20-Day Morocco, Egypt & Jordan Grand Tour

After breakfast you set out across the High Atlas Mountains, climbing the dramatic Tizi n'Tichka pass where switchback roads reveal Berber villages clinging to terraced slopes. Your destination is Aït Ben Haddou, the ochre-hued fortified ksar that has guarded ancient caravan routes for centuries. On a private guided tour you climb through its earthen kasbahs and narrow lanes, learning why this UNESCO World Heritage site has doubled as a backdrop for countless films. Pause for lunch with the citadel glowing gold against the desert hills. In the afternoon you continue eastward, perhaps stopping in Ouarzazate, Morocco's 'Hollywood of the desert', before reaching the rose-tinted gorges of the Dades Valley. Tonight you rest among palm groves and rugged canyon walls, far from city lights and deep in Morocco's cinematic south.

• Aït Ben Haddou — A UNESCO-listed fortified clay village of stacked kasbahs on an ancient trans-Saharan caravan route.

Today the landscape shifts from mountain gorges to open desert as you journey toward Merzouga, gateway to the Sahara. The drive is part of the experience: you trace the Dades and Todra valleys, where sheer rock walls narrow to slivers of sky, and pass oasis towns fringed with date palms. As the afternoon fades, the golden dunes of Erg Chebbi rise on the horizon like waves frozen in sand. On arrival you trade your vehicle for a camel and ride into the dunes as the sun sinks, the sand shifting from amber to deep rose. A traditional Berber camp welcomes you with music around the fire, a hearty dinner beneath a canopy of stars, and a silence you will remember long after Egypt and Jordan. Tonight you sleep in the heart of the Sahara.

• Erg Chebbi Dunes — Towering wind-sculpted dunes near Merzouga, reached by a sunset camel trek into the desert.

You wake early to witness one of the Sahara's greatest gifts, sunrise over the Erg Chebbi dunes, when the sand catches fire in shades of copper and gold. Today is dedicated to the desert and its people. With your private guide you explore the surrounding region, visiting a nomadic Berber family for tea, discovering the fossil-rich village of Khamlia where Gnaoua musicians play hypnotic rhythms, and learning how life endures in this arid land. You might venture by 4x4 across the dunes or simply savour the vastness on foot. As evening returns the desert offers another flawless sunset and a second night under the stars. Full board keeps you well fed with Moroccan tagines and fresh bread, and the deep quiet of Merzouga makes this one of the most restorative stops on your entire journey.

• Khamlia Village — A Saharan village famed for its Gnaoua music, whose rhythms trace back to sub-Saharan roots.

Bidding farewell to the dunes, you set a westward course toward the palm-filled oasis of Skoura. The route winds back through the Todra and Dades regions, offering fresh perspectives on Morocco's kaleidoscopic terrain of red canyons, green riverbeds and mud-brick villages that seem unchanged for generations. Along the way you might pause at a Berber carpet cooperative or the 'Valley of Roses', famed for the blooms distilled into precious rose water each spring. By late afternoon you reach Skoura, an ancient oasis studded with historic kasbahs rising from a sea of date palms. Here the pace slows: you settle into a peaceful guesthouse surrounded by gardens, breathe the cool evening air, and enjoy a home-cooked Moroccan dinner. It is a gentle, scenic day that bridges the drama of the Sahara and your return to the bustle of Marrakech.

• Skoura Oasis — A lush palm oasis dotted with centuries-old kasbahs rising from the Ouarzazate plain.

This morning you complete your loop through southern Morocco, crossing the High Atlas once more as you return to Marrakech. The mountain scenery rewards you with a final flourish of snow-dusted peaks, hairpin bends and sweeping valley views. Back in the Red City by afternoon, you dive into its legendary medina on a private guided tour. Lose yourself among the souks, where artisans hammer copper, weave rugs and stack pyramids of saffron and cumin; admire the intricate stucco of the Bahia Palace or the serene gardens of the Koutoubia Mosque. As night falls, Jemaa el-Fnaa square transforms into an open-air theatre of snake charmers, storytellers and sizzling food stalls. Enjoy a final Moroccan evening before tomorrow's flight carries you eastward to Egypt, land of pharaohs, pyramids and the timeless Nile.

• Marrakech Medina — The walled old city and its labyrinth of souks, home to the Bahia Palace and Koutoubia Mosque.
• Jemaa el-Fnaa — Marrakech's legendary main square, alive after dusk with performers and open-air food stalls.

