Wings Over Israel, Jordan & Egypt

Arrive in Tel Aviv, where you are met and privately transferred to your hotel in Jerusalem.

Rise early for a guided walk on the Temple Mount. Explore the Old City of Jerusalem, a place sacred to so many. Proceed to the Western Wall, Judaism’s most sacred site. Also explore the underground Western Wall tunnels. After lunch, visit major Christian sites, including St. Anne’s Church and the Pool of Bethesda. Walk along the Stations of the Way of the Cross to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Proceed to Mount Zion to view the traditional Tomb of King David and the Upper Room, which commemorates the Last Supper. Tonight, gather at a local restaurant for a special welcome dinner.

Today, enjoy one of these Design Your Day activities. Explore the New City of Jerusalem & Bethlehem, viewing the Dead Sea Scrolls and joining a local Christian family for lunch on a Chef’s Table experience in the West Bank. Visit the New City of Jerusalem & Enjoy Time at Leisure, exploring Yad Vashem, before some free time to relax or further explore the city. Discover Dynamic Tel Aviv on an active walking tour and visit the ancient port city of Jaffa. All options include lunch.

Venture into the Judean desert wilderness to Masada, where you take the cable car up to the last stronghold of the Zealots. Many of their fortifications, originally built by King Herod, still stand today. Stop for lunch at a hotel beside the Dead Sea. If you wish, take a dip in its buoyant, mineral-rich waters before returning to Jerusalem.

Board your privately chartered flight to Jordan, landing in Aqaba, where you have lunch before continuing to Petra.

Explore Petra, the once-thriving desert capital carved into red rock, discovering the Siq, the Temple of the Winged Lions and the Palace Tomb, and visiting the iconic Treasury accompanied by a local archaeologist. This afternoon, continue to Wadi Rum, the so-called “Valley of the Moon” and the site of your private desert camp. Later, enjoy a refreshing Scenic Sundowner, and then marvel at the sunset over a Bedouin meal, followed by a discussion on Bedouin life.

Fly from Aqaba via private charter to Abu Simbel. There, behold the towering twin temples of Ramses II and his wife, Queen Nefertari, rescued from the flooding waters of the Aswan High Dam. Fly to Aswan, where you board the intimate dahabeah ‘Sanctuary Zein Nile Chateau.’ Later, boat to the island of Agilika and view a special show at Philae Temple, a sacred complex that reflects the Egyptian, Greek and Roman eras.

Go ashore at Kom Ombo to visit the Greco-Roman temple dedicated to Haroeris (the sun god) and Sobek (the crocodile god), and view the mummified remains of several crocodile that once basked on the Nile’s banks, just as their descendants do today.

Continue sailing toward Esna, a city sacred to ancient Egyptians, passing riverside villages where time has seemingly stood still and taking in the views as history unfolds around you.

Cruise to Luxor, where you roam through the Valley of the Kings, legendary burial ground of the pharaohs and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was here in 1922 that the tomb of “the boy king,” Tutankhamun, was found by British archaeologist Howard Carter. Now, discover it for yourself as you set foot inside its 35-century-old walls. Also visit the tomb of Seti I, the father of Ramses II, one of the best-preserved tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Continue to the Valley of the Queens, where you visit Queen Nefertari’s tomb, famous for the colorful, well-preserved artwork that adorns its walls. After lunch back on board, visit the Temple of Karnak and walk through the Great Hypostyle Hall. Visit the Temple of Luxor, with its massive statues of Ramses II, and marvel at the Colonnade and Court of Amenhotep III.

Today, bid farewell to ‘Sanctuary Zein Nile Chateau,’ disembarking to fly aboard chartered aircraft to Cairo. Explore the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities (or the Grand Egyptian Museum, upon its opening) to view a vast trove of artifacts. Then, check in at your hotel, located along Cairo’s Corniche.

Venture across the Giza Plateau to view its iconic pyramids and explore the interior of one of these soaring Fourth Dynasty tombs. Then, go up close to the Great Sphinx, enjoying special private access to the paws of the enigmatic monument, close enough to touch them. This evening, gather for a farewell dinner.

After breakfast, privately transfer to the airport to board your departing flight.