Egypt and Jordan a la Indiana Jones

A Grand 17 days of these two gems of the Near East
in Egypt and Jordan, Alexandria and Abu Simbel Edition

Indiana Jones himself couldn't squeeze more adventure into this journey: Cairo , Memphis, Sakkara and the Pyramids, a cruise on the Nile, the fabled temples and tombs of Luxor and Thebes, diving in the Red Sea, the mountains of Sinai, and a trek to the mysterious ruins of Petra in Jordan.

DAY 1 - DEPARTURE - Wednesday - Weekly - Year Round
We take off aboard Lufthansa, British Airways or Olympic Airways jet from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. For West Coast Passengers , you need not to fly via JFK, you will fly non-stop SFO / LAX / SEA/ SAN etc. on to Europe ( London, Frankfurt , Paris etc. ) then non-stop to Cairo . Air fare add-on available from major cities. Overnight across the Atlantic. Handling your own air fare : Please click here .

DAY 2- CAIRO - Thursday
Our Egypt-based local rep. greets you in bustling Cairo airport and escorts you to your hotel . Egyptian visa may be secured by our guests upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of nationalities such as American, Canadian, Australian, NZ, EU and Japanese citizens, please pay the $ 15 in cash upon arrival . Passports must be valid for at least 6 month upon arrival). After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you to the hotel .

DAY 3 - Alexandria Friday (BLD)
We leave Cairo before sunrise - if you are able to extend your stay in Egypt by one day, then we can overnight in Alexandria tonight to allow for a more relaxed itinerary - ( private air conditioned car/driver/guide). We drive across northern Egypt and the Nile Delta heading northwest for Alexandria: Full day tour of the Museum, the Catacombs, the Roman Amphitheater, Qayet Bey Fortress, which was built on the same site of the ancient wonder of the world : the famous Alexandria Light House. A brief stop at " El Selsela" the site of the Underwater reserve where Cleopatra Place was discovered, as well as Caesar Kiosk. Lunch at a local restaurant. Visit the Crown Jewels Museum of the former Egyptian Royal family , then its off to the new site for the Alexandria Library, a brief walk through the local souks and Zanket el-Setat before heading back south to Wadi El Natroun monastery almost midway to Cairo , where early Coptic Christians retreated here to escape the Roman persecution in the 4th century AD. Reach Cairo early evening and your hotel, where dinner awaits you .

DAY 4 - CAIRO- Dahshour, Memphis, Sakkara - Saturday (BLD)
A morning tour takes us to the time capsule treasure of Dahshour, the newly-opened pyramid field south of Cairo: DAHSOUR - we'll motor to the edge of Cairo, to Dahshour, the newly-opened pyramid field south of Cairo. We visit the great pyramid of Senfru, father of Cheops, and other structure:

The "Discovery" of Dahshour:
For almost half a century, the great field of huge pyramids near the desert village of Dahshour, 25 miles south of Cairo, has been off limits to the public. Confined within the perimeter of a military base were many pyramids, including the great 4500-year-old pyramid built by Senfru, father of Cheops. Senfru's pyramid, the largest in Egypt until his son built Giza's Great Pyramid, is rhomboidal in shape: it tapers more distinctly on its upper half. All the pyramids were coated in thick plaster at one time. Most have lost these protective, decorative sheaths, but Senfru's--miraculously--is still in place.

After lunch at Mena House : The afternoon is for Memphis and Sakkara, including the Step Pyramid of Zoser , Nobles tombs and Mastabas and the small yet charming Imhotep Museum .
In the evening we head back to Giza for the Pyramids Sound and Light show.
Tonight dinner is included at Zeituni restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel in Cairo .
All tours in Cairo are on a private basis: private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and private guide .

DAY 5 - Giza - Home Hosted Dinner - Sunday (BLD)
After breakfast we are off to tour Giza Pyramids , the Sphinx, and Cheops Royal Barge Museum ( Solar boat) the oldest known wooden royal barge . With a brief camel ride ( included ) for the famous photo opportunity with the Pyramids in the background. WE stop at Harania village before heading back to Cairo .

The museum of the Royal Barge of Cheops The museum is built over the rectangular pit that housed the Royal Barge for thousands of years , the wooden boat was readied for the king's daily journey with the sun god, Ra . Discovered in 1954, in a completely dismantled state, the 43-metre (140-foot) cedar boat is a rare window on the Royal boats used by the kings of Ancient Egypt.

