|
 These ancient desert lands will be a source of constant fascination as this tour gives you the opportunity to explore everything from towering pyramids to the waters of the Dead Sea, and red rock cities in Petra. Take a peaceful cruise down the River Nile in luxury, see the burial chamber of Tutankhamun, wander the temples at Abu Simbel, make a pilgrimage up the holy slopes of Mt Sinai and try the delicious foods and sweet tea of the Middle East.
 • Day 1 to 1 Arrive Cairo
• Day 2 to 3 Cairo - Aswan
• Day 4 to 5 Abu Simbel - Luxury Nile Cruiser
• Day 6 to 7 Luxor
• Day 8 to 8 Cairo - Mt Sinai
• Day 9 to 9 Mt Sinai - Aqaba
• Day 10 to 10 Aqaba - Wadi Rum - Petra
• Day 11 to 11 Petra
• Day 12 to 12 Petra - Kings Highway - Amman
• Day 13 to 13 Amman
• Accommodation:
8 nights in hotels (4 star hotels), 2 nights on overnight trains, 2 nights on luxury Nile River Cruiser M/S Mojito
• Meals:
12 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 7 dinners
• Excursions:
All excursions mentioned as per the itinerary
• Luxury Nile Cruiser
• Two hour jeep safari at Wadi Rum
• 800 m Horse ride at Petra
• Transport:
Private car, private air-conditioned coach, train, luxury Nile cruiser, taxi, on foot
• Group Size: Maximum 20
• Staff: Yellow Brick Road Tours tour leader, local guides
• International flights and departure taxes
• Domestic flight taxes if applicable
• Tips on included excursions, visas, travel insurance, personal items
• Pre & post tour accommodation
• Departure transfers
• Spending money - allow approximately US$30 - $40 per day to cover snacks, meals not included, drinks, souvenirs, laundry, tips etc
• Optional excursions
Day 1 - Friday, April 13, 2012
 • Your trip starts in Cairo. • This is an arrivals day and no activities are planned so you may arrive at any time. Rooms are generally available after midday. • If you have not confirmed your arrival transfer details with Yellow Brick Road Tours for your free hotel 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 leader will be staying at the hotel and will meet you at the pre departure meeting taking place at 18:00, however, should you wish to make contact earlier please do so. • After the pre departure meeting we have a welcome dinner where you can try the local Egyptian food, and get to know your fellow travellers.
Day 2 - Saturday, April 14, 2012
 • Cairo is the 'King' of all cities, a massive, sprawling metropolis of some 26 million people including the outer ring. • We set out early for a truly extraordinary day to the edge of the desert to explore the pyramids and the nearby sphinx. Gazing upon these magnificent feats of engineering for the first time will leave you in awe. • After lunch, we drive out to the Citadel for a talk on understanding the Muslim religion, watch midday prayers, and enjoy the wonderful views. • We also visit the beautiful Valley Temple of King Chephren, an excellent example of old kingdom engineering.  • In the afternoon, there's time for further exploration of the bustling Khan el Khalili bazaar, an amazing mix of shops and stalls that have traded goods and gossip since the Middle Ages. The bazaar is like a labyrinth with each corner even more interesting than the last. You can haggle for crafts and carpets, or sip sweet tea and watch Egyptian life go by.
• In the evening, we are transferred to the station for the night train to Aswan. Our air-conditioned sleeper carriages have large, comfortable beds (similar to business class reclining seats on a plane), with a simple dinner and breakfast served on board. There is a toilet located at the end of the carriage.
Day 3 - Sunday, April 15, 2012
 • On arrival in Aswan we transfer to our hotel, check in and relax before venturing out to explore the Nubian bazaar. This is a long and winding colourful street that snakes through the centre of town where Egyptian and Nubian people sell their wares. • Following this, we transfer to the stunning Temple of Isis on Philae Island by felucca, a small traditional open air sailing boat dating back thousands of years. • After a break for lunch, we sail to the west bank and meet our camels who shepherd us to the Monastery of St. Simeon - a great way to spend the afternoon! • The rest of the afternoon is at leisure before venturing out and strolling along the cornice to our evening meal.
