12-Nights Petra to the Pyramids & a Nile Yacht Cruise - Luxury Small Group Journeys

Cairo

Cairo and the ancient monuments of the Egyptian empire have fascinated visitors throughout the centuries. The mystifying Sphinx and the pyramids of Giza, over four thousand years old, stand majestically on the outskirts of the city at the edge of the desert. Cairo's Museum of Antiquities holds one of the finest collections of artifacts in the world, including the astounding treasures of King Tutankhamen's tomb.

Petra

From Jordan's port on the Red Sea, you can travel to the mysterious lost city of Petra, which was hidden for centuries. At first it looks like a mirage: rugged sandstone hills seem to melt into windows and doorways, columns and gargoyles. But it is not: all the buildings of Petra, except one, were elaborately carved into the rock hills by a nomadic Arabian tribe in the 6th century B.C. It is a remarkable sight. You can also visit Wadi Rum, where Bedouin families set black goat-hair tents at the base of massive, striated "jebels," the sheer-faced hills of the region.

Aswan

Aswan is Egypt's sunniest southern city and has a distinctively African atmosphere. The pace of life here in the most beautiful setting on the Nile is slow and relaxing. It is a favorite winter resort spot for Europeans, Middle Easterns and Africans alike - it's a perfect place to get away from it all. Strolling up and down the Corniche, one can watch sailboats glide by. Savor the flavor of locally caught fish while listening to Nubian music or wander in the bazaar and get lost in the sights and sounds of this mystical place. Visit the Aga Khan Mausoleum, the Monastery at Qubbat al-Hawa, the Unfinished Obelisk, The Tombs of the Nobles, Qubbat al-Hawa, the Monastery at Aswan , or the St. Simeon monastery (Anba Hatre), uninhabited and just outside of Aswan.

Luxor

Aside from visiting the pyramids near Cairo, Luxor and Al Karnak are places not to be missed when in search of ancient Egyptian monuments and artifacts. Luxor is on the southern part of ancient Thebes, Al Karnak on the north. Between the two, visitors can lose themselves for days in the hundreds of temples, chapels, tombs and gardens in the area. Too extensive to list all of them, a few of the tombs not to be missed are the tombs of Nefertari, Amenhotep II & III, several Ramesses and Tutankhamen.

Kom Ombo

In Kom Ombo tourists can visit the roofless Temple of Kom Ombo which was built for the falcon and crocodile gods. The Temple of Sobek is another attraction in Kom Ombo where a mummified crocodile can be seen!

Amman

Amman has served as the modern and ancient capital of Jordan. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and is built on seven enchanting hills. Gleaming white houses, kebab stalls and cafes are interspersed with bustling markets and the remains of civilizations and ages long past. The greatest charm of Amman, however, is found in the hospitality of its residents who give visitors a warm welcome.

Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel is a set of two temples near the border of Egypt with Sudan. It was constructed for the pharaoh Ramesses II who reigned for 67 years during the 13th century BC (19th Dynasty).

The temples were cut from the rock and shifted to higher ground in the 1960s as the waters of Lake Nasser began to rise following completion of the Aswan High Dam.

The Great Temple is dedicated to Ramesses II and a statue of him is seated with three other gods within the innermost part of the rock-cut temple (the sanctuary). The temple's facade is dominated by four enormous seated statues of the Pharaoh (each over 20 metres or 67 feet high), although one has been damaged since ancient times.

The Small Temple was probably completed ahead of the Great Temple and is dedicated to Ramesses' favourite wife, Nefertari. At the entrance stand six 10-metre-high (33 feet) rock-cut statues - two of Ramesses and one of Nefertari on either side of the doorway.

Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings in Upper Egypt contains many of the tombs of pharaohs from the New Kingdom, including Tutankhamun and Ramesses the Great.

The Valley of the Kings actually has two components - the East Valley and the West Valley. It is the East Valley which most tourists visit and in which most of the tombs of the New Kingdom Pharaohs can be found. (The West Valley has only one remote tomb open to the public, that of Ay who was Tutankhamun's successor.)

Nile River Cruising

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Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum or Valley of the Moon, is a valley of sandstone and granite rock situated in southern Jordan. Wadi Rum has been inhabited by nomads since prehistoric times and is currently home to the Zalabia Bedouin people who guide ventures of climbers and trekkers. Eco-adventure tourism is a developing success and their main source of income. Travelers can visit the key spots of Wadi Rum’s desert history: the Thamudic inscriptions of Wadi Rum, Nabatean Temple, and Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

Dead Sea, Jordan

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