Luxury Small Israel, Jordan and Egypt 17 Day Tour with a Nile Cruise

Shalom and welcome to Israel! Be met by your VIP Meeting and Assistance Representative who will assist you through passport control and retrieving your luggage. Meet your driver and be transferred to your hotel for your first overnight in Tel Aviv.

Drive north to Caesarea, what was once the Roman capital of the region. See the excavations of the Crusaders' City, the aqueduct, and the amphitheater that has been restored as a concert venue. Proceed to Haifa for a panoramic view from Mount Carmel and an overview of the Bahai Gardens. Drive to Acre and visit the Knights’ Hall, also called the Citadel of Acre. End the day with a walk along the old harbor and local market. Overnight in the Galilee.

Today will be spent in the Golan Heights region where we will meet a woman named Nesiba, a local Druze woman. You will learn the religious history of the Druze people as well as have an authentic Druze Culinary Experience. After lunch, proceed to the Golan Heights Winery, Israel’s third-largest winery. Be joined by a professional wine guide and drink and eat as you go with a wine tasting accompanied by cheese from a local boutique dairy. Overnight in the Galilee.

After breakfast, continue to Masada and take the cable car up to the majestic fortress and visit the ruins of King Herod’s winter palace. The history will unfold before your eyes as you see the synagogues and bathhouses used by the Jews. Today will end at a Dead Sea Spa Hotel where you will have free time to float, get a massage, and relax. Overnight at the Dead Sea.

The morning will begin with a visit to Israel’s official memorial to the Holocaust, Yad Vashem, located on Mt. Herzl. Next, we will explore the Mahane Yehuda Market (Shuk) with a delicious food tour. Free time time in the afternoon in Jeusalem. Sound and Light Show.  Overnight in Jerusalem.

Begin the day at the magnificent Tower of David, located right through Jaffa Gate, the historic entrance to the Old City. This archeological site offers a 360-degree view of the Old City. Continue to the Christian Quarter and see the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site where Jesus was crucified. Walk along the Cardo, the ancient Roman road, and end at the Western Wall for some time to pray or reflect. Overnight in Jerusalem.

Head to the unexplored Southern region of Israel, to Mitzpe Ramon (Ramon Crater), and have a thrilling jeep adventure. Drive to Israel’s most Southern point to the city of Eilat to cross the Arava border into Jordan. Transfer to Aqaba for your overnight.

Start the day with free time to sleep in, enjoy a leisurely breakfast and a dip in the pool. In the afternoon, make your way to Wadi Rum for a 2-hour 4x4 jeep tour of the desert area. The day will carry on with a Bedouin feast for dinner at a local camp. Optional Activity: Stargazing. Overnight in Wadi Rum.

Early morning wake up to journey to Petra through the scenic Jordanian desert and the Wadi Rum area. Enter the Rose City of Petra through the Siq, a narrow passage through the mountains that has inspired people for centuries. Travel up to the treasury which suddenly appears at the end of the gorge, leaving visitors breath-taken by its size, color, and beauty. Continue into the heart of this ancient city carved into the mountains, passing hundreds of tombs and monuments and a spectacular Amphitheatre, which once held 3,000 spectators. Stop for a sit-down lunch at a local restaurant before leaving Wadi Mussa – the new town of Petra. Drive to Amman. Overnight in Petra.

Drive to Madaba, famous for the unique mosaic map of the Holy Land, which can be found on Saint George’s church floor. Then visit Mount Nebo, the place where Moses looked over the Holy Land and the Dead Sea. This is considered the burial place of Moses as this where he was seen for the last time. Here, you can visit the memorial church bearing his name. If the sky is clear, the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea, and Jericho will meet your eye. Head to Amman. Overnight in Amman.

We begin our day with a tour of the ancient city of Memphis which lies some 12 miles south of Cairo. The ancient city is now an open-air museum testifying to the magnificence of its four thousand years of history. Serving Memphis lies the necropolis Saqqara a vast, ancient burial ground, featuring numerous pyramids, including the world-famous Step pyramid of Djoser. We then proceed to the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx located on the Giza Plateau. The Great Pyramids of Cheops or Khufu; of Khafre or Chephren; and of Menkaure have always loomed large as emblems of ancient Egypt and were listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The tour includes venturing inside the Great Pyramid.  The Valley Temples surrounding the pyramids provide an insight into the dominating religious motives of the era. Overnight in Cairo. 

 Visit the Egyptian Museum, with its fantastic display of ancient civilization. Next, see the Mosque of Mohammad Ali, the Citadel, the old city, and the Ben Ezra Synagogue also known as the Geniza Synagogue. Its storerooms were found to contain over 2,000 medieval manuscripts, a collection known as the Cairo Geniza. After, visit one of the oldest and most famous Coptic Churches in Egypt, the El Mullakah Church (Hanging Church). Continue to the City of the Dead, a four-mile-long grid of tombs and mausoleums where people live and work amongst their ancestors. End today's tour at Bazaar Khan el-Khalili. Overnight in Cairo.

After breakfast, flight to Aswan. Embark before lunch at 12:00 p.m. Lunch on board. Visit the High Dam, Philae temple, and sail on the Nile by Motor Boat. Afternoon tea. Captain’s Welcome Cocktail Dinner on board. Overnight on the cruise.

Optional tour to Abu Simbel.

Breakfast on board. Sail to Kom Ombo. Visit the Temple shared by two gods Sobek and Haeroris in Kom Ombo. Sail to Edfu. Lunch on board. Visit Edfu Temple. Dinner on board. Sail to Esna. Overnight on the cruise.

Early morning sail to Luxor Breakfast on board. Visit the West Bank, the Valley of the Kings and Queens, the temple of Queen Hatshepsut at El-Deir El-Bahari, and the Colossi Memnon. Lunch on board. Afternoon tea. Dinner on board. Overnight on the cruise.

Breakfast on board. Disembark at 08:00 am. Visit East Bank (Karnak and Luxor Temples).  See the Karnak Temples, which are the largest Pharaonic temple complex in the world, with some parts constructed by Ramses II. Continue to the Temple of Luxor, another startling temple that was established around the 14th century BC. After the tour transfer to Luxor Airport for your flight to Cairo. Overnight in Cairo.

Transfer to Airport in Cairo for your departure flight. Until next time!