Egypt, Jordan & Turkey: 22-Day Epic Journey

This morning your private guided tour of Egypt begins on the Giza Plateau, where the last surviving wonder of the ancient world rises from the desert. You'll stand before the Giza Pyramids Complex and crane your neck at the Great Pyramid of Khufu, built from more than two million limestone blocks some four and a half millennia ago. Nearby, the enigmatic Great Sphinx keeps its silent watch, and the granite-lined Valley Temple reveals the craftsmanship of Khafre's builders. After a leisurely lunch you'll step inside the dazzling Grand Egyptian Museum, home to Tutankhamun's complete treasures beneath its vast alabaster halls. Finally you'll travel to Saqqara to admire the Step Pyramid of Djoser, Egypt's earliest monumental stone structure and the blueprint for everything that followed. Your Egyptologist brings each site to life with stories the guidebooks miss. Overnight in Cairo.

• Giza Pyramids Complex
• The Great Pyramid of Khufu — The oldest and largest of the three pyramids and the only surviving wonder of the ancient world.
• The Great Sphinx of Giza
• The Valley Temple
• The Grand Egyptian Museum — Home to the full Tutankhamun collection displayed together for the first time.
• Saqqara Step Pyramid

After breakfast you'll transfer to the airport for a short domestic flight to Hurghada, Egypt's premier Red Sea resort town. Trading ancient stone for turquoise water and golden sand, you'll check into your beachfront hotel and let the pace slow right down. The afternoon is entirely yours: sink your toes into warm sand, float in the gentle Red Sea shallows, or simply recover from the whirlwind of pharaonic Cairo with a cool drink beside the pool. Hurghada's climate is forgiving almost year-round, and its coral reefs rank among the finest in the world. Your guide can help arrange an optional sunset sail or a spa treatment if you'd like to fill the hours; otherwise this is a deliberate breath between two great chapters of your Egypt adventure. Watch the sun dip behind the desert hills as the sea turns to copper. Overnight in Hurghada.

A full day to embrace the tropical rhythm of the Red Sea Riviera. You might board a boat for a snorkelling or diving excursion out to Giftun Island, where clouds of parrotfish and butterflyfish drift over vivid coral gardens in some of Egypt's clearest water. Glass-bottom boats, dolphin-spotting cruises and desert quad-biking are all within easy reach if you prefer adventure, while the sun-lounger and the shoreline wait patiently for those who don't. Hurghada's shallow, reef-fringed bays suit first-time snorkellers and seasoned divers alike, and the water stays comfortably warm through most of the year. Your private guide is on hand to tailor the day to your mood, whether that's action-packed or blissfully idle. Enjoy a final Red Sea sunset and an unhurried dinner before tomorrow's journey inland to Luxor, where your Nile cruise awaits. Overnight in Hurghada.

• Giftun Island — A protected island fringed by some of the Red Sea's healthiest coral reefs, ideal for snorkelling.

This morning you'll travel overland through the Eastern Desert to Luxor, the open-air museum that was once Thebes, capital of Egypt's mighty New Kingdom. On the Nile's East Bank you'll begin at the colossal Karnak Temple, a two-thousand-year building project whose Great Hypostyle Hall bristles with 134 towering papyrus columns. A short drive away, the graceful Luxor Temple stands linked to Karnak by an avenue of sphinxes and glows especially beautifully in the late-afternoon light. With the day's temples behind you, you'll embark on your Nile cruise, settling into your cabin as the boat becomes your floating hotel for the nights ahead. Tonight you'll dine on board and watch the riverbank slip past, the very landscape the pharaohs knew. This is the Nile cruise experience at its most romantic. Overnight aboard your Nile cruise.

