Self-Launched Nile Valley: Luxor to Abu Simbel by Train, Felucca & Local Bus
9 days · Egypt (Nile Valley)
Nilvison Egypt Tours charges £1,800
No-markup version: ~£800 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 9-day take on Nilvison Egypt Tours' luxury Dahabiya cruise — same temples, tombs and river towns, but you travel the Nile the backpacker way: overnight trains, a shared or short private felucca sail, local buses and microbuses between Luxor, Esna, El Kab, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Edfu. You book your own certified Egyptologist guides locally (or join small shared tours) for the big sites, sleep in budget hotels and Nubian guesthouses, and still sail a stretch of the Nile under canvas at a fraction of the cruise price. Costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Luxor — Karnak & Luxor Temple
Luxor
Fly or train into Luxor, drop bags at a budget hotel near the corniche, then walk to Karnak Temple in the late afternoon when the heat eases. Cross to Luxor Temple after sunset when it's floodlit and much quieter than midday. Pre-book an Egyptologist guide for Karnak via GetYourGuide or arrange one at the site gate (~£20-25 shared), or simply use a good guidebook and the on-site signage. Buy your Luxor Pass or individual tickets at the ticket office; a Luxor Pass covers Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings and more.
🚌Airport taxi or local train; walking + microbuses in town (~£3)
🛏Budget hotel near Luxor corniche (e.g. Nefertiti Hotel or similar, twin/dorm, ~£15-20/night)
- →Karnak Temple (self-guided or shared guide)
- →Luxor Temple by night
- →Luxor corniche walk
Luxor West Bank — Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut & Memnon
Luxor West Bank
Cross the Nile by public ferry (about 10 EGP) and hire a bicycle or share a microbus around the West Bank. Start early at the Valley of the Kings (ticket covers 3 tombs; add extra for Tutankhamun or Ramesses VI), then Hatshepsut's Temple and the Colossi of Memnon. A local West Bank guide at the Valley gate costs ~£15-20 and is well worth it for context. Optional: 4:30am hot air balloon flight over the West Bank — book via GetYourGuide/Klook (~£75-90) — or a sunrise bike ride for free.
🚌Public Nile ferry + bike hire or shared microbus (~£4)
🛏Budget hotel, Luxor (~£15-20)
- →Valley of the Kings (3 tombs included)
- →Hatshepsut Temple
- →Colossi of Memnon
- →Optional hot air balloon (~£80)
Esna & El Kab — Temple of Nekhbet and the Tombs
Esna / El Kab
Take a local train or minibus south to Esna (~1hr, ~£1-2), see the Greco-Roman Temple of Khnum locked below street level in the town centre, then take a tuk-tuk or microbus east to El Kab. Here you'll find the Ptolemaic Temple of Nekhbet, the rock-cut tombs of Paheri and Ahmose son of Ebana, and the mudbrick walls of ancient Nekheb — almost tourist-free. Walk down to the Nile-side fishermen's village for tea. Local site guardians open tombs for a small baksheesh (~£2-5). Sleep in Esna or continue to Edfu by train.
🚌Local train Luxor-Esna (~£2) + tuk-tuk/microbus to El Kab (~£4)
🛏Simple Esna guesthouse or budget hotel in Edfu (~£12-18)
- →Temple of Khnum, Esna
- →Temple of Nekhbet, El Kab
- →El Kab rock tombs
- →Fishermen's village stroll
Edfu Temple of Horus, then Kom Ombo
Edfu / Kom Ombo
Get to Edfu early for the Temple of Horus — one of Egypt's best-preserved temples — via horse-drawn calèche from town (~£3). Then take a train or minibus south to Kom Ombo (~2hrs, ~£2-3). Visit the twin Temple of Sobek and Haroeris in late afternoon light right on the riverbank, then stay in the small town. If you want the classic river experience, ask locally about a short felucca hop on this stretch instead of the road.
