| HIGHLIGHTS: Cairo - Aswan - Abu Simbel - Edfu - Luxor - Mt. Sinai - Aqaba - Wadi Rum - Petra - Kings Highway - Amman - Jerash
For anyone wanting to experience the highlights of the Middle East, Jordan is a 'must'. The people are friendly, the food is excellent, and the sights are among the best in the region. While Petra is undoubtedly the 'jewel in the crown', Jordan also boasts a fine crusader castle (Shobak) and a fabulous Roman city, at Jerash. Amman is also a happening city, with great restaurants and bars.
Throughout this trip it feels like we're walking through a fabulous open - air history book From Cairo to Amman we get to explore some of the greatest sites in the Middle East - including the superb temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel - and we enjoy a relaxing sailboat ride along the River Nile. In Cairo we visit the pyramids and Sphinx before heading south into the Nile Valley, where we make a side - trip to Abu Simbel before boarding our 'felucca' sailboat for the three day journey from Aswan to Luxor - a great way to observe everyday life.
Along the way, we visit the Komombo and Edfu Temples. In Luxor we head out on donkeys to explore the Valley of the Kings and from rocky outcrops we enjoy great views over the Nile Valley and the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. We spend a night back in Cairo before driving into the Sinai Peninsula - a barren, yet spectacular environment where we climb Mt. Sinai at dawn. A ferry takes us to Aqaba, in southern Jordan where we spend several days seeing all the major sights in the company of our guide.
Day 1 Cairo. Your trip starts today in Cairo. No activities are planned so you may arrive at any time. Rooms are generally available after 1.00 pm. If you have not pre-booked an arrival transfer you will find taxis available on arrival at Cairo Airport. Make sure you agree the price before you set off into town Your tour guide may make contact tonight, otherwise you will see him tomorrow morning at the tour briefing, which usually takes place after breakfast.
Day 2 Cairo - Aswan. Cairo is the 'Mother' of all cities, a massive, sprawling metropolis of some 16 million people. After breakfast we drive out to the edge of the desert to explore the pyramids and the nearby Sphinx. We also visit the beautiful Valley Temple of King Khafre (Chephren), a superb example of Old Kingdom engineering. The rest of the day is free for you to explore on your own. Many will want to visit the celebrated Egyptian Museum (just a short taxi ride away on the other side of the river). In the evening we are transferred to the station for the night train to Aswan. Our air - conditioned carriage has large, comfortable seats (similar to business class seats on a plane) that recline to about 45°, and a simple dinner and breakfast are served on board. There is a toilet located at the end of the carriage.
Day 3 Aswan. Aswan is one of our favourite places. Despite the fact that it is Egypt's third largest city, it has an easy - going, laid - back atmosphere that belies its size. There is certainly a lot to see and do. For those keen on visiting as many great sites of antiquities as possible, we highly recommend a visit to the exquisite Temple of Isis at Philae. Alternatively you can take a sailboat across to the Botanical Gardens on Lord Kitchener's Island and then continue to the other side of the river, where you can take a fun camel ride up to the Monastery of St. Simeon. Your tour guide will give you all the information you require. At any time of the day the Nubian Bazaar, which snakes through the back streets of town, is a hive of activity.
Day 4 Abu Simbel - Aswan. Rising early we travel by road to Abu Simbel, one of the most impressive temples ever built and one of the highlights of our visit to Egypt. We follow the shores of Lake Nasser and generally arrive at the temple just after sunrise, a perfect time for photographs. We enjoy a tour of the site and later return to Aswan, arriving around midday. In the late afternoon our Nubian sailors meet us and we travel by boat to their village for dinner. We enjoy a variety of traditional dishes and it's a great chance to meet their family.
Day 5 - 6 Felucca Cruise. Boarding our feluccas we set sail, travelling with the current towards Edfu. Sailing down the Nile is a magic experience, lying on thick mattresses, watching the dark waters glide past. We stop off at Komombo to visit the classic Greco - Roman Temple of Sobek, overlooking the river and the rest of our time is spent relaxing and enjoying timeless scenes of local life as we travel slowly down the Nile. Nights are spent sleeping on board and our crew provides simple, healthy meals. Feluccas are simple sailing boats, no more and no less. They have no engines and no toilets. There is a single deck on which you can stretch out during the day under a shade awning. It is an extremely relaxing way of travelling down the Nile, however many people find the pace very slow, especially when contrasted with a busy life back home. We strongly recommend you take books, magazines, card games, mp3 players and any other items which might help to while away your time on board. Meals are simple. They are prepared by your Nubian crew and include chicken, rice, local breads and vegetables. Each evening your crew pulls into the shore. They generally find a flat, sandy area for the night. Toilet facilities are provided by our amenities boat, allowing you to use a bathroom and assist the environment in the process . Note that, during the winter months (Oct - Mar), it will be very cold on the river at night, you should bring thermals and a fleece. A sleeping bag is required for the felucca.
