Egypt, Jordan & Turkey: 18-Day Grand Tour

After breakfast you meet your private Egyptologist guide and set out for the Giza Plateau, where the last surviving wonder of the ancient world rises from the sand. Stand at the foot of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, marvel at its precision, and feel how small four and a half thousand years can make you. Nearby, the enigmatic Great Sphinx keeps its silent watch, while the granite-lined Valley Temple reveals the craftsmanship of pyramid-age builders up close. A short drive brings you to the Grand Egyptian Museum, whose soaring galleries display Tutankhamun's treasures in full for the very first time. After lunch you continue to Saqqara to admire the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the world's oldest monumental stone structure and the blueprint for everything that followed. Your private guided tour weaves the whole story together before you return to Cairo for the night.

• Giza Pyramids Complex — The desert plateau where three great pyramids and their satellite tombs have stood for over 4,500 years.
• The Great Pyramid — The colossal tomb of Pharaoh Khufu, the only surviving wonder of the ancient world.
• The Great Sphinx — The vast limestone lion with a pharaoh's face, guarding the plateau since the age of Khafre.
• The Valley Temple — A granite-clad temple beside the Sphinx, revealing the fine stonework of the pyramid builders.
• The Grand Egyptian Museum — The magnificent new museum near the pyramids, home to the complete Tutankhamun collection.
• Saqqara Step Pyramid — The Step Pyramid of Djoser, the earliest monumental stone building ever raised.

An early flight carries you south to Aswan, Egypt's most serene city, where the Nile threads between amber dunes and granite islands. Your guide meets you on arrival and begins at the High Dam, the vast twentieth-century feat that tamed the river's floods and created Lake Nasser. Next you visit the Unfinished Obelisk, still lying in its ancient granite quarry, its abandoned form revealing exactly how the pharaohs shaped these colossal monuments. After lunch you board a small motorboat to the island temple of Philae, the graceful sanctuary of the goddess Isis, painstakingly relocated stone by stone to save it from the rising waters. Columns carved with lotus and papyrus frame views over the shimmering water. As the afternoon softens, you return to the shore and settle into your Aswan hotel, the slow rhythm of the Nile setting the pace for a peaceful evening.

• The High Dam — The immense modern dam that controls the Nile's flow and formed the great Lake Nasser.
• The Unfinished Obelisk — A giant abandoned obelisk in its granite quarry, showing how ancient Egyptians carved monoliths.
• Philae Temple — The elegant island temple of the goddess Isis, relocated to Agilkia Island to escape the floodwaters.

This morning you travel north to Luxor, the open-air museum built upon ancient Thebes, once the glittering capital of the pharaohs. On the east bank, where the sun was believed to be born each day, your private guided tour begins at the immense Karnak Temple. Wander its Great Hypostyle Hall, a forest of 134 towering columns, and trace the additions of successive kings across two thousand years of building. After lunch you visit Luxor Temple, elegant and beautifully proportioned, once linked to Karnak by an avenue of sphinxes and glowing especially warm in the late-afternoon light. Your guide brings the carved processions and colossal statues to life with stories of festivals and coronations. As evening falls, you return to your Luxor hotel with the temple lights beginning to shimmer along the riverbank, the ancient city humming quietly around you.

• Karnak Temple — A vast temple complex dedicated to Amun-Ra, famed for its forest of towering hypostyle columns.
• Luxor Temple — A graceful riverside temple at the heart of ancient Thebes, especially striking in the evening light.

Crossing to the west bank this morning, you enter the realm of the dead, where Egypt's rulers built their eternal homes hidden in the hills. In the Valley of the Kings you descend into vividly painted tombs of pharaohs such as Tutankhamun and Ramesses, their colours astonishingly fresh after three millennia. Nearby rises the Temple of Hatshepsut, its clean terraces set dramatically against sheer cliffs, a monument to Egypt's most powerful female pharaoh. You pause too at the towering Colossi of Memnon, the last sentinels of a vanished mortuary temple. After lunch and a final look at Luxor, you set off by private vehicle across the desert to the Red Sea coast, arriving in Hurghada as the light fades. Check into your beachfront resort and unwind, trading ancient temples for turquoise water and the promise of relaxed days ahead.

• Valley of the Kings — The hidden desert valley where pharaohs were buried in richly painted rock-cut tombs.
• Hatshepsut Temple — The dramatic terraced mortuary temple of Egypt's great female pharaoh, set against towering cliffs.
• Colossi of Memnon — Two enormous seated statues of Amenhotep III, all that remains of his lost mortuary temple.

