The Best of Egypt and Jordan

Duration 14 days
Price guide
From
  PP
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Egyptian heritage hyeroglyphs at Philae Temple Aswan
Set out on an adventure across two countries brimming with culture, ancient history and beautiful natural landscapes. Begin in Cairo to visit the Giza Pyramids, then board your luxury cruise to see Egypt’s most captivating archeological sites.In Jordan, discover Amman and the ancient ruins of Jerash, then head to Petra and follow desert roads into Wadi Rum before relaxing on the Dead Sea.

Trip highlights

  • Discover Cairo and the epic Giza Pyramids
  • Get under the skin of Nubian culture in Aswan
  • Cruise the Nile with an Egyptologist to hear captivating stories of the river
  • Spend days at both Jerash and Petra - Jordan's incredible archeological sites
  • Get ready for adrenaline filled Jeep tours in Wadi Rum
  • Enjoy rejuvenating and therapeutic dips in the Dead Sea

Our bespoke trips include

We design one-of-a-kind journeys incorporating luxury in all its forms. Our bespoke trips include:

  • Luxury accommodation throughout
  • Privately guided tours
  • Private transfers
  • Meticulously selected experiences
  • Expertise and support from your Jacada Concierge
Black and white illustration of two guides pointing to a building in the distance
  • Days 1–3 Cairo
  • Days 4–5 Aswan
  • Days 5–9 Cruising the Nile
  • Days 9–10 Amman
  • Days 10–11 Petra
  • Days 11–12 Wadi Rum
  • Days 12–14 Dead Sea
The Best of Egypt and Jordan
Price guide
  PP
  • Days 1–3 Cairo
  • Days 4–5 Aswan
  • Days 5–9 Cruising the Nile
  • Days 9–10 Amman
  • Days 10–11 Petra
  • Days 11–12 Wadi Rum
  • Days 12–14 Dead Sea

Itinerary in detail

Every Jacada trip is tailored to your personal preferences and interests. Below you’ll find a sample itinerary to inspire your own custom-designed journey.

Days 1–3

Two nights in Cairo

Set on the banks of the Nile, Egypt’s capital Cairo is steeped in history. Its astonishing heritage sites and diverse neighbourhoods, both modern and traditional, enthral. Known as the ‘city of a thousand minarets’ due to its concentration of Islamic architecture, Cairo is a vibrant multicultural hub with a pedestrian friendly downtown, perfect for exploring by night (you’ll embark on a guided evening tour that ends atop a rooftop bar in a vintage hotel).

Just outside the city rests the Great Sphinx of Giza, and the one remaining Wonder of the World, the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Landscape of cairo old city in egypt africa

Make it mine

Ancient artefacts

Cuisine

Architecture

Pryramids

Egyptian Museum or Museum of Cairo building in Cairo downtown

Visit the Egyptian Museum

Enter a world of ancient artefacts and incredible finds in one of the world’s most famous museums, The Egyptian Museum. Also known as the Cairo Museum, you’ll witness the largest collection of Pharaonic antiquities in the world within its walls, including the iconic pure gold death mask of Tutankhamun, among countless other treasures.

Cairo Food Tour

Savour the true essence of Egypt through an authentic culinary experience: ‘Eat like an Egyptian!’  Prepare to indulge in the national dish of Egypt, Koshary; discover the Egyptian twist on falafel; and immerse yourself in a tantalising assortment of traditional dips and starters, known as meze.

Visit the Citadel and Mohammed Ali Mosque

Explore the iconic Cairo Citadel, a historic fortress initially built in 1183 CE by Salah El Din, the esteemed Arab conqueror and leader.  Discover the captivating history of the Arab, Mamluk, and Ottoman periods, delving into the rise of Mohammed Ali and the final dynasties of Egypt. Immerse yourself in the breathtaking Byzantine Ottoman architecture as you visit the remarkable Alabaster Mosque of Mohamed Ali, a true highlight of the tour. If you have a particular interest in Islamic architecture, please inform your guide, and if time permits, we will endeavour to include a visit to the nearby awe-inspiring Sultan Hassan Mosque as well.

Sphinx carving in front of Egyptian pyramid with tourists below

Visit the Pyramids and Sphinx

Of the seven wonders of the ancient world, only one remains today: The Great Pyramid of Giza. These massive structures served as a way for kings to journey to the next world and emerge as gods. Despite their age, the pyramids still overwhelm and impress visitors. You will visit all three of the pyramids at Giza, and also get to see their collective grandeur from a panoramic view point before proceeding to the Great Sphinx, with its head of a man and body of a lion, together with your guide.