• Karnak Temple — The largest religious complex ever built, expanded by pharaohs over nearly two millennia.
• Luxor Temple

After breakfast on board you'll cross to Luxor's West Bank, the realm of the dead where Egypt's greatest pharaohs were laid to rest for eternity. In the Valley of the Kings you'll descend into vividly painted rock-cut tombs, their walls still bright with hieroglyphs charting the journey to the afterlife. Next you'll marvel at the Temple of Hatshepsut, its clean colonnaded terraces rising dramatically against the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari, a monument to Egypt's most powerful female ruler. On the way back you'll pause before the Colossi of Memnon, two weathered seated giants that have guarded the plain for more than three thousand years. Returning to your vessel, you'll relax on the sun deck with a cool drink as the Nile cruise casts off and sails south toward Edfu, palm-lined villages drifting by on either bank. Overnight aboard your Nile cruise.

• Valley of the Kings — The royal necropolis holding more than sixty tombs, including that of Tutankhamun.
• Temple of Hatshepsut
• Colossi of Memnon

Today the river carries you deeper into Upper Egypt. Your first stop is Edfu, home to the Temple of Horus, the best-preserved temple in all of Egypt, dedicated to the falcon-headed god and reached by a charming horse-drawn carriage ride from the dock. Its towering pylons and shadowed inner sanctuaries feel almost untouched by time. Back on board you'll sail on to Kom Ombo, whose unusual double temple honours two gods at once: Sobek the crocodile deity and Horus the Elder. Perched right on a bend of the Nile, it is spectacular at dusk, and a small adjoining museum displays mummified crocodiles unearthed nearby. Between temples, life on your Nile cruise unfolds gently, with leisurely meals, sun-warmed decks and the ever-changing panorama of palm groves and village life sliding past the rails. Overnight aboard your Nile cruise.

• Temple of Horus at Edfu — The most complete ancient temple in Egypt, dedicated to the falcon god Horus.
• Kom Ombo Temple — A rare symmetrical double temple honouring both Sobek and Horus the Elder.

Rise early for one of the crowning moments of any Egypt journey: the great temples of Abu Simbel, reached by road across the desert from Aswan or by an optional short flight. Carved into a mountainside by Ramesses II more than 3,200 years ago, the Great Temple is fronted by four colossal seated statues of the pharaoh, each over twenty metres tall. Beside it stands the smaller temple he dedicated to his beloved queen Nefertari. Most remarkable of all, the entire complex was cut into pieces and relocated in the 1960s to save it from the rising waters of Lake Nasser, a feat of modern engineering matching the ambition of the ancients. You'll return to your Nile cruise moored at Aswan, where the river is at its most serene and the sunset paints the water gold. Overnight aboard your Nile cruise.

• Abu Simbel Temples — Twin rock temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari, relocated in the 1960s above Lake Nasser.

After a final breakfast on board you'll disembark and explore Aswan, Egypt's sunniest and most laid-back city. You'll begin at the mighty Aswan High Dam, the 1960s engineering marvel that tamed the Nile's annual flood and created vast Lake Nasser. Nearby, in an ancient granite quarry, lies the Unfinished Obelisk; had it been completed it would have been the largest ever raised, and its abandoned form reveals exactly how the pharaohs shaped these giants. After lunch you'll take a short motorboat across to the island Temple of Philae, a romantic sanctuary of the goddess Isis rescued, like Abu Simbel, from the rising waters. In the late afternoon you'll transfer to Aswan airport for your flight back to Cairo, where your hotel and a comfortable evening await after a magical stretch on the river. Overnight in Cairo.

• Aswan High Dam
• The Unfinished Obelisk
• Philae Temple — An island temple of Isis moved stone by stone to Agilkia Island to escape flooding.

Today belongs to Cairo's layered history. You'll start at the century-old Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square, a treasure house of some 120,000 antiquities where your guide picks out the masterpieces. After lunch you'll wander into Coptic Cairo to visit the Hanging Church, suspended above a Roman gatehouse and one of the oldest Christian sites in Egypt. Next you'll step into the striking National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, whose Royal Mummies Hall lets you stand face to face with the preserved pharaohs themselves. As afternoon fades you'll stroll medieval Al Muizz Street, an open-air gallery of Islamic architecture, before losing yourself in the sights, scents and good-natured haggling of the labyrinthine Khan El Khalili Bazaar, the perfect place to hunt for spices, silver and souvenirs. Pause for a mint tea in a centuries-old coffee house before returning to your hotel. Overnight in Cairo.

