Gems in the Middle East: Egypt, Jordan and Israel - 14 Days

Activities for today: Upon arrival in Cairo, you will be greeted by our airport representative for assistance in the visa process, and customs and immigration. You will be introduced to your private driver at the passenger pick up for a private transfer to your hotel (about an hour's drive) After checking in, enjoy time at leisure.

Note: Strict dress code for visiting mosques and churches. Men must wear long pants and shirts with sleeve no tank tops. If you're wearing sandals or flip-flops you must wear socks. (No bare feet). Similarly, women must be modestly dressed, have no see-through clothes, bare shoulders, etc.

Activities for today: After breakfast, visit Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom. Later, proceed to the Step Pyramid of Saqqara, the earliest large-scale cut stone construction. Afterward, explore the most iconic and largest pyramids at Giza and the mysterious Sphinx.

Stepped Pyramid of Djoser: is located in the northwest of the Memphis city and was built during the 27th century BC for the burial of Pharaoh Djoser. It is the central feature of a vast mortuary complex in an enormous courtyard surrounded by ceremonial structures and decoration.

Pyramids of Giza: The Giza pyramids, as one of the world`s seven wonders, were built during the fourth dynasty by King Khufu who built the biggest pyramid in the world, King Khafre who built the middle pyramid, and King Menkaure who built the smallest pyramid.

Sphinx: is the oldest known monumental sculpture, and is commonly believed to have been built by ancient Egyptians of the Old Kingdom during the reign of the Pharaoh Khafra. The face of the Sphinx is generally believed to represent the face of the Pharaoh Khafra

Note: * Be aware that a limited number of people are allowed inside the Grand Pyramids daily with an additional cost of US25 per person.

* The trip takes around seven hours in total, including a stop for lunch (not included) in a cafe or restaurant recommended by your guide.

* Pyramid Sound & Light Show is available at an additional USD40 per person in the evening, including round-trip private transfers.

Activities for today: After breakfast, explore the Egyptian Museum for its magnificent collection of Pharaonic antiquities. Later, head to Old Cairo to visit the Citadel of Salah El Din and the Mohammed Ali Mosque. Afterward, drive back to your hotel with a stopover at the Khan El Khalili Bazaar.

Egyptian Museum: is home to an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities. It has 120,000 items, with a representative amount on display, the remainder in storerooms. It houses the world's largest collection of Pharaonic antiquities, including the Gold Mask of Tutankhamun.

citadel of Salah El Din: is a medieval Islamic fortification in Cairo, which is located on Mokattam hill near the center of Cairo, was once famous for its fresh breeze and grand views of the city. It is now a preserved historic site, with mosques and museums.

Mohammed Ali Mosque: Situated on the summit of the citadel, the great mosque, along with the citadel, is one of the landmarks and tourist attractions of Cairo and is one of the first features to be seen when approaching the city from no matter which side.

Khan El Khalili Bazaar: is a major souk in the Islamic district of Cairo. The bazaar district is one of Cairo's main attractions for tourists and Egyptians alike. Many traditional workshops continue to operate in the surrounding area and the goldsmiths'souq, for example, is still important for locals.

Note: Optional Shisha (Arabian hookah) experience can be arranged at the Khalili Bazaar for an additional USD15 per person.

Activities for today: Take a flight to Aswan this morning. Upon arrival, be transferred to embark on your ship. After settling into your cabin, disembark for a guided trip to the High Dam and the Temple of Philae. Later in the afternoon, sail on the Nile by Egyptian Felucca, pass by the Elephantine Island, and go ashore the Botanical Gardens on the Kitchener Island.

High Dam: Located near Aswan, the world famous High Dam was an engineering miracle when it was built in the 1960s. The Dam is 11,811 feet long, 3215 feet thick at the base and and 364 feet tall. Today it provides irrigation and electricity for the whole Egypt and wonderful views for visitors.

Philae Temple: Located on Agilika Island about 550 meters from its original home on Philae Island, the Philae Temple was dismantled and reassembled in the wake of the High Dam. The temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, is in a beautiful setting which has been landscaped to match its original site.

Botanical Gardens: Located on the other side of Elephantine Island from Aswan,the Botanical Garden is a perfect place to spend a lazy afternoon in the shade.This Island was given to Lord Kitchener for his campaigns in the Sudan, he moved there and created his garden, importing plants and trees from all over the world.

Note: * Felucca is completely driven by natural wind, when there is not enough wind, you will take a motorboat instead.

* The itinerary for a shore excursion is subject to change without prior notice due to navigational and security restrictions. The change will be only in the sequence of the itinerary and the visit will be the same.

* Wifi service is available on the boat at an additional cost of around USD15 per day, however, due to poor construction of base stations, wifi is not stable during the cruise. If internet service is essential, it might be better to consult your mobile operator for data service before departing for the trip.

