Ancient wonders of Egypt & Jordan

Begin your trip with complimentary airport lounge access at your chosen airport before boarding your direct flight to Cairo, Egypt's sprawling capital. On arrival, you'll meet with your tour coordinator before transferring to the Four Seasons Nile Plaza, in one of the city's grandest districts. Featuring panoramic views of the Nile, luxury suites and an abundance of dining options, it provides the perfect base from which to explore this fascinating city.

Stay: Four Seasons Nile Plaza

Over the next two days, you'll explore Cairo and its surroundings on a series of tours, including some of the world's most famous historic attractions. It all begins with an exploration of the city and its outskirts, where along with your private English-speaking Egyptologist you'll visit the legendary city of Memphis – founded in around 3,100 BC – as well as Sakkara and of course the Great Pyramids of Giza – the only present-day survivor of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – built about 4,500 years ago as giant tombs for the mummies of the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. Nearby sits the enigmatic Sphinx with the body of a lion and the face of a man wearing a royal head cloth, which workers may have based on King Khafre to guard his enormous funerary monument. Lunch is included in a nearby restaurant with a view of the pyramids.

The following day you'll uncover 7,000 years of history at the Egyptian Museum which houses the largest collection of ancient Egyptian art in the world. Don't miss the treasures of king Tutankhamun, including his gold mask, the solid gold sarcophagus that held his mummy, and his beautiful throne. There will also be time to visit the Mosque of Sultan Hassan constructed in 1363 – one of the finest in Egypt – and the fascinating Khan El-Khalili Bazaar, reputed to be the largest bazaar in the Middle East.

Stay: Four Seasons Nile Plaza

Following breakfast this morning, you will be escorted to Cairo International Airport by car transfer in time for your flight to Aswan. Once in Aswan, you'll board your 5-star deluxe Nile cruise boat where you'll enjoy a welcome Zaffa with drums and flutes before settling in and enjoying a delicious lunch on board. Weather permitting, this afternoon you will have the chance to take a ride on a felucca – a typical Egyptian sailboat – around Elephantine Island, Lord Kitchener’s Botanical Gardens, and the Agha Khan Mausoleum. Back on board, afternoon tea will be served in the lounge while you enjoy the sounds of an Oud trio. Tonight, you will be greeted by your boat manager as you enjoy a selection of canapés with some complimentary Egyptian wine and local beer. A gourmet dinner will be served on board.

A breakfast buffet will be served on board, followed by a short motorboat ride to visit the romantic and majestic Philae temple on the Island of Agilika. This will be followed by a visit to the granite quarries which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in pyramids and temples. Enjoy lunch while you cruise to Kom Ombo and visit the magnificent temple of its namesake, dedicated to the crocodile-god Sobek. Afternoon tea will be served while you cruise to Edfu. Tonight, a delicious dinner is served followed by a movie night on board.

This morning, you'll explore the extraordinary temple of Horus, located on the west bank of the Nile in Edfu and one of the best-preserved ancient monuments in Egypt. Enjoy lunch on board while cruising to Esna. Then, an Egyptian cooking lesson will be presented on board. In the afternoon, your Egyptologist will guide you around the Greco-Roman temple of Khnum at Esna. The beautifully preserved Great Hypostyle Hall was built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius; it was excavated from the silt that had accumulated through centuries of annual Nile floods and is about nine meters below present-day street level. Afternoon tea is served as you sail to Luxor.

Tonight will be an “Egyptian Night” costume party for all guests, with a chance to dress up in traditional Egyptian galabeya. Dinner will be a lavish buffet of Egyptian specialties, followed by oriental music and dancing for everyone.

Arriving in Luxor, this morning you'll visit the Valley of the Kings, a desert valley containing the ancient burial ground of many prominent Egyptian pharaohs. You will have the chance to visit at least one tomb in the Valley of the Queens, and visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. On the way back to the river Nile, you will pass by the famed Colossi of Memnon, known in Ancient Greek times for their haunting voices at dawn. After lunch, your Egyptologist will guide you around the strikingly graceful Temple of Luxor, dedicated to the God Amun - and then onwards to the Temple of Karnak.

Return to your luxury Nile cruise boat where afternoon tea will be served in the lounge. Tonight’s entertainment will be a gala dinner, with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine followed by a Dervish Show and belly dancer performance.

After breakfast this morning you'll check out and disembark the boat, transferring to Luxor airport to catch a flight back to Cairo before boarding your onward flight to Jordan's capital Amman. Prepare for the second leg of your adventure in a country with outstanding ancient history, several biblical sites of importance and beautiful desert landscapes. On arrival, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel in the heart of the capital.

