Around Egypt and Jordan tour

Day 01: Arrival

Welcome to Cairo! Your tour begins when you are greeted by our representative who will assist you through immigration and customs formalities. After you have collected your luggage he will then take you, in our deluxe vehicle, to your Cairo hotel.

Day 02: Cairo

Breakfast at the hotel is followed by a full day tour. In the morning you will be taken to see the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx: the most famous monuments of not only ancient Egypt, but of the entire ancient world! These massive stone structures were built around 4,500 years ago on a rocky desert plateau close to the Nile. After the visit, you will be driven to the Papyrus Institute where you will see how the ancient Egyptians made this forerunner to today’s paper; have a go at making it yourself; and get the opportunity to look at some fantastic examples of papyrus art, with no obligation to buy.

After lunch, at a local restaurant, you will be driven to Sakkara to see the very first pyramid ever built; the Step Pyramid of Djoser. You will also get the chance to see some fantastic mastabas, including the mastaba of Mereruka, the largest one built in ancient Egypt. You will then be able to marvel at the Pyramid Texts inside the Pyramid of Teti before heading off to the ancient capital of Egypt: Memphis. The Colossus of Ramses II dominates the museum here!

After this amazing trip through Egypt’s pharaonic past you will be driven back to your hotel.

Day 03: Cairo

Breakfast at the hotel is followed by another full day tour, but this time you will spent the forenoon at the Egyptian Museum: gaze at the wonders of King Tutankhamen, including his golden death mask; stare upon the mummies of some of Egypt’s ancient pharaohs (optional); lose yourself in the many rooms and galleries, where thousands of artefacts are awaiting your visit.

After lunch, you will be driven to the Pharaonic Village; the site which was founded by Dr. Hassan Ragab. This is the man that rediscovered the ancient Egyptian art of papermaking; better known as papyrus.

The Pharaonic Village is Egypt's historic park. It is a unique place where Egypt's entire history is explained in 2 to 3 hours including our ancient and modern history. It is located on an island in the River Nile: just 3 miles south of the centre of Cairo. Here you will find yourself being transported by floating amphitheatres, and a hundred actors and actresses demonstrate scenes from ancient Egypt (papyrus making, brewing, sculpting, home building….etc). The village also boasts a complete replica of King Tutankhamen’s tomb, with all its treasures. In addition to this there are 12 new museums, 4 related to ancient Egypt (mummification and medicine, pyramids building, arts and beliefs, ancient Egyptian boats.

Day 04: Luxor

After breakfast you will check out and our representative will escort you to the airport for your flight to Luxor. Upon arrival you will be met and assisted by our representative who will transfer you to your hotel. After check-in you will visit the magnificent Karnak and Luxor Temples.

Once your visit to these ancient Theban Temples is completed you return to your hotel

Day 05: Luxor

After breakfast our air-conditioned vehicle will take you on your visit to the West Bank of Luxor: the tombs of the New Kingdom Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings; the magnificent temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir El-Bahri finishing with the immense Colossi of Memnon.

Once your visit to these ancient Theban Tombs and Temples is completed you will be returned to your hotel.

Day 06: Dendara And Abydos

Today you will visit Dendara to see the Temple which was dedicated to the goddess Hathor, goddess of love and joy. Built in the time of the Ptolemy rulers of Egypt, around 125 BCE, it still has an intact roof where you can marvel at the beautiful ceiling that depicts the hours of the night and day, as well as the journey of the sun, the moon and the stars across the sky: one ceiling even has a plaster cast depiction of the signs of the zodiac.

Abydos, where the ancient Egyptians believed Osiris, lord of the underworld, was buried. Here you will visit the Temple of Seti I, which was built during the reign of Seti I and completed by his son, Ramses II. The paintings and reliefs on the walls of this temple are reckoned to be the best, and most beautifully preserved, in Egypt.

At the end of these visits you will be driven back to your Luxor hotel.

Day 07: Cairo And Nile Cruise: Luxor

After breakfast you will check out and our representative will transfer you to your cruise boat: your floating hotel for your next 4 days. After lunch, which you will have on board, you will have rest of the day to relax and soak up some sun.

Day 08: Nile Cruise: Luxor

A new day, your first breakfast on board, and then it is time to revisit the West Bank of Luxor, this time to see: Deir El-Medina, the village created for the workers who built the Valley of the Kings; Medinet Habu, the mortuary temple of Ramses III; and finally the Mortuary temple of Seti I.

After this extra visit to the West Bank it is back to your boat for your lunch, and then you can watch as it departs Luxor and sails for Esna. The Nile flows gently underneath you as dinner is served.

