19 Days | 18 Nights
Our representative meets you at the Cairo Airport. Transfer to your booked hotel in Egypt’s capital, check-in. The remainder of the day is free. Cairo is a fascinating city and home to the mighty Nile, the longest and the most vital river in the world. Try to check some floating restaurants and river cruise boats, or experience the lively Khan El Khalili Bazaar.
Today enjoy a tour of the Giza Pyramids. Khufu's pyramid is the northernmost and largest of the three. In classical antiquity, it was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and is the only one to have survived. Khephren's monument can be easily identified by the casing stones that still cling to its pointed top. The much smaller pyramid of Mycerinus had not been completed by the time of the king's death. The Great Sphinx is part of the funerary complex of Khephren. Continue to visit the Step Pyramid of Zoser, the world's oldest major stone structure. It was built in the 3rd Dynasty (around 2630 BC) for King Djoser. Return back to your hotel in Cairo and overnight.
In the morning, enjoy an excursion to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities near Tahrir Square. It houses the world’s largest, most precious, and rare collection of genuine artifacts, over 250,000 pieces are displayed dating back to 5000 years including an exhibit of the treasure collection of king Tutankhamen that had been sealed in his tomb for more than 3500 years and undiscovered until the early 20th century. Entrance to Mummy Chamber is not included. Later in the evening, board an overnight sleeper train bound to Aswan. Travel to Aswan is approximately 13 hours.
Arrive in Aswan. In the morning, proceed to a motorboat to reach Agilkia Island, where you will visit the Temple of Philae which was erected during the Greco-Roman period and was dedicated to the goddess Isis. Check in at the hotel and remaining time free leisure to explore the local bazaar in Aswan on your own. Overnight in Aswan.
Free leisure in the morning in Aswan. You have the option to do an optional tour to Abu Simbel on this day. You’ll start an overnight trip along the Nile River aboard a felucca or Egyptian traditional sailboat. Enjoy your lunch and be amazed by the beauty of the Nile River and breathe some fresh air. In the afternoon, take a walk in the colorful Nubian village and see how the locals live their everyday life. Enjoy a leisurely dinner and overnight on board.
Breakfast on board. The tour begins by visiting the double temple of the Hellenistic period on the eastern bank, the Temple of Kom Ombo. You’ll learn about the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus, whose monuments decorate each half of the temple. Enjoy a leisurely lunch and dinner. Overnight on board a felucca.
After breakfast on board, disembark at the felucca boat. Then Proceed to Karnak Temples, which are the largest structures ever built in the history of mankind. The principal building is that of the god Amun Ra, which is the melting pot of religion and politics. Transfer to your hotel in Luxor and overnight.
Our representative will meet you and the tour starts by crossing the River Nile to Luxor West Bank. Come and see the magnificent Valley of the King. The most concentration of royal tombs in Ancient Egypt. It is where cut in rocks tombs for 62 famous kings of the New Kingdom, all are highly decorated and filled with priceless artwork. Continue to visit the Hatshepsut temple built and named after the powerful Queen Hatshepsut the only woman who ascended the throne of Egypt in ancient times. This temple is located at Deir el-Bahari, a steep cliff in the shape of a horseshoe forms a natural background to two monumental buildings standing side by side, each belonging to a different period. Last stop to pay a visit at Colossi of Memnon. The first monument one encounters on a visit to the west bank of Luxor is the site of the funerary temple of Amenhotep III. The temple itself has all but completely disappeared, but the colossal twin statues of the king, which once stood proudly in front of the entrance to the temple, are still there to greet the visitor. Return to your hotel in Luxor, and overnight.
After breakfast, free morning in Luxor. Drive for about 4 hours eastward across the desert to the Red Sea coast in Hurghada. Transfer to your hotel. Remaining time of the day free leisure on your own.
Breakfast at the hotel. Free day in Hurghada. Extra activities are not included to enjoy excellent diving and snorkeling among the Red Sea coral reefs and see some amazing rare fish. Or choose one of the many other activities such as windsurfing, sailing and deep-sea fishing.
Start early morning for transfer to Hurghada Airport. Fly from Cairo to Amman. Our local representative welcomes you with signage at Amman Airport. Transfer about 3.30 hours via Desert Highway to your Petra Hotel, and check-in. Overnight in Petra. In the evening, you have the option to do Petra by Night activity that runs every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday night only.
