The Best of Egypt and Jordan

A Grand  14 day touring these two gems of the Near East : Egypt and Jordan

Tour Departs on Saturdays weekly. Year round- Add a Dahabiya Nile Cruise .
Add Syria Magic of the Arabian Empire : Syria, Jordan & Egypt . Compare with the Alexandria version : 9 Days ?

DAY 1 - Saturday - Weekly -Year Round . USA / CAIRO

Board your wide-body jet : Air France, British Airways or Lufthansa jet at JFK International Airport. Over night across the Atlantic. We'll be glad to assist with the air fare from your home town. For most West Coast air fare add on is $350.

DAY 2 - Sunday. Cairo

In Cairo. Our representative greets you at Cairo airport and whisks you to your hotel. Complimentary Egyptian visa fee (valid for American, Australian, NZ, Canadian, EU , & Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for at least 6 month upon arrival).

Visa will be issued upon arrival. As you exit the gate, you will pass through a door or two , down some stairs , then walk for 2-5 minutes , until you pass the duty free shops, at the end of a wide corridor , you will see the security officers. There you will be met by a local representative, who will be holding a sign with the name you prefer to use for the sign .
Our local representative will then take your passport to obtain a stamp from the cashier / bank window and escort you to speak with the passport officer. He will escort you through another last check on your passport as you exit the passport control, into customs area, he will assist you in collecting your luggage and clearing customs . After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel

DAY 3 - Monday . CAIRO (B.L.D)

Full day tour of : the Egyptian Museum, the Pyramids of Giza, Cheops Royal Barge Museum , the Sphinx, the Citadel of Saladin and the alabaster mosque of Mohammed Ali. Lunch is included at the Mena House . Evening departure by the deluxe Sleeper train to LUXOR. ( Private compartment) Dinner is included and is served on board.

DAY 4 - Tue. LUXOR / NILE CRUISE (B,L,D)

Early morning arrival to Luxor, where you will be escorted to board your Nile Cruiser.  Breakfast will be served on board the cruise. Today we visit: The gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak and the mighty Temple of LUXOR.

For Honeymooners and Anniversary guests: You may enjoy your lunches or dinners in the privacy of your cabin at no additional charge. Guests must request this " special " at the time of booking

DAY 5 - Wed. LUXOR (BLD)

Visit the West Bank: Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens & the great temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Evening sailing for EDFU passing thru Esna Locks.

DAY 6 - Thu EDFU & KOM OMBO (BLD)

In EDFU, we climb aboard horse-drawn carriages and clip-clop through the town to the Temple of Horus, which is Egypt’s best-preserved. Re-embarking, on our Nile cruiser, we sail downstream to Kom Ombo to visit its twin temples. Reach Aswan late afternoon, for a sailing by Felucca to visit the Botanical Garden

DAY 7 - Fri, KOM OMBO / ASWAN / Camel Caravan (BLD)

Early morning arrival in Aswan. Tour Philae Temple. Afternoon leisurely sail on the Nile by Felucca to the other side of the Nile, short Camel Caravan to a nearby Nubian Village for tea.

DAY 8- Sat, ASWAN (BLD)

Morning tour of Aswan Dams, the Unfinished Obelisk & the granite ancient quarries. followed by a trip by motor launch to the Philae temples. this Island temple , dedicated to the Ancient Goddess ISIS :

The Mystery of Isis : Two millennia ago the Mediterranean world was enthralled by the mystery of Isis:

"I, Isis, am all that has been, that is or shall be; no mortal man hath ever seen me unveiled."

Called Aset by the ancient Egyptians, the goddess was a Madonna in the Mediterranean tradition that stretches far, far back to the primitive Mother Goddess from Anatolia, home to some of the oldest human communities on earth.

Isis was the powerful and quick-witted protector of her son Horus, the Sun God. Ancient peoples throughout the Mediterranean regarded Isis and Horus as the perfect Madonna and Child. Another legend says she was
also the mother of the fertility god Min who, judging from the depiction of him on temple walls, needed no help from Viagra!

