Compare Jordan & Egypt: Petra to the Pyramids, Small Groups 2023 by Tauck vs Classic Egypt and Jordan by Odynovo
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Trip |
4 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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Duration | 13 days | 12 days |
Price From | $ 12,790 | $ 3,103 |
Price Per Day | $ 984 | $ 259 |
Highlights |
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Trip Style | Small group tour | Private guided tour |
Lodging Level | Premium | Premium |
Physical Level |
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Travel Themes |
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Countries Visited | ||
Cities and Attractions |
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Flights & Transport | No | Internal airfare and ground transport included |
Activities |
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Meals Included | N/A |
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Description |
Explore the awe-inspiring wonders of ancient Jordan and Egypt on this 13-day journey from the Dead Sea to Cairo, including a 4-night cruise on the Nile from Aswan to Luxor aboard a luxury riverboat. |
Egypt, with its mighty Nile, austere pyramids, towering temples, and many other glittering finds in the time of Pharaoh, has fascinated innumerable visitors from all over the world. Jordan boasting pink-hued Petra also inspires most veteran travelers. This tour, starting from Cairo, ending in Amman, and including a leisurely cruise along the Nile, is just an ideal choice for you to explore the eminent lost civilizations of the Middle East. |
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
Day 1: Arrival - Cairo
Overnight: Cairo
Welcome to Egypt, once the mighty land of pharaohs!
Upon touchdown, you will be met by our airport representative and then transferred to your hotel with a private vehicle. Check-in and have the rest of the day at your leisure.
Day 2: Cairo
Meal: Breakfast
Overnight: Cairo
Begin your exploration from Memphis, the ancient Egyptian capital of the Old Kingdom. It is now an open-air museum sheltering the 10-meter-long statue of Rameses II. Your next stop, the Step Pyramid of Djoser in the Saqqara Necropoleis, is widely regarded as the oldest pyramid in the world. Finally, visit the most iconic pyramids complex at Giza and the Great Sphinx.
Day 3: Cairo
Meal: Breakfast
Overnight: Cairo
Step into the Egyptian Museum for a comprehensive understanding of Egyptian history from
the Predynastic Period to the Greco-Roman Era. Later, proceed to the medieval Citadel of Saladin in Old Cairo. The inside Mohammed Ali Mosque, which dominates the eastern skyline of Cairo, is the symbol of the citadel. Afterward, spend some time browsing and shopping in the vibrant Khan El Khalili Bazaar before returning to the hotel.
Day 4: Cairo - Aswan - Nile River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: On Board
Take a morning flight to Aswan.
Upon arrival, go straight to your Nile cruise ship to check in. Your shore excursion in Aswan includes the High Dam and the Temple of Philae. Late in the afternoon, take the chance to sail on the Nile with a traditional Egyptian Felucca and explore the Botanical Gardens on Kitchener Island.
Day 5: Nile River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: On Board
Cruise on, and when the ship arrives in Kom Ombo, go ashore to see the unusual double Temple of Kom Ombo with one side dedicated to the god Haroesis and the other to Sobek. Return to the ship and continue your journey to Edfu for the Temple of Horus. Also known as the Temple of Edfu, it is the second-largest temple in Egypt after Karnak Temple.
Day 6: Nile River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: On Board
Once the ship arrives in Luxor in the morning, disembark to explore the west bank of Luxor. Step into three tombs of the ancient Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings to learn about ancient Egyptian beliefs and burial practices. Following it is the renovated Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, an impressive terraced sandstone complex built into mountain cliffs. During the tour, you can also take pictures with the massive Colossi of Memnon, who guard the ruined Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III for thousands of years.
Day 7: Luxor - Cairo
Meal: Breakfast
Overnight: Cairo
Disembark the cruise and continue to explore the east bank of Luxor. You will find two of Egypt's most important sites, the Temple of Karnak and the Luxor Temple. They were linked by a long avenue of Sphinxes, part of which is still visible today. You will gain more about Egyptian history through the massive columns with intricate carvings, great statues of quite impressive sizes, obelisks, and so on.
After the tour, transfer to the airport to catch your flight back to Cairo. On arrival, be picked up and transferred to your hotel.
Day 8: Cairo - Amman - Jerash - Amman
Meal: Breakfast
Overnight: Amman
Private transfer to the airport for your flight to Amman, the beating heart of Jordan. On arrival, our representative will welcome you and introduce you to your English-speaking
chauffeur for a private tour of the Roman ruins of Jerash. With a knowledgeable local guide, you will visit the spectacular forum, street, temple, and theater in this ancient Roman city. Afterward, return to Amman for quick sightseeing in the capital city with your chauffeur to see the citadel on its highest hill, the Roman theater, and the Archeological & Folklore Museums.
Day 9: Amman - Petra
Meal: Breakfast
Overnight: Petra
Leave Amman behind and move forward to Petra hidden in a basin surrounded by mountains in southern Jordan. There are three stops on the way, with the first at Mt. Nebo for a view of the Promised Land and the beautiful mosaics in the Moses Memorial Church. The second is the Greek Orthodox St. George's Church in Madaba for you to marvel at the mosaic map that depicts the holy land – Palestine of the 6th century, and the last is the crusader castle of Kerak sitting strikingly 900 meters above sea level.
Day 10: Petra
Meal: Breakfast
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: On Board
Take your time to explore Petra. In the first two hours, with a professional tour guide, you will click off the must-sees in the lost city and learn about the history and exotic life of ancient Nabataean, a branch of nomadic Arabs who built Petra into a prosperous trading hub in its time. The rest of the day is yours to discover more in the rosy city at your pace.
Day 11: Petra - Amman
Meal: Breakfast
Overnight: Amman
After breakfast and a relaxing morning, you will begin your journey back north to Amman, which will take about 3.5 hours on the way. For the rest time, you may explore the leafy residential districts, modern malls, and art galleries in the western part of the city.
Day 12: Amman - Departure
Meal: Breakfast
Free time until being transferred to Queen Alia Airport via a private vehicle for your departure flight to your next destination.