Egypt & Jordan Uncovered Premium Small Group Tour

Day 1 | Cairo

Salaam Alaikum! Welcome to Egypt. 

A buzzing metropolis, home to at least 19 million people, Cairo gives you a great feel for Egyptian streetlife. It’s busy – almost frantic – and among the hustle and bustle, it’s an exciting blend of old world and new. Arabs call this city Umm al-Dunya (the mother of the world). There are many beautiful mosques to visit, like the Mohammed Ali Mosque in the Citadel. Or head to the oldest part of Cairo, the Babylon Fortress, to see ancient ruins. For stunning panoramic views of the capital, go up the 187-metre-high Cairo Tower.

Try some street food – lamb shawarma, anyone? – or get a taste of Egyptian street life by visiting a cafe. Sit in an ahwa and sip traditional mint tea. The shisha pipe can be found in many ahwas and restaurants across Cairo.

Hotel: Hyatt Regency Cairo West

Day 2 | Cairo

After breakfast, meet your guide for a welcome briefing before heading out to see some of the world’s most iconic sights – the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx. Explore these structures that have stood tall for some 4,500 years and learn about the ancient history of the monuments. The oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact, the pyramids are a sight to behold.

Afterwards, you will visit the Grand Egyptian Museum.  Rising beside the Giza Pyramids, the breathtaking Grand Egyptian Museum is a monumental tribute to ancient Egypt. This ultra-modern masterpiece unveils over 100,000 treasures, including Tutankhamun’s full collection, in dazzling galleries filled with light, glass, and history. It’s the world’s largest museum of a single civilisation.

Following your visit you will return to your hotel where the remainder of the day is at leisure.

Inspiring Highlights

• Pyramids of Giza
• Great Sphinx
• Grand Egyptian Museum

Hotel: Hyatt Regency Cairo West

Meal: Breakfast

Day 3 | Cairo El Alamein - Alexandria

After breakfast we'll drive to the port city of Alexandria, along what is known as the ‘desert road’.

Enroute, we'll visit the Commonwealth War Graves of El Alamein. It is here that two extended battles were fought during World War II. The first began on July 1, 1942, and lasted for 27 days, ending as a stalemate. After three months of holding back the enemy, the allies launched a second attack which lasted for 13 days. The importance of El Alamein was highlighted by Winston Churchill, who said: “Before Alamein we never had a victory.”

Afterwards, we'll continue on to Alexandria to check-in to our hotel and enjoy some free time in this seaside city.

Inspiring Highlights

• El Alamein

Hotel: Sunrise Alex Avenue

Meal: Breakfast

Day 4 | Alexandria - Cairo

Today your guide will take you on a tour of the city, known for its broad beaches and corniche (seafront promenade) dotted with sun loungers and cafes.

Afterwards, prepare to delve into the catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa. Heading underground, you’ll get to view the largest known Roman burial site in Egypt, complete with burial chambers, labyrinth alleyways and entertaining rooms for families coming to visit the dead.

The crypts are 20 metres below street level and date back to the Greco Roman period. What likely started as a small family tomb grew into a large number of graves that could accommodate more than 300 bodies. The tombs are organised around a central spiral staircase that leads down through several levels.

We then drive back to Cairo. On arrival, check into your hotel located close by the airport in preparation for your flight to Aswan in the morning.

Inspiring Highlights

• Alexandria
• Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa

Hotel: Sonesta Hotel, Tower & Casino Cairo

Meal: Breakfast

Day 5 | Cairo - Aswan

This morning, take an early flight from Cairo to Aswan.

On arrival in Aswan, you will be transferred to the port where you will board a boat to take you to the Philae Temple complex, home to the Temple of Isis which was rescued from the rising waters of the Nile and relocated on Philae Island in the 1960s. It’s a marvel of decorative pylons featuring some of Egypt’s finest carvings – definitely one of the real gems of Upper Egypt.

Philae Temple is situated on an island just south of Aswan. It was built by the last dynasty of ancient Egypt, the Ptolemaic. The temple is dedicated to Isis - the goddess of healing, magic and birth, her husband Osiris and their son Horus.

Following our visit, we check into our hotel with time to relax before we enjoy sailing the Nile in a traditional wooden boat (felucca) in the afternoon followed by an authentic dinner at one of the Nubian houses.

This evening, enjoy your Inspiring Taste as we experience modern Nubian culture first-hand with a visit to Elephantine Island. On your visit you’ll join a Nubian family for dinner and experience true traditional Nubian hospitality. Here, you will encounter Nubian homes, traditional food and an unforgettable insight into the daily life of a Nubian. This is a rare and memorable experience, giving you the chance to become fully immersed in the local culture.

