The Best of Jordan , Syria and Egypt
The Nile Cruise Boarding Aswan

A true Grand Tour of the Near East
A 21 -Day Tour of Jordan , Syria and Egypt Including the Dead Sea
For Guests who want the BEST when touring the Middle East

See the top sights in Jordan , Syria and Egypt on this locally escorted tour, including Cairo , Abu Simbel , a Nile Cruise , Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum . We'll show you the wonders of fabled Syria--Roman citadels, Biblical sites, great Omayyad mosques--and the ancient/modern city of Damascus
start weekly year round . And a night at one of the resorts of the Dead Sea ?

DAY 1 - DEPARTURE - Overnight across the Atlantic - Friday- Tour Starts weekly Year Round
We take off aboard Lufthansa ,Swiss , KLM or British Airways jet from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. Add on is available from most major cities . For West Coast Passengers : you need not to fly via NYC, you'll fly non=stop from the West Coast to Europe , then connect onward to Cairo .

DAY 2 - CAIRO in Cairo - Saturday
Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa fee is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for : Australian, NZ, American, EU , Canadian, Singaporean, Mexican & Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo.

Visa will be issued upon arrival.
As you exit the gate, you will pass through a door or two , down some stairs , then walk for 2-5 minutes , until you pass the duty free shops, at the end of a wide corridor , you will see the security officers. There you will be met by a local representative, who will be holding a sign with the name you prefer to use for the sign .
Our local representative will then take your passport to obtain a stamp from the cashier / bank window and escort you to speak with the passport officer. He will escort you through another last check on your passport as you exit the passport control, into customs area, he will assist you in collecting your luggage and clearing customs . After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you , always in a private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur to the hotel . Start from Athens , Greece ? please click here.

DAY 3 - CAIRO - Sunday (BL)
Today is a very full day On your first full day in Egypt we show you the Egyptian Museum, the Citadel of Saladin and the Mohammed Ali Mosque, made of alabaster , lunch is included at a charming local restaurant : Naguib Mahfouz or similar , after lunch , enjoy a walking tour of the legendary Khan El Khalili bazaar district before we head for Coptic Cairo , Al-Moalaka Church and Beni Ezra Synagogue .
When in Cairo touring is always in a private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and a private Egyptologist

DAY 4 - CAIRO - Monday (BL)
After breakfast it is off to the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, and the solar boat , a short camel ride , more of photo opp is included with our compliments. Lunch is included at the Mena House Oberoi or Meridien Pyramids . The afternoon is for Memphis , Sakkara , the Mastabas of the Nobles and the Step Pyramid .
In the evening we return to Giza for the Sound and Light ar Giza, transfers and touring in Cairo are always on a private basis.

DAY 5 - ASWAN- ( or LUXOR )ABU SIMBEL Tuesday - Hotel (B)
Your hotel will prepare "Breakfast Box", we leave on an early flight for Aswan, a brief stop then on ( flying ) to Abu Simbel , where we settle you into your Private car /Driver guide and on to Abu Simbel: In the larger temple, colossal figures of Ramses are seated with the gods and attended by his queen and daughters. The smaller temple is dedicated to Queen Nefertari, who appears as Hathor, the goddess of love, joy and fertility, symbolized by the benevolent cow. We explore these fine temple , after which retire to a comfortable hotel for refreshments: Bottled water / tea / coffee . Fly back to Aswan and your hotel : Deluxe : Aswan MOvenpick or Isis Island. First : Basma Hotel

DAY 6 - ASWAN Wednesday - Board your Nile Cruise (BLD)
After breakfast at your hotel, enjoy your morning at leisure , before we head to your Nile Cruise around noon time , where we settle you into your cabin on your Nile steamer. We'll visit the enormous dams at Aswan, then board a launch on to visit the Temples island of Philae, dedicated to the Ancient Egyptian Goddess of Isis, that was later worshiped in Rome as well as Ancient Greece, the temple was rescued from rising waters and reassembled on this island.

The Mystery of Isis

Two millennia ago the Mediterranean world was enthralled by the mystery of Isis:

"I, Isis, am all that has been, that is or shall be; no mortal man hath ever seen me unveiled."

Called Aset by the ancient Egyptians, the goddess was a Madonna in the Mediterranean tradition that stretches far, far back to the primitive Mother Goddess from Anatolia, home to some of the oldest human communities on earth.