Today Egypt trades sandstone for the sapphire waters of the Red Sea. After breakfast you board a comfortable boat and cruise out toward the coral reefs that make Hurghada one of the world's great diving and snorkeling destinations. Slip into the warm, crystal-clear water and float above gardens of living coral, where clownfish, parrotfish, and shoals of shimmering blue dart among the reef. Between snorkeling stops you relax on deck under the sun, the coastline a thin gold ribbon on the horizon. A freshly prepared lunch is served on board, and there is plenty of time to swim, sunbathe, or simply enjoy the sea breeze. This is a day for pure ease, with no early alarms or ancient dynasties to memorise. By late afternoon the boat returns to harbour and you head back to your resort, sun-warmed and content.

Today is entirely yours to spend as you please. With no fixed schedule, you might sleep in and take a long breakfast, then stretch out beside the pool or on the soft sand of your resort's private beach. The Red Sea's calm, buoyant water is perfect for a leisurely swim, and the coast offers everything from spa treatments and seaside cafes to optional extras your guide can arrange, whether a glass-bottom boat, a submarine excursion, or a dive for certified enthusiasts. Prefer to explore on foot? The marina promenade brims with restaurants, shops, and easy places to watch the boats come and go. However you choose to fill the hours, this is your chance to recharge midway through the grand tour. Savour the slower pace, the sunshine, and the sense that there is nowhere you need to be but here.

After a relaxed morning you swap the sea for the sands as the sun begins its descent. A guided convoy collects you from your resort and heads inland into the vast Eastern Desert, where the coastal buildings quickly give way to open, rolling terrain. Astride your own quad bike, you follow the trail across firm desert flats, kicking up plumes of dust as the mountains glow amber in the lowering light. Along the way you pause at a Bedouin settlement to learn a little of desert life, sip sweet tea, and perhaps take a short camel ride. As dusk arrives you gather for a traditional barbecue dinner beneath a sky that fills with stars far from any city glow, sometimes accompanied by music and local hospitality. It is an exhilarating, memorable contrast to the reefs and temples, before you return to Hurghada for your final night on the coast.

A morning flight returns you to Cairo for a day steeped in the layered faiths and history of the capital. Your private guided tour begins at the famous Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square, home to an unrivalled trove of pharaonic treasures and golden masterpieces. From there you step into Coptic Cairo, visiting the venerable Hanging Church suspended above a Roman gatehouse, the ancient Ben Ezra Synagogue, and the Amr Ibn Al Aas Mosque, the very first mosque built in Egypt and all of Africa. After lunch you lose yourself in medieval Islamic Cairo along atmospheric Al Muizz Street, lined with centuries-old mosques and merchant houses. Finish in the lively lanes of Khan El Khalili Bazaar, haggling for spices, lanterns, and handcrafted souvenirs over a cup of mint tea. As night falls you return to your hotel, the old city's energy still ringing in your ears.

• The Egyptian Museum — The historic museum on Tahrir Square, holding one of the world's richest collections of pharaonic art.
• Amr Ibn Al Aas Mosque — The first mosque ever built in Egypt and on the African continent.
• The Hanging Church — A revered Coptic church suspended above the gatehouse of an old Roman fortress.
• Ben Ezra Synagogue — One of Egypt's oldest synagogues, tucked within the ancient quarter of Coptic Cairo.
• Al Muizz Street — A living open-air museum of medieval Islamic architecture in the heart of old Cairo.
• Khan El Khalili Bazaar — A vibrant centuries-old souk brimming with spices, lanterns, jewellery, and handicrafts.

After breakfast you bid farewell to Egypt and transfer to Cairo airport for your flight across the Sinai and the Red Sea to Amman, the capital of Jordan. On arrival your local representative is waiting to guide you smoothly through the formalities and into a private transfer to your hotel. Amman unfolds along a series of hills, an easy blend of white stone buildings, ancient ruins, and buzzing modern cafes. With the rest of the day at leisure, you can settle in gently, perhaps wandering the walkable downtown, sampling Jordanian mezze and freshly baked knafeh, or simply resting ahead of the days to come. Your guide is on hand to share tips and confirm tomorrow's early start. This is a soft landing in a warm, hospitable country, a chance to catch your breath between two of the ancient world's great crossroads.

Today you journey north to Jerash, one of the best-preserved Roman provincial cities anywhere in the world. Walk through Hadrian's Arch and along colonnaded streets worn smooth by centuries, standing in the vast oval plaza and the Hippodrome where chariots once thundered before roaring crowds. The soaring Temple of Artemis reveals just how grand this frontier city grew. Continuing on, you climb to Ajloun Castle, a hilltop Muslim fortress raised in the era of Saladin to guard the region, its ramparts offering sweeping views over green Jordanian hills. Returning toward the capital after lunch, you explore the Amman Citadel, crowned by the columns of the Temple of Hercules and the ruins of an Umayyad palace, with the whole white city spread below. Your guide connects Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic threads into one vivid story before you return to Amman for the night.

