Journey on the Nile: Self-Launched 5-Day Luxor to Aswan Adventure
5 days · Egypt
Go Tours Egypt charges £445
No-markup version: ~£305 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of the classic Luxor-to-Aswan Nile itinerary: same temples, same river, same sunrise run to Abu Simbel — but on your own terms. Instead of a 5-star cruise boat, you'll base yourself in budget guesthouses in Luxor and Aswan and travel the river corridor by train and shared minibus, stringing together the temples with locally hired guides or self-navigated visits. You keep total flexibility on dates and pace, and can swap the boat for a felucca night on the Nile. Costs are backpacker-level estimates in GBP and assume shared/dorm or simple private rooms, eating local, and shared transport for Abu Simbel.
Day-by-day
Arrive Luxor & the East Bank temples
Luxor
Arrive in Luxor by plane from Cairo (EgyptAir/Nile Air one-way often £40-60) or by overnight sleeper train from Cairo (~£45-55, book via Watania). Check into a budget guesthouse on the West Bank or near Luxor Temple. In the afternoon, walk to Karnak Temple (entry ~£11) and continue along the corniche to Luxor Temple (~£8) — both are easy to do independently, and Karnak is best in late afternoon light. Optionally pre-book a hot air balloon flight for the next morning via GetYourGuide (~£70-90, often cheaper booked direct with a West Bank operator).
🚌Cairo-Luxor flight (~£50) or overnight sleeper train (~£50); local taxis/tuk-tuks £1-3 per ride
🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Luxor (West Bank or city centre), ~£15-20/night
- →Karnak Temple (self-guided, ~£11)
- →Luxor Temple (self-guided, ~£8)
- →Optional: hot air balloon at sunrise booked via GetYourGuide (~£80)
Valley of the Kings & West Bank
Luxor
Get up early to beat the heat and cross the Nile by public ferry (~£0.30) or shared boat. Hire a local taxi for the morning on the West Bank (~£12-15 for 3-4 hours, negotiate directly) to cover Valley of the Kings (~£16, no cameras), Temple of Hatshepsut (~£7) and a photo stop at the Colossi of Memnon (free). Consider adding a tomb ticket for Tutankhamun or Seti I if you're a keen Egyptologist. Afternoon back in Luxor for a lazy lunch and a wander. Optional: hire a licensed local guide at the Valley gate for ~£10-15 to share between a couple of travellers.
🚌Public ferry across the Nile (~£0.30); half-day West Bank taxi hire ~£12-15
🛏Same Luxor guesthouse, ~£15-20/night
- →Valley of the Kings (~£16)
- →Temple of Hatshepsut (~£7)
- →Colossi of Memnon (free photo stop)
- →Optional local guide at the tombs (~£10-15 shared)
Luxor to Edfu and Kom Ombo
Edfu / Kom Ombo
Take an early train or shared minibus south to Edfu (train ~£3-5, 1.5 hrs; minibus similar). At Edfu, hop a horse-drawn carriage (~£3-4 return, agree the price first) out to the Temple of Horus (~£7) — one of Egypt's best-preserved temples. Continue south to Kom Ombo by train or minibus (~£3-5) and visit the riverside double temple of Sobek and Haroeris (~£5) in late afternoon, when it's quieter and the light is lovely. Overnight in Kom Ombo or push on to Aswan (~£5, 1 hr) to save a hotel change — shared taxi from Kom Ombo to Aswan is ~£8-10.
🚌Train Luxor-Edfu (~£4), train/minibus Edfu-Kom Ombo (~£4), train or shared taxi Kom Ombo-Aswan (~£6)
🛏Simple guesthouse in Aswan (~£18-22/night) or basic hotel in Kom Ombo (~£15)
- →Temple of Horus at Edfu (~£7) via horse-drawn carriage (~£4)
- →Kom Ombo Temple (~£5)
Sunrise to Abu Simbel & Nubian evening
Abu Simbel / Aswan
Book a shared minibus or bus to Abu Simbel the previous evening through your guesthouse (~£20-30 return, including entry ~£13). Departure is around 4am in a convoy; you'll arrive for sunrise and have 2-3 hours at the Great Temple and Temple of Nefertari (~£13 combined ticket). Return to Aswan by early afternoon for a nap, then in the evening take a boat to a Nubian village on the west bank (shared motorboat ~£4-6 each way) for dinner with a Nubian family — a much more affordable version of the cruise's folkloric night.
🚌Shared minibus Aswan-Abu Simbel-Aswan (~£22 incl. entry not incl.); local motorboat to Nubian village (~£10 return)
🛏Aswan guesthouse, ~£18-22/night
- →Abu Simbel Temples — Great Temple & Temple of Nefertari (entry ~£13, shared minibus ~£22)
- →Optional: Nubian village boat trip & dinner (~£15)
Philae Temple, High Dam & farewell to Aswan
Aswan
Head out early to Philae Temple on Agilkia Island — take a taxi to the boat jetty (~£4) and hire a small boat across (~£5-6 return, shared with others if possible); temple entry ~£9. Optionally stop at the Aswan High Dam viewing point (~£2) or the Unfinished Obelisk (~£5). Finish with a mint tea at a Nubian cafe by the river, then take a felucca sunset sail (~£6-8 shared). Onward travel from Aswan: night train or bus to Cairo/Abu Simbel, or fly out from Aswan Airport.
🚌Taxi to Philae jetty (~£4), boat across to Philae (~£6 return), felucca sail (~£8)
🛏Not included — onward travel or optional extra Aswan night (~£20)
- →Philae Temple (~£9)
- →Aswan High Dam viewpoint (~£2)
- →Unfinished Obelisk (~£5, optional)
- →Sunset felucca sail (~£8)
Self-launched vs. Go Tours Egypt
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Go Tours Egypt | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£305 | £445 |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £140 per person (31%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Go Tours Egypt-style trips? Check them out here.~£305
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 Journey on the Nile: Self-Launched 5-Day Luxor to Aswan Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £305 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 Go Tours Egypt?+
Yes — Go Tours Egypt charges around £445 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £305 — a saving of roughly £140 (31%) 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, adventure, budget 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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