Best of Jordan & Egypt: From Amman to Cairo - 15 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Amman (Jordan), Explore the Capital at Leisure

Welcome to the vibrant capital of Jordan, Amman! Meet your driver at the airport and transfer to your hotel in the city to check in and freshen up. When you're ready, venture out to explore the area on your own. A good place to start is the Amman Citadel, perched on one of the city's highest hills. Wander through the archaeological site to discover highlights like the grand Temple of Hercules with its towering columns and the Umayyad Palace, showcasing early Islamic architecture. Be sure to visit the on-site Jordan Archaeological Museum to admire Bronze Age artifacts.

Then, continue to the second-century Roman Theater, dating from when the city was known as "Philadelphia" during the Roman period. Stand on the stage and look up at the seats that once held 6,000 spectators as you imagine the performances held here. As darkness falls, make your way to Rainbow Street, a lively avenue in the heart of the historic Jabal Amman district. Stroll past boutiques, cafés, and restaurants selling authentic Jordanian cuisine like the national dish, mansaf, which features tender pieces of lamb, fluffy rice, and a tangy yogurt sauce. 

Day 2: Self-Guided Tour of Amman

Today is free for you to recover from jet lag and explore the capital at your own pace. If you're visiting on a Friday, head to Souk Jara first to grab breakfast in the open-air market. Peruse the stalls full of handmade crafts, jewelry, and street food like falafel, shawarma, and traditional sweets. Then, head to the King Abdullah I Mosque, built in the 1980s to commemorate the late king. Admire the striking blue domes before stepping inside to discover the serene prayer hall and adjoining Islamic Museum housing a collection of manuscripts, pottery, and coins. 

Learn more about Jordan's rich history and culture at the Jordan Museum, where you can see highlights like the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest known statues in the world from Ain Ghazal, and day-to-day items from ancient civilizations. End your day with a stroll past traditional markets, historic buildings, and well-preserved ruins in Al Balad, the oldest part of the city. Shop for souvenirs at the bustling souks or indulge in local delights like falafel or shawarma before returning to your hotel.

Day 3: Transfer to the Dead Sea, Relax at the Lowest Point on Earth

Trade the bustling city streets for the calm serenity of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. Set off on a 1.5-hour transfer to your resort, watching the scenery transform from sprawling urban landscape to arid, desert-like vistas. When you arrive, check into your hotel, change into your bathing suit, and enjoy a relaxed afternoon in the salty waters, treating yourself to a mud mask. Since the water has such a high salt concentration, you'll easily float on the surface. In the evening, watch as the sun slowly sets over the surrounding mountains before returning to your hotel to take advantage of its amenities.

Day 4: Transfer to Petra via Madaba & Mount Nebo

After a restful night at your Dead Sea resort, journey with your driver to Madaba, known as the "City of Mosaics." Once there, head straight to St. George's Greek Orthodox Church, home of the famous Madaba Map, an ancient detailed mosaic depicting Jerusalem during the Byzantine period. Admire the mosaics adorning the floors and walls before transferring to Mount Nebo, believed to be where Moses died, overlooking the Holy Land. Enjoy uninterrupted views of the Dead Sea and the vast Jordan Valley. On a clear day, you can even catch glimpses of Jerusalem in the distance.

Back in the car, your final stop is Petra, also known as the "Rose City," as the ancient Nabataeans carved their structures directly into rose-red sandstone cliffs. If you arrive on a Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday, you'll explore Petra at 8:30 pm this evening. Head to the visitor center and follow your guide down the illuminated Siq, a natural rock gorge that leads to the iconic Treasury. Admire the intricate facade softly glowing in the light of thousands of candles, then sit back to enjoy an evening of traditional Bedouin music and storytelling under the stars before retiring to your hotel nearby. 

Day 5: Explore Petra, Transfer to Wadi Rum, Desert Jeep Tour

Start your day with a visit to Petra for a daytime look at the rock-cut architecture. Enter through the narrow Siq and walk along the Street of Facades, named after the impressive collection of tombs and temples lining the walls. Continuing deeper into the archaeological site, you'll encounter the Petra Museum and the Great Temple complex. If you're up for a hike, climb 800 steps to see the Monastery's grand facade. On your way back to the entrance, take a different route along Grand Colonnaded Street to see the Nymphaeum, an ancient market area, and a Byzantine church.

After exploring one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, meet your driver for a two-hour transfer to Wadi Rum, a Martian-like landscape of vast desert expanses, towering sandstone mountains, and surreal red dunes. When you arrive, meet your local Bedouin guide and switch to a Jeep to set off on a three-hour tour of the desert that inspired T.E. Lawrence's book, "Seven Pillars of Wisdom." After discovering the rock formations and canyons, settle in at your Bedouin camp and enjoy dinner under the starry sky uninterrupted by city lights. 