Stay: Fairmont Amman

After breakfast at the hotel, you'll visit the Greco-Roman city of Jerash – nestled in the hills of Gilead about 30 miles north of Amman – for a guided tour. Here, archeological remains from Neolithic, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad eras have been found. Jerash's golden age, however arrived with Roman rule. Today, the city is acknowledged as one of the best-preserved province cities of the Roman Empire. Afterwards, return to Amman for a tour of its most impressive sights, including the Amman Citadel which dates back to the Islamic Umayyad period, and the impressive Roman theatre built during the reign of Antonius Pius, still used to this day for sporting or cultural events.

This evening you are invited to Jordan's first wine tasting experience, allowing you to discover more than 40 handpicked international grape varieties crafted into more than 20 types of wine and produced from one of the most distinctive terroir in the world; the basalt rock of Jordan's desert.

Stay: Fairmont Amman

After breakfast this morning you'll check out of the hotel, leaving Amman for Mount Nebo – the sacred mountain standing at over 2,000 feet. It is significant in being the mountain where Moses was granted a view of the Holy Land. Visit the Church of Moses and take in the breathtaking views of the Jordan Valley, Dead Sea and on clear days even Jerusalem in the distance.

Then, transfer to Madaba – the "city of mosaics". The quality and quantity of historic mosaic flooring has made Madaba one of the most prominent cities in the world for mosaics. Pay a visit to St. George's Church – housing the world-famous mosaic floor depicting a large map of Palestine as it was during the sixth century AD – and the Church of the Apostles at the southern entrance of the city, where the mosaic floor is attributed to the craftsman Salamanios, depicting the sea, with the central figure of a woman encircled with a selection of creatures, vegetation and an inscription.

Next, continue to Al-Shobak, perhaps Jordan's most famous crusader castle. The fortress is known as Mont Realis (or Montreal) and was constructed in 1,115 AD as a link in the great chain of crusader strongholds across the country. After your visit, you'll transfer to Petra where you will check in to the Movenpick Resort Petra.

Stay: Movenpick Resort Petra

Enjoy an early breakfast at your hotel in Petra before your day of discovery commences. Begin your visit with an optional horse ride from the main gate of Petra to the entrance of the old city. Then begin your magical walk through the Siq – or canyon – as it snakes its way towards the hidden city of Petra. The walk through the narrow vertical walls is without doubt one of the highlights of the trip as the anticipation builds of the wonders ahead. Build between 800 BC to 100 AD by Nabatean Arabs, Petra was a fortress carved out of the jagged rocks which were virtually inaccessible. In the first and second century, after the Romans invaded, the city reached the peak of its fame and covers an area of around 100 square kilometres where over 800 monuments can be found. The city's importance gradually dwindled, falling into disuse and was lost to the world until 1812, when it was re-discovered by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burkhart.  The iconic Khazneh (the Treasury), featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. After your guided visit, walk back to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day relaxing at leisure.

Stay: Movenpick Resort Petra

Leave behind Petra for the two-hour transfer to Wadi Rum, in the far south of Jordan and east of the Rift Valley. Otherwise known as the Valley of the Moon, it is the largest and most magnificent of Jordan's deserts, and the lack of any infrastructure has left the desert largely unspoilt, where you can enjoy the tranquillity of the boundless empty spaces. It is also the setting for the film Lawrence of Arabia and the actual location where T.E. Lawrence set his camp, and whose book “The Seven Pillars of Wisdom” was named after the seven natural columns varying in height located en route to Wadi Rum. Bedouin camps can be spotted in the Wadi, which is still home to a number of Bedouin families, who welcome visitors with the hospitality and generosity that Bedouins are so famous for. 

Enjoy a 4x4 excursion of the Wadi, discovering the most scenic spots, interesting sights and landmarks before ending your tour near your camp, where you will have dinner and stay overnight in a luxury martian tent, featuring your own private bathroom and a patio with views over the desert.

Stay: Sun City Camp

Tuck into a delicious breakfast at your camp before leaving the desert for a visit of Bethany, the sight of Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist. Recent excavations have uncovered an ancient settlement with plastered pools and water systems which were almost certainly used for mass baptisms. Transfer to the Dead Sea and check into your hotel where the rest of your day is at leisure. The Dead Sea has an historical and spiritual legacy of its own, and at 400 metres below sea level it has the highest content of minerals and salts in the world. As such, ever since the days of Herod the Great people have flocked to the Dead Sea in search of its curative secrets, with its shores being used for over 2,000 years for therapeutic purposes and its anti-inflammatory properties.

The following day is dedicated to enjoying the Dead Sea and its surroundings. Spend some time relaxing and floating in this unique body of water. Those who wish to can opt to cover themselves from head to toe in a nutrient-rich natural mineral mud bath.

After a buffet breakfast at the hotel this morning, your journey comes to an end. Transfer to Queen Alia International Airport for your departure flight back to the UK.