Egypt & Jordan

EGYPT
Dec. 14 - 17 | Cairo (3 nights)

• St. Regis Cairo

Dec. 17 - 18 | Luxor (1 night)

• Sofitel Luxor Winter Palace

Dec. 18 - 23 | The Nile Cruise (5 nights)

• Roman Boat

Dec. 23 - 25 | Aswan (2 nights)

• Sofitel Legend Old Cataract

Dec. 25 - 28 | Dahab (3 nights)

• Le Méridien Dahab Resort

JORDAN
Dec. 28 - 29 | Amman (1 night)

• Ritz Carlton Amman

Dec. 29 - 31 | Petra (2 nights)

• Movenpick Petra

Dec. 31 - Jan. 3 | Dead Sea (3 nights)

• Kempinski Hotel Ishtar

Jan. 3 | Departure

Land at Cairo's international airport where you will be greeted by your host at the arrivals terminal and transferred to your hotel for some leisure time.

You will have a dedicated airport host meet and greet you at the plane to assist you with customs.

With an expert guide, explore the endless wealth of the Egyptian Museum, a destination on its own merit. This museum is one of the world’s most important collections of ancient artifacts. Inside the great domed building, the glittering treasures of Tutankhamun and other great pharaohs lie alongside the grave goods, mummies, jewelry, eating bowls and toys of Egyptians whose names are lost to history.

Visit the Great Pyramid of Giza, Khafre, and Menkaure, and the Great Sphinx of Giza with an expert local guide who will walk you through this ancient scenset. Enjoy a camel ride along the pyramids followed by a delicious lunch.

• Lunch included.

Your local guide will take you on a tour of Cairo, exploring the historic neighborhoods, the market of Khan El Khalili and the bustling streets of Zamalek.

• Lunch & dinner included

You must stop by this famous café in the Khan El Khalili bazaar. The area has dozens of cafés, but this is the oldest, best known, and most frequented by locals. Here you can sip a Turkish coffee or mint tea; fresh juice; karkadeh, a hibiscus drink served hot or cold; and sahleb, a warm milk-based drink sprinkled with coconut and nuts. You can also have your shoes shined or smoke a shisha (water pipe).

• The El-Fishawy cafe first opened its doors in 1797 – one year before Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt.
  
• During the early 20th century the cafe was noted for its intellectuals and writers, especially during Ramadan, among them the 20th-century Nobel-Laureate Naguib Mahfouz. A former monarch also frequented.

Head over to the fascinating Khan El-Khalili Bazaar – reputed to be the largest bazaar in the Middle East. Originally founded as a watering stop for caravanserai in the 14th century, the bazaar has now grown to vast proportions. As you wander through the labyrinth of narrow streets you will find workshops and stalls selling all manner of things from woodwork, glassware and leather goods to perfumes, fabrics and Pharaonic curiosities.

St. Regis Cairo
3 Deluxe Rooms

• Breakfast included

Greeting by your hotel host and private transfer to the Cairo airport for your flight to Luxor.

Flight to Luxor from Cairo.

Arrival at Luxor airport where you will be greeted at the arrivals terminal and transferred to your hotel.

Continue on the visit where your guide will take you around the sunset to the strikingly graceful Temple of Luxor dedicated to the God Amon.

The next day, visit the Temple of Karnak, the Temple of Karnak, and the Dendera Temple Complex, among others, with your private guide.

Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor Hotel
3 Luxury Garden View Rooms

• Breakfast included

Transfer to Esna, located some 33 miles south of Luxor, to board your dahabiya and meet the crew.

Enjoy a brief walk to the temple of Khnum and a stroll through streets filled with beautiful textiles. Later, board your boat to continue your journey on the Nile.

El Kab, on the East bank of the Nile, was once the capital of Upper Egypt and is still home to the temple of Nekhbet, as well as a row of fascinating decorated tombs carved into the slope of the mountains. Walk through a small fishermen village to visit the necropolis. In the afternoon, the boat will arrive at Edfu, home to the Greco-Roman temple dedicated to the god Horus. A horse and carriage will take you to the temple through the busy city streets.

This is a day devoted to the river: immediately after an optional morning walk and breakfast, you will set sail. In the afternoon, you will stop at an island for a stroll or to swim in the Nile. As dusk begins, there may be an opportunity to walk into the desert along a valley lined with boulders covered in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and stone-age inscriptions. These images mark the beginning of the shortest trail through the desert to Libya (28 days in ancient times).

After visiting the small temple of Horemheb and walking through the sandstone quarries, where ancient Egyptians cut stone for many of their most famous temples, visit a picturesque cafe to enjoy tea and shisha (waterpipe). You will then sail to a picturesque riverbank where you will stop for lunch and swimming.

