Compare Egypt & Jordan Adventure by G Adventures vs Jordan & Egypt: Petra to the Pyramids, Small Groups 2023 by Tauck

Day 1 Cairo

Arrive at any time.

There are no planned activities until an evening welcome meeting.

If this is your first visit to Cairo, we highly recommend that you book an airport transfer. If you opt to prebook the Islamic and Coptic Cairo Tour a night of pre-tour accommodation is required as this tour departs at 10am.

Day 2 Cairo/Aswān

Enjoy a visit to the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Sphinx before a guided tour of the Egyptian Museum. Catch an overnight train to Aswan.

Visit the pyramids and soak in the history of these majestic structures before a visit to the Egyptian Museum. In the evening, board an overnight train to Aswan. The overnight train is a modern air-conditioned sleeper, with twin-berth beds. There is no shower in the cabin, but each cabin does have a sink. The shared toilet is at the end of each carriage. A basic airline-style tray meal for dinner and breakfast is included. Attendants can serve drinks in your compartment at extra cost or there is a bar car for socializing.

Please note that during Ramadan, the museum, and Egyptian pyramids will close at 3PM this year, and so we will follow the below order, and schedule on Day 2. Visit the Pyramids from 9 - 11 Visit the museums from 11:30 - 14:30 Lunch from 15:00 - 16:00 before heading to the train station

Day 3 Aswān

Opt to explore the busy Aswan market or visit the beautiful Philae Temple, before visiting a Nubian village and enjoying a home-cooked dinner with a local family.

Our train is due to arrive in Aswan early in the morning, but, trains can often be delayed. Enjoy some free time in the morning to browse the souk or walk along the Nile. Later, board a boat to reach one of the many Nile islands and visit a Nubian village. Walk around the small community, then enjoy a traditional dinner at a local home.

Day 4 Aswān

Spend the day exploring Aswan.

One of the most fascinating sights in the area is the Temple of Abu Simbel. Later, opt for a half-day tour of the Unfinished Obelisk, High Dam, and Philae Temple. Visit the modern Nubian Museum to learn more about Aswan's local people.

Opt to pre-book the "Temple of Abu Simbel" activity on the checkout page ahead of time to include this optional on your tour.

Day 5 Aswān/Luxor

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel. Ride on a Felucca to Aswan Bridge, where we will disembark and transfer to Kom Umbo. Later visit Kom Umbo temple before transferring to Luxor. Tonight, enjoy dinner at the local market where you can try some local specialties.

Board the felucca and sail to Aswan Bridge. Feluccas are a basic, traditional Nile sailboat and make for an extremely relaxing and enjoyable way to travel down the river.

Day 6 Luxor

After breakfast the group will set off on a guided visit to the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. Have lunch with a local family on the West Bank of the Nile, then visit an Alabaster Factory en route back to Luxor. The remainder of the afternoon will be at your leisure.

Cross to the West Bank. Descend down the narrow corridors and check out the tombs of the pharaohs at the Valley of the Kings. The Funerary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut literally seems to rise out of the surrounding limestone outcrops. Then visit the massive 18m (59ft)-high Colossi of Memnon, which is all that remains of an ancient temple. Enjoy lunch with a local family on the West bank of the Nile and then explore Luxor at your own pace.

Day 7 Luxor

After breakfast the group will sail by ferry to the West Bank to meet our student-guide. Together we will bike through the village and visit the Funtasia Project Center where the group will learn about the Planeterra project at this location over tea with our guide. From here, enjoy a visit to the Karnak Temple, which was once the centre of all religious life in ancient Egypt. Later, take advantage of free time in Luxor to explore the bustling local bazaar at your leisure.

Day 8 Luxor/Amman

Take a flight from Luxor to Cairo, then transfer to a connecting flight to Amman, Jordan. Free time to explore Amman on arrival.

