Exploring Jordan & Egypt

Your journey begins upon arrival in Amman, Jordan. Highlights include the King Abdullah I Mosque, with its sky-blue mosaic dome; Amman’s 2nd-century CE Roman Theatre, with it’s 6,000 seats; and the ancient Citadel (El-Qala), with sweeping city views. Lunch features Jordanian specialties at the home of a local family. From Amman, travel to Jerash, the “Pompeii of the East,” one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the world.  Continue south via Mount Nebo, where Moses is said to have viewed the Promised Land, where you visit early Byzantine churches and an active mosaic workshop. Next, in Madaba, see the famed mosaic Madaba Map before continuing to Petra. Spend a full day exploring Petra, the rose-red Nabatean city and a UNESCO World Heritage site, including visits to the Treasury, theater, temples, tombs, and colonnaded streets. The day concludes with a hands-on Jordanian cooking class. Visit Siq al-Barid (“Little Petra”) before traveling to Wadi Rum, where you enjoy a sunset jeep ride, desert camping, and a Bedouin zarb lunch. Fly from Aqaba to Cairo, touring the Citadel of Saladin, experience the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, and visit the Grand Egyptian Museum. In Giza, see the famous Pyramids and enigmatic Sphinx; then explore Old Cairo. Fly to Luxor to visit the Luxor Museum, ruins of Karnak, and neighboring Luxor Temple; then enjoy lunch with a local family. Explore the West Bank, starting with the Colossi of Memnon, Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Valley of the Kings and Queens, before returning to Cairo. Extend your stay on a 5-day/4-night exploration of Alexandria.