Inspiring Highlights

• Philae Temple complex
• Nile River felucca sailing
• Traditional Nubian dinner

Hotel: Hotel Tolip Aswan

Meal: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 6 | Aswan

Today we set out to explore some of Aswan’s other landmarks. We begin with the unfinished obelisk, the largest known ancient obelisk – more than 3,500 years old – located in an ancient quarry in Aswan. 

It was left incomplete and now provides a fascinating look at how these great monuments were constructed.

We'll then continue to the Nubian Museum, which showcases the history, art and culture of the Nubians. This museum enables visitors to understand the complex history of the local area and its people.

Afterwards, we'll visit the Aswan High Dam, which sits behind the mighty Lake Nasser. At the time it was made (the 1960s), it was the largest dam project in the world. The creation of the reservoir necessitated the costly relocation of the ancient Egyptian temple complex of Abu Simbel, which would otherwise have been submerged.

Inspiring Highlights

• Unfinished obelisk
• Nubian Museum
• Aswan High Dam

Hotel: Hotel Tolip Aswan

Meal: Breakfast

Day 7 | Aswan - Abu Simbel - Aswan - Embark on Nile cruise

Today you will awake before sunrise for an early morning start.

Sit back and relax as you drive to the ancient Abu Simbel temples, near the southern Egyptian border. You will have an early arrival into Abu Simbel to view this incredible sight. The complex is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Nubian Monuments.

The two enormous sandstone structures were built in the 1200s BCE by Ramses II to commemorate himself and his favourite wife Nefertari. The larger temple, dedicated to three major Egyptian deities, features four large statues of Ramses II on its façade, while the smaller temple is dedicated to the goddess of love, Hathor, with statues designed to embody Nefertari.

Set on the banks of the artificial Lake Nasser, the structures were once in danger of being flooded with the construction of the Aswan High Dam but were saved via an extensive project to cut the temples into pieces and move them to higher ground, where they are seen today.

On our return to Aswan the rest of the day is free for you to make your own discoveries.

Later we'll check in to our Nile cruise – our floating home for the next three nights.

Inspiring Highlights

• Abu Simbel

Cruise: M/S Tower Prestige Nile cruise

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8 | Kom Ombo Temple

Today we’ll journey ashore to visit Kom Ombo Temple. Dedicated to the gods Sobek and Haroeris, this unusual double temple was constructed during the Ptolemaic period, which lasted from 108 to 47 BC. 

Set dramatically on the banks of the Nile, 47km north of Aswan and 168km south of Luxor, the soaring, chunky columns of the Great Temple of Kom Ombo are a magnificent sight as you arrive from the river.

The temple is well preserved, especially the detail on the murals and columns. One unique engraving is thought to be among the first representations of medical and surgical instruments. 

Today, Kom Ombo may be a sleepy agricultural backwater surrounded by sugar cane fields, but its prime position along the Nile once made it one of Upper Egypt’s most important centres. Wander through the temple’s colonnades, gazing up at scenes of kingly propaganda, and you’ll catch a feel of this glorious history for yourself.

Returning to the cruise boat, we’ll continue travelling upriver, with free time relaxing on the sundeck and taking in the surrounding sights. Dinner is served onboard as we sail toward Edfu.

Inspiring Highlights

• Kom Ombo Temple

Cruise: M/S Tower Prestige Nile cruise

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 | Edfu - Luxor

This morning we will moor near Edfu – home to ancient settlements and temples, as well as a bustling town centre and a bazaar.

We will continue cruising toward Luxor, passing through the historic lock at Esna as you continue along the Nile’s tranquil waters.

Enjoy lunch and dinner onboard and an evening Egyptian Belly Dancer Show.

Inspiring Highlights

• Edfu

Cruise: M/S Tower Prestige Nile cruise

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 – Luxor

Your Nile cruise comes to an end in the open-air museum of Luxor – from the spectacular temple complex of Karnak to the Valley of the Kings, Luxor is full of wonderfully-preserved reminders of the pharaohs.

After breakfast onboard and disembarkation from the cruise we'll explore the magnificent Karnak Temple, which is perhaps the most impressive of all the ancient pharaohs' monumental works. One of the world's most celebrated temple complexes, Karnak was built over some 200 years and was once known as the 'Chosen of Places'. Your guided tour of this vast temple of impressive pylons, obelisks and chapels will reveal its finest sections, such as the Avenue of Sphinxes and the Great Temple of Amun.

The rest of the day is yours: relax, shop in the excellent bazaar, or perhaps experience the atmosphere of a local teahouse.

