Today, experience one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World with a full day dedicated to the extraordinary pyramids.
Begin in the legendary city of Memphis, which was founded around the 3rd century BC by Menes, the Pharaoh who united Upper and Lower Egypt. Memphis became the capital of the Old Kingdom and the heart of Egypt’s busy import-export activity, with traders from around the world giving it a cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Next, move on to Saqqara, the former necropolis for the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis and the place where the very first pyramids were built as tombs for kings. Instead of the smooth sides typically featured, the pyramids here feature six steps on the outside, representing the pharaoh’s stepladder to heaven. Discover the famous Step Pyramid of King Zoser, the oldest known pyramid in Egypt and the world’s first freestanding stone structure.
Drive to Giza for lunch at 9 Pyramids Lounge, which serves traditional Egyptian cuisine on authentic Bedouin seating overlooking the Great Pyramid.
Nearby sits the enigmatic Sphinx, with body of lion and face of a man framed by royal head cloth — which workers may have based on King Khafre — to guard his enormous funerary monument. About a thousand years after the Sphinx was built, it became covered in sand until a young prince had a dream in which the Sphinx told him that if he cleared the sand away, he would become Pharaoh. This story is told on the famed Dream Stele that was placed between the Sphinx’s paws by King Thutmose IV.
Return to your accommodation in Cairo for another evening spent in Egypt’s cosmopolitan capital.
This morning, wander through 7,000 years of history at the Egyptian Museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of ancient Egyptian art. Explore the many priceless antiquities with an Egyptologist as your private guide and uncover the treasures of the boy-king Tutankhamun, including his golden mask, the solid gold sarcophagus that held his mummy, and his beautiful throne.
Enjoy lunch at Al-Azhar Park before wandering down Old Cairo’s magnificent El Moez Street. Containing a huge amount of medieval Islamic architecture, the street fascinates and surprises in equal measure. Continue to Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar, one of the most famous souqs in the city, for a quintessential glimpse into Egypt’s colourful marketplace culture. Lose yourself in the aromas, sounds and colours as you learn how street vendors prepare their food, walk through the spice and gold markets, and enjoy tea at the beloved Feshawi Café (additional cost).
Return to your hotel late this afternoon with the rest of the evening at leisure.
Today, catch an early flight to the city of Aswan and enjoy a visit to the ancient Philae Temple of Isis. Originally located near the Nile in Upper Egypt, the temple complex was relocated to protect it from the rising waters of the Low Aswan Dam project. This beautiful temple honours Isis — the goddess of health, marriage and wisdom. The temple has decorative pylons featuring some of Egypt’s finest carvings, best accessed by small motorboat.
After checking in to your hotel, head to the banks of the Nile, where you’ll have the opportunity to set sail in a felucca (a traditional wooden boat) and admire the natural beauty of the islands nearby. Visit a local village and enjoy an authentic Nubian dinner, complete with traditional dancing.
After breakfast, check out of your accommodation and enjoy the day at leisure. This is the perfect opportunity to walk to the beautiful Aswan Botanical Garden, visit the fascinating Unfinished Obelisk or enjoy an optional tour to the nearby temples of Abu Simbel.
Board your luxury cruise vessel — your home for the next three evenings — and relax as you are gently buffeted by the waters of the Nile. Enjoy a range of premium facilities onboard, including an outdoor pool.
Optional Activity:
- Abu Simbel Tour (from A$635 per person).
After breakfast, sail to the town of Kom Ombo, an agricultural settlement that has remained relatively unchanged for over a thousand years. Stroll through the charming village with your guide as you admire the traditional architecture and learn about the villagers’ way of life before reaching Kom Ombo temple. Built in approximately 181 BC, the temple is dedicated to the gods Horus and Sobek and includes remarkable artefacts, such as mummified crocodiles.
Return to the ship and sail further to Edfu, one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. Accessible only by horse-drawn carriage, ancient Edfu hides many fascinating treasures, including Edfu Temple, which dates back to 237-57 BC and remains almost perfectly intact. The temple is dedicated to the god Horus, one of the principal deities of ancient Egypt.
This morning glide towards the stunning Valley of the Kings, where you will visit three royal tombs and learn the significance of many paintings and hieroglyphics. Then, uncover the remnants of ancient civilisations as you visit the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon, a pair of 17-metre-high statues that used to flank the entrance of the funerary temple of King Amenhotep, Tutankhamun’s grandfather.
Afterwards, step back onboard and enjoy a delicious locally prepared lunch, before continuing to Luxor Temple, dedicated to the Gods Amun, Mut, and Khonsu — marking it one of the most significant in Egypt. This evening, witness the temple come to life with an evening stroll through the beautifully lit complex.
After an early breakfast, visit one of the world’s most celebrated temple complexes, built over a period of some 2,000 years, with sections dating back to 2,055 BC.
Afterwards, you’ll be transferred to the airport, where a return flight to Cairo awaits. After touchdown and transport to your accommodation, enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure.
After a mouthwatering breakfast, you’ll be picked up and transferred to Cairo International Airport for your flight to Amman, Jordan. Upon arrival, fast-track meet-and-greet services will ensure a smooth experience through customs and immigration.
Welcome to Amman, the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. After checking in to your accommodation, head downtown by jeep on a tour of some of the city’s highlights, beginning with the ancient Amman Citadel. This is the original city, with its monumental Temple of Hercules, Umayyad Palace, Jordan Archaeological Museum and panoramic views of Amman’s jabals (hills). Plus, see the Roman Theatre, one of the largest and most impressive amphitheatres of the ancient world.
