Egypt & Jordan Grand Tour: Cairo, Nile, Petra

This morning you meet your private Egyptologist guide for a full day among the living miracles of Giza. On a private guided tour you stand before the Giza Pyramids Complex, craning to take in the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the last surviving wonder of the ancient world. You circle its colossal base, then walk to the enigmatic Great Sphinx and the granite-columned Valley Temple, learning how these monuments were raised more than four thousand years ago. After a relaxed lunch you continue to the magnificent Grand Egyptian Museum, home to Tutankhamun's dazzling treasures and towering statues displayed in soaring galleries. Throughout the day your guide shares stories that bring the ancient stones vividly to life before you return to your hotel in Cairo for the night.

• Giza Pyramids Complex
• The Great Pyramid
• The Great Sphinx
• The Valley Temple
• The Grand Egyptian Museum

Today reveals a different face of the capital. You begin in Coptic and Islamic Cairo: the historic Amr Ibn Al Aas Mosque, the beautiful Hanging Church suspended above a Roman gate, and the ancient Ben Ezra Synagogue tucked among narrow lanes. After lunch you stroll medieval Al Muizz Street, an open-air museum of minarets and carved facades, then lose yourself in the colour and clamour of Khan El Khalili Bazaar. Here you sip mint tea, haggle for spices, lanterns and silver, and feel the pulse of old Cairo all around you. Your private guided tour ends with a relaxed return to your hotel for the evening.

• Amr Ibn Al Aas Mosque
• The Hanging Church
• Ben Ezra Synagogue
• Al Muizz Street
• Khan El Khalili Bazaar

After breakfast you transfer to the airport for the short flight south to Aswan, Egypt's serene Nubian city on the Nile. On arrival your guide leads you to the mighty Aswan High Dam, the modern engineering feat that tamed the river and created vast Lake Nasser. Nearby you visit the Unfinished Obelisk, still lying in its ancient granite quarry, a fascinating glimpse into how the pharaohs carved their monuments. A short motorboat ride then carries you to the island temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis, its graceful colonnades rising straight from the water. In the late afternoon you check into your comfortable hotel in Aswan, with time to rest after the flight. Settle in, enjoy dinner at the hotel, and watch the sun set softly over the palm-fringed banks of the Nile. Tomorrow starts early for Abu Simbel, and you board your Nile cruise ship once you are back in Aswan.

• The High Dam
• The Unfinished Obelisk
• Philae Temple

Rise early and check out of your Aswan hotel for one of the great highlights of any Egypt journey: the temples of Abu Simbel. Your luggage goes ahead to your Nile cruise ship while you are away. Travelling south toward the Sudanese border, you reach the twin monuments carved for Ramses II and his queen Nefertari on the shores of Lake Nasser. Four colossal seated statues of the pharaoh guard the entrance of the Great Temple, each towering some twenty metres high, while inside, painted halls run deep into the mountain. Your guide explains the astonishing 1960s rescue operation that lifted the entire complex, stone by stone, to save it from the rising waters of the dam. You have time to marvel at the smaller Temple of Hathor before the drive back to Aswan, where you board your elegant Nile cruise ship and settle into your cabin. A full-board lunch and dinner await on board, and tonight you sleep on board, moored in Aswan, before the vessel sails gently downstream in the morning.

• Abu Simbel Temples

After breakfast your Nile cruise leaves its mooring in Aswan and glides downstream, and the temples come to you. You disembark first at Kom Ombo, an unusual double temple standing right at the river's edge and shared between the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus. Your guide points out the ancient medical instruments carved into its walls and the mummified crocodiles in the adjoining museum. Sailing on, you reach Edfu, where a horse-drawn carriage carries you to the Temple of Horus, the best preserved of all Egypt's temples. Its massive pylon, dark sanctuary and towering falcon statue feel remarkably intact, as though the priests left only yesterday. Between visits you relax on the sun deck, watching village life and green fields slip past. Full-board dining and a comfortable overnight on board, as the ship sails on towards Luxor, round out this classic day on the timeless Nile.