• The Egyptian Museum — The historic Tahrir Square museum housing over 120,000 antiquities.
• The Hanging Church
• National Museum of Egyptian Civilization — Home to the Royal Mummies Hall, where Egypt's pharaohs are displayed.
• Al Muizz Street
• Khan El Khalili Bazaar

Escape the city today on a private guided tour to Fayoum, a lush depression southwest of Cairo where the desert gives way to lakes, palm groves and farmland. You'll drive out to Lake Qarun, one of Egypt's oldest natural lakes, whose reed-lined shallows draw flamingos and countless migrating birds. In Fayoum town you'll see the celebrated water wheels, the creaking wooden waterwheels that have turned since Ptolemaic times and give the region its nickname. After lunch you'll continue to the waterfalls of Wadi El Rayan, a rare desert cascade where two lakes spill into one another amid golden dunes, a favourite spot for a peaceful walk or a memorable photograph. This gentle, scenic day offers a very different face of Egypt, far from the crowds and close to nature, before you return to the capital for the evening. Overnight in Cairo.

• Lake Qarun
• Fayoum Water Wheels
• Wadi El Rayan Waterfalls

A well-earned free day in Cairo to spend entirely as you please, the perfect midpoint pause on this epic three-country journey. Sleep in and linger over breakfast, then follow your own curiosity. You might return to Khan El Khalili for last-minute treasures, seek out the alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali crowning the Citadel, or take an optional excursion to the ancient capital of Memphis and the pyramids of Dahshur. Food lovers can join a Cairo cooking class or sample koshari and fresh mango juice in a local café, while those craving rest can simply relax at the hotel. Your Travel Joy Egypt guide is happy to arrange any optional tour, transfer or restaurant reservation to make the day yours. However you choose to fill it, you'll recharge before tomorrow's flight carries you on to Jordan and the next chapter of your adventure. Overnight in Cairo.

After breakfast you'll be transferred to Cairo International Airport for your flight across Sinai and the Red Sea to Amman, capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. On arrival your local representative meets you, assists with entry formalities and drives you into a city that spreads across nineteen hills, its pale limestone buildings glowing in the sunshine. Depending on your arrival time you might take a first stroll through the lively downtown, browse the bustling souks, or simply settle into your hotel and savour a cup of cardamom-scented coffee. Amman blends ancient Roman ruins with a spirited contemporary café culture, and it makes an ideal base for exploring the treasures of northern Jordan over the coming days. Tonight you'll rest well, ready for the Roman splendours that await tomorrow. Let the change of country and cuisine mark the start of a whole new adventure. Overnight in Amman.

Today you'll journey north to Jerash, one of the best-preserved Roman provincial cities anywhere in the world. Walking through Hadrian's Arch, you'll trace colonnaded streets rutted by ancient chariots, stand in the vast oval Forum, and picture the roar of the crowd at the Hippodrome where chariot races once thundered. Above the ruins rises the graceful Temple of Artemis, its Corinthian columns engineered to sway gently in the wind. Continuing on, you'll visit the hilltop castle of Ajloun, a twelfth-century Muslim fortress built to guard against the Crusaders, with sweeping views over the Jordan Valley. Returning toward the capital, you'll climb the Amman Citadel, where Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad remains crown the city and the late sun gilds the columns of the Temple of Hercules. It's a day of empires layered upon empires, each leaving its mark on the stones. Overnight in Amman.