Day 4 - Monday, April 16, 2012
 • Rising early, we have the option of travelling by road (not included) to Abu Simbel, one of the most impressive temples and dedications of love ever built, and one of the highlights of our visit to Egypt. • We follow the shores of Lake Nasser and arrive at the temple just after sunrise, a perfect time for photographs and to beat the crowds. • We enjoy a tour of the site, with free time inside, later returning to Aswan, arriving around midday, where we board our Nile Cruise boat, the M/S Mojito. • After lunch, the rest of the day is free to explore the area or to relax on the sundeck aboard the vessel, moored along the banks of the river Nile.
Day 5 - 6 - Tuesday, April 17 - Wednesday, April 18, 2012
 • Cruising along the Nile is a magical experience, sitting on the sundeck, watching timeless scenes as we glide over the dark waters. • We stop at Komombo to visit the Temple of Sobek, a Greco-Roman temple that overlooks the river, and at Edfu we explore the well-preserved Temple of Horus, considered one of the finest examples of temple construction. • All meals are included and served in the comfortable dining room. • On arrival in Luxor, we transfer to our hotel and check in with some free time to relax, before boarding horse-drawn carriages to the massive complex at Karnak for our guided tour, built over a period of some 2000 years, and one of the most impressive temples ever constructed.
Day 7 - Thursday, April 19, 2012
 • An early sunrise has us boarding the feluccas and crossing the Nile to the west bank where our donkeys are waiting to take us into the Valley of the Kings (those wishing to travel by taxi can do so). • After matching donkeys to each rider we head off, just as the sun begins to rise in the eastern skies. • It's a great experience and one of the highlights of our visit to Egypt. We have the chance to view three burial tombs, including that of Tutankhamun, some still so beautifully and colourfully decorated inside. • We return to the east bank where the afternoon is left free to explore the bazaar, Luxor Temple, or Luxor Museum. • In the evening, we take the overnight sleeper train back to Cairo, with dinner served on board.
Day 8 - Friday, April 20, 2012
 • Arriving back in Cairo, we are met by our private transport and transfer directly towards the Sinai Desert. • The Sinai is an untamed desert wilderness of extreme and ever changing beauty, with massive jagged pink granite mountains reaching into clear blue skies. • We drive east from Cairo, and spend the night in a hotel at the base of Mt. Sinai, Egypt's most holy mountain. • For those who do not want to walk, you can either sleep through sunrise back at the hotel, or take a camel up! • There's a cool and refreshing pool to relax in after the long drive from Cairo.
Day 9 - Saturday, April 21, 2012
 • 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 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 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 10 - Sunday, April 22, 2012
 • 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 great deal 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 4WD jeep tour into the desert and later we continue our journey to the village of Wadi Musa, at the base of Petra.
Day 11 - Monday, April 23, 2012
 • 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 amphitheatre carved into the rock face. • It's a really interesting day and incredibly rewarding, however it can be tiring due to so much walking. • After returning to our hotel and the evening meal, why not enjoy an optional 'hammam' or Turkish Bath - a great way to end the day.
Day 12 - Tuesday, April 24, 2012
 • We follow the snaking ancient Kings Highway, a road dating back to the Old Testament, and beyond to Madaba, famous for the ornate and crafted mosaic patterns found in most houses, we visit the Greek Orthodox church of St. George, which houses a 6th century mosaic map depicting the old city of Jerusalem. • Following this we drive to the Dead Sea for a float on the salty waters and cover yourself in the Dead Sea mud with its youth and beautifying properties. • This evening, we head out for a farewell dinner to say goodbye to all of our new friends, and talk about our time in the Middle East.
Day 13 - Wednesday, April 25, 2012
• Your trip ends today, after breakfast. • Check-out time is usually around midday.
Additional accommodation can be pre-booked if you wish to spend more time exploring Amman. The tour leader is available for any assistance for your onward journey.
|
Pyramids to Petra