Today you leave Morocco and fly across North Africa to Cairo, Egypt's sprawling, spirited capital on the banks of the Nile. Your Travel Joy representative meets you at Cairo International Airport, assists with arrival formalities and transfers you in comfort to your hotel. Depending on your flight time, you may have the afternoon to relax by the pool, stroll along the Nile Corniche or simply recover from the journey. Cairo is a city of glorious contrasts, its ancient minarets and modern towers, honking traffic and quiet mosques layering thousands of years of history street upon street. Your guide briefs you on the extraordinary days ahead, from the Pyramids of Giza to the temples of Aswan, Luxor and beyond. Settle in for a good night's rest; tomorrow you stand before one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Today delivers the moment you have dreamed of. A short drive from your hotel, the Giza Pyramids Complex rises from the desert plateau, and on a private guided tour you stand before the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the last surviving Wonder of the Ancient World, built more than 4,500 years ago. You circle all three pyramids, gaze up at the enigmatic Great Sphinx, and explore the granite halls of the Valley Temple where pharaohs were prepared for eternity. After lunch you step into the Grand Egyptian Museum, the dazzling new home of Tutankhamun's complete treasures and thousands of antiquities. Finally you travel to Saqqara to admire the Step Pyramid of Djoser, Egypt's earliest monumental stone structure and the blueprint for everything that followed. It is an unforgettable immersion in the genius of ancient Egypt.

• Giza Pyramids Complex — The desert plateau bearing the three great pyramids, the only surviving ancient Wonder of the World.
• The Great Pyramid — Khufu's colossal tomb, built around 2560 BC and the tallest human structure for nearly four millennia.
• The Great Sphinx — The limestone lion-bodied guardian with a pharaoh's head, watching over the Giza plateau.
• The Valley Temple — Khafre's granite-clad temple where royal mummification and funerary rites were performed.
• The Grand Egyptian Museum — The vast new museum beside the plateau displaying Tutankhamun's full collection and countless antiquities.
• Saqqara Step Pyramid — Djoser's stepped pyramid, Egypt's oldest monumental stone building, designed by Imhotep.

After an early breakfast you fly south to Aswan, Egypt's most tranquil city, where the Nile flows sapphire-blue between amber dunes and green islands. Your private guide begins at the High Dam, the colossal 20th-century engineering feat that tamed the river's floods and created vast Lake Nasser. Nearby you visit the Unfinished Obelisk, still lying in its ancient granite quarry; had it been completed it would have been the largest obelisk ever raised, and it reveals fascinating secrets about how the ancients carved these giants. By boat you cross to the island Temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis and rescued stone by stone from the rising waters. Its graceful colonnades and reliefs are among Egypt's most romantic. Tonight you relax in Aswan, perhaps watching feluccas drift past at sunset.

• The High Dam — Aswan's mighty 1960s dam that controls the Nile flood and created Lake Nasser.
• The Unfinished Obelisk — An abandoned giant obelisk in its granite quarry, revealing ancient stone-cutting techniques.
• Philae Temple — The island temple of the goddess Isis, relocated to Agilkia Island to escape the rising Nile.

Today you journey to one of Egypt's most awe-inspiring sights, the Great Temples of Abu Simbel, carved into a mountainside by Ramses II more than 3,200 years ago. Travelling south toward the Sudanese border, you arrive to find four colossal seated statues of the pharaoh guarding the entrance, each over 20 metres tall. On a private guided tour you step inside the Great Temple, its halls lined with warrior reliefs celebrating the Battle of Kadesh, and marvel at the smaller temple Ramses dedicated to his beloved queen Nefertari. Most remarkable of all is the monument's modern rescue: the entire complex was cut apart and lifted to higher ground to escape the waters of Lake Nasser, an epic feat of preservation. You return to Aswan by afternoon, your imagination full of the grandeur of ancient Nubia.

• Abu Simbel Temples — Ramses II's twin rock temples on Lake Nasser, famously relocated block by block in the 1960s.

Following the course of the Nile, you travel north to Luxor, the open-air museum built upon ancient Thebes, once the glittering capital of the pharaohs. Your private guided tour of the east bank begins at the vast Karnak Temple, a staggering complex enlarged over 2,000 years by successive rulers. You wander its Great Hypostyle Hall, where 134 towering columns rise like a stone forest, and stand before obelisks and a sacred lake that echo with millennia of worship. After lunch you visit the elegant Luxor Temple, once linked to Karnak by an avenue of sphinxes and framed by soaring statues of Ramses II. It is especially magical as the light softens toward evening. Tonight you rest in Luxor beside the timeless river, surrounded by the greatest concentration of ancient monuments anywhere in Egypt.

• Karnak Temple — A sprawling complex of temples and pylons whose Great Hypostyle Hall holds 134 giant columns.
• Luxor Temple — A graceful riverside temple of the New Kingdom, once joined to Karnak by an avenue of sphinxes.