Day 09: Nile Cruise: Edfu And Kom Ombo

You can enjoy your breakfast watching as the cruise boat crosses the Esna lock then sails onward to Edfu, home of the best preserved temple in Egypt: the Temple of Horus. After your visit to this superb temple your guide will return you to your cruise boat for dinner, while the boat sails majestically onwards towards Kom Ombo.

Day 10: Nile Cruise: Aswan

Your last day of sailing starts with breakfast, and then a visit to the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the gods Horus and Sobek. Afterwards it is back to the boat for lunch and the sail to Aswan. Once ashore you will be driven to see the High Dam, the worlds largest rock filled dam, and then a short sail to the Temple of Philae, moved to the island of Agilika after the waters of Lake Nasser flooded its original location. It is then back to Aswan for your last dinner on the boat.

Day 11: Aswan

You will have your final breakfast on the boat before you have to check out. You will then be taken to the Botanical Gardens by felucca. After this visit you will be transferred to your Aswan Hotel. The rest of the day is leisure time for you.

Day 12: Aswan

After breakfast you will have the opportunity to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of an extended felucca ride as you travel to see the Nubian Village, which is situated at the bottom of Elephantine Island. After lunch you will return to Aswan to see the Nubian Museum that was opened in 1997. Here you will see thousands of artefacts that could have been lost under the waters of Lake Nasser once the High Dam was completed.

Once this tour is completed you will be taken back to your Aswan hotel.

Day 13: Aswan And Abu-Simbel

After an early breakfast it will be time to start your overland mini-bus trip to Abu Simbel where you will be able to gaze in amazement at these phenomenal rock-cut temples built by Ramses II. During your 2 hour stay here you will be able to enter both temples; the Temple of Ramses and the Temple of Nefertari. Please note that photography is not allowed inside the 2 temples.

Once your visit here is over you will be driven back to Aswan and the rest of the day is leisure time.

Day 14: Aswan

After breakfast you will again enjoy the pleasure of a felucca sail as you are taken to visit the botanical gardens on Kitchener's Island. You will follow this visit with a sail over to Elephantine Island to enjoy the Nubian Villages that are situated at the bottom of the Island. Here you will discover the simple and natural life of the very kind and hospitable Nubian people. Once your visit to these sites is complete, it will be time to cross back over the river to your hotel.

Day 15: Aswan And Cairo

After breakfast you will check out and then will be transferred to Aswan airport for the flight back to Cairo (flight duration is about 55 minutes). Once there our representative will meet you and assist you with your luggage before transferring you to your hotel for check-in.

Day 16: Cairo

After breakfast you will be taken on a tour of Cairo famous Coptic Churches, including: The Hanging Church and the Church of St. George the Martyr, 2 churches built into the walls of the Fort of Babylon and its remains could be Cairo’s oldest structures; and the Church of Abu Serga (St. Sergius), where, it is said, the Holy Family took shelter in a cave, with the church being erected her to commemorate this. This whole area is a world famous destination for Pilgrims.

Day 17: Cairo

A day to enjoy old, Islamic Cairo! After breakfast you will be taken to visit: the Citadel of Saladin; the Mohamed Ali Mosque; and the Sultan Hassan Mosque.

At the end of this exciting day you will be driven to visit the old bazaar of Cairo (Khan El-Khalili) to test your haggling skills, and then taken back to your hotel

Day 18: Cairo, Wadi El-Natron And Alexandria

After breakfast the drive to Alexandria has a slight detour to see the Wadi El-Natrun; the site of 4 ancient monasteries, as well as being a huge salt-pan where the ancient Egyptians collected the salt for use in mummification and cleansing rituals.

After lunch you will continue the journey, arriving at your Alexandria hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free to relax or explore.

Day 19: Alexandria

Your day starts with breakfast in your hotel followed by a tour of this beautiful city, originally built by Alexander the Great. You will first visit the Citadel of Qaitbay, where in 1480 AD the Mameluke Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbay fortified the site, which held the ruins of the Alexandria Lighthouse, and with successive improvements it now stands as a very prominent Citadel on the Mediterranean coastline. Next it is time to travel down into the Catacombs (Kom el Shoqafa), the underground haven where many of the early Christians were buried; ensuring safety for their bodies, and then it is on to see Pompey’s Pillar, the biggest memorial column in Egypt made of red granite and standing about 28 metres high, with a base diameter of 2.7 metres. During the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, the Roman ruler of Egypt, between 284 and 305AD, erected this memorial column in his honour, as a sign of gratitude. Finally you will then be taken to see the Alexandria National Museum, which was built in a former palace and now houses almost 2000 artefacts which tell the story of the city, including the recent finds from the sunken part of the city.