• Jerash — One of the world's best-preserved Roman provincial cities, sometimes called the Pompeii of the East.
• Hippodrome of Jerash
• Temple of Artemis
• Ajloun Castle
• Amman Citadel

This morning you'll drive south to Madaba, the City of Mosaics, to visit the Greek Orthodox Church of St George. Set into its floor is the famous sixth-century mosaic map of the Holy Land, the oldest surviving cartographic depiction of Jerusalem and the region. A short distance away you'll ascend Mount Nebo, the windswept summit where, according to tradition, Moses gazed out over the Promised Land he would never enter; on a clear day the view stretches to Jericho and the Jordan River. After lunch you'll descend to the lowest point on Earth, the legendary Dead Sea, more than 400 metres below sea level. Here you'll enjoy the surreal experience of floating effortlessly on its mineral-rich waters and slathering on the famous black mud, prized for its skin-soothing properties, before an unforgettable sunset over the water. Overnight beside the Dead Sea.

• Church of St George — Home to the sixth-century Madaba Map, the oldest surviving mosaic map of the Holy Land.
• Mount Nebo
• The Dead Sea

Today you'll experience the jewel of Jordan and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World: the rose-red city of Petra, carved into sandstone cliffs by the ingenious Nabataeans over two thousand years ago. You'll walk through the Siq, a narrow winding gorge, until it suddenly parts to reveal Al Khazneh, the Treasury, its intricate façade glowing in the sun. Beyond it lie the Royal Tombs, the Roman-style Theatre hewn from solid rock, and the temple of Qasr al-Bint deep within the ancient city. In the afternoon you'll head into the cinematic desert of Wadi Rum, the Valley of the Moon, for a thrilling 4x4 jeep ride among towering red dunes and wind-sculpted rock bridges. After dinner and the glow of a desert sunset, you'll return to your comfortable base near Petra for the night. Overnight in Petra.

• Petra
• Al Khazneh (The Treasury) — Petra's iconic rock-cut monument, revealed at the end of the winding Siq gorge.
• Royal Tombs of Petra
• Theatre of Petra
• Qasr al-Bint
• Wadi Rum — A protected desert of red sand and towering sandstone, explored by 4x4 jeep.

After breakfast you'll bid farewell to Jordan and transfer to the airport for your flight to Istanbul, the spellbinding metropolis that straddles two continents where Europe meets Asia across the Bosphorus. On arrival your local guide welcomes you and escorts you to your centrally located hotel. With any remaining daylight you might take a first orientation walk along the waterfront, breathe in the aroma of roasting chestnuts and freshly baked simit, or watch ferries crisscross the strait as the call to prayer echoes between the minarets. Once the capital of both the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, Istanbul layers two thousand years of history into a single unforgettable skyline. Tonight, settle in and rest, because tomorrow you'll dive into the city's most magnificent treasures on a full private guided tour. Let the exotic new setting sink in over a Turkish dinner. Overnight in Istanbul.

A full day exploring the imperial heart of Istanbul with your private guide. You'll begin at the awe-inspiring Hagia Sophia, whose immense dome has soared above the city for nearly 1,500 years as church, mosque and monument to human ambition. Next you'll tour the sprawling Topkapi Palace, seat of the Ottoman sultans, wandering its jewelled treasury, tiled courtyards and terraces overlooking the Golden Horn. After lunch you'll admire the elegant cascading domes and slender minarets of the Blue Mosque, named for the twenty thousand hand-painted İznik tiles lining its interior. You'll walk the ancient Hippodrome, once the chariot-racing arena of Byzantium, before plunging into the Grand Bazaar, a covered labyrinth of some four thousand shops brimming with carpets, lanterns, ceramics and Turkish delight. It's a feast for every sense, and the perfect place to bargain for a keepsake. Overnight in Istanbul.