Day 7 Edfu - Luxor. Reaching Edfu we say farewell to our Nubian friends, we have time for an optional visit to explore the Temple of Horus - one of Egypt's finest temples, before travelling by bus into Luxor. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the town, and there's a lot to see and do. The bazaar is extensive and it can occupy you for several hours. Alternatively you can visit the exquisite Luxor Museum - or take a stroll around Luxor Temple, which dominates the centre of town. Entrance fees for these two options are listed below. Another popular activity is to take a horse - carriage ride to Karnak Temple, dedicated to the great God Amon, and considered one of the greatest of Ancient Egyptian monuments. Your tour guide can help organise the carriages.
Day 8 Luxor - Cairo. Today we rise early to cross the Nile where our donkeys are waiting to take us into the Valley of the Kings. After matching up donkeys and riders we head off, just as the sun begins to rise in the eastern skies. It's great fun and one of the highlights of our visit to Egypt. We return to the east bank where the afternoon is free to explore the town further. In the evening we take the overnight recliner train back to Cairo, with dinner served on board.
Day 9 Cairo. Arriving back in Cairo we are transferred to our hotel and the rest of the day is free to explore. In the older part of the city there is a lot to see, including some beautiful old mosques and, of course, the fantastic Khan al - Khalili bazaar - an amazing mix of shops and stalls that have traded goods and gossip since the Middle Ages. There's time for everything and our tour guide can help organise taxis: but be prepared to bargain
Day 10 Cairo - Mt. Sinai. The Sinai is an untamed wilderness of immense beauty, with jagged pink granite mountains punching up into clear blue skies. We drive east from Cairo, and spend the night in a simple bungalow style hotel near Mt. Sinai. The hotel is in a beautiful location and very close to the start point for our hike tomorrow.
Day 11 Mt. Sinai - Aqaba.
Day 12 Mt Sinai - Aqaba. Those wishing to ascend Mt. Sinai (2285 m) to watch the sun rise over the peninsula will be woken up between 2.00am and 3.00am (depending on the season). It is a fairly steep climb (with stairs all the way) and most people take about two and a half to three hours to reach the summit. We take it easy, with plenty of rest stops, and our aim is to reach the top in time to watch the sun rise over the southern end of the peninsula - a magical experience We then continue to Nuweiba, where we farewell our Egyptian leader before boarding the hydrofoil to Aqaba. On arrival in Aqaba we meet our Jordanian guide/leader and drive to our hotel, located just near the beachfront. Note that, during the winter months (Oct - Mar) it can be very cold on Mt Sinai, so you should bring thermals and a fleece.
Day 12 Aqaba - Wadi Rum - Petra. For many people, Wadi Rum represents everything that a desert should be. It's a magical place where weathered sandstone mountains rise out of pink - coloured sands. T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) spent a fair bit of time here, and the region is also home to the famous Desert Police, who can sometimes be seen riding camels and wearing their long - flowing robes and headdresses. We enjoy a fantastic jeep tour into the desert and later we continue our journey to Petra.
Day 13 Petra. We spend much of the day exploring the many wonders of this ancient city, founded more than 2000 years ago as a temporary refuge for nomadic Arabs and Bedouin. We enter through the narrow 'siq' and visit the numerous tombs, temples and public buildings - as well as the impressive rock - hewn amphitheatre. It's a really interesting day, but a tiring one, and at the conclusion we can enjoy an optional Turkish Bath at our hotel - a great way to end the day.
Day 14 Petra - Kings Highway - Amman. We follow the ancient Kings Highway, a road that dates back to the Old Testament, and beyond. We reach Dana, where we have time to stroll though the ancient village. Recent finds have revealed evidence of Paleolithic, Egyptian, Edomite, Assyrian, Nabataean and Roman civilisations. While here we can visit the craft centre to purchase attractive locally - made silver jewellery and charms. Continuing our journey, we reach the splendid crusader castle at Shobak, originally built to protect the eastern flank of the Latin Kingdom and its trade routes to the sea before falling to Saladin in 1189. Further on, at Madaba, we visit the Greek Orthodox church of St. George, which houses a 6th century mosaic map depicting the old city of Jerusalem. We arrive in the lively city of Amman, where we check in to our hotel before heading out 'on the town'.
Day 15 Jerash. The Roman city of Jerash is in a fine state of preservation. Founded in the time of Alexander the Great, it had become a centre of considerable importance by the 3rd century AD. Today it is one of the grandest ancient cities in the world, with an imposing collection of archways, theatres, baths and colonnaded streets. We enjoy a morning tour and the afternoon is free for an optional excursion to the Dead Sea, or to explore Amman further.
Day 16 Amman. Your trip ends today, after breakfast. Check - out time is usually around 12.00 noon and you are free to leave at any time. Additional accommodation can be pre-booked if you wish to spend more time exploring Amman.
Walk through the fabulous open-air pages of history 16 day tour departing Cairo. 3 nights accommodation onboard a felucca. 2 nights accommodation onboard an overnight train. 1 night accommodation in a hostel. 9 nights accommodation in budget/tourist hotels. 15 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 6 dinners. Gecko's expert English-speaking local guides in both countries, and local site guides at some sites. Sightseeing including entrance fees where relevant. Tour of Abu Simbel. Full day exploring Petra. Jeep safari in the Wadi Rum. Optional ascent of Mt Sinai (included in price). Traditional dinner with the felucca crew's family in a Nubian village near Aswan. Donkey ride to explore the Valley of the Kings
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