We are glad to include the entrance fee to get inside the Great Pyramid , if interested , please read this first : The King's Chamber in the Great Pyramid was not meant to be visited:
Getting to it is challenging, and once you enter, it is very difficult to turn back. The stone passage is only wide enough for one person. You must be in good physical condition, able to climb several flights of stairs, bend double, crouch and duck-walk for short distances. The King's Chamber itself is the world's most claustrophobic place, with dim light and heavy, hot, oxygen-poor air. There is no ventilation. If you are at all sensitive to claustrophobia or confinement, or if you have any sort of respiratory condition, for your own safety and the safety of others, you must not enter the pyramid because it is impossible to remove a person or to bring aid to them quickly .

Lunch is included at Abu El -Sid restaurant.
The afternoon is devoted to : tour of Coptic Cairo : The Coptic Museum, the "hanging - El-Moalaka Church, Beni Ezra Synagogue and the spot where Baby Moses is believed to have been found by the Egyptian Queen and her entourage.

Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals, you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family ( T shirt , small souvenirs of your home town): This evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right into the homes of some of the people of Cairo l! You'll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences. All tours in Cairo are on a private basis: private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and private guide .

DAY 6 - CAIRO -Monday (BLD)
After breakfast our first stop is the Egyptian Museum, with its treasures of the ancient pharaohs: mummies, King Tut's Gold Treasure Hall , statuary, precious stones and metals. We'll also stop at the Citadel of Saladin and the Alabaster Mosque. Lunch is included at Hadaik Al-Azhar and a walking tour of El -Darb El Ahmar ( Al-Azhar Park) , after lunch we head for a walking tour of Khan El-Khalili and the Muizz LedeenAllah newly restored medieval Islamic district, Wekalt El Ghouri and Gayer Anderson Museum . Dinner at La Bodega restaurant.

DAY 7 - ASWAN - ABU SIMBEL - Aswan Tuesday (BLD)
After a very early breakfast , we head for Cairo Airport for your flight to Aswan, and connect by air to Abu Simbel , where your Private car /Driver guide await you in Abu Simbel: In the larger temple, colossal figures of Ramses are seated with the gods and attended by his queen and daughters. The smaller temple is dedicated to Queen Nefertari, who appears as Hathor, the goddess of love, joy and fertility, symbolized by the benevolent cow. We explore these fine temple , after which retire to a comfortable hotel for refreshments. Fly back to Aswan, arriving in time for a late lunch at your hotel. Remainder of the day at leisure. , in the evening your guide will call on you for a private horse-drawn carriage ride throughout Aswan. Dinner is included at a local restaurant.

DAY 8 - ASWAN - Wednesday- Board Your Nile Cruise (BLD)
After breakfast at your hotel , we check-out and head for the Nubian Museum , after which we head to the pier and check-in on board your Nile cruise , and settle you into your cabin on your Nile steamer. Welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin , in the afternoon : We'll visit the enormous dams at Aswan and the Unfinished Obelisk , then board a launch on to visit the Temples island of Philae, dedicated to the Ancient Egyptian Goddess of Isis, that was later worshiped in Rome as well as Ancient Greece, the temple was rescued from rising waters and reassembled on this island.

DAY 9 - KOM OMBO- Thursday- On Board Your Nile Cruise (BLD)
We cruise northward down the Nile today, at a stately pace, disembarking for a visit to Kom Ombo, the twin temple dedicated to the crocodile river god, Sobek. We'll also see Haroeris, the solar disk.

DAY 10 - EDFU and LUXOR- Friday- On Board your Nile Cruise (BLD)
Horse-drawn carriages meet us at riverside to take us through Edfu to the Temple of Horus, best-preserved in all of Egypt. Then we'll continue beside the Nile to take in an array of ancient splendors: the Valley of the Kings; the imposing tomb-temple of Queen Hatshepsut ; and, back in Luxor, the Great Temple of Amon at Karnak. In the evening your guide will call on you for a private horse-drawn carriage ride throughout Luxor and the waterfront.

DAY 11- SHARM EL SHEIK - RED SEA - Saturday (B)
Now that you've seen the best of the Egypt of the Pharaohs, our guides escort you to the airport. You'll fly over the Sinai Peninsula and land at historic Sharm El Sheik on the Red Sea. You're at the beach and free to swim, or explore under the waters.

DAY 12 -Ras Muhamed - Sunday (BL)
After breakfast we head for the Ras Muhamed Nature Reserve , a true wonder of free snorkeling equipment , entrance fees to the National Park is included in our rate. Lunch is included at a local cafe / restaurant in Sharm then return to your hotel. Sunset camel ride on the beach or horse-back riding if you prefer .

