Jordan & Egypt: Sands of Time

Arrive in Amman and transfer to your hotel.

Travel to Jerash, the 3rd-century “Pompeii of the Middle East.” Following lunch, tour Amman and visit its historic downtown. Stop at the ancient Citadel, the remains of a small Byzantine basilica and the Great Temple of Amman. Tonight, gather for a special welcome dinner.

Travel to Mount Nebo, where Moses is said to have seen the Promised Land. Continue to Madaba, site of the oldest preserved mosaic map of the Holy Land. Next, visit the naturally buoyant Dead Sea for a dip in its therapeutic waters. Drive to Petra, which you explore the next day. See its rock-cut structures sculpted from mountains by the Nabataeans, discovering its baths, markets, Treasury and Palace Tomb alongside your local guide.

Fly from Amman to Cairo and transfer to your hotel, with views of the legendary Nile from your room. The next day, visit the Great Sphinx and the pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus at Giza Plateau, exploring the interior of one pyramid followed by a scenic camel ride. Visit the Solar Boat Museum and the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, with its fascinating Mummy Room.

Fly to Abu Simbel to view the two temples built during the reign of Ramses II. Continue to Aswan, where the Unfinished Obelisk lies. Later, board luxurious Sanctuary ‘Sun Boat IV’ to begin your Nile River cruise. The next day, take a motorboat ride to the island of Agilika to see the Temple of Philae. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the temple was dismantled and relocated here due to flooding from the Aswan High Dam construction. Sail to Kom Ombo; one of its sides is dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god. Cruise to Edfu and visit the Temple of Horus, completed in 57 BC under Ptolemy XII. Later, attend an “Egyptian Night” costume party with a buffet of local fare, live music and dance. On your third day, sail to Luxor and the Temple of Karnak, the largest in Egypt, and the Temple of Luxor. After lunch, explore the west bank of Luxor, home to the Valley of the Kings, where the pharaohs of the New Kingdom were laid to rest. Enjoy special access into King Tutankhamun’s tomb and then visit the Temple of Hatshepsut, Egypt's first female pharaoh.

Disembark ‘Sun Boat IV’ and fly to Cairo. Explore the Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hassan, a massive Mamluk-era structure with an egg-shaped dome, unusual chinoiserie details and soaring minarets. Then, visit the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, a bustling souk in the city’s old district. Tonight, gather for a farewell dinner with fellow guests.

Transfer to the airport and board your flight home.