This morning you cross to Luxor's west bank, the realm of the dead where pharaohs built their eternal homes. On a private guided tour you descend into the Valley of the Kings, the hidden desert canyon concealing more than sixty royal tombs, including that of the boy-king Tutankhamun. Their painted walls still glow with vivid scenes of the afterlife, remarkably preserved after 3,000 years. You continue to the majestic Temple of Hatshepsut, its colonnaded terraces rising dramatically against sheer limestone cliffs, a fitting monument to Egypt's most powerful female pharaoh. Before returning, you pause at the Colossi of Memnon, two weathered giants that have watched over the plain since the days of Amenhotep III. After lunch you have time to relax, reflecting on a day spent among some of the finest treasures of ancient Egypt.

• Valley of the Kings — The royal necropolis of New Kingdom pharaohs, with over sixty painted rock-cut tombs.
• Hatshepsut Temple — The terraced mortuary temple of Egypt's great female pharaoh, set against towering cliffs at Deir el-Bahari.
• Colossi of Memnon — Two 18-metre stone statues of Amenhotep III guarding the entrance to his vanished temple.

Leaving the monuments behind, you swap the Nile Valley for the sparkling shores of the Red Sea. A scenic drive brings you east across the desert to Hurghada, Egypt's favourite coastal resort, where turquoise waters and coral reefs offer a welcome change of pace. The rest of your day is yours to unwind. Sink your toes into golden sand, laze beside the pool, or slip beneath the surface to discover one of the world's richest underwater worlds; Hurghada's reefs teem with rainbow-hued fish, and snorkelling or diving trips are easily arranged. Prefer to stay dry? A glass-bottom boat or a sunset sail over the Red Sea makes for an idyllic afternoon. After days of temples and tombs, this is the perfect moment to recharge in comfort, savour fresh seafood, and simply breathe in the sea air before your journey continues.

• Hurghada — A Red Sea resort town renowned for coral reefs, warm turquoise water and world-class snorkelling and diving.

After breakfast you fly back to Cairo for a rich day exploring the many layers of this ancient capital. Your private guided tour begins at the storied Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, home to a peerless collection of pharaonic antiquities. You then delve into Coptic Cairo, visiting the atmospheric Hanging Church and the historic Amr Ibn Al Aas Mosque, the first mosque built in all of Africa. At the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization you meet the Royal Mummies, presented with quiet dignity in a purpose-built gallery. In the afternoon you stroll down medieval Al Muizz Street, lined with exquisite Islamic architecture, and lose yourself in the buzzing lanes of Khan El Khalili Bazaar, where coppersmiths, spice merchants and perfume sellers have traded for centuries. Sip mint tea, hunt for souvenirs, and soak up Cairo's timeless energy.

• The Egyptian Museum — The historic Tahrir Square museum holding a vast trove of pharaonic art and artefacts.
• Amr Ibn Al Aas Mosque — The first mosque built in Egypt and Africa, founded in AD 641 in Old Cairo.
• The Hanging Church — Cairo's famous Coptic church, suspended above a Roman gatehouse in the Christian quarter.
• The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization — A modern museum in Fustat whose highlight is the gallery of Royal Mummies.
• Al Muizz Street — A medieval thoroughfare lined with some of the finest Islamic architecture in the world.
• Khan El Khalili Bazaar — Cairo's centuries-old souk of coppersmiths, spice sellers, perfumers and craft stalls.

Today you travel to the Mediterranean, following the desert road to Alexandria, the elegant city founded by Alexander the Great. On a private guided tour you descend into the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, an eerie underground necropolis where Egyptian, Greek and Roman styles blend across three subterranean levels. Nearby stands Pompey's Pillar, a towering granite column and the last great monument of ancient Alexandria. On the seafront you explore the Qaitbay Citadel, a 15th-century fortress built on the very spot where the legendary Lighthouse of Alexandria once stood. Finally you visit the striking modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a bold tribute to the ancient library that was the greatest centre of learning in the classical world. After a seafood lunch by the harbour, you return to Cairo in the evening, ready for the final chapter of your grand tour: the kingdom of Jordan.

• Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa — A three-level Roman-era necropolis blending Egyptian, Greek and Roman funerary art.
• Pompey's Pillar — A towering red granite column, the largest ancient monument still standing in Alexandria.
• Qaitbay Citadel — A 15th-century seafront fortress raised on the ruins of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria.
• Alexandria Library — The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a modern architectural tribute to the classical world's greatest library.

Bidding farewell to Egypt, you transfer to Cairo airport for your short flight across the Sinai and the Red Sea to Amman, capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Your local representative welcomes you on arrival and transfers you to your hotel in this friendly, hilly city built across seven jebels. Depending on your arrival time, you may set out to explore downtown Amman, where Roman ruins sit alongside bustling souks and fragrant coffee houses. Sample knafeh, the beloved sweet cheese pastry, or simply enjoy the relaxed, hospitable atmosphere that makes Jordan so easy to love. Your guide outlines the wonders that await: Roman cities, biblical mountains, the buoyant Dead Sea and the rose-red majesty of Petra. Tonight you rest in Amman, poised to discover a country that packs remarkable history and scenery into a compact, welcoming land.

