A Journey Through the Ages: Jordan & Egypt Tour

Day 01 : Queen Alia International Airport – Amman Hotel

Arrival at the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, our airport representative will wait for you before the immigration desk holding a sign with your name and will assist you with the visa procedures to get your free tourist visa (please don’t miss him and don’t proceed without him). Our airport representative will walk with you through customs and to the luggage hall, then you will be transferred to your hotel in Amman for overnight.

Day 02 : Amman City Tour (Amman Citadel+ Roman theater) – Dead Sea (floating only) – Amman Hotel

Meals: Breakfast.

After breakfast, your driver will pick up you from your hotel in Amman, then you will proceed for your tour in Amman, you will start from the downtown part of capital city Amman, visiting the citadel and Roman theater. Everywhere you look there is evidence of the city’s older past

Then, proceed to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth deep in the Jordan Valley and 55 km southeast of Amman, is the Dead Sea, one of the most spectacular natural and spiritual landscapes in the whole world. Upon completion, you will be transferred to your hotel in Amman for overnight

Day 03 : Amman Hotel – Mount Nebo – Madaba (St. George church) – Um Ar-Rasas – Wadi Rum Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, we leave Amman, and head to visit Mt. Nebo is a city mentioned in the bible as the place where Moses was granted a view of the Promised land that he would never enter.

Now, drive to Madaba, a city best known for the famous 6th century Mosaic map of Jerusalem & Holy Land and for its spectacular Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics and visit of St. George’s church.

Then, proceed to Um Ar-Rassas is mentioned in the old and new testaments and the Romans fortified it and the local Christians and a UNESCO World Heritage site!  End the day with dinner & overnight in your camp in Wadi Rum.

Day 04 : Wadi Rum Camp – 04 hours 4X4 Jeep Tour in Wadi Rum – Petra Hotel

Meals: Breakfast.

After breakfast, you will explore Wadi Rum on a 04 -hour jeep ride into the Jordanian desert! Wadi Rum was best described by T.E. Lawrence as “Vast, echoing and god-like”, and by the locals as “Valley of the Moon.” Then you will be transferred to the Nabatean Red-Rose city of Petra, one of the 7 world wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Overnight stay in Petra Hotel.

Day 05 : Petra Hotel – Petra Full Day Visit – Petra Hotel

Meals: Breakfast.

For most visitors to Jordan this is the highlight of the trip, a full day to explore Petra, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.  Entry is via the awe-inspiring Siq, the mile long narrow gorge that leads into the city of Petra and visit the Treasury, Street of Facades, Theater, Colonnaded Street etc.

You will still have time to visit the Monastery and/or the High Place of Sacrifice today. It is a lot of walking and gentle climbing but worth it for the views! Make sure that your phone or camera is fully charged because you will want to take hundreds of photos – guaranteed!

Finally, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Petra for an overnight stay

Day 06 : Petra Hotel – Little Petra – Queen Alia International Airport – Cairo Airport – Cairo Hotel 

Meals: Breakfast.

After breakfast, proceed to visit Little Petra, best known as Al Beidha (the White One) due to the pale rock colors. Little Petra, also known as Siq al-Barid (literally “the cold canyon”) is an archaeological site located north of Petra and the town of Wadi Musa in, it is a Nabataean site.

Then, you will be transferred to Queen Alia International Airport for departure on your next tour.

Day 07 : Cairo Hotel – Cairo Tour – Cairo Hotel

Meals: Breakfast.

After breakfast, you will begin your day with a visit to Giza, where the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaurest are testament to the ingenuity of the ancient world. The largest of the three structures – known as the Great Pyramid of Giza – is Khufu’s and remains the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that still stands.

We next visit either the Grand Egyptian Museum (scheduled to open in late 2023, subject to change) or the incredible Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. Both unlock the extraordinary history of the country through fabulous relics and treasures and deepen our understanding of the ancient world.

Day 08 : Cairo Hotel – Tour of Old Cairo – Sleeper Train to Aswan

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, you will visit Old Cairo today, taking in important Christian, Muslim, and Jewish sites. You will start with the Hanging Church, a Coptic Christian church dating to the third century, which sits above a gatehouse of the Roman-built Babylon Fortress. We continue to Amr Ibn Elas Mosque, an important center of Islamic learning for more than 600 years.

Next is Ben Ezra synagogue, the oldest Jewish temple in Cairo. Local legend says this is where baby Moses was found.

Continue the day with a walk in El Moez and Khaymeya streets, sampling typical food and drink as we go.

Finally, you will be taken to the train station for our overnight sleeper to Aswan (approximately 13-14 hours). Please see the accommodation section for more information on what to expect.