Day 6: Transfer to Amman

Wake up to Wadi Rum's red sand and towering rock formations as you enjoy a delicious Bedouin breakfast at camp. Then, bid farewell to the otherworldly landscape and transfer 4-5 hours back to Amman along the scenic Desert Highway. Watch the desert vistas give way to the rolling hills and cultivated fields of central Jordan before the sprawling capital comes into view. When you arrive, check into your Amman hotel and settle in for the night in anticipation of your flight tomorrow.

Day 7: Fly to Aswan via Cairo (Egypt)

Say goodbye to Amman and Jordan this morning as you transfer to the airport for a 1.5-hour flight to Cairo, Egypt's vibrant capital. From there, you'll hop on a domestic 1.5-hour flight to Aswan, nestled on the banks of the Nile River. If you have energy when you arrive at your hotel, spend a little time exploring the city on your own. Head to Aswan Souk and peruse the stalls full of fragrant spices, aromatic herbs, traditional textiles, and handcrafted souvenirs. To end the day, indulge in traditional street food like koshari, a hearty rice, lentils, and macaroni dish topped with a spicy tomato sauce.

Day 8: Visit Abu Simbel, Philae Temple & the Aswan High Dam

Breakfast box in hand, transfer 3-4 hours to Abu Simbel, a historic site that's home to two temples commissioned by Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BCE. Pass the colossal statues of Ramesses II and his beloved wife Nefertari to enter the temple's main hypostyle hall, where you'll find more statues of the pharaoh and walls adorned with hieroglyphs depicting military victories and divine connections. Explore the inner chambers dedicated to different deities and admire the seamless integration of art, architecture, and religious symbolism.

After exploring the twin temples, transfer back to Aswan to check in for your four-day cruise along the Nile. Enjoy lunch on board, then disembark and meet your Egyptologist guide for a tour of Philae Temple on Agilkia Island, which is only accessible by boat. Explore the temple complex dedicated to the goddess Isis, who embodies love, magic, and motherhood in Egyptian mythology. Then, continue to the Aswan High Dam to marvel at this engineering marvel built in 1970 CE to control flooding, provide water for agriculture, and generate hydroelectricity. Afterward, return to the cruise ship for the night. 

Day 9: Visit the Temple of Kom Ombo

Enjoy a delicious breakfast on board while you cruise to the Temple of Kom Ombo, twin temples dedicated to both Sobek, the crocodile-headed god of fertility, and Horus, the falcon-headed god of the sky. Wander through the symmetrical halls and sanctuaries adorned with hieroglyphs and reliefs illustrating mythological and historical scenes, as well as medical tools and procedures used in ancient Egypt.

Be sure to see the hypostyle hall, with its towering columns, and the beautifully decorated birth house, where sacred rites and rituals were performed. Then, step outside to admire the main courtyard flanked by two rows of columns featuring intricate carvings and reliefs. When you're done exploring the mirrored temples, return to the cruise ship for lunch as you continue your journey down the Nile to Edfu on the west bank of the river, where you'll dock for the night.

Day 10: Visit Edfu Temple, Cruise to Luxor, Explore the East Bank

Wake up in Edfu, disembark, and choose between a horse-drawn carriage or toktok (auto rickshaw) to travel to the Temple of Edfu, which is also dedicated to Horus. Step through the grand entrance flanked by colossal statues of the falcon-headed god and discover the vast courtyard adorned with towering columns and intricate hieroglyphs. Stroll through the inner chambers and sanctuaries, housing shrines and statues of Horus, then trace the footsteps of ancient pilgrims along the sacred processional route. After exploring the temple, return to the ship to enjoy lunch while cruising to Luxor.

Disembark again to visit Karnak, the second-largest temple complex in the world. Walk down the Avenue of Sphinxes, lined with well-preserved sphinx statues, then navigate the different precincts dedicated to Amon-Re, Mut, and Montu. Return to the Avenue of Sphinxes to stroll to the nearby Luxor Temple, home to graceful colonnades and a colossal statue of Ramesses II. Highlights of the temple include the hypostyle hall, with its towering columns decorated with intricate carvings, and the well-preserved Obelisk of Ramesses II. As darkness falls, head back to the ship for dinner.

