Essence of Egypt and Jordan

Welcome to Cairo! Our local representative will pick you up at the arrival hall of the airport, holding a board with your name. On the way to your hotel, our representative will give you a brief introduction of this itinerary. After checking in, explore around on your own for the rest of the day.

► Tips:

Meals: No meals, advice freely available
Accommodation: Steigenberger Pyramids Cairo

After breakfast, your Egyptologist guide and the driver will pick you up from the hotel. We will first visit Great Pyramids of Giza including Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, the Great Sphinx, and Valley Temple. Then go back to downtown to have lunch.

★ Privilege of Our Guests:

Tip: The camel hair is rough and itchy, so ladies going for a camel ride might want to avoid wearing dresses. We also feel obligated to warn you of those “enthusiastic” camel man peddling the camel-riding service: they charge more than you agreed, won’t get you off the camel unless with higher tips, and even won’t lead you to the appointed place… Considering you may be interested and to spare you those scams, we will arrange the ride and pay the camel man in advance.

Afterwards, go to Egyptian Museum, which tells you the history of Ancient Egypt through over 120,000 relics exhibited. You might be familiar with the treasured mask of Tutankhamun, but how wonderful it is to see the original with your own eyes! Then, we will take you to the lively Khan El Khalili Market to experience local life. After that, transfer back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Steigenberger Pyramids Cairo

After breakfast, your driver will drive you from the hotel to Cairo Airport for a flight to Luxor. Upon arrival, your local guide will meet you and transfer you to a pier to embark on a Nile Cruise. Check into the cruise ship at around 12:00 and eat lunch on board.

After lunch, your guide and driver will take you to Luxor East Bank. The first stop is Karnak Temple, the national center to worship the sun god Amun of ancient Egypt during the New Kingdom (1539–1075 BC). It also worked as the national treasury, administrative center, and palace of pharaohs. Another impressive sight is the temple’s Sphinx-lined approach, called Sphinx Avenue, which connects it with our next destination Luxor Temple. Luxor Temple is a symbol of the well-known Opet Festival, when statues of Amun and his family were moved here from Karnark during Nile’s flood season. Intact exquisite statues and reliefs have made it one of the most spectacular spots. After the visit, we will send you back to cruising. Dine and overnight on board.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cruises: MS Concerto

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up from the ship to start today's trip along the West Bank of Luxor. The first stop is Valley of the Kings, the burial ground of 64 pharaohs of the New Kingdom. You can pay extra fee to visit the famous Tomb of Tutankhamun. Then, let’s visit the nearby Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, tomb of the first female pharaoh in Egypt.

Afterwards, head for Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III, aka Medinet Habu. It can surprise you with an atmosphere quieter than those tourist-packed attractions. The carvings and murals here are the best-preserved in Luxor, because they are incised ones, easier to make and preserve than reliefs. Here’s an intriguing fact: Many pharaohs liked to sabotage or modify the carved images of their predecessors! Finally, we will visit Colossi of Memnon, two colossal stone statues of Amenhotep III, the ninth pharaoh of the New Kingdom and the only remains of his lost temple. After the visit, go back to cruising. We will continue to sail to Edfu.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cruises: MS Concerto

After breakfast, go ashore and take a horse-drawn carriage with your guide to the sublime, well-preserved Temple of Edfu, where the falcon-head god Horus is worshipped. Your guide will explain the carved murals on the walls and pillars of the temple, which depict the myths and religion of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt (305 - 30 BC). Then, return to the ship and continue to sail to the next stop, the Temple of Kom Ombo. This temple has two twin halls each dedicated to Horus and the crocodile god Sobek, separated for the conflict between them.

Around noontime, return aboard for lunch and have a relaxing afternoon enjoying various entertainment facilities. In the evening, sample local food as dinner and watch local performances. The cruise ship will arrive in Aswan late at night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cruises: MS Concerto

In the morning, get off the ship and go for an escorted road trip to Abu Simbel, 210 kilometers (130.5 miles) away from Aswan, which takes about 3.5 hours. The guide will take you to visit Temple of Abu Simbel, also known as the Temple of Ramses II, as well as Temple of Hathor, only 50 meters (164 feet) away and built by Ramses II for his wife Nefertari. Then, drive back to cruising and dine on board.

► Tips:

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cruises: MS Concerto

After breakfast, check out at around 8:00 and disembark your cruise. Your guide will pick you up to visit the highlights of Aswan. Stop first by Aswan High Dam and then head to the UNESCO-listed Temple of Philae, dedicated to Goddess Isis, mother of Horus. The temple is located on an island in the Nile to the south of the dam, so we have to boat there. Afterwards, head to the Unfinished Obelisk. Lying on the ground, the stele was abandoned because of a crevice, which is obvious to find, allowing you to see its enigmatic inscriptions up close. After the visit, you will be transferred to Aswan Airport for your flight to Cairo. Upon arrival, the driver will pick you up at the airport and send you to the hotel for check-in.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Steigenberger Pyramids Cairo

After breakfast, your driver will take you from the hotel to Cairo Airport for a flight to Amman, the history-steeped capital of Jordan. Located on seven hills, it is also called "City of Seven Hills". Upon arrival, our local representative will greet you with a placard at the arrival hall of Amman Airport and send you to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Down Town Hotel Apartments

After breakfast, hop on your driver’s car and transfer to Ajlun Castle, ruins of a typical Islamic castle built under the rule of Saladin (reign 1174 - 1193) to protect the country against the Crusades. Standing atop the castle, you can overlook the mountains and valleys of North Jordan.