After breakfast proceed to Petra, the spectacular rose rock city. Prepare yourself for walking over uneven terrain. Petra is the biggest attraction of Jordan and was first established around the 6th century B.C. by the Nabataean Arabs. Meet your local guide who will give you an understanding of Petra’s history within the next 2.5 hours. Start with a walk to the canyon, the so called Siq, at its end you see the most beautiful monument, the Treasury. The building rises over 40 meters and is carved into the sandstone like most of Petra’s architecture. Continue via the Street of Facades, passing by the Theatre to the Royal Tombs. Your guide says farewell. Free time to uncover Petra on your own, climb for example the 800 stairs to the impressive Monastery El Deir. Return along the same trail back to the main entrance. Overnight Petra.
In the morning we drive 1.5 hours southwards to Wadi Rum, known also as the “Valley of the Moon”. Hop in a 4x4 and with your Bedouin driver uncover more of the vast desert. The rugged landscape, the changing colors of sands and mountains, and the serene atmosphere will make you understand why Wadi Rum is one of the most impressive desert landscapes in the world. The setting had been used for Hollywood movies. You see canyons, red sand dunes, Nabatean rock inscriptions, and a natural rock bridge formed over centuries. If desired, you'll have the option to add a 1-hour camel ride at Wadi Rum at your own expense. Check into your campsite, where dinner and the desert night with a hopefully starry sky await you.
After breakfast, we drive to Crusader Castle in Shobak, perched on the side of a rocky, conical mountain. Continue to the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea, where you have leisure time at the beach and the chance to float on salty water and try the dark mud on the shores for healthy skin (showers and locker rooms are available). Overnight at the Dead Sea.
Breakfast and overnight at hotel – no other services provided. With 400 meters below sea level, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth, where ever since the days of Herod the Great, people have flocked to in search of its curative secrets. The area is characterized by high annual temperatures, low humidity, and high atmospheric pressure, the air is extremely oxygen-rich. With the highest content of minerals and salts in the world, the Dead Sea water possesses anti-inflammatory properties, and the dark mud found on its shores has been used for over 2000 years for therapeutic purposes.
This morning travel to the Jordanian border where after immigration formalities you will transfer by public shuttle bus over the border into Israel, where you’ll be met by our local representative and transferred to your hotel in Jerusalem. The afternoon and evening offer free time. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Today we enjoy a guided tour of Jerusalem (West Bank) and Bethlehem (West Bank). Our first stop is the holy Mount of Olives where there are amazing panoramic views of the old city. We take a walking tour of the atmospheric old city; wander through the Armenian and Jewish quarters to the Cardo (ancient Roman road). We continue on through the old city and the Christian quarter, visiting the famous Wailing Wall - a place of constant prayer and one of the most revered Hebrew sites. Retracing the final laboured steps of Jesus, burdened under the weight of the cross, we walk along the Via Dolorosa to the hallowed Church of the Sepulchre; the site of the crucifixion, Jesus’ tomb and the resurrection. A short drive from Jerusalem is Bethlehem – the birthplace of Jesus; where we visit Manger Square and the Church of Nativity, which is reputed to be the oldest Church in the world and the site where Jesus was born. Spend the evening at leisure in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem – Haifa – Caesarea – Jaffa – Tel Aviv. We bid farewell to Jerusalem today and head north to the port city of Haifa. Here we'll visit the UNESCO world heritage listed Bahai Shrine and the beautiful tropical gardens set on the slopes of Mount Carmel. Travelling down the coast we stop in the historic city of Caesarea where Roman and Crusader-era ruins are strewn along the sea front. Continuing south we reach Jaffa, an ancient port where we enjoy a walking tour of the picturesque fortified town and marvel at the hilltop views. Then it's just a short drive to the vibrant, modern and cosmopolitan city of Tel Aviv, where we spend our final night. Dubbed "the city that never sleeps" Tel Aviv is renowned for its hedonistic nightlife and the city also has a plethora of trendy bistros, high-end restaurants and delicious street food stalls to choose from for dinner.
Breakfast, latest check out 12:00, according to flight departure time transfer to Ben Gurion Airport to say farewell. End of Service.