Because of her wisdom and skill at protection, she was admired as a good magician capable of healing the sick and protecting the dead in their journey to the Underworld.

Isis is portrayed regally, as a queen seated on a throne (which may be the meaning of her name), often holding her son Horus as a baby. Other images show her with broad, magnificent gilded wings able to protect
the world.

Isis, the great Mother Goddess. Come explore her mystery in timeless
Egypt when you Travel in Style!

Afternoon fly back to Cairo or optional excursion by air to visit the mighty Abu Simbel Temples. Then fly back to Cairo

Day 9- Sun , Cairo - Dahshour (BL)
After breakfast, we'll motor to the edge of Cairo, to the mysterious Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza.

Those who are fit and adventurous enough may wish to penetrate into the heart of the Great Pyramid, to the King's Chamber your ticket is included with our compliments (or the interior of Kephren Pyramid). Taking a camel ride (Included) is entirely your own choice!

Continue 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.
Lunch is included at La Bodega or Abu El-Sid restaurant.

Evening Sound and Light show by the Pyramids.

DAY 10 - Mon. Amman (B)
Our representative escorts you to the airport for your flight to Amman. One way air ticket in 'Y" class is included in the rate. Our staff will meet you upon arrival and help with the transfer to your hotel in Amman. Complimentary Jordanian visa will be issued upon arrival at Amman Airport , valid only for Americans, Canadian, Australian, NZ , EU , & Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for at least 6 month upon arrival).

DAY 11 - Tue - MADABA, KERAK - PETRA (BL)
We drive to Jerash, among the best-preserved Roman cities in the world, to tour its temples, theaters, churches and colonnaded streets. From Jerash, we drive south along the King's Highway, an ancient caravan route, 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. Farther on, at KERAK, we tour the ruins of its romantic Crusaders' castle of Renaud DE Chatillon, one of a line which stretched from Aqaba to Turkey. Finally, we arrive to PETRA and your hotel. Lunch is included enroute.

DAY 12 - Wed - PETRA (BD)
Today the fabulous Nabatean City of Petra awaits us. Made famous in the Indiana Jones movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark," its ancient temples, tombs and striking Khazneh (Treasury) were hewn right from the pink and violet sandstone. We spend a full day here, and another night.

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 13 - Thu WADI RUM & AMMAN (BL)
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 return to Amman. Lunch is included enroute .

DAY 14 - Fri Departure (B)
Our local representative escorts you back to the airport fly back to JFK

• Sleeper train and domestic airfare within Egypt.
  
• Round-trip airfare JFK/CAIRO/AMMAN/JFK, in economy class and including tax .
  
• Complimentary Jordanian & Egyptian visa fee (valid only for Australian, NZ, Canadian, American Western European, & Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for at least 6 month upon arrival). As well as Jordan's Departure Tax.
  
• Most meals, as listed: B = Continental breakfast, L/D = Preset men lunch/dinner.
  
• Guided sightseeing, all transfers in Egypt and Jordan, as per itinerary, including all entrance fees.
  
• Hotel accommodations, including tax and service charges.
  
• Nile cruise , including all meals and shore excursions .Complimentary welcome drink upon arrival on board the Nile Cruise , welcome fruit basket on board the Nile Cruise.
  Large bottle of water ( per person ) delivered to you cabin daily while you are on board the Nile Cruise.Tea or coffee an bottled water with each / every meal while you are on board the Nile Cruise.
  
• Locally hosted guide will escort the group at all times during sightseeing.

Air fare notes:

• International Air fare add on:
  For departures from most west coast cities, as well as 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 to end of Sep , please note that a $ 450 air-fare supplement is added to the above rates.
  
• When you handle your own air fare, please deduct $500 from the listed rate.

• Tips .
• Insurance ,we'll be glad to send you the flyer,
• Beverages and any other expenses of personal nature such as laundry , phone calls etc, and anything that 's not listed in the "Inclusions"

Upgrade to the Ultra Deluxe Nile Cruises:
Movenpick Radamis II or Royal Lotus , or M/S Philae. The Ultra Deluxe" Queen TiYi

Supplement : 20 % applies to be added to the deluxe rate