You will not be accompanied by a CEO on the flight between Cairo and Amman. Say goodbye to your Egyptian CEO at the Cairo Airport. Upon landing you will meet our Jordanian rep at the Amman airport who will assist with immigration and visas. After transfer to the hotel where your Jordanian CEO will meet you.

Please note that there are strict luggage requirements for your in-tour flights. You are limited to two items - a carry on weighing no more than 7 kg and a checked bag weighing no more than 23 KG.

Day 9 Amman/Jerash/Dead Sea/Amman

Guided visit to the ancient Roman town of Jerash followed by a visit to the Dead Sea.

Set off on a half-day trip to Jerash, a fascinating site and one of the largest and most well-preserved Roman ruins outside Italy. Continue on to the Dead Sea. Known for its high salinity, opt to bob like a cork in the healing water or cover yourself in therapeutic mud. There is also the option to visit the site of Jesus' baptism.

Day 10 Amman/Karak/Petra

Start the day with a guided visit to the intricate Madaba mosaics, enjoying the panoramic views from Mt Nebo and a visit to the crusader castle at Karak. Continue to Wadi Musa for the evening.

Depart early for the first stop, Mt Nebo. Learn the ancient history of this spot and check out the views. Continue on to Madaba to see the famous Byzantine mosaics, dating back to the sixth century. After, visit Karak Castle, built during the Crusades. Arrive in the early evening to Wadi Musa, the town just outside Petra.

Day 11 Petra

Start early to visit iconic Petra. Enjoy a guided walking tour with your CEO, then opt to hike up to the top of the treasury or explore on your own. This evening, opt to visit a Turkish bath or visit Petra by night.

The site is large so please be prepared for a lot of walking over sand and rocks for the entire day. Pace yourself, stay hydrated and be sure to have proper walking/hiking shoes.

Day 12 Petra/Wadi Rum

Opt to visit Little Petra in the morning before continuing to Wadi Rum. Head out for a 4x4 excursion during the day before a traditional dinner and overnight at a Bedouin desert camp.

Drive to Wadi Rum, a vast, silent landscape of ancient riverbeds and the largest and most magnificent of Jordan's desert landscapes. Head deep into the desert by 4x4 stopping at famous landmarks along the way. Arrive to the camp in time for a traditional meal and learn more about this ancient culture. Our dinner is prepared in traditional fashion, with the meat and vegetables cooked in an underground oven. Soft drinks and water are available for purchase. Lanterns light the way but we do suggest you bring a flashlight.

Accommodation in the desert is in individual cabins that are all attached. Each room contains a bathroom and basic linens are provided, but many travellers prefer to bring a sleep sheet for extra comfort.

Day 13 Wadi Rum/Aqaba

Journey to the Red Sea, where you can explore your surroundings or relax on the beach.

Drive to the Red Sea resort city of Aqaba. Enjoy free time to enjoy the beach, go snorkelling or check out the city. Make sure to try some fresh seafood for dinner.

Day 14 Aqaba/Amman

Journey back to Amman. En route stop at a G Adventures- supported community cafe for lunch.

Safi Kitchen is part of a nonprofit organization working in the South Ghour region, south of the Dead Sea, to create opportunities for members of the local community. The mission of the company is to raise awareness about the importance of cultural heritage and natural resources of the area. Their tourism program is key to the expansion of their environmental and social mission. Upon arrival in Amman, enjoy a final night out in the city.

Day 15 Amman

Depart at any time.

Day 1 Arrive Amman, Jordan

Tour begins: 6:00 PM, Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea. A transfer is included from Amman airport to the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea, a luxurious beachfront resort nestled on the shores of the ancient salt lake at the lowest point on Earth. Join us this evening for a welcome reception and dinner tonight.