Days 4–5

Overnight in Aswan

Embark on a fascinating journey to the relaxed city of Aswan, which deserves its reputation as Egypt’s most beautiful city. Indulge in a sensory feast at the city’s bustling souks, where the air is filled with the aroma of spices and the lively sounds of bargaining, immerse yourself in the captivating Nubian community, and enjoy a relaxing felucca sailboat cruise along the Nile.

Much of what you see in Aswan is in some way connected with the momentous damming of the Nile here during the 1960s to control the annual flooding and create Lake Nasser: from the top of the dam there are sweeping views of the lake and the surrounding arid desert scenery.

The sights of Aswan

Ancient artefacts

Nubian heritage

Setting sail

Visit the Nubian Museum

Prepare to be enthralled by a treasure trove of Egyptian, Roman, and African artefacts housed within this captivating museum. An architectural marvel in its own right. it sits harmoniously in the hillside,  sprawled across an expansive 50,000 square metres of meticulously landscaped gardens and thoughtfully designed structures.

Experience Nubian hospitality

The Nubians, an ethnic group hailing from Northern Sudan and Southern Egypt, have been an integral part of the Nile region for centuries, renowned for their expertise in trading precious goods such as gold and spices. This tour offers an authentic glimpse into the lives of the Nubian people. We take you off the well-trodden path and guide you to the unexplored side of a genuine Nubian village,  accompanied by the villagers themselves.

All aboard a traditional felucca boat

Set sail on a traditional felucca boat and slowly float down the spectacular river Nile. These small vessels, with their shining wood and billowing sails, allow you to sit back and relax as the river scenery passes you by, much of it unchanged for thousands of years.

Days 5–9

A River Nile luxury cruise

Board the Oberoi Philae luxury cruise ship for a five-day, four-night Nile River cruise. Stop off at some of Egypt’s most captivating archeological sites: Abu Simbel, Temple of Philae, Kom Ombo, Temple of Edfu, Esna, Valley of the Kings, Luxor and Karnak Temples.

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Kom Ombo

Edfu

Valley of Kings

Luxor

Karnak

Aswan

Visit Kom Ombo (the Crocodile Temple)

Midway between Luxor and Aswan, this magnificent temple traces its origins back to the Ptolemaic dynasty around 200 BCE and holds a captivating tale of dual deities. Dedicated to Horus, the Falcon God symbolising keen vision and the love of the people, and Sobek, the crocodile god representing earthly instincts and revered out of fear, this unique double temple embodies the profound notion that within each of us reside both good and bad. See preserved crocodile mummies at the adjacent museum – a small but truly captivating treasure trove.

Explore the towering Edfu Temple

Explore the towering temple of Edfu, also known as the temple of Horus. Extremely well preserved and dedicated to the falcon god, Horus, this huge structure lies on the west bank of the river Nile.

The mystical West Bank of Luxor

Symbolically positioned where the sun bids its farewell, and once the renowned necropolis of Thebes, this ethereal city of the departed embodies the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Journey through intricately painted tombs, admire the miraculously preserved burial chamber of Queen Nefertari, visit the meticulously restored tomb of Queen Hatshepsut and delve into legend in the tomb of Tutankhamun, adorned with treasures and provisions for his celestial transition.

Explore Luxor Temple

The temple of Luxor dates to 1400 BCE and was intended for priests rather than the general public. This is also the site where kings were crowned. Alexander the Great claimed to have been crowned at Luxor, but in fact it is unlikely he travelled this far south. Explore the temple and Luxor today and be mystified as you try to comprehend how the enormous statues and granite obelisk at the entrance could possibly have been created without the use of modern machinery.

The great columns at the Karnak Temple in Luxor Thebes Egypt

The awe-inspiring marvel of the Karnak Temple is situated in Luxor. Karnak reigns as the pinnacle of this sacred landscape. As the earthly abode of the sun god Amun-Re, Karnak held immense significance in the spiritual tapestry of ancient Egypt, showcasing a breathtaking ensemble of shrines, obelisks, and temples.

Visit the Aswan Dam

The relaxed city of Aswan definitely deserves its reputation as Egypt’s most beautiful city. Much of what you will see here is in some way connected with the momentous damming of the Nile here during the 1960s. The scale of the engineering works is impressive and standing at the top of the dam you will enjoy sweeping views of the lake and the surrounding arid desert scenery. Continue to the temple of Philae and visit the unfinished obelisk, ordered by Pharaoh Hatshepsut.

A short journey to Abu Simbel

It’s well worth the journey down to the border of Sudan to marvel at the temples at Abu Simbel, built by Ramses II to demonstrate the might and glory of Egypt to the nearby Nabatean tribes. Knee-high to the 20m tall twin statues of Ramses II, you’ll see his wife Queen Nefertari and his children: their diminutive form indicative of their lower status. The great temple of Abu Simbel was dedicated to the sun god Amun, the god Ra-Horakhty and the god Ptah, and to the deified form of Ramses himself. The rescue of these monuments from the rising waters of Lake Nasser is also remarkable – they were cut into blocks and moved stone by stone.