🚌Train/minibus Edfu-Kom Ombo (~£3) + calèche and tuk-tuks (~£5)
🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Kom Ombo (~£12-16)
- →Temple of Horus, Edfu
- →Temple of Kom Ombo at sunset
- →Calèche ride in Edfu
Aswan — Philae Temple & Nubian Souq
Aswan
Continue south to Aswan by train (~1.5hrs, ~£2-3). Check into a budget hotel or Nubian guesthouse on Elephantine Island or in the Nubian village. Take a public ferry and local boat to Agilkia Island for the Temple of Philae — magical in late afternoon — or book a small shared boat tour (~£8-12 including entrance). In the evening wander the Aswan Souq for spices, karkade and street food. Ask your guesthouse about a shared felucca sunset sail (~£6-10).
🚌Train Kom Ombo-Aswan (~£3) + local ferry/boat to Philae (~£6)
🛏Nubian guesthouse or budget hotel, Aswan (~£15-22)
- →Temple of Philae
- →Aswan Souq food crawl
- →Optional sunset felucca (~£8)
Abu Simbel — Ramses II's Temples
Abu Simbel
Join the early-morning shared convoy bus from Aswan to Abu Simbel (leaves ~4-5am, returns mid-afternoon, ~£10-15 return booked through your hotel or at the bus station). Spend 2-3 hours at the Great and Small Temples of Ramses II and Nefertari. Cheaper than a private car and the standard backpacker option. Alternatively, a shared minibus tour via GetYourGuide costs ~£18-25 including a guide. Back in Aswan, rest and eat by the river.
🚌Shared convoy bus Aswan-Abu Simbel return (~£13)
🛏Nubian guesthouse or budget hotel, Aswan (~£15-22)
- →Abu Simbel Great Temple
- →Abu Simbel Small Temple (Nefertari)
- →Optional Sound & Light show (~£15)
Sail the Nile — Felucca & Island Day
Nile River near Aswan
Recreate the cruise's best day: book a full-day or overnight felucca sail from Aswan (a shared day sail with lunch ~£20-30 per person; a two-day/one-night felucca trip with meals costs ~£40-55). Swim off the boat, stop at islands and Nubian villages, and watch the desert slide by. Ask the captain to moor near Kitchener's Island or a quiet sandbank for sunset. If sailing isn't your thing, take a public ferry to Elephantine Island and walk the Nubian villages and ruins of Abu.
🚌Felucca charter/shared sail (included in activity cost)
🛏Overnight on felucca (included in sail price) or guesthouse, Aswan (~£20)
- →Felucca sailing on the Nile
- →Island swimming stops
- →Nubian village visit
North to Edfu/Luxor via Kom Ombo — or slow train day
Aswan → Luxor
Take the daytime train back north (Aswan-Luxor, ~3-4hrs, ~£4-6 second class, more comfortable than the overnight). Break the journey however you like — Kom Ombo or Edfu if you skipped anything. On arrival in Luxor, do the Temple of Horus at Edfu if you didn't already, or explore Luxor Museum or the Mummification Museum (~£6). In the evening, walk the corniche and eat at a local koshari joint.
🚌Second-class train Aswan-Luxor (~£5)
🛏Budget hotel, Luxor (~£15-20)
- →Scenic daytime Nile train
- →Optional Luxor Museum
- →Luxor corniche evening
Luxor — Departure
Luxor
Final morning for anything you missed — the Luxor Museum, a last walk along the Nile, or souvenir shopping in the souq near Luxor Temple. Take the local bus or taxi to Luxor airport or the train station for onward travel (Cairo sleeper train ~£45-55 if you're continuing north).
🚌Local bus/taxi to airport or station (~£3)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Free morning in Luxor
- →Souvenir shopping
- →Departure transfer
Self-launched vs. Nilvison Egypt Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Nilvison Egypt Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£800 | £1,800 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,000 per person (56%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Nilvison Egypt Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£800
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: Luxor to Abu Simbel by Train, Felucca & Local Bus cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £800 per person for 9 days in Egypt (Nile Valley). 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 Nilvison Egypt Tours?+
Yes — Nilvison Egypt Tours charges around £1,800 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £800 — a saving of roughly £1,000 (56%) per person.
How long is the Egypt (Nile Valley) trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Egypt (Nile Valley).
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 (Nile Valley), 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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