Pyramids and Petra Discovery Journey

After a hearty breakfast, your Egyptologist guide will offer a brief orientation before you head out to one of the most iconic archaeological sites on earth. Your first stop is the Giza Plateau, home to the Great Pyramid of Khufu — a colossal structure standing 500 feet tall, built from millions of limestone blocks roughly 4,600 years ago. Alongside it stand the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, forming an awe-inspiring trio that has captivated explorers, scholars, and travellers for millennia. Subject to ticket availability, you may have the rare opportunity to venture inside one of the pyramids and experience its narrow, atmospheric passages firsthand. A camel ride across the plateau offers a perspective that photographs simply cannot capture. Nearby, the enigmatic Sphinx gazes silently across the desert — your guide will reveal the many theories and stories surrounding this mysterious monument. The afternoon takes you 25km south to Saqqara, dominated by Djoser’s Step Pyramid, believed to be ancient Egypt’s very first pyramid. The surrounding 7km of desert conceals a wealth of tombs, temples, and hidden chapels, all of which you’ll have ample time to explore and appreciate.
Overnight: Cairo Hotel
Meals: Breakfast

Cairo is a city that defies simple description — a living, breathing collision of centuries, where medieval minarets tower above busy bazaars and grand colonial boulevards meet ancient alleyways. After breakfast, your guide will lead you through three defining chapters of this extraordinary city. First, the Egyptian Museum: a cavernous treasure house containing over 120,000 artefacts, including the legendary golden mask and treasures of Tutankhamun, unearthed in 1922 and still breathtaking in their craftsmanship. Next, the Citadel of Saladin, a formidable medieval fortress perched on a rocky hill offering sweeping panoramic views across the sprawling city. Within its walls, the magnificent Alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali dominates the skyline and interior alike, its Ottoman architecture both grand and serene. Your final stop is the legendary Khan al-Khalili bazaar, founded in the 14th century and still operating today as one of the Arab world’s great marketplaces. Lose yourself in its labyrinthine alleys, bargaining for spices, jewellery, lanterns, and keepsakes. The sights, sounds, and scents are overwhelming in the best possible way — an authentic, immersive glimpse into Cairo’s enduring soul. This evening is yours to explore freely.
Overnight: Cairo Hotel
Meals: Breakfast

This morning, we’ll transfer you to Cairo International Airport to board your flight to Amman, Jordan’s lively and welcoming capital (please note that the flight cost is not included in the tour price). We strongly recommend booking a morning departure to give yourself maximum time at one of the world’s most extraordinary natural wonders: the Dead Sea. Upon landing, a local representative will meet you and drive you down through the hills of the Jordan Valley to the shimmering, salt-encrusted shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth at over 400 metres below sea level. The water here is so dense with minerals that floating effortlessly is completely unavoidable — an utterly unique sensation that first-time visitors find both hilarious and deeply relaxing. The mineral-rich black mud along the shoreline is famously therapeutic for skin, and smearing it on liberally before rinsing off in the warm water is a rite of passage. Spend the afternoon floating, reading, or simply absorbing the otherworldly landscape of hazy mountains and turquoise brine. Your comfortable spa resort provides the perfect backdrop for an evening of rest and rejuvenation after yesterday’s long journey.
Overnight: Dead Sea Spa Resort
Meals: Breakfast

Today’s journey is one of the most scenically dramatic of the entire tour, carrying you through landscapes that shift and transform at every bend in the road. Leaving the Dead Sea behind, you’ll trace the southern coastline before ascending through deep canyons and rugged mountain terrain towards Petra. En route, you’ll stop at the Dana Biosphere Reserve — Jordan’s largest protected natural area — where restored stone village houses cling to cliff edges above sweeping valley vistas. Spring visitors are treated to a particularly magical sight: hillsides blanketed in wildflowers, with birdsong filling the cool, clear air. A gentle walk along one of Dana’s trails offers a rare moment of silence and natural beauty. After lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll continue to Shobak, where a formidable Crusader castle looms dramatically atop a rocky hill. Built in the 12th century, its ruins speak eloquently of centuries of conflict and ambition. By evening, you’ll arrive in the town of Petra, and depending on your departure date, you may have the option to experience the legendary Petra by Night: a candlelit walk through the narrow Siq to the Treasury — one of the most magical atmospheric experiences in the world.
Overnight: Petra Hotel
Meals: Breakfast

There are very few places on earth that genuinely exceed all expectation, but Petra is one of them. The day begins with a walk through the Siq — a winding, kilometre-long canyon whose towering sandstone walls narrow dramatically overhead — before the path suddenly opens to reveal the iconic Treasury carved directly into the rose-red cliff face. The impact is immediate and unforgettable. Your Egyptologist guide will explain the history of the Nabataean civilisation that built this remarkable city more than 2,000 years ago, and you’ll explore caves, ceremonial tombs, and ancient streetscapes at a leisurely pace. The more adventurous can hike the steep trail up to the Monastery — larger even than the Treasury — or climb to the High Place of Sacrifice for spectacular views across the valley. The afternoon brings a dramatic change of scenery as you depart for Wadi Rum, the vast red desert wilderness immortalised by Lawrence of Arabia. Your home for the night is a remote Bedouin camp nestled between sand dunes and towering rock formations. As darkness falls, the sky fills with stars on a scale rarely seen elsewhere — a humbling, beautiful reminder of the world beyond cities.
Overnight: Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Wadi Rum reveals itself most fully from the back of a jeep, and this morning you’ll set out across the desert in the company of local Bedouin guides who know every rock, dune, and shadow of this extraordinary landscape. The safari takes in towering sandstone formations, ancient rock inscriptions, sweeping sand dunes that beg to be climbed, and a natural rock bridge arching improbably across the sky. But the highlight is human rather than geological: a walk with a local shepherd and his flock to a traditional Bedouin tent, where you’ll roll up your sleeves and participate in the daily rhythms of nomadic life. Help grind grain, knead bread dough, roast coffee beans over an open flame, and learn the art of milking goats — all while your communal lunch is slowly prepared. It’s an experience of genuine warmth and connection, far removed from the polished tourism of most itineraries. After lunch, the jeeps return you to camp to collect your belongings before the long drive north along the Desert Highway back to Amman. An optional extension to the Red Sea resort city of Aqaba is available for those wishing to linger a little longer.
Overnight: Amman Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Your final morning arrives, and Amman offers a gentle, unhurried farewell. The Jordanian capital is a city of seven hills, white limestone buildings, and genuinely hospitable people — and if time allows before your departure transfer, it rewards a final few hours of wandering. Stroll through the colourful street market of Downtown Amman, browse the excellent craft shops of Jabal Amman, or settle into a café and watch the city go about its morning. For those with a late afternoon or evening flight, a half-day excursion to the Baptism Site at Bethany on the Jordan River is available — a deeply significant and historically remarkable location believed by many to be the very place where John baptised Jesus. The site is serene, well-presented, and genuinely moving, regardless of one’s beliefs. When the time comes, our driver will collect you from your hotel and transfer you to Queen Alia International Airport for your onward journey. As you board your flight, you’ll carry with you memories of pyramids at sunrise, candlelit canyons, desert stars, and the extraordinary warmth of Egyptian and Jordanian hospitality. Safe travels — and until next time.
Meals: Breakfast