• Kom Ombo Temple
• Edfu Temple

This morning your ship moors at Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes and the world's greatest open-air museum. On the East Bank you explore the vast Karnak Temple, a staggering complex built over some two thousand years, where you wander the famous Hypostyle Hall and its forest of 134 gigantic columns. Your Egyptologist guide unravels the stories of Amun, the pharaohs and the priests who once ruled here. After lunch you visit Luxor Temple, elegantly proportioned and once linked to Karnak by an avenue of sphinxes. It is especially magical in the softer afternoon light, its obelisk, colonnades and statues glowing warm gold. Between sites you return to your Nile cruise ship for full-board meals and comfort. Tonight is your last night on board, and you sleep in your cabin moored in Luxor, beside a city where every stone whispers of Egypt's most powerful dynasties.

• Karnak Temple
• Luxor Temple

After a final breakfast on board you check out of your cabin, leave the ship and cross to Luxor's West Bank, the land of the dead where pharaohs built their eternal homes. You descend into the Valley of the Kings, entering several richly painted royal tombs whose ceilings still blaze with colour and hieroglyphs after three thousand years. Nearby rises the striking Temple of Hatshepsut, its terraces set dramatically against sheer desert cliffs, a monument to Egypt's most powerful female pharaoh. You pause too at the Colossi of Memnon, two weathered giants that have guarded the plain for millennia. After lunch you say farewell to the Nile and travel by road across the Eastern Desert to the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, roughly a four-hour scenic drive. Check into your beachfront hotel, unwind, and happily trade ancient temples for sun, sand and cooling sea breezes.

• Valley of the Kings
• Hatshepsut Temple
• Colossi of Memnon

Time to swap history for the sparkling Red Sea. After breakfast you board a comfortable boat for a full-day snorkeling trip out to the reefs around Giftun Island. The water here is astonishingly clear and warm, home to gardens of coral and shoals of brilliant tropical fish. Your crew guides you to the best spots, where you slip into the shallows and float above the reef, spotting butterflyfish, parrotfish and perhaps a graceful sea turtle. Between swims you relax on deck, soak up the sun, and enjoy a freshly prepared lunch served on board. The calm bays and gentle currents make this a wonderful day for beginners and confident snorkellers alike. As the boat cruises back to shore in the late afternoon, you return to your Hurghada hotel pleasantly sun-kissed and ready for a leisurely evening by the sea.

• Giftun Island — A full-day boat trip snorkeling among vivid coral reefs and tropical fish.

Today is entirely yours to spend as you please in Hurghada. After a relaxed breakfast you might simply stretch out on the beach, drift between the pool and the sea, or treat yourself to a spa session at your resort. If you prefer to stay active, your guide can help arrange an optional excursion: a glass-bottom boat trip, a submarine dive, a visit to the colourful marina, or a day at a nearby waterpark. Keen shoppers can explore the local bazaars for spices, papyrus and souvenirs, while food lovers seek out fresh seafood at a waterfront restaurant. This unhurried pause is the perfect midpoint of your Egypt and Jordan adventure, giving you time to rest, recharge and reflect on the wonders already seen. Overnight once more in your comfortable Hurghada hotel beside the Red Sea.

For a jolt of adrenaline, this morning you head into the rugged Eastern Desert on a quad-bike safari. After a safety briefing you take the controls of your own quad and follow your guide across golden dunes and open desert tracks, kicking up dust as the mountains shimmer on the horizon. The landscape is raw and beautiful, a striking contrast to the coral reefs and temples of earlier days. Along the way you pause at a traditional Bedouin village, where you are welcomed with sweet tea and a glimpse of desert life, and perhaps a short camel ride. As the sun sinks the sand glows amber and the desert falls silent around you. Later you return to Hurghada, dust-covered and grinning, for a final relaxed evening on the Red Sea coast before your onward journey to Jordan.