Activities for today: Early in the morning, you will set sail to Kom Ombo to visit the Greco-Roman Sobek Temple, the temple is unusual in that it is a double temple, with one side dedicated to the god Haroesis and the other side to Sobek. The cruise will continue to sail to Edfu to visit the Temple of Horus (also known as the Temple of Edfu), which is considered the best-preserved cult temple in Egypt. This is partly because it was built later than most: in the Ptolemaic era from 237 to 57 BC. Despite its later date, it reflects the traditional pharaonic architecture and so provides an excellent idea of how all the temples once looked. Edfu is also very large: the second largest in Egypt after Karnak Temple.

Sobek Temple: Located in the town of Kom-Ombo, about 28 miles north of Aswan, the Sobek Temple, dating to the Ptolemies, is built on a high dune overlooking the Nile. Though known as Kom Ombo, the Temple is actually two temples consisting of a Temple to Sobek and a Temple of Haroeris.

Horus Temple: Dedicated to Horus, the falcon headed god, construction of the Temple of Horus was begun  in 237 BC by Ptolemy III Euergetes I and was finished in 57 BC. This is not only the best preserved ancient temple in Egypt, but also the second largest after Karnak

Activities for today: Early morning sail to Luxor. After breakfast on board, explore some of the most incredible sites in the country. You will visit the Valley of the Kings where you will have the chance to explore three tombs of the ancient Pharaohs. You will then visit the recently renovated mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut was the second pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty of Ancient Egypt. The tour also includes a visit to the huge Colossi of Memnon which are all that remains of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III.

Funerary temple of Hatshepsut: is one of the most dramatically situated in the world.Throughout the temple, statues and sphinxes of the queen proliferated. Many of them have been reconstructed, with patience and ingenuity, from the thousands of smashed fragments found by the excavators.

Colossi of Memnon: guarded the  mortuary temple of Amenhotep III (18th Dynasty) on the outer gates in Thebes . The remains now are about 23 meter (75 ft) high and one thousand ton. Though damaged by nature and ancient tourists, the statues are still impressive.

West Bank (Thebes) : The west bank is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. The whole west bank is honeycombed with tombs, not just of the ancient Egyptian Kings, but of their families and the noblemen who served them.

Valley of the Kings: Beginning with the 18th Dynasty and ending with the 20th, the kings built their tombs in Thebes, which made the well-known Valley of Kings in Egypt. Most of the tombs there were cut into the limestone following a similar pattern: three corridors, an antechamber and a sunken sarcophagus chamber.

Activities for today: After breakfast, visit the Temples of Karnak, where you can walk along the Avenue of Sphinx to enter the complex while learning about how the massive facade was constructed from your guide. Proceed to Luxor Temple, which was once connected to the Temples of Karnak by a two-kilometer long Avenue of Sphinx. You will be guided through the most important parts of the temples. Afterward, take a flight back to Cairo.

Karnak Temple of Amon: is located about three kilometers north of Luxor and situated on 100 ha (247 acres) of land. Though badly ruined, no site in Egypt is more impressive than Karnak. It is the largest temple complex ever built by man, and represents the combined achievement of many generations of ancient builders.

Luxor Temple: Since its inception, the temple of Luxor has always been a sacred site. After Egypt's pagan period, a Christian church and monastery was located here, and after that, a mosque (13th century Mosque of Abu el-Haggag) was built that continues to be used today.

Note: We suggest staying at the airport hotel in Cairo for an early morning flight the following day.

Activities for today: Take a morning flight to Amman, Jordan (about an hour's flight). Upon your arrival, our representative will assist you in facilitating all the formalities. Afterward, head north to Jerash, the best example of a Roman provincial city in the whole Middle East, where you can get a glimpse of its past prosperity through its magnificent theaters, soaring hilltop temples, spacious public squares and plazas, paved and colonnaded streets, baths, fountains and city walls pierced by towers and gates. After the tour, return to Amman and check in to your hotel.

Ajloun Castle: also known as Qa'lat ar-Rabad, is a 12th-century Muslim castle situated in northwestern Jordan. It was built by the Ayyubids in the 12th century and enlarged by the Mamluks in the 13th.The name 'Ajlun‘goes back to a Christian monk who lived on this mountain in the Byzantine Period.

Nymphaeum: Completed in 191 AD, the Nymphaeum of Gerasa lies between the Temple of Artemis and  the Temple of Dionysus, overlooking the Cardo Maximus. It is a very ornate monumental water fountain, in the form of an exedra, that was decorated with Corinthian columns, niches holdings statues, polychrome marble, and painted stucco, and topped by a half-dome.

Roman Colonnaded Street: was constructed sometime around 106 AD, shortly after the Roman annexation of Petra. It replaced an earlier Nabataean track. Along the street you can still see the remains of the Upper Market, The Lower Market, the Royal Palace and the big temple.

Roman Forum: is an impressive oval-shaped plaza that lies below the Temple of Zeus and marks the southern end of the Cardo Maximus. It measures 90 metres in length and 80 metres in width and is surrounded by a colonnade of 56 Ionic columns.