Days 9–10

One night in Jordan’s capital city

Amman, the capital of Jordan, is a city of contrasts, offering both ancient ruins and thriving modern life. The city was built in an ideal location, situated on the hilly area between the desert and the fertile Jordan Valley. Begin your tour by stepping back in time with a visit to The Citadel – a reminder that Amman has been inhabited for thousands of years, and was once a major Roman city. The Citadel is home to a small but extremely interesting museum which is well worth a visit, before exploring the modern aspects of the city and understanding a little about how modern Jordanians live, shop, eat, work and pray in this large, modern city.

 

Ruins of a temple with blue skies and Amman city, Jordan, behind

Beyond the city

Jerash

City of Mosaics

Mount Nebo

Large South Theatre - in antique town Jerash, Jordan with visiting tourists

A guided tour of Jerash

Explore the ancient city of Jerash. A truly incredible site with remains from Neolithic times, as well as Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Umayyad and others.

As one of the best preserved cities of the Roman Empire, visited by Emperor Hadrian 129 AD, it’s possible to walk within the tracks of chariot wheels that are still visible in the paving stones. During your tour today you will be able to walk beneath the imposing south gate and then make your way up the ‘Street of Columns’ – the Roman road running north from the Oval Plaza.

A visit to Madaba

Read a map like no other today when you visit the ‘City of Mosaics’ and St George’s Church, famous for its ancient mosaic map of the Holy Land. The real name of this city is Madaba, which sits just south of Amman and is in fact a 4000 year old archaeological site. The quantity of the mosaics here is astounding, particularly the creation within the Church of the Apostles which depicts the sea and her creatures.

Views from Mount Nebo

Visit Mount Nebo today and gaze across to Jerusalem, just 60 kilometres away. The Prophet Moses is said to have stood on Mount Nebo and looking over into the Promised Land, understood that he would not be permitted to enter it. Today Mount Nebo is a memorial site, and the Church of Moses was built by early Christians in honour of the site and has attracted pilgrims since the earliest days of Christianity.

Days 10–11

One night in Petra

Today you will visit Petra – perhaps one of the most stunning and impressive ancient sites which one can visit anywhere in the world today. On arrival at the visitor center our guide will escort you into Petra through the Siq and reveal the highlights of the Nabatean city, including the stunning Treasury. Other sites include the theatre, the tombs and facades and the colonnaded street.

The temple-mausoleum of Al Khazneh in the ancient city of Petra in Jordan - a pinkish brown temple with columns craved out a tall craggy rock face. On the sand in front of the temple lies two camels with blankets and saddles, alongside a standing dog

Little Petra

Caved buildings of Little Petra in Siq al-Barid, Wadi Musa, Jordan at daytime

Visit the remarkable ruins of Little Petra, sitting within a natural gorge with its impressive doorway – enormous and majestic. Step inside to reveal the wonders within the depths from remarkable Nabatean tombs, divinity blocks, cisterns, and dining halls complete with benches and hand washing sinks used for commemorative meals. During the excavations a large number of broken dishes were found, suggesting that breaking dishes was a ritual at the end of commemorative meals inside Little Petra.

Days 11–12

A night in Wadi Rum

A valley carved out of the granite rock and sandstone in southern Jordan, Wadi Rum is steeped in history, culture, and mythological lore. Perhaps first achieving Western attention for its connection to the British officer T.E. Lawrence and its feature in the movie ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, Wadi Rum is also a historical hotspot due to the rock inscriptions, petroglyphs, and ruins that were left by prehistoric civilisations. With  an area of 280 square miles, it is the largest wadi in Jordan.

 

Wadi Rum Jeep Tour

Jordan, The Wadi Rum Desert - tourist visiting the desert

Embark on an exhilarating jeep tour through the magnificent desert alongside a knowledgeable local Bedouin guide. Marvel at the endless expanse of golden sands stretching before you, and be mesmerised by the fascinating formations of rocks that punctuate the landscape. As you traverse this breathtaking terrain, take advantage of the opportunity to engage with your guide, delving into his unique way of life, the cherished traditions of the Bedouin culture, and the secrets of desert survival.

Days 12–14

Days at leisure in the Dead Sea

On your final strop, relax and soak in the nutrient rich waters of the Dead Sea where you can spend your free time exploring the region. Whether you want to unwind with luxurious spa treatments and mud baths, or if you’re looking for an exhilarating adventure, the Dead Sea has something for everyone. There are beautiful waterfalls and stunning canyons to discover, as well as historical landmarks.