MEALS : D

LODGING : Kempinksi Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea

Day 2 Roman Antiquities in Jerash / Dead Sea / Jerash

Set off on an excursion to Jerash, site of one of the best-preserved ancient Roman cities in the Middle East and a window to its past glory as an important imperial city. Your local guide shares expert insights about the sites you will see, including Roman temples, squares, arches, baths and theatres, often colonnaded and always astounding. See Hadrian's Arch, built in 129 AD, the ruins of the Temple of Zeus, the South Theatre, built to accommodate some 5,000 spectators, and the meticulously restored North Theatre. After lunch at a restaurant in Khayl, drive through Amman back to your hotel; at a lecture at the hotel this evening, an expert on ecotourism offers insights on the social complexities of the region and what life is like for young Jordanians today. Dinner tonight is at your choice of selected restaurants.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Kempinksi Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea

Day 3 Dead Sea to Petra

Thousands of years of biblical history unfold today on a visit to Mt. Nebo where you will see the view Moses saw when he looked out over the Promised Land. Continue to Madaba for a visit to St. George Greek Orthodox Church where the remains of the oldest known map of the Holy Land, painstakingly assembled from more than a million pieces of colored stone, cover the church floor. Enjoy a fabulous lunch at a local, family-run restaurant, then drive to the ancient Nabataean city of Petra, carved out of sandstone cliffs around 6 BC, where your hotel is just steps away from the archaeological site. Dine with a local family this evening, or at your choice of restaurants at the hotel.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Movenpick Resort Petra

PORTOFCALL : Petra, Jordan

Day 4 The "Lost City" of Petra

Imagine riding aboard a camel cart through a hidden desert canyon that opens up to a magnificent red rose city dating back to the 1st century BC. Ancient master builders carved palaces, temples, tombs and more into the stone cliffs you will see here today. Picture yourself standing in awe at the 130-foot-high Khazneh, (The Treasury), intricately decorated with Corinthian capitals, friezes, statues and more, like Indiana Jones did in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Discover Royal Tombs, celebrating the achievements of the dead long gone and built high on the mountain side, and marvel at the ancient amphitheatre with seating for more than 8,000 spectators, along with numerous temples sculpted in sandstone. Lunch at an onsite restaurant before returning to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure. Join us tonight for a private tented dinner in the desert, enjoying a fruit-infused hubbly-bubbly smoke, music and dancing by a local troupe of sword dancers.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Movenpick Resort Petra

PORTOFCALL : Petra, Jordan

Day 5 Wadi Rum to Aswan

Take a morning excursion to the otherworldly landscapes of Wadi Rum, known as the Valley of the Moon for the lunar-like dunes and towering sandstone cliffs found here. Exploring by 4x4 vehicle* makes your visit unforgettable. Fly from Aqaba to Aswan, then drive to your hotel on the banks of the Nile, a Victorian palace once frequented by royalty, heads of state, and Agatha Christie. Dine tonight at 1902, the hotel's signature French restaurant, steeped in Moorish elegance.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Sofitel Legend Old Cataract

PORTOFCALL : Aswan, Egypt

Day 6 Abu Simbel / Felucca Cruise / Embark Ship

Fly to the Nubian village of Abu Simbel for a locally guided visit to its massive temples cut into a solid rock cliff during the reign of Ramses II in the 1200s BC. The Great Temple stands 98 feet high with four seated colossi flanking the entrance and smaller statues depicting Ramses' conquered enemies lining up below. The smaller temple, some 40 feet high, is adorned by four colossi depicting Ramses and two of his queen Nefertari at a height of 32 feet. Fly back to Aswan, and pause for a photostop at the Aswan High Dam. End your day with a felucca cruise as the sun sets on the Nile; arrive at your riverboat on the Nile; settle in, and dine aboard ship tonight.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Oberoi Zahra