After a night on the water and beneath the stars, the morning trip will take you to the town and temple of Kom Ombo. The temple was built during the Ptolemaic period on the site of an older temple and at one of the most beautiful locations, on a bend on the river. It was dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile-headed god. Visit the new Crocodile Museum, which contains many mummified crocodiles, attesting to the importance the creature played in this region in ancient times.

Roman Boat
3 Luxury Rooms

• All meals included

Wake up to the beautiful sight of the desert closing in on the river at Aswan Bridge. Here your cruise comes to an end. Disembark in the morning and transfer to your hotel in Aswan for the night.

Enjoy the amenities of your hotel and relax at leisure. The hotel boasts multiple Restaurants and Bars, and a BBQ / Picnic Area. On site, it has an outdoor pool, an indoor heated pool (adult only), and a Fitness Centre open 24/7.

The two temples of Ramses II at Abu Simbel are each fronted by colossal statues up to 20 meters high, and are famed as the most
-Impressive monuments remaining of Ancient Egypt in modern times. Recently the temples were threatened by the waters of Lake Nasser, and with the help of a UNESCO campaign they were cut into blocks, rose piece-by-piece, and reassembled in a new position higher up the hillside.

Take a short motorboat ride to visit the romantic and majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilka. The entire temple faced flooding when the High Dam was built, and was moved stone by stone to a new island, specially landscaped to be similar to the old. Later, visit the Nubian Museum: This is the only museum in the world dedicated to the artifacts and culture of the “Land of Gold”, as ancient Nubia was known by the Pharaohs. The museum contains many rare artifacts, unique statues, and mummies. The museum also houses several models showing Nubian heritage, the panorama of the Nile, and a Nubian-style house.

The villages are on the West bank of the Nile, deep down south in a certain region. The villages are known for their colorful streets and rainbow-painted walls.

Head over to the Spa for an invigorating massage, or a traditional Hammam. You can also use their Jacuzzi/Whirlpool bath, Thermal Spa or Turkish Steambath.

Sofitel Legend Old Cataract
3 Palace Luxury Rooms

• Breakfast included

Private transfer to the Aswan airport for your flight to Sharm El Sheikh via Cairo.

Flight to Sharm El Sheikh via Cairo.

Arrival at Sharm El Sheikh Airport where you will be greeted at the arrivals hall and transferred to your hotel in Dahab.

• Approx. 1 hour.

We have not booked any activities for you in Dahab. You will be able to choose from a wide variety of experiences with the hotel concierge including:

• Hiking up to Mount Sinai, which requires a late-night departure from the hotel. The hike itself can take up to 3 hours depending on how often you stop and rest at the small refuges along the way which offer coffee, tea, and other energy-boosting beverages.
  
• Snorkel in the Blue Hole to see the reef and explore the beauty of the Red Sea with an expert guide. Your hotel has a diver's club with the necessary equipment.
  
• Diving will require a PADI license and those who hike up to Mount Sinai will need a 24 hour waiting period between hiking and diving.

Le Méridien Dahab Resort
2 One Bedroom Executive Suites with terrace
1 Deluxe room with sea view terrace

• Breakfast included

Private transfer to the Sharm El Sheikh airport for your flight to Amman via Cairo.

Fly to Amman, Jordan, via Cairo.

Arrival at Amman airport where you will be assisted with customs by airport staff and transferred privately to your hotel.

Enjoy a private city tour of Amman including the citadel, the national museum, the Roman amphitheater, and a short walk in the downtown area. You can stroll through the local markets with your expert guide.

Ritz Carlton Amman
3 Deluxe Rooms

• Breakfast included

Greeting by your expert guide and private transfer to Petra. Along the way, stop by Madaba to visit the beautiful St. George’s church. Continue on to Mount Nebo for a tour of St. John’s church.

For lunch, you will prepare traditional Jordanian cuisine in a private cooking class at a restaurant. Learn about the basic ingredients and cooking techniques of Middle Eastern cuisine.

The next day Experience a full day visit of the beautiful Nabatean City of Petra with lunch inside the site at a restaurant.

Mövenpick Resort Petra
2 Junior Suites
1 Superior Room

• Breakfast included

After breakfast, drive from Petra to Wadi Rum for around 1.5 hours.

Explore the desert on a private Bedouin jeep ride with local rangers. This 3-hour excursion will take you to Khazali, Lawrence Well, Nabatean Paints and Rock Bridge at Umm Fruth. You'll have your own private seated lunch inside the desert under a canopy.

Continue by private transfer to the Dead Sea where you will check in to your hotel.

Enjoy the dinner gala at your hotel to ring in the new year!

Kempinski Dead Sea
3 Ishtar Deluxe Rooms

• Breakfast included

Greeting by your host 3 hours prior to the estimated time of departure, private transfer back to Amman Queen Alia International for departure.