Skip The Tour: 10 Reasons to Travel Egypt & Jordan Independently

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I’ll be honest, I’m rarely (if ever) a proponent of taking a full-country tour. I can think of only a few exceptions- as an American traveling to Iran (I loved my experience with Iran Nomads) or when traveling to destinations like Syria or Iraq where independent travel can be extraordinarily difficult. But for some reason, most people who visit Egypt & Jordan opt for an all-inclusive tour of the countries. Partially, I think, because it’s an easy or popular thing to do rather than actually being the better way to experience the two destinations.

Here’s my argument on why you should visit Egypt & Jordan without a tour. 

10 Reasons to Travel Egypt & Jordan Independently

Why did I lump these two specific places together? Because many travelers visit both countries on a single trip as it’s rather easy to do so.

1. You’ll save an extraordinary amount of money. 

Egypt is remarkably cheap. Meals will often set you back a whopping 50 cents (or less) and entrance fees to archeological sites can be halved by using my budget-travel tips laid out in my Egypt itinerary. And while Jordan is an expensive country— the only way to make it more expensive is to sign on for a group tour. 

I spent less than $900 for two people to travel 16 days in Egypt & $900 for two people to travel 9 days in Jordan. Show me a guided tour to all the best destinations in either country that can do that. 

2. Jordan is incredibly easy to travel independently. 

For starters, there are likely 3 (5 tops) stops on your Jordan itinerary. Amman, Petra, & Wadi Rum (with maybe Aqaba & the Dead Sea thrown in). Many independent travelers choose to rent a car in Jordan because it’s cheap and safe. But even for those of us that don’t (super budget travelers here), there are plenty of public transport options to get around the country. 

Although Egypt can be more frustrating to independently travel solely because of the many scams travelers may face…it’s still worth the hassle. 

3. You’ll stay in quirky places! 

Tours take you to standard hotels because they know it will keep the majority of their guests happy. But because we traveled independently we were able to sleep in a Bedouin cave inside Petra and in lovely guesthouses alongside the Nile. 

Here’s a quick round-up of my favorite places to stay in either country.

Best Places to Stay in Egypt

• Holy Sheet Hostel (Cairo)
• David Hostel (Aswan)
• BishBishi Camp (Dahab)
• Luxor Old Nile River Hotel (Luxor)

Best Places to Stay in Jordan

• Cliff Hostel (Amman)
• Petra Cabin Inn Hostel + Restaurant (Wadi Musa)
• Arabian Nights Wadi Rum Camp
• Feras Indiana Jones Cave Hotel (Inside Petra)

4. You’ll get to eat street food. 

I have an entire blog post on the best eats in Egypt and most you’re not gonna find in a typical restaurant. On a tour, street food might be included in the itinerary for a single night. You will miss some of the best traditional dishes in both countries if you skip the authentic local street stalls. 

5. You’ll get invited to tea. 

All the time. Egyptians and Jordanians are some of the most hospitable people we’ve ever encountered (especially the Bedouins). And when you travel in a huge group you miss the opportunity to interact with locals. They love independent travelers because they encounter so few of them, so don’t be surprised if they invite you in for dinner or tea. On a tour, you may learn more about the country’s history, but alone you’ll learn more about the country today through the eyes of the people who live there. 

6. Tours are Often Catered to Elderly or Inexperienced Travelers 

Take the Nile cruises for example. What sounds like a lovely experience- spending a few days floating down the Nile in essentially an all-inclusive resort ship, is actually a cheesy environmental disaster. The cruise food is abysmal, the average guest age is 60+, and the staff dresses up in mummy garb for an evening show. No, I’m not kidding. That is 100% something that happens on board.

Even without a Nile Cruise, many tours in both countries are slow moving and you’ll be on the time schedule of the slowest in your group. Not to mention that you are stuck with these people whether you like them or not for the entirety of your trip. Sometimes you get lucky- & sometimes you don’t. 

7. You can step out of your comfort zone. 

This is what travel is all about. Well, this is what travel should be all about. Tours take all the hands-on learning out of travel and you’ll stay within your safe westernized bubble.

Yes, this means some things will undoubtedly go wrong. But that’s half the fun of travel anyways.

8. The tourist zones are the worst areas in both countries. 

And that’s where you’ll stay on a tour. Maybe staying in the heart of the tourist center sounds nice before you get there. But that’s where all the touts and scams occur. It’s where the majority of the trash is thrown. It’s where the least good and most expensive food is. I’m not saying you skip the cities entirely but traveling independently you’ll have the option to stay on the West Bank of Luxor rather than the more popular East Bank or in Wadi Musa city rather than “tourist street”. 

It’s exhausting to hassle with touts every time you leave your room. But outside the tourist centers, it’s a whole different (and much nicer) world.

9. Tours often don’t contribute as much to the local economy. 

We all love to support small businesses at home. Let’s also do it abroad. If you DO decide to go on a tour be sure to choose a locally-owned company that employs local guides. Preferably, check to see if they stay in small hotels or guesthouses rather than international chains like the Marriott.

Let’s use our tourism dollars for good and help the people who need it most. 

10. You’ll like the countries much more! 

Everyone (almost) we met who told us they hated Egypt went on an organized tour. It’s the people who travel independently and get to know the country on a more personal level that end up loving it. 

Be sure to check out my travel guides to Egypt & Jordan to make independent travel easy! 

I hope this post has inspired you to travel Egypt & Jordan independently! You can always reach out at geena.truman@gmail.com or DM me on Instagram with questions.

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