Day 1: Cairo Welcome to Cairo, the city of the mysterious pyramids and pharaohs, tombs and temples and more than 6000 years of history. Arrival transfer from the airport to the hotel in Cairo. In the evening, your tour leader will brief you about the next days of your journey. Day 2: Cairo Today you will first visit the Giza Plateau to explore the world famous pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mycrenos. In the afternoon, head to Sakkara, the first capital of ancient Egypt, famous for its step pyramid built by King Zoser in 2700 B.C. After visiting a traditional Egyptian parfume oil manufacturer, return to the hotel before boarding the overnight train to Aswan in the evening. Day 3: Aswan The day will start with the discovery of the High Dam before visiting the Philae Temple - dedicated to the Goddess Isis - and the unfinished Obelisk. Today you'll also find the opportunity to visit a papyrus center to learn more about this word famous Egyptian handicraft. Day 4: Aswan, Nile Cruise Board a five-star Nile Cruise boat to start the cruise on the Nile. You'll first visit the Elephantine and Kitchener Islands and continue your way down to north. Overnight stay in cruise boat including all meals. Day 5: Nile Cruise Sail all day on the Nile and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of one of the greatest rivers on the earth. Overnight stay on the five-star cruise boat including all meals.
Day 6: Nile Cruise, Komombo, Edfu, Luxor After breakfast, head to the Komombo Temple, which was built during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. The temple is dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and god Horus. Then continue to Edfu to visit the largest and best preserved temple in Egypt. The temple is dedicated to the falcon god Horus and was built over a 180-year period from 237 BC to 57 BC. Then head to Luxor.
After cheking into the hotel, depart to visit the temple of Luxor on the East Bank of the Nile, which was dedicated to the great god Amun, his wife Mut and their son Khonsu (the mood god) - together representing the Theban triad. The temple was built on the site of a probable smaller structure for the god Amun, while the earliest parts of the temple seen today date from the 14th century BC and the time of Amenhotep III. Day 7: Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Karnak, Dahab After breakfast, depart for the West Bank of the Nile where donkeys are waiting to take you into the Valley of the Kings through quiet roads with lovely views of the Nile. After the donkey ride, start the discovery with this magnificent sight, “the city of the Dead”, where magnificent tombs were carved into the desert rocks, decorated richly, and filled with treasures for the afterlife of the Pharaohs. Rising out of the desert plain in a series of terraces, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut will be your next stop. Then proceed to the Temple of Karnak, one of the most important religious centers in the ancient Egypt. In the evening, board an overnight coach to Dahab, the activity and leisure center of Egypt. Days 8-10 : Dahab Three more days to savor the sun, sand, and sea, and to enjoy the activities available in Dahab: windsurfing, sailing, deep sea fishing, swimming, but above all, snorkelling and diving. Jeep and camel safaris are also available in this charming Red Sea resort.
Day 11: Nuweiba/Taba, Aqaba, Wadi Rum Depart for Nuweiba or Taba to board the speed ferry to Aqaba, the Jordan’s window to the sea. After checking into a desert camp in Wadi Rum, you’ll join a two-hour Jeep safari in the desert. This evening you’ll also enjoy a Jordanian local dinner in Wadi Rum. After chilling out by the desert fire and sharing experiences with your travel mates under a starry sky, stay overnight in a desert camp. Day 12: Wadi Rum, Petra After breakfast, depart for a full-day tour in the Red Rose City Petra. Join an unforgettable trip on horseback till the siq and then by foot till you reach the Treasury. A local guide will provide a brief history of the city, which is the greatest attraction in the Middle East. You’ll also visit the Pharaoh's Castle, the Triumphal arch and the Amphitheater. Overnight stay in Petra. Day 13: Petra, Kerak, Dead Sea, Amman Today you’ll first head to Kerak to visit the impressive Karak Castle, which was built in the 12th century. Then drive to the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea, for floating on the salty water. After the orientation tour in Amman, check into the hotel.
Day 14: Amman, Jerash, Ajloun, Umm Qais After breakfast, depart for ancient Gadara in Umm Qais, one of the brilliant Greco-Roman cities in Jordan. Then head to Ajlun, an Islamic castle built high on a hill overlooking the entire Jordan valley below. In the afternoon, drive through the pine forests and olive groves to the ancient Greco-Roman city of Jerash. A guide will take you for a tour through the collonnaded street, amphitheater, churches, temples and the vast Roman Forum. In the evening you’ll arrive in Amman. Day 15: Amman The trip will end after breakfast in Amman. |