Today you step into one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the world. A short drive north brings you to Jerash, where your private guide leads you through colonnaded streets, grand plazas and temples that have stood for nearly two millennia. You walk the oval-shaped Forum, admire the soaring columns of the Temple of Artemis, and picture the roar of the crowds at the ancient Hippodrome, where chariots once thundered. Continuing to the hills of Ajloun, you explore its 12th-century Islamic castle, built by a commander of Saladin and offering commanding views across the Jordan Valley. Returning to Amman, you climb to the Citadel, the city's ancient acropolis crowned by the Temple of Hercules and an Umayyad palace, with panoramic views over the sprawling capital. It is a magnificent day tracing Roman, Islamic and biblical history across northern Jordan.

• Jerash — One of the world's best-preserved Roman provincial cities, with colonnaded streets and grand temples.
• Hippodrome of Jerash — The ancient chariot-racing arena that once seated thousands of Roman spectators.
• Temple of Artemis — A soaring 2nd-century temple to Jerash's patron goddess, famed for its towering columns.
• Ajloun Castle — A 12th-century Ayyubid fortress built by Saladin's forces, guarding the Jordan Valley.
• Amman Citadel — The capital's ancient hilltop acropolis, home to the Temple of Hercules and an Umayyad palace.

This morning you journey to Madaba, the 'City of Mosaics', to visit the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. Here you gaze upon its famous 6th-century mosaic map, the oldest surviving cartographic depiction of the Holy Land, pieced together from more than two million coloured tiles. A short drive brings you to Mount Nebo, the windswept summit where, according to tradition, Moses looked out over the Promised Land he would never enter; on a clear day the view stretches across the Jordan Valley to Jericho and Jerusalem. In the afternoon you descend to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth, where the mineral-rich water is so dense you float effortlessly on its surface. Slather on the famous black mud, feel your skin renewed, and watch the sun melt into the hills of the West Bank. Tonight you relax at a Dead Sea resort.

• St. George's Church — A Greek Orthodox church in Madaba housing the oldest surviving mosaic map of the Holy Land.
• Mount Nebo — The biblical summit where Moses is said to have viewed the Promised Land, overlooking the Jordan Valley.
• The Dead Sea — The lowest point on Earth, its salt-heavy water letting bathers float effortlessly amid mineral-rich mud.

Today you reach the crown jewel of Jordan: Petra, the rose-red city carved into desert cliffs by the Nabataeans over 2,000 years ago. On a private guided tour you walk through the Siq, a narrow canyon that winds for over a kilometre before parting to reveal Al Khazneh, the majestic Treasury glowing pink in the morning light. Beyond it you discover a vast lost city, from the towering Royal Tombs to the great Theatre hewn from solid rock and the temple of Qasr al-Bint at the heart of the ancient metropolis. In the afternoon you continue south to Wadi Rum, the 'Valley of the Moon', where crimson dunes and monolithic sandstone mountains create an otherworldly landscape. A 4x4 safari carries you deep into the desert, and after dinner you settle into a Bedouin camp beneath a blaze of stars.

• Petra — The Nabataean rock-cut city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site entered through the dramatic Siq canyon.
• Al Khazneh Temple — Petra's iconic Treasury facade, carved into rose-coloured sandstone and revealed at the end of the Siq.
• Royal Tombs Of Petra — A row of monumental facades cut high into the cliff for Petra's Nabataean nobility.
• Theatre Of Petra — A Roman-style amphitheatre carved directly from the rock, once seating several thousand.
• Qasr al-Bint — One of Petra's few free-standing structures, a Nabataean temple at the city's ceremonial centre.
• Wadi Rum — The 'Valley of the Moon', a protected desert of red dunes and sandstone massifs explored by 4x4.

Your extraordinary journey through Morocco, Egypt and Jordan draws to a close. After a final desert breakfast and perhaps one last sunrise over the sands of Wadi Rum, your private driver transfers you to the airport, either nearby Aqaba or Amman depending on your onward flight, for your departure. As you travel home you carry with you a lifetime of memories: the golden dunes of the Sahara, the eternal Pyramids of Giza, the temples of the Nile, the buoyant Dead Sea and the rose-red wonder of Petra. Three ancient lands, countless treasures and the warm hospitality of Travel Joy Egypt have made this a truly grand tour. We hope it is the first of many adventures together, and we look forward to welcoming you back to this remarkable corner of the world. Safe travels, and until next time.