• Jerash — A remarkably intact Roman city of colonnaded streets, temples, and grand public squares.
• Hippodrome of Jerash — The ancient arena where chariot races once thrilled crowds of thousands.
• Temple of Artemis — The towering sanctuary honouring the patron goddess of Jerash, its columns still standing tall.
• Ajloun — Ajloun Castle, a hilltop Muslim fortress from the age of Saladin with commanding valley views.
• Amman Citadel — An ancient hilltop site with the Temple of Hercules and an Umayyad palace overlooking the capital.

This morning you travel to Madaba, the storied City of Mosaics, where the floor of St. George's Church holds the oldest surviving map of the Holy Land, pieced together from more than two million coloured stones. A short drive brings you to Mount Nebo, the windswept ridge where, according to tradition, Moses gazed upon the Promised Land; on clear days the view stretches across the Jordan Valley to Jericho and beyond. In the afternoon you descend to the legendary Dead Sea, the lowest point on the surface of the Earth. Here you can wade into the mineral-rich, buoyant water and experience the surreal sensation of floating effortlessly, then coat yourself in the famously therapeutic black mud. Relax on the shore as the sun sinks over the water, staining the hills opposite in shades of rose and gold, before settling into your Dead Sea resort for the night.

• St. George's Church — A Greek Orthodox church in Madaba holding the oldest known mosaic map of the Holy Land.
• Mount Nebo — The revered ridge where Moses is said to have viewed the Promised Land across the Jordan Valley.
• The Dead Sea — The lowest point on Earth, whose dense, mineral-rich water lets you float effortlessly.

Today you reach the highlight of Jordan, the rose-red city of Petra, carved directly into towering sandstone cliffs by the ingenious Nabataeans over two thousand years ago. You enter through the Siq, a narrow, winding gorge that finally opens to frame the breathtaking facade of Al Khazneh, the Treasury, glowing amber in the sun. Beyond it the ancient city unfolds: the elaborate Royal Tombs, the great Roman-style Theatre cut from solid rock, and the temple of Qasr al-Bint at the valley's heart. Your guide reveals the trading empire that once flourished here before you continue south to Wadi Rum, the Valley of the Moon. As dusk falls you ride by 4x4 across its crimson sands, past soaring rock bridges and towering massifs, and gather for a Bedouin dinner beneath a canopy of countless stars at your desert camp.

• Petra — The legendary Nabataean city carved into rose-coloured sandstone, one of the New Seven Wonders.
• Al Khazneh Temple — The Treasury, Petra's iconic ornate facade revealed at the end of the winding Siq gorge.
• Royal Tombs Of Petra — A row of grand tombs hewn into the cliff face, their striped stone glowing at sunset.
• Theatre Of Petra — A large amphitheatre cut directly from the rock, once seating thousands of spectators.
• Qasr al-Bint — One of Petra's few free-standing structures, a major temple at the city's ceremonial heart.
• Wadi Rum — The Valley of the Moon, a dramatic desert of crimson sand, rock bridges, and Bedouin camps.

After a memorable night under the desert sky, you wake to the stillness of Wadi Rum and enjoy breakfast as the sun paints the sandstone gold. A private transfer then carries you the short distance to Aqaba, from where you fly onward to Istanbul, the magnificent city that bridges Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus. Your Turkish representative meets you at the airport and accompanies you to your centrally located hotel. With the remainder of the day at leisure, you can begin to soak up the atmosphere of this ancient metropolis, perhaps strolling to the waterfront to watch ferries crisscross the strait, sampling Turkish delight and freshly brewed cay, or simply resting after your travels. Two continents, three empires, and a thousand years of history await you tomorrow. For now, settle in and let Istanbul's timeless skyline of domes and minarets welcome you.

A full day of wonders awaits in the historic heart of old Istanbul. Your private guided tour begins at Hagia Sophia, the awe-inspiring domed masterpiece that has served as cathedral, mosque, and museum across nearly fifteen centuries. Nearby you explore the opulent Topkapi Palace, the lavish seat of Ottoman sultans, whose treasury, courtyards, and terraces overlook the meeting of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. After lunch you step into the serene Blue Mosque, named for the tens of thousands of hand-painted Iznik tiles that shimmer beneath its cascade of domes. You stroll the adjacent Hippodrome, once the chariot-racing arena of Byzantine Constantinople, still marked by its ancient obelisks. The day ends amid the labyrinth of the Grand Bazaar, one of the world's oldest and largest covered markets, where thousands of stalls glitter with carpets, ceramics, lamps, and gold. You return to your hotel enchanted.