Temple of Artemis: was a place of sacrifice dedicated to Artemis and built in 150AD. Although small, the temple's Corinthian columns soar impressively from the hilltop site; 11 of the 12 front columns are still standing. The temple's inner chamber was originally clad with marble slabs and housed a shrine which probably contained a statue of the goddess

Note: For the Jordan portion, we use one driver who can speak English, the driver will not play a role as a guide. While you're visiting Jerash and Petra, Odynovo will arrange a private English-speaking guide locally. A throughout private English-speaking guide is available on request at an additional charge.

Activities for today: After breakfast, head south toward Petra. En route, make a stopover at Madaba, "the City of Mosaics", where you will see the  Mosaic Map inside the St. George Church showing the Middle East dating back to the 6th century AD. Afterward, drive onwards to Mt. Nebo, the place where Moses overlooked the Holy Land, and you will have a chance to look through Moses' eyes. Visit a Jordanian handicraft shop before reaching Petra and checking into your hotel.

Madaba: It is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, especially a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of the Holy Land.

St. George Church & Mosaic Map: This rather modest 19th-century Greek Orthodox church houses the valuable mosaic map, which was crafted in AD 560, the map has 157 captions (in Greek) depicting all the major biblical sites of the Middle East from Egypt to Palestine.

The Moses Memorial Church: were discovered in 1933 and first constructed in the second half of the 4th century to commemorate the place of Moses' death. Its design follows a typical basilica pattern. Six tombs have been found hollowed from the natural rock beneath the mosaic-covered floor of the monastery.

Note: During high season, hotels in Petra are easily filled out, thus we will suggest driving to Aqaba overnight. Aqaba is the only coastal city in Jordan and the largest and most populous city on the Gulf of Aqaba.

Activities for today: Today, you will spend a full day in Petra, the Rose City, which is a must-see when you travel to Jordan. Firstly, you will enjoy a two-hour guided tour of the highlights of this city with your tour guide. The rest of the time is left for you to explore on your own. It is suggested to bring your walking shoes and be prepared for an energetic day. Afterward, be escorted to your hotel on the shore of the Dead Sea.

Note: * At the entrance to Petra travelers are offered the option to ride a horse for 800m (free of charge)- from the visitor center to the entrance of the dramatic "Siq" (canyon). From the entrance to the Siq there is a 1,250 meters walk to the 1st monument "The treasury". There is a horse carriage ride available for this 1.2km at an additional USD20 per person, we suggest taking a leisure walk through the valley to enjoy the views, instead of taking this bumpy ride.

* Your local English-speaking will be with you for about two hours, you might explore further on your own afterward.

* Optional Two Days Program to Wadirum (overnight in a tent); and the Dead Sea (Jordanian side) is available. Please ask your consultant for further details.

Activities for today: Enjoy some time at leisure before being transferred to Allenby Bridge. Pass the border on your own, and meet your driver at the Israel side. After a transfer to your hotel in Jerusalem, you will enjoy the time at leisure.

Note: * At Allenby Border, your Jordanian driver will be with you at Jordan Terminal to assist you with necessary procedures. Please keep JOD40 per person in cash for the border crossing: JOD20/person for departure tax & around JOD10 per person for shuttle bus and luggage.

* On your arrival to Israel Terminal, you need to go through border Passport Control and Custom, then exit to a small parking lot, as Allenby is different from other borders like at airports/ports/stations, our driver may not be allowed to hold the Odynovo sign to welcome you at the exit, instead he will come to you to double-check your names to make sure he picks up the right person. If he is not there when you come out, please call him and he must be waiting for you inside the vehicle as your arrival time is uncertain.

* It's wise to arrive at the border earlier than normal if it happens to be on a Friday and Saturday (need to be at the border before 10 AM on Saturdays), because working hours for these two days are shorter.

Activities for today: You will spend a full day in Jerusalem, the holy land of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Follow your tour guide to visit its highlights, including the Mount of Olives, King David's Tomb, Gethsemane, Wailing Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and Golgotha. Experience the religious atmosphere, get to know the story of Jesus, and peek into the daily life of local people.

Note: * Private English-speaking guided tour for today.

* King David's Tomb: Open: 8 am-sunset (closes on Fridays at 2 pm Apr-Sep and 1 pm Oct-Mar). Men and women are separated. Men should cover their heads (kippahs are provided).

* Wailing Wall (Western Wall): Open all day, all year round. Women and men should be dressed modestly in the Western Wall Plaza. To pray at the wall, women should have their legs and shoulders covered. Men should cover their heads.

* Church of the Holy Sepulchre: Open throughout the year at 05:00. It closes at 20:00 from Apr-Sep, and at 19:00 from Oct-Mar.

Activities for today: After breakfast, drive south to Bethlehem and see the silver star marking the place where Jesus was born, explore the plenty of Churches and Chapels in the Church of the Nativity compound, experience the bustle of Manger Square, and visit the Shepherds Field. Afterward, return to Jerusalem and explore the Israel Museum in the New City, where you may see two important exhibits: the Dead Sea Scrolls uncovered in Qumran and the model of the city from the time of the Second Temple. Later, visit the Holocaust Memorial of Yad Vashem and the Machane Yehuda Market.