PORTOFCALL : Aswan, Egypt

Day 7 Saint Simeon Monastery, Philae Temple & Kom Ombo

A full day of Egyptian exploration begins with a boat ride to Westbank followed by a visit to the ruins of Saint Simeon Monastery, surrounded by sand and high walls, once housing some 300 monks in the 10th century. Next, take a motorboat to Agilkia Island to see the sacred Temple of Isis at Philae, one of the last of the ancient temples built in the "classic" Egyptian style; when the Aswan dam was built, the temple complex was disassembled and rebuilt on Agilkia Island to save it from being lost underwater. Cruise to Kom Ombo, where its unusual twin temples are just a short walk from your ship. Temple reliefs here feature a unique engraving thought to depict the first representation of medical and surgical instruments. Return to your ship late afternoon and continue cruising.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Oberoi Zahra

Day 8 Edfu and The Temple of Horus

Mid-morning, visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu, one of the most beautiful and best-preserved temples in Egypt, with its roof still intact. It took 180 years for the temple to be built and during your guided visit you'll discover why. Massive statues of Horus as a falcon guard entrances and the reliefs on its interior walls relate the story of the birth of Horus and depict Ptolemaic rulers making offerings to the gods and destroying their enemies. Return to your ship for an afternoon and evening at leisure aboard your cruiser.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Oberoi Zahra

Day 9 Explore the Valley of the Kings & Queens

Buried under the sand for more than 1,000 years, Luxor's Temple of Karnak is the largest complex of its time ever built, developed over a thousand years. Explore the site with an expert guide who shares insights about its history and construction, including the 134-columned Great Hypostyle Hall. A locally guided visit to Luxor Temple, connected to Karnak by an avenue of sphinxes, and dating back to the 1300s BC, follows. Return to your Nile cruiser for lunch and an afternoon excursion to the Valley of the Queens with a visit to the beautiful tomb of Nefertari, the great wife of Pharaoh Ramesses II, where the hieroglyphics amaze. Continue to the Valley of the Kings for an after-hours private visit that includes entry to King Tutankhamun's tomb, renowned for the wealth of valuable antiquities it contained when it was discovered unopened in 1922. Return to your ship for dinner at leisure.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Oberoi Zahra

Day 10 Fly to Cairo & Visit the Egyptian Museum

Disembark ship for an early flight to Cairo this morning, touching down late morning. Following an early lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Egyptian Museum, housing the world's largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts including many of the treasures found in King Tutankhamun's tomb. Check into your room at Marriott Mena House in Cairo, where the remainder of the day is at leisure.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Marriott Mena House

PORTOFCALL : Giza, Egypt

Day 11 Pyramids of Giza & Saqqara

Drive to nearby Giza this morning for a guided tour of its storied pyramids, including the Great Pyramid of Giza, the last of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World, that have stood as defining symbols of Egypt for millennia. View the most instantly recognizable statue in the world, crafted in limestone with the body of a lion and the head of a king – the Great Sphinx has been mysteriously reclining atop its Giza plateau for more than 3,000 years, guarding still the unanswered secret of who built it and why. After lunch, visit the pyramids at Saqqara, site of the necropolis (burial ground) for the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis. The pyramid you will see here is the Step Pyramid, a magnificent reminder of the early architecture of the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

MEALS : B

LODGING : Marriott Mena House

PORTOFCALL : Giza, Egypt

Day 12 Treasures of Old Cairo

Located on the right bank of the River Nile, the historic district of Old Coptic Cairo predates its modern-day processor with sites that date back to the 6th century BC, including ones allegedly visited by the holy family of Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus. A guided tour includes Roman ruins, Ben Ezra Synagogue, ancient Coptic churches including St. Sergius and the Hanging Church, and your choice of the Al Rifai Mosque or the Sultan Hassan Mosque, a short drive away. Enjoy some free time to explore as you please before joining us for a farewell reception and dinner at the hotel this evening.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Marriott Mena House

PORTOFCALL : Giza, Egypt

Day 13 Journey Home

Tour ends: Cairo. Fly home anytime; hotel checkout time is noon. A transfer is included from Marriott Mena House to Cairo Airport. Allow three hours for flight check-in at the airport.

MEALS : B

PORTOFCALL : Giza, Egypt