Day 11: Visit the Valley of the Kings & Deir el-Bahari

Continue your exploration of Luxor today with a visit to the Valley of the Kings on the Nile's west bank. Nestled in desert cliffs, this renowned archaeological site is the final resting place of many of Egypt's most illustrious pharaohs, including Tutankhamun, Ramesses the Great, and Hatshepsut. Follow your guide through the complex to see the rock-cut tombs adorned with hieroglyphics and colorful murals depicting scenes from the afterlife, deities, and royal rituals. Your guide will share details of the interiors of those tombs closed to visitors and the ceremonial rituals of ancient Egyptians. 

Then, head up to Deir el-Bahari, a complex of mortuary temples built for Hatshepsut, the female pharaoh. The temple's terraced design, with its three majestic levels rising against the desert cliffs, is an architectural marvel, showcasing colonnades, statues, and intricate reliefs celebrating the pharaoh's achievements and divine status. Your last stop is the Colossi of Memnon, Pharaoh Amenhotep III's twin statues and the last remnants of his mortuary temple. Afterward, return to Luxor and check in at your hotel for your last night beside the Nile.

Day 12: Fly to Cairo, Explore the Giza Pyramid Complex

Bid farewell to Luxor this morning as you head to the airport for a one-hour flight back to Cairo. When you arrive, you'll hit the ground running with a one-hour transfer to the Giza Plateau, home to three of Egypt's most well-known pyramids. Start at the Great Pyramid of Giza, the largest of the three main pyramids and the only survivor of the Seven Great Wonders of the Ancient World. Continue to the Pyramid of Khafre, the best-preserved pyramid, to see the original, smoothly finished stone at the tip.

The final and smallest pyramid is the Pyramid of Menkaure, offering a more intimate look at ancient Egyptian funeral practices. You can enter all three pyramids, but keep in mind that the passages are steep and narrow, and the spaces are cramped. Adjacent to the pyramids, the Great Sphinx guards the plateau. Admire the colossal limestone statue carved from a natural rocky outcrop that depicts a lion's body with a pharaoh's head. Then, enjoy a scenic 20-minute camel ride across the plateau for a different vantage point of the pyramids before transferring back to Cairo to check in at your hotel. 

Day 13: Visit the Egyptian Museum, Guided Tour of Coptic & Islamic Cairo

Dive into Egypt's rich history at the Egyptian Museum this morning, home to a collection of over 120,000 artifacts, including Tutankhamun's famous gold mask. Then, follow your guide through the streets of Coptic Cairo to the Fortress of Babylon, dating back to the Roman period. Stop at the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus within the fortress, believed to have provided refuge to the Holy Family during their flight into Egypt. Continue to Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church, suspended above the fortress, earning it the nickname "Hanging Church."

Your next stops are the Saint Barbara Church Complex, one of the largest churches in Egypt, and Synagogue Ben Ezra, believed to be built on the site where the pharaoh's daughter discovered the baby Moses. Trade Old Cairo for Islamic Cairo as you head to the Cairo Citadel, perched on a hilltop overlooking the city. As you explore the citadel, you'll encounter impressive structures, such as the elaborate Mosque of Muhammad Ali, with its striking Ottoman-style domes and minarets. End the tour at the Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan, a grand mosque from the Mamluk period.

Day 14: Day Trip to Alexandria

After breakfast at the hotel, set off on a 2.5-hour transfer to Alexandria, a Mediterranean port city founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE. Many ancient structures remain, including the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, dating back to the second century CE. Enter the catacombs to see elaborate frescoes, reliefs, and sculptures depicting Egyptian and Greek mythology and everyday scenes. You'll also visit another surviving structure, Qaitbay Fort, strategically located on the site of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. 

Admire the robust stone walls and towering battlements, then discover the well-preserved interior, including the original defensive structures. Climb to the top of the fort for panoramic views of the coastline and bustling harbor before ending the tour at Montaza Palace, built in the 19th century for the Egyptian royal family. Although the palace is closed to visitors, you can explore its opulent garden, featuring diverse plant species, serene water features, and far-reaching views of the Mediterranean. After a day in Alexandria, transfer back to your hotel in Cairo. 

Day 15: Half-Day Tour of Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, Depart Cairo

As your time in Egypt draws to an end, spend your last few hours exploring Khan el-Khalili, a bustling market dating back to the 14th century. On a half-day tour, you'll wander past stalls selling everything from intricate brassware and colorful textiles to traditional spices and handcrafted jewelry. Shop for souvenirs or indulge in local delights before taking a much-deserved break in a maqha (traditional coffee house) like El Fishawy, a social hub for locals and visitors alike since 1773 CE. After the tour, transfer to the airport in time for your flight home. Safe travels!