• Hagia Sophia — A former cathedral and mosque famed for its vast dome, now a working mosque and monument.
• Topkapi Palace
• The Blue Mosque
• The Hippodrome
• The Grand Bazaar

This morning you'll fly to central Anatolia and the dreamlike landscape of Cappadocia, where millennia of erosion have sculpted valleys of surreal fairy-chimney rock spires. You'll climb to Uçhisar Castle, a towering natural citadel honeycombed with tunnels, for a panorama across the whole region. At the UNESCO-listed Göreme Open-Air Museum you'll step inside rock-cut Byzantine churches adorned with vivid, centuries-old frescoes. In the pottery town of Avanos, set on the Red River, you'll watch artisans shape clay on kick-wheels just as their ancestors have for generations. After lunch you'll marvel at the cluster of mushroom-shaped chimneys at Paşabağ, also known as Monks' Valley, and the lunar rock formations of Devrent Valley. If you wish, your guide can arrange an unforgettable dawn hot-air balloon flight over this otherworldly terrain. Overnight in Cappadocia.

• Uçhisar Castle
• Göreme Open-Air Museum — A UNESCO site of rock-cut churches decorated with Byzantine frescoes.
• Avanos
• Paşabağ — Also called Monks' Valley, famed for its distinctive mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys.
• Devrent Valley

Today you'll fly west to the Aegean coast to explore Ephesus, one of the grandest classical cities of the ancient Mediterranean. You'll first see the lone surviving column of the Temple of Artemis, once counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Entering the marble city itself, you'll be dazzled by the magnificent façade of the Celsus Library and the vast Great Theatre, which seated 25,000 spectators and still hosts performances today. Strolling the marble-paved avenues you'll admire the delicately carved Temple of Hadrian and follow Harbour Street, once lined with columns and shops leading down to a now-vanished port. Finally you'll visit the tranquil House of the Virgin Mary on nearby Mount Koressos, believed to be where Mary spent her final years and revered by Christians and Muslims alike. A day among the roots of the classical world. Overnight in Kuşadası.

• Temple of Artemis — Once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, now marked by a single column.
• Celsus Library
• Great Theatre of Ephesus
• Temple of Hadrian
• Harbour Street
• House of the Virgin Mary

Today you'll journey inland to one of Turkey's most extraordinary sights: the gleaming white travertine terraces of Pamukkale, the Cotton Castle, where warm mineral springs have cascaded down the hillside for millennia, forming shimmering pools of pale calcite. Perched above them lie the extensive Greco-Roman ruins of Hierapolis, an ancient spa city. You'll wander its haunting Necropolis, one of the largest ancient cemeteries in Anatolia, and see the Roman Baths, the monumental Domitian Gate, colonnaded Frontinus Street, the Agora, the ruined Cathedral and the Temple of Apollo. The beautifully preserved Theatre still commands the hillside, and the mysterious Plutonium, the so-called Gate to Hell, releases its volcanic gases just as ancient writers described. In the evening you'll transfer to the airport and fly back to Istanbul for your final night in Turkey. Overnight in Istanbul.

• Pamukkale Travertines — Cascading white terraces formed over millennia by warm, calcite-rich springs.
• Hierapolis
• Necropolis of Hierapolis
• Roman Baths of Hierapolis
• Domitian Gate
• Frontinus Street
• Agora of Hierapolis
• Cathedral of Hierapolis
• Temple of Apollo
• Theatre of Hierapolis
• The Plutonium

Every great journey must end, and today you'll bid a fond farewell to three of the world's most storied lands. After breakfast, and depending on your departure time, you may have a little while to enjoy a last Turkish coffee or pick up final souvenirs before checking out. At the appointed hour your driver transfers you to Istanbul Airport for your onward flight home, carrying with you the memories of Egypt's pyramids and Nile cruise, Jordan's rose-red Petra and the wonders of Turkey. Over these three unforgettable weeks you've journeyed across the ancient world, from pharaohs and temples to Roman cities, desert valleys and fairy-chimney landscapes. We hope this epic adventure has been everything you dreamed, and that the warmth of Egypt, Jordan and Turkey draws you back to our corner of the world again one day. Until then, safe travels and shukran for exploring with us.