DAY 13 - Sharm El-Sheikh - Petra - Monday (BLD)
We'll fly to Amman : non-stop from Sharm El-Sheikh or via Cairo ,air fare is included in our rate in economy class, tax included , between Egypt and Jordan . In Amman : our Jordan-based representative waits to greet you. You'll drive south , and arrive at your hotel in Petra for the night. Complimentary Jordanian visa fee (valid only for a limited number of nationalities such as American, Australians, NZ, Canadians, EU and Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for at least 6 month upon arrival). Lunch is included enroute, dinner is included at the hotel in Petra .

DAY 14- PETRA- Tuesday (BD)
We'll spend the entire day at Petra, the stunning desert city hewn by the Nabateans from solid cliffs of pink and violet sandstone. Petra was known in the bible as Sela, and rediscovered only in 1812. You'll feel like Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark as you penetrate into the city through a narrow sandstone gorge, the Siq, and wander among the Temple of the Winged Lion, tombs, Roman theater, and the imposing Treasury.

In the evening we will call on you for a unique experience :
Dine as a local : The Petra Kitchen is a delightful way to round out your Jordan travel experiences. Like any home kitchen, The Petra Kitchen is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where you’ll gather to prepare an evening meal, working alongside local women under the supervision of our chef.

Each evening meal includes soup, cold and hot mezza ( appetizers ) and salads, and a main course—all typical Jordanian dishes. You will have get an inside glimpse of the secrets behind the famous regional cuisine of the Levant.

The Petra Kitchen offers an evening of learning, fun and a very special dining experience, with each dish gaining the special flavor of a reward well-earned. Great care has been taken to make The Petra Kitchen a truly Jordanian experience—right down to the furnishings, all crafted in Jordan, the tableware, all produced by the Iraq al Amir Women’s Co-operative, and the aprons and table linens, all hand-embroidered by the Jordan River Foundation.

Tour experience tonight includes the cuisine course, meal and all non-alcoholic beverages as well as take-home recipes for all dishes prepared that evening.

DAY 15 - PETRA - WADI RUM / Mount Nebo - Madaba - Amman - Wednesday (BL)
After breakfast at the hotel, we board four-wheel-drive vehicles for an expedition to Wadi Rum, the "Valley of the Moon" where T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia") organized Arab resistance to Ottoman rule during World War I. After our visit, we enjoy lunch at a local restaurant then we head north an on to the King's Highway, an ancient caravan route, this afternoon our goals are :Kerak Castle , we tour the ruins of its romantic Crusaders' castle of Renaud de Chatillon, one of a line which stretched from Aqaba to Turkey, then on to Madaba to visit the church containing the oldest known map of the Holy Land. Continuing to Mount Nebo, we enjoy the panoramic view of the Promised Land the way Moses saw it for the first time, later , we will escort you to Amman and your hotel.

DAY 16 - JERASH - Dead Sea - Amman - Thursday (BLD)
After breakfast at the hotel, we head for Jerash, among the best-preserved Roman cities in the world, to tour its temples, theaters, churches and colonnaded streets. From Jerash, we will escort you to a local restaurant for lunch then we head for the Dead Sea , the lowest point on earth , before we head back to Amman and time permitting we will try to stop and tour the Citadel in Amman, dinner is included tonight at your hotel in Amman. .

Quote from our guests- Comments on the stop : Dead Sea :
" It was a relaxing and enjoyable stop, and the experience of just trying to walk into the sea -- unsuccessfully as it lifts you onto your back -- is extraordinary. Enjoying dinner at the outdoor Italian restaurant (it's the grill during the day) at the Kempinski with the view over the pool and the sea across to Israel resorts, to Jericho and to Jerusalem in the distance was delightful. So it's a good stop and break from being on the road.

- Arne "

DAY 17 - DEPARTURE FOR HOME - Friday (B)
Our staff escorts you to the airport of Amman for your flight home. Or, you may choose to add one of our extensions, and return later from Jordan at no additional cost for your air fare.

Rates per person in USD

Easter, Christmas, New Year's ( Dec 20 - Jan 3 ) : 10 % supplement will apply.
Add Palestine , Israel and Jerusalem

Air fare notes:

• For departures from most west coast cities, as well as Houston , Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth or Atlanta in , please add $ 450 to the above rates. This doesn't apply when you handle your own air fare.
  
• For travel in May thru end of Sep , please note that a $ 450 air-fare supplement is added to the above rates. This doesn't apply when you handle your own airfare .
  
• When you handle your own air fare, please deduct $500 from the listed rate.

Inclusions:

Not included:

• Personal expenses and beverages

• Gratuities

• Additional meals and services

• Trip interruption and cancellation insurance

• Egyptian visa may be secured by our guests upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of nationalities , such as American,Canadian, Australian, NZ, EU and Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for at least 6 month upon arrival). Please pay the $15 USD in cash upon arrival . After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you to the hotel

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