Day 09 : Sleeper Train to Aswan – Abu Simbel Tour – Abu Simbel Simple Lodge

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, this morning, we arrive at Aswan station and then head straight to Abu Simbel by road through the Nubian Desert. The drive takes about four hours. Upon arrival, we have a little time at our accommodation to refresh ourselves.

It’s then onto Abu Simbel. Built by Ramses II, the two temples – where four great seated statues of the pharaoh stare east towards the rising sun – are undoubtedly among the most spectacular in Egypt.

Most tours visit Abu Simbel on a day trip from Aswan starting very early in the morning. By visiting later in the day and staying overnight, we avoid the busiest times.

Day 10 : Abu Simbel Simple Llodge – Aswan Tour – Aswan Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, you will leave Abu Simbel this morning and head back towards Aswan.

This is a laid-back town that reflects the character of its largely Nubian inhabitants, known for being friendly and hospitable. By virtue of its position on the old caravan route, it has always been a trading center.

First, you will visit the Aswan High Dam, one of the largest embankment dams in the world. Built in the 1960s, it has had a huge impact on Egypt – generating hydroelectricity and giving control over water levels and flooding downstream. However, more than 100,000 people had to relocate and archaeological sites were either moved or submerged.

Philae Temple is our next stop. In the 1970s, it was relocated by Unesco to Aglika Island after it became evident the original site would submerge on completion of the Aswan High Dam. It represents a magnificent and enduring testament to both ancient and modern engineering.

In the afternoon, you will visit Animalia, a small museum exploring Nubian culture, flora and fauna. There is a small gift shop with handmade goods.

Day 11 : Aswan Hotel – Kom Ombo – Esna – Luxor Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

We leave Aswan in style this morning, boarding a traditional Egyptian sailing boat known as a felucca for a five-hour journey down the Nile. Rather than take a big cruise ship or drive straight past (as many trips do) we have time to gently navigate one of the world’s great rivers with lunch on board. On the journey, we are accompanied by a tug, which may assist us depending on the wind.

Reaching Kom Ombo, we disembark and visit the Temple of Kom Ombo. Unusually, this is a double temple, with rooms and courts duplicated. One half is dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, and the other to the falcon god, Haroeris.

From Kom Ombu, we continue by road to Esna where we visit the temple dedicated to Khnum, the ram-headed god of creation. Finally, you will drive to Luxor where you will stay the next two nights.

Day 12 : Luxor Hotel – Luxor Tour – Luxor Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

We begin with a visit to the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile. The site contains the once-hidden tombs of more than 62 pharaohs, including Tutankhamun, Seti I, Ramses III and IV. A discreet hillside entrance takes us underground; a series of corridors and antechambers leads down to the burial chamber and sarcophagus. The walls are covered in brightly painted images and hieroglyphs – a map of the afterlife to ensure the king’s safe passage. One ticket allows us to see three tombs. The ticket usually allows entry into what are regarded as some of the most impressive tombs; however, if you have time, a visit to the tomb of Ramses VI is also highly recommended (extra cost). Entry to Tutankhamun’s tomb costs approximately US$12, payable locally. In terms of size and decoration, it is not as impressive as many of the other tombs but is, of course, historically fascinating. Visits to tombs are now strictly controlled to halt further deterioration of wall paintings – each tomb is periodically closed for a few weeks.

Next stop is Queen Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple – a masterpiece of ancient architecture. The temple bears resemblance to classic Greek design yet is 1,000 years older. We have a tour of the site and then proceed to Carter House, a mud brick construction where Howard Carter was based while leading the team who discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb. The house is now a museum and contains maps, books, and other items from Carter’s time there. Finally, you will return to your hotel in Luxor for the night.

Day 13 : Luxor Hotel – Luxor Temples – Luxor Airport – Cairo Airport – Cairo Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Today you will visit Luxor Temple and the huge Karnak Temple complex on the east bank of the Nile. Built over more than 1,500 years, Karnak is a mixture of pylons, courtyards, halls, and sanctuaries. The Hypostyle Hall has 134 columns, some of which are more than 75ft (23m) high. Time permitting, we have the option to walk along the Avenue of the Sphinxes/Road of the Rams, which connects the Karnak and Luxor temples.

In the afternoon, we transfer to the airport and fly to Cairo and then travel to our hotel for our final night. The hotel in Cairo is basic but is convenient for the airport.

Day 14 : Cairo Hotel – Cairo Airport 

Meals: Breakfast

The adventure ends in Cairo. If you’d like more time to explore this fascinating city, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.