This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at the hotel.
This morning we drive to Wadi Rum, watching as the scenery changes from craggy hills to a wider expanse of open desert interspersed by rocky outcrops. Wadi Rum is like the landscape of another planet, a series of dramatic rocky mounds, joined by valleys of sand that stretch for miles toward a hazy distant horizon. On a jeep safari, look out for black Bedouin tents and flocks of sheep and goats — a reminder of the few Jordanians who still practise this traditional lifestyle.
After lunch, arrive at your camp in the heart of the desert, which offers incredible views of the surrounding landscape from your air-conditioned tent. Watch the sun descend beneath the horizon while enjoying a glass of champagne and canapes.
Head to a local Bedouin camp for an authentic zarb (underground oven) dinner feast, gaining inimitable insight into their customs and way of life, before returning to your camp for a restful night’s sleep in one of the most spellbinding places in the world.
After breakfast, drive to the spectacular ‘Rose City’ of Petra and enjoy a morning hike to the city’s spectacular monastery. Explore an incredible collection of tombs and temples carved into pink sandstone walls dating to 300 BC. The main path from the Treasury opens out to a wider valley lined with tombs, caves and a small amphitheatre cut into the rock face. With the unique rose-coloured geology surrounding you, discover the Pharaoh’s Castle, the Triumphal Arch and the Amphitheatre. Further on is the Roman quarter, a collonaded street surrounded by the ruins of temples that is also well worth exploring. Upon reaching the monastery, your efforts will be rewarded with stunning views of the ruins below. Return to the hotel for an evening at leisure.
Enjoy a day of self-guided discovery as you unveil Petra’s secrets on your own. Highly recommended are the old Roman road, tucked away temples, ancient tombs and the carved amphitheatre. This is the perfect chance to try Jordan’s delicious national dish, mansaf — heavily spiced and delicious, the dish uses lamb cooked in broth and yoghurt, traditionally served with rice and flatbreads and topped with chopped parsley and fried pine nuts.
Depart Petra and head north to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth, surrounded by reddish-brown hills and famous for its extremely salty — and buoyant — waters. The rest of the day is yours at leisure to enjoy the extensive facilities of your resort, which include a private beach, luxury spa, and lush gardens dotted with lagoons, waterfalls and swimming pools.
After breakfast, check out and drive north to the ruins of Jerash, one of the best preserved Roman cities of the Middle East. Wander the paved streets of the Cardo Maximus — through ceremonial gates and tall, collonaded avenues — and imagine life as it was in ancient times, surrounded by bustling streets and lively public spaces. Afterwards, return to Amman, check in and enjoy the rest of the evening.
After an early breakfast, say goodbye to Jordan as you’re escorted to Allenby Bridge and cross the border into Israel. After entry, your Israel odyssey begins in the seaside city of Tel Aviv, where you will find renowned beaches and unrivalled nightlife. Check in to your accommodation and enjoy a short city tour of Tel Aviv and Old Jaffa Port, which is among the oldest ports in the world and is today considered to be a vision of modernity. Explore the avant-garde district of Neve Tzedek — the city’s first official suburb — and follow the Independence Trail, linking 10 heritage sights that give a unique insight into the founding of the nation.
After breakfast, weave your way through the hills of Galilee to visit the ancient crusader port of Acre (Akko in Hebrew), stopping along the way, first in Caesarea to see the ancient Roman aqueducts and amphitheatre, then in Haifa to enjoy spectacular views of the renowned Bahai Gardens, a series of 19 terraced gardens up Mount Carmel that overlook the city. In Akko, visit the ruined tunnels and halls of the Crusaders who once ruled the city, and admire the thousand-plus years of intermingled Roman, Ottoman, Crusader, Mameluke and Byzantine history. End the day near Nazareth beside the Sea of Galilee.
This morning, take the rare opportunity to visit the Church of the Annunciation — the site where Mary is said to have received news of the Immaculate Conception. Hit the road again and head for Tiberias, a charming, church-filled city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Drive along the shoreline to the ancient fishing village of Capernaum, to visit the ruins of its ancient synagogue, the Mount of Beatitudes — traditional site of the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ — and Tabgha, thought to be the site of the miracle of the loaves and fish.
After a maritime lunch in Tiberias, take a scenic boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and soak up the region’s tremendous history and folklore.
Enjoy one final, delicious breakfast in Galilee before driving to Jerusalem via Nablus, a beautiful old city nestled between two desert mountains and famously home to one of the smallest and oldest ethnoreligious sects in the world, the Samaritans. Enter Jerusalem, a city filled with ancient history and holy sites, and enjoy visits to two of the region’s most incredible places — the Garden of Gethsemane, where it is understood that Jesus spent his last night, and the Mount of Olives which rises high above it, treating you to incredible views of the Old City.
This morning, discover the countless sights of the Old City of Jerusalem, starting with the Dome of the Rock, an Islamic Shrine at the central point of the Temple Mount. Move on to Temple Mount’s Western Wall, then continue along the Way of the Cross (Via Dolorosa), finally stopping at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Jesus is thought to have been crucified, buried and resurrected.
In the afternoon, embark on a tour of old Bethlehem. Witness the Church of the Nativity as well as Manger Square.
Today marks the end of your once-in-a-lifetime tour through Egypt, Jordan and Israel. After a final breakfast with your companions, you will be transferred to Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) for your onward journey.