Lunch will be supplied at a local restaurant in the middle of this exciting tour, and at the end of the day you will be returned to your hotel for dinner.

Day 20: Alexandria And El-Alamein

After breakfast you will be taken, in our air-conditioned vehicle, to El-Alamein where you will see the war cemetery and museum dedicated to the 2 battles fought here during World War II.

Once this visit is completed you will be driven back to your Alexandria hotel.

Day 21: Alexandria And Cairo

After breakfast you will be taken to see the New Alexandria Library or Bibliotheca Alexandrina, which was inaugurated on October 16, 2002 and has shelf space for eight million books, with the main reading room on eleven levels. You will then go to see the Greco/Roman Museum, 21 rooms containing about 40,000 valuable relics dating from as early as the 3rd century BCE. Finally it is time to visit the Montazah Gardens, a private park where world leaders often meet, 150 acres of numerous trees, palms, and flowers which overlook many bays and beaches. Here you will have a late lunch and at the end of the day you will have a tired, but fulfilled, drive back to Cairo.

Day 22: Cairo

Today is a day where you can have a leisurely time as no visits are planned. This will give you time to reflect on your visit to Egypt, or enjoy some last minute shopping, before you embark on your Jordan portion of the package.

Day 23: Egypt And Jordan

After breakfast you will check-out and then be transferred to Cairo Airport for your flight to Amman. Upon arrival at Amman Airport you will be met and assisted through immigration by our Jordan

representative. He will then help you with your luggage and transfer you to your hotel in Amman.

Day 24: Madaba, Mt. Nebo, Kerak And Petra

After breakfast it is time to check-out and then start your journey to Petra. En route you will visit Madaba, the city of Mosaics, which has the oldest known mosaic map of the holy land. After that you will view the Jordan Valley from the famous Mount Nebo. Next it is time to visit Kerak and see its magnificent castle, finally arriving in Petra where you will check-in to your hotel.

Day 25: Petra And Amman

You will check-out after breakfast and then set off to visit Jordan's Jewel, "Petra", a city that was fully carved out of the mountainsides. Upon arrival, you will be taken on a horseback ride through the Siq, the only access to this city.

After this fantastic visit you will be driven to your hotel in Amman.

Day 26: Final Departure

Your final day starts with breakfast at the hotel followed by check-out. You will then be transferred to the airport for your final departure.

End Of Package

Egypt Rates Include:

● 8 night’s accommodation in Cairo on a bed and breakfast basis

● 3 night’s accommodation in Luxor on a bed and breakfast basis

● 4 night’s accommodation in Aswan on a bed and breakfast basis

● 4 night’s accommodation on board a Nile cruiser on a full board basis (all meals included)

● 3 night’s accommodation in Alexandria on a bed and breakfast basis

● All transfers as per above mentioned program

● Private and personalized sightseeing shore excursions for 4 nights on the cruise

● Private English speaking guides as per the itinerary

● Entrance fees for all sightseeing

● All applicable taxes

● Private and deluxe air conditioned vehicle for all transportation

● Meals: 25 breakfasts + 17 lunches + 10 dinners

● Arrival/departure assistance

● Domestic flights: Cairo/Luxor and Aswan/Cairo

● International flight: Cairo/Amman

● Luggage handling at airports and hotels

Egypt package Rates Exclude:

● Tipping for guides, driver, Nile cruise crew, etc

● Personal expenses (laundry, telephone calls, etc)

● Beverages during meals

● Entry visa

● Personal travel insurance

● International airfare

● Any domestic flights not included in the above package

● Any other items which are not included in the above package

Jordan package rate Includes:

● 8 night’s accommodation in Cairo on a bed and breakfast basis

● 3 night’s accommodation in Luxor on a bed and breakfast basis

● 4 night’s accommodation in Aswan on a bed and breakfast basis

● 4 night’s accommodation on board a Nile cruiser on a full board basis (all meals included)

● 3 night’s accommodation in Alexandria on a bed and breakfast basis

● All transfers as per above mentioned program

● Private and personalized sightseeing shore excursions for 4 nights on the cruise

● Private English speaking guides as per the itinerary

● Entrance fees for all sightseeing

● All applicable taxes

● Private and deluxe air conditioned vehicle for all transportation

● Meals: 25 breakfasts + 17 lunches + 10 dinners

● Arrival/departure assistance

● Domestic flights: Cairo/Luxor and Aswan/Cairo

● International flight: Cairo/Amman

● Luggage handling at airports and hotels

For (January - February - March - April )

For (January - February - March - April )