all-in if booked locally). Overnight near Kom Ombo or on the boat.
🚌Shared minibus to Abu Simbel approx. £12-18; felucca/cruise sector fare
🛏Guesthouse or budget Nile cruise cabin (approx. £20-30/night equivalent)
- →Abu Simbel Temples (optional, entry approx. £10)
- →Nile felucca sailing
- →Sunset on the river
Kom Ombo & Edfu temples by horse carriage
Kom Ombo / Edfu
Visit Kom Ombo Temple (the dual crocodile-god temple) early. Continue north by minibus or train to Edfu and take a horse carriage to the Temple of Horus — negotiate the fare (approx. £3-5) before you set off. Evening train or minibus on to Luxor and check into a West Bank or city-centre hostel.
🚌Minibus Kom Ombo–Edfu–Luxor approx. £5-8; train option similar
🛏Luxor guesthouse or hostel (approx. £10-15/night)
- →Kom Ombo Temple (entry approx. £4)
- →Edfu Temple of Horus by horse carriage (entry approx. £5)
Luxor: Karnak, Luxor Temple & sunset felucca
Luxor
Spend the morning at the vast Karnak Temple Complex (allow 2-3 hours). Rest through the afternoon heat, then visit Luxor Temple at golden hour. Finish with a cheap sunset felucca sail on the Nile (approx. £6-8 shared) or dinner on the West Bank. Buy your Valley of the Kings ticket the evening before.
🚌Local microbus/taxi across town approx. £2-4; felucca approx. £6-8
🛏Luxor guesthouse or hostel
- →Karnak Temple Complex (entry approx. £6)
- →Luxor Temple (entry approx. £5)
- →Sunset felucca on the Nile
Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut & Colossi of Memnon
Luxor West Bank
Optional sunrise hot air balloon flight over the West Bank (book via GetYourGuide/local agent, approx. £75-100). Then cross to the West Bank: Valley of the Kings (ticket covers three tombs; Tutankhamun and Seti I cost extra), Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, and the Colossi of Memnon. Evening: overnight bus or train back to Cairo to connect onward, or fly Luxor–Cairo if fares are low.
🚌West Bank taxi loop approx. £8-12; Luxor–Cairo train/bus approx. £10-20 (sleeper approx. £45)
🛏Overnight train or budget hotel in Cairo (approx. £12-18)
- →Valley of the Kings (entry approx. £10)
- →Temple of Hatshepsut (entry approx. £4)
- →Colossi of Memnon
- →Optional hot air balloon (approx. £75-100)
Fly Cairo to Amman, then Madaba & Mt Nebo
Amman / Madaba / Mt Nebo
Fly Cairo–Amman (Air Arabia/Royal Jordanian low fares, approx. £60-100 one way; book direct, that's what the tour's included flight covers). On arrival, take the Airport Express bus or shared taxi into Amman (approx. £3-7). Base yourself downtown and, if time allows, take a shared minibus to Madaba to see the 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land in St George's Church, then on to Mt Nebo's viewpoint over the Dead Sea and Jericho hills. All covered by your Jordan Pass.
🚌Cairo–Amman flight approx. £60-100; airport bus approx. £3; minibus to Madaba approx. £2-4
🛏Downtown Amman hostel or budget hotel (approx. £12-20/night)
- →St George's Church mosaic map, Madaba
- →Mt Nebo viewpoint
- →Amman downtown evening walk
Petra, Jerash or Amman Citadel & departure
Petra / Jerash / Amman
For Petra: take the early JETT bus Amman–Petra (approx. £12-15 each way, ~3.5 hrs) and walk the Siq to the Treasury, then up to the Treasury viewpoint and the Royal Tombs — a full day on foot. Alternatively stay closer by spending the day at Jerash's Roman city (shared minibus approx. £5-8 each way, entry on Jordan Pass) plus Amman's Citadel, Archaeological Museum and Folklore Museum downtown. Return to Amman for your onward flight; airport bus approx. £3-5.
🚌JETT bus Amman–Petra approx. £12-15 each way, or minibus to Jerash approx. £5-8; airport bus approx. £3-5
🛏Not included — depart or add extra Amman nights (approx. £12-20/night)
- →Petra via the Siq, Treasury and Royal Tombs (Jordan Pass)
- →Jerash Roman ruins (Jordan Pass)
- →Amman Citadel, Archaeological & Folklore Museums (Jordan Pass)
Self-launched vs. Golden Egypt
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Golden Egypt | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£585 | £1,100 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £515 per person (47%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Golden Egypt-style trips? Check them out here.~£585
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 & Jordan Discovery: Self-Launched 10-Day Pyramids, Nile & Petra Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £585 per person for 10 days in Egypt & Jordan. 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 Golden Egypt?+
Yes — Golden Egypt charges around £1,100 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £585 — a saving of roughly £515 (47%) per person.
How long is the Egypt & Jordan trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Egypt & Jordan.
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 & Jordan, 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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