Inspiring Highlights

• Karnak Temple

Hotel: Steigenberger Resort Achti - Luxor

Meal: Breakfast

Day 11 | Luxor

After breakfast we'll discover some of the many wonders of ancient Thebes. Our first stop is the Colossi of Memnon, two 17-metre-high statues on Luxor's west bank. Carved from granite blocks, they represent the Pharaoh Amenhotep III and were once part of an impressive colonnade.

We'll continue onto the spectacular royal burial site of the Valley of the Kings. Buried under the arid hills here are the tombs of more than 60 pharaohs, many richly decorated with reliefs and paintings. Explore this sprawling and spectacular place with your guide, where the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (16th to 11th century BCE) were secretly interred for all eternity, and where archaeological discoveries are still being made. Your guide will explain the history of and legends surrounding these remarkable people, their funerary rites, and the significance of the many paintings and hieroglyphics, still well-preserved in the deepest tombs.

You will visit three of the most interesting royal tombs and then continue to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a stunning colonnaded building set against high cliffs that create a spectacular natural amphitheatre. One of Egypt’s greatest queens, she built this temple to prove her importance – the scale and elegance of her temple certainly proves a point!

The afternoon is yours to explore – perhaps you'd like to shop in the market or visit the world's first Mummification Museum to discover the secrets of pharaonic preservation.

Inspiring Highlights

• Colossi of Memnon
• Valley of the Kings
• Temple of Queen Hatshepsut

Hotel: Steigenberger Resort Achti - Luxor

Meal: Breakfast

Day 12 | Luxor - Hurghada

This morning we'll bid farewell to the Nile and drive east to the beachside town of Hurghada. The Nile valley's verdant landscape is soon replaced with the barren Eastern Desert. Passing through rocky hills, we'll begin to catch glimpses of the glittering waters of the Red Sea and the rugged bulk of the Sinai Peninsula looms through the haze on the opposite shore.

A vibrant beach resort, Hurghada is by no means a typical adventure destination. Known for its underwater reefs and marine life, it’s a popular diving destination. After checking into your hotel, take a walking tour with your guide to get your bearings, and check out some of the local restaurants and eateries.

You will have the remainder of the evening at leisure and enjoy a sumptuous buffet dinner tonight at your hotel.

Hotel: Marriott Hurghada Beach Resort

Meal: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 13 | Hurghada

Today is yours to enjoy at leisure in the Red Sea resort town of Hurghada, whether you choose to unwind by the water, explore the local area, or take advantage of the optional activity.

Hotel: Marriott Hurghada Beach Resort

Meal: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 14 | Hurghada - Cairo

Today we'll leave Hurghada and take the short flight back to Cairo.

Upon our return to the capital we'll enjoy an essential Egyptian experience – a visit to Khan El-Khalili bazaar, a memorable shopping experience in the historic centre of Islamic Cairo. Even if you are not looking to buy, take a walk through the colourful winding alleys of this labyrinth district – you’ll feel like you stepped back in time to an old Arab souk. Selling handicrafts, delicious spices, fabrics and clothes, it’s been a shopping district for thousands of years.

We'll then continue to our hotel for free time.

Hotel: Sonesta Hotel, Tower & Casino Cairo

Meal: Breakfast

Day 15 | Cairo - Amman

Today, say goodbye to your Egyptian tour leader and get ready for the next leg of your journey as you are transferred to the airport for your flight to Amman, Jordan. 

Welcome to Jordan, cosmopolitan and contemporary, yet steeped in biblical history. On arrival at Amman's Queen Alia International Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. You will meet your Jordanian tour leader today.

Hotel: Signia by Hilton Amman

Meal: Breakfast

Day 16 | Amman - Jerash - Amman

After breakfast, enjoy a tour of this capital city. Cosmopolitan and contemporary, yet steeped in ancient biblical history, Amman is a bit of a chameleon. Most of the city's historical sites are located downtown. Here we'll visit the Citadel, with remains from the Roman to the early Islamic period; the Jordan Archaeological Museum, which houses the oldest Neolithic statues dating from 8000 to 5000 NC, as well as other valuable artifacts; the souq, where we'll get an idea of everyday life; as well as the beautifully restored 2nd-century Roman Theatre.

Next we'll take a short drive (approximately one-hour) north to Jerash. Once one of the grandest ancient Roman cities in the world, Jerash now boasts some of the best Greco-Roman ruins around. Admire this site's striking collection of crumbling archways, theatres, baths, public buildings and colonnaded streets. Grand columns encircle the city's centrepiece, the Oval Plaza, a wonderfully atmospheric place to linger after exploring this ruined city's lasting riches.