Next, head to visit the Roman Ruins of Jerash. Suggesting a once prosperous city, these ruins were only brought to the surface from underground in 1806. We should thank the burying sand, since it’s what kept them and made them the most preserved ancient Roman city site in the present Middle East. You can visualize the glories of ancient Roman from the elliptic square, Colonnaded Street, and Nymphaeum. Here you will be accompanied by a spot guide for two to three hours.

Before returning to Amman, you will visit Salt, the once capital of Jordan during the rule of Ottoman Turks. The buildings and ancient architecture on the mountains are still in well conditions. Then, go back to Amman.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Down Town Hotel Apartments

After breakfast in the hotel, your will be driven along the King Road to City of Mosaic, Madaba. Let’s visit the Church of St. George in the center of Madaba and admire its famous 6th century mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land laid on the floor. In the nearby Madaba Archaeological Park, you can find some churches left from the Byzantine times, including the Church of the Virgin Mary, and enjoy exhibitions of original mosaics.

Mount Nebo - our next destination, 8km (5 miles) away from Madaba and 817 meters (2,680 feet) above sea level - is one of the holy places in Jordan. Moses is said to view the Promised Land here. Standing on the observation deck, you can overlook the Jordan Plain and the Jordan River.

Then, have a stop at Wadi Mujib to take pictures before heading to Kerak Castle, a Crusader fortification of the 11th-12th century AD. After the visit, we will drive to Petra for overnight stays and a local tour.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Petra Guest House

Once the capital of Nabataean Kingdom (169 BC – 106 AD), Petra is also called the "Rose City" as its buildings are mostly carved onto rose-colored sandstone cliffs. Remember to wear a pair of comfortable shoes to walk some bumpy paths. Together with a local guide, you will enjoy the scenic area of Petra for around two to three hours. First, ride a horse from the visitors’ center to Siq Canyon, the 1.2-kilometer-long (0.7-mile-long) narrow entrance; get through it and you will see the monumental rock-cut Al Khazneh, aka the Treasury. Strolling along the Street of Facades, we will pass Theater and the Royal Tombs, where your guide will let you explore the lost city by yourself and leave. If you have a lot of energy to spend, why not climb 800 steps to check out El Deir Monastery? It can be challenging, but you will find it worth it all once you stand right before its magnificent facade. When you think it’s time to leave, come back the same way you came here to your hotel.

★ Enjoy 18,000 Candle-Lit Petra by Night
You will see a surprisingly different Petra as the darkness falls, especially when your way through the ancient city is lit by 18,000 candles, a spectacle to be remembered for a lifetime. Considering you might regret missing it, we’ve booked you a ticket for Petra by Night. Please note that you can only see the scene on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Don’t worry if your date to visit doesn’t fall on these days; we will do our best to adjust the itinerary - a privilege of our private tour guests!

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Petra Guest House

Today, drive 7 km (4.3 miles) north to Little Petra, a site similar to Petra - carved from sandstone walls of canyons. For the greyish white of the stone, it’s also named White Petra. Then, drive south to Wadi Rum, aka Moon Valley for its moon-like landscape, a UNESCO-honored site blending nature and ancient culture. We will have a three-hour jeep tour here to admire the magical scene made up by red sand. Afterwards, go to the camp for dinner and stay overnight.

★ Enjoy Traditional Bedouin Dinner “Zarb”
Served via a huge palate, Zarb can be imagined as a tiny rice hill coated with grilled lamb meat, chicken, sliced potatoes, among other vegetables and herbs. The way to cook it is even more curious: first find a grilling pan, cover it with the ingredients and spices, and finally add rice onto them - layered so to let rice absorb the stock. The combination will be put into and heated in a sand-covered oven, and when it’s done, you will see how the oven is brushed off of sand and opened. It will then be turned upside down onto a round palate, to form a rice hill topped with mouthwatering grilled ingredients.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Sun City Camp

After breakfast, your driver guide will drive you from the appointed place to Dead Sea, which takes about 4 hours. It is the lowest point of the earth and is called the "navel of the world". Take time to enjoy some magical time by floating on the hypersaline water. Stay overnight at the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Hotel & Resort

Spend the whole morning as you like. You can continue to float your body on the Dead Sea, or go for a famous mud bath. (The black mud here is said to be mineral-rich and thus benefit your skin and health a lot.) Afterwards, drive for 1 hour back to Amman. Upon arrival, go on a relaxing half-day trip by visiting Amman Roman Theater, Castle Hill and Royal Automobile Museum. For your free time later, you can explore the city by yourself, go shopping, or simply have a rest at the hotel. Overnight in Amman.

► Useful Tip:
If you are going to Israel next, instead of returning to Amman you can get across Allenby Bridge (King Hussein) Crossing that leads to Israel. It’s only a 30-minute drive from your hotel in Jordan to the bridge, and another 2-hour drive to cross the border. You will need to pay USD15 for departure at the Jordanian side.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Down Town Hotel Apartments

Today sees the end of your 15 days Egypt and Jordan tours. After breakfast in the hotel, your driver will pick you up at the appointed time, transfer you to the airport, and see you off. Hope you’ve enjoyed a nice holiday!

Meals: Breakfast