• Eastern Desert Quad Safari
• Bedouin Village

After breakfast you bid farewell to Egypt and begin the journey to Jordan. You transfer to Hurghada airport for a flight to Cairo, then connect onward across the Sinai and the Red Sea to Amman, the hospitable capital of the Hashemite Kingdom. The flights are short, and the changing view from the window, from desert coast to the rolling hills of Jordan, marks the shift between two great chapters of your holiday. On arrival at Queen Alia International Airport, your Jordanian representative greets you, assists with the simple entry formalities, and drives you to your Amman hotel. The rest of the day is free to settle in, rest after travelling, and perhaps take a first stroll through the lively streets. Enjoy dinner at leisure and a good night's sleep in Amman, ready to explore Roman ruins and desert wonders tomorrow.

Today you discover the Roman grandeur of northern Jordan. A short drive brings you to Jerash, one of the best-preserved provincial Roman cities anywhere, where you walk colonnaded streets worn smooth by ancient chariots. You take in the vast oval Forum, the elegant Temple of Artemis, and the great Hippodrome where chariot races once thrilled the crowds. Your guide brings the ruins vividly to life with tales of merchants, legionaries and emperors. Continuing north, you visit the hilltop Ajloun Castle, a mighty Islamic fortress raised to guard against the Crusaders, with sweeping views over the Jordan Valley. Returning to the capital, you explore the Amman Citadel, crowned by Roman columns and a Byzantine church, before gazing out over the white houses of the city below. After a full and rewarding private guided tour, you return to your hotel in Amman for the night.

• Jerash
• Hippodrome of Jerash
• Temple of Artemis
• Ajloun Castle
• Amman Citadel

This morning you travel the ancient King's Highway to Madaba, the celebrated City of Mosaics. In St. George's Church you gaze upon the famous sixth-century mosaic map of the Holy Land, its tiny coloured stones charting Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley. From here you ascend to Mount Nebo, the windswept summit where, according to tradition, Moses looked out over the Promised Land he would never enter; on clear days the view stretches to the Dead Sea and beyond. After lunch you descend to the shore of the Dead Sea itself, the lowest point on Earth. Here you wade into the mineral-rich waters and experience the surreal sensation of floating effortlessly on the surface, then coat your skin in the famous therapeutic mud. As the sun sets over the water, you settle in for a relaxing overnight beside the Dead Sea.

• St. George's Church
• Mount Nebo
• The Dead Sea

Today you reach the crown jewel of Jordan: the rose-red city of Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. You enter on foot through the Siq, a narrow winding gorge between towering cliffs, until it parts to reveal Al Khazneh, the breathtaking Treasury carved directly into the rock. Your guide leads you deeper into this astonishing Nabataean capital, past the Royal Tombs, the great Theatre hewn from the mountainside, and the temple of Qasr al-Bint. You have time to wander, photograph and absorb the sheer scale of it all. In the late afternoon you continue to Wadi Rum, the majestic desert of towering sandstone and red sand made famous by Lawrence of Arabia. After dinner beneath a canopy of stars, you spend a memorable night in a traditional desert camp.

• Petra
• Al Khazneh Temple
• Royal Tombs of Petra
• Theatre of Petra
• Qasr al-Bint
• Wadi Rum

Wake to a desert dawn in Wadi Rum, the light turning the sandstone soft pink and gold. After breakfast you set out on a final adventure, exploring the valley by 4x4 jeep across its vast crimson plains. You visit the carved Nabataean Temple, pause at Lawrence's Spring where the desert hero is said to have washed, and step into the dramatic Khazali Canyon, its walls etched with ancient inscriptions. The silence and scale of Wadi Rum are unforgettable, a fitting finale to your Egypt and Jordan grand tour. When it is time to leave, your driver transfers you to the airport for your onward or homeward flight, carrying with you memories of pyramids and pharaohs, the Nile and the Red Sea, Petra and the desert. Travel Joy Egypt wishes you a safe journey home and hopes to welcome you back again.

• Nabatean Temple
• Lawrence Spring
• Khazali Canyon