Inspiring Highlights

• Citadel
• Jordan Archaeological Museum
• Roman Theatre
• Jerash

Hotel: Signia by Hilton Amman

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 17 | Amman - Petra

Today marks the beginning of our journey towards the fabled site of Petra. En route we'll visit Madaba, an ancient market town that's home to a number of fine Byzantine mosaics, the most outstanding of which lies within Saint George's Greek Orthodox Church. Here, a map of the Holy Land once carpeted the whole floor, said to contain more than two million pieces. Crafted around 560 CE, a large swathe of this mosaic map can still be viewed, providing the oldest map of Palestine in existence.

Next we'll continue to the ancient village at Dana, on the edge of the Dana Biosphere Reserve, where local artisans sell silver jewellery.

Later, we'll drive along the King's Highway, up to Shobak Castle, sometimes known as Montreal. Perched at the top of a hill in the desert, this ancient Crusader castle was originally built to protect the eastern flank of the Latin Kingdom and its trade routes to the sea before it fell to Muslim sultan Saladin in 1189. Stroll the site and discover a small chapel, original gatehouse, and find out where a long, dark secret passage leads.

Inspiring Highlights

• Madaba
• Dana Biosphere Reserve
• Shobak Castle

Hotel: Movenpick Petra Resort

Meal: Breakfast

Day 18 | Petra

Get ready for Petra! A firm fixture on most bucket lists for good reason – the jewel of Jordan is an arresting sight. The so-called Rose City boasts an impressive series of tombs, caves and temples hidden behind ornate façades carved directly into the rock. No one knows the exact date of this desert kingdom's creation, but the lost city of the Nabateans is believed to date as far back as the 2nd century CE. The city has lain empty and unknown for centuries, only rediscovered in 1812 by a Swiss explorer.

You'll feel just like Indiana Jones, as you meander through the narrow canyon known as the Siq; at times the path measures only a few metres wide, with walls soaring up to 180 metres on either side of you. It's easy to imagine the armies and merchants who made their way here many years ago, and the sense of awe they too must have felt upon reaching this ancient rock-hewn kingdom, surrounded by such a stark landscape. The Siq is the main entranceway to The Treasury – perhaps Petra's most iconic sight, and one of its most elaborate temples.

Petra's greatest surprise, however, is its size. With our guide we'll explore the old Roman road, the amphitheatre and several tombs. We'll also climb up to the beautiful façade of the Monastery, from where you will have a magnificent view of the entire site.

Exploring this truly extraordinary destination is sure to be a highlight of your trip.

Inspiring Highlights

• Petra

Hotel: Movenpick Petra Resort

Meal: Breakfast

Day 19 | Petra - Wadi Rum

We continue to Wadi Rum and browse around the excellent and informative visitor's centre. We'll visit several of Wadi Rum's distinctive rock formations and soak in the vast silence, towering sandstone mountains and spectacular desert landscapes of this surreal 'Valley of the Moon', where the wind-sculpted rock formations change in hue throughout the day.

We'll also meet with local Bedouins, who live in scattered camps throughout the area. We'll enjoy an evening with them at one of their camps, savouring the hospitality of these nomadic peoples and the uninterrupted desert panoramas.

Wadi Rum is probably best known for its connection with the enigmatic British army officer TE Lawrence, who was based here during the Great Arab Revolt of 1917-18. Much of David Lean's movie on his exploits, Lawrence of Arabia, was actually filmed in this very region.

Inspiring Highlights

• Wadi Rum
• Valley of the Moon
• Bedouin Camp

Hotel: Mazayen Camp

Meal: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 20 | Wadi Rum - Dead Sea - Amman

After waking up in the unique environment of the luxury camp this morning, we'll enjoy a walk around the area before scaling one of the large dunes to enjoy sensational views of the surrounding area; keen photographers will be delighted. We'll then ride camels back across the Wadi Rum desert.  (For those who prefer not to ride a camel, there is the option of travelling by 4WD)

Later, we'll drive for approximately two hours to reach a radically different landscape – the Dead Sea. We'll spend the afternoon on the shores of this famous body of water, named for the dearth of life in its waters. The saline water has a high density that keeps bathers buoyant and makes getting underneath the surface very difficult. Floating on the surface without any sort of lilo makes for a once in a lifetime experience. Afterwards we'll return to Amman for the evening.

Inspiring Highlights

• Wadi Rum desert camel ride
• The Dead Sea

Hotel: Signia by Hilton Amman

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 21 | Amman

Today marks the end of your incredible tour through Egypt and Jordan.

*Itinerary is subject to change and availability.