• Hagia Sophia — The monumental domed landmark that has been a cathedral, mosque, and museum over 1,500 years.
• Topkapi Palace — The opulent palace of the Ottoman sultans, filled with treasures and sweeping waterfront views.
• The Blue Mosque — The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, renowned for its cascade of domes and shimmering blue Iznik tiles.
• The Hippodrome — The ancient chariot-racing arena of Constantinople, still marked by its towering obelisks.
• The Grand Bazaar — One of the world's oldest and largest covered markets, a maze of thousands of glittering stalls.

This morning you fly south to Antalya, the sun-soaked jewel of Turkey's turquoise Mediterranean coast. Your guide leads you into Kaleici, the beautifully preserved old town, a maze of narrow cobbled lanes, Ottoman timber houses, and boutique courtyards tumbling toward a picturesque harbour. You pause at the elegant Hadrian's Gate, a triple-arched marble triumph built to honour the Roman emperor's visit, and browse the colourful Textile Bazaar for scarves and handicrafts. The landmark Clock Tower marks the old city's edge, a favourite meeting point beside the ancient walls. After lunch you head to the spectacular Duden Waterfalls, where the river plunges dramatically from a cliff directly into the Mediterranean, sending up a cool, glittering spray. It is a day that pairs Roman heritage with coastal beauty and easy Mediterranean charm. As evening arrives you settle into your Antalya hotel, the sea breeze carrying the scent of citrus and pine.

• Kaleici — Antalya's atmospheric old town of cobbled lanes, Ottoman houses, and a picturesque harbour.
• Hadrian Gate — An ornate triple-arched marble gate built to mark the Roman emperor Hadrian's visit.
• The Textile Bazaar — A lively market in the old town brimming with scarves, fabrics, and local handicrafts.
• Clock Tower — A historic stone tower on the edge of Kaleici, a beloved landmark beside the ancient walls.
• Duden Waterfalls — Dramatic falls where the river tumbles from a clifftop straight into the Mediterranean Sea.

Today you journey inland to one of Turkey's most extraordinary sights, the gleaming white travertine terraces of Pamukkale, the Cotton Castle, where mineral-rich thermal springs have spilled down the hillside for millennia to form dazzling pools of calcite. Above them spreads the ancient Roman spa city of Hierapolis, and your guided tour brings its ruins vividly to life. You wander the vast Necropolis, the grand Roman Baths, and the imposing Domitian Gate, then follow colonnaded Frontinus Street through the old Agora past the ruined Cathedral. You reach the Temple of Apollo and the eerie Plutonium beside it, once believed a gateway to the underworld, before climbing to the beautifully preserved Theater with its sweeping views across the valley. There is even time, if you wish, to wade barefoot in the warm terraces. As the day ends you check into your hotel near Pamukkale for the night.

• Hierapolis — An ancient Roman spa city perched above Pamukkale's shimmering white terraces.
• Necropolis of Hierapolis — One of the largest ancient cemeteries in Anatolia, lined with elaborate tombs and sarcophagi.
• Roman Baths of Hierapolis — The grand thermal bath complex that drew visitors to the healing springs in Roman times.
• Domitian Gate — A monumental triple-arched gateway marking the entrance to the ancient colonnaded street.
• Frontinus Street — The main colonnaded avenue running through the heart of Hierapolis.
• Agora of Hierapolis — The vast marketplace and civic centre where the city's public life once unfolded.
• Cathedral of Hierapolis — The ruins of an early Byzantine church from the city's Christian era.
• The Temple of Apollo — The principal sanctuary of Hierapolis, dedicated to the city's patron god Apollo.
• The Theater of Hierapolis — A superbly preserved Roman theatre with tiered seating and views across the valley.
• The Plutonium — A sacred grotto once believed to be a gateway to the underworld, emitting toxic vapours.

Your grand eighteen-day odyssey across Egypt, Jordan, and Turkey comes to a close today. After a final leisurely breakfast, you check out at your convenience and enjoy any free time your schedule allows before your onward journey. At the appointed hour, your representative accompanies you on a private transfer to the airport for your departure flight home, carrying with you a lifetime of memories: the timeless pyramids of Giza, the temples of the Nile, the coral reefs of the Red Sea, the rose-red canyons of Petra, the deserts of Wadi Rum, and the domes and travertines of Turkey. It has been a remarkable journey across three of the world's great civilisations, guided every step of the way. The Travel Joy team wishes you safe travels, and hopes to welcome you back to Egypt and the wider region again before long.