Isis was the powerful and quick-witted protector of her son Horus, the Sun God. Ancient peoples throughout the Mediterranean regarded Isis and Horus as the perfect Madonna and Child. Another legend says she was
also the mother of the fertility god Min who, judging from the depiction of him on temple walls, needed no help from Viagra!

Isis is portrayed regally, as a queen seated on a throne (which may be the meaning of her name), often holding her son Horus as a baby. Other images show her with broad, magnificent gilded wings able to protect
the world. We head back to our cruise in time for afternoon tea.

DAY 7 - KOM OMBO - Thursday (BLD)
We cruise northward down the Nile today, at a stately pace, disembarking for a visit to Kom Ombo, the twin temple dedicated to the crocodile river god, Sobek. We'll also see Haroeris, the solar disk.

DAY 8 - EDFU and LUXOR- Friday- On board your Nile Cruise (BLD)
Horse-drawn carriages or vans meet us at riverside to take us through Edfu to the Temple of Horus, best-preserved in all of Egypt. Then we'll continue beside the Nile to take in an array of ancient splendors: the Valley of the Kings; the imposing tomb-temple of Queen Hatshepsut ; and, back in Luxor, the Great Temple of Amon at Karnak. Overnight on board your Nile cruise

DAY 9 - Check-out from your Nile Cruise - Fly back to Cairo - Saturday (B)
Now that you've seen the best of the Egypt of the Pharaohs, our guides escort you to the airport. You'll fly over the Nile Valley back to Cairo and your hotel.

DAY 10 - CAIRO - Home Hosted Dinner - Sunday (BD)
Morning at leisure or ask us for optional tours.
Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals, you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family ( T shirt , small souvenirs of your home town): This evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right into the homes of some of the people of Cairo l! You'll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.

DAY 11 - AMMAN- Monday
Air ticket is included Cairo Amman in business class, tax included. Fly to Amman .
Our staff will meet you upon arrival and help with the transfer to your hotel in Amman .Transfers are always with a private air-conditioned vehicle, and a private chauffeur .

Complimentary visa is issued upon arrival for American , Australian, NZ, EU , Singaporean, Mexican & Japanese passport holders. Passport must be valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival.

DAY 12 - MADABA, KERAK & PETRA - Tuesday (BD)
Your English speaking guide will escort you from Amman all the way throughout Jordan.
We drive south along the King's Highway, an ancient caravan route, to Madaba to visit the church containing the oldest known map of the Holy Land. Continuing to Mount Nebo, we enjoy the panoramic view of the Promised Land the way Moses saw it for the first time. Further on, at Kerak, we tour the ruins of its romantic Crusaders' castle of Renaud de Chatillon, one of a line which stretched from Aqaba to Turkey. Finally, we arrive to PETRA . When in Jordan always touring in a private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and a private guide

DAY 13 - PETRA - Wednesday (BD)
Today the fabulous Nabatean City of Petra awaits us. Made famous in the Indiana Jones movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark," its ancient temples, tombs and striking Khazneh (Treasury) were hewn right from the pink and violet sandstone. We spend a full day here, and another night. When in Jordan always touring in a private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and a private guide

Now open in Petra, The Petra Kitchen is a delightful way to round out your Jordan travel experiences. Like any home kitchen, The Petra Kitchen is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where you’ll gather to prepare an evening meal, working alongside local women under the supervision of our chef.

Each evening meal includes soup, cold and hot mezza and salads, and a main course—all typical Jordanian dishes. You will have get an inside glimpse of the secrets behind the famous regional cuisine of the Levant.

The Petra Kitchen offers an evening of learning, fun and a very special dining experience, with each dish gaining the special flavor of a reward well-earned. Great care has been taken to make The Petra Kitchen a truly Jordanian experience—right down to the furnishings, all crafted in Jordan, the tableware, all produced by the Iraq al Amir Women’s Co-operative, and the aprons and table linens, all hand-embroidered by the Jordan River Foundation.

The rate includes the cuisine course, meal and all non-alcoholic beverages as well as take-home recipes for all dishes prepared that evening.

DAY 14 - Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea - Thursday (BL)
Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included enroute
We board four-wheel-drive vehicles for an expedition to Wadi Rum, the "Valley of the Moon" where T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia") organized Arab resistance to Ottoman rule during World War I. After our visit, proceed North to the lowest spot on Earth and experience floating in the waters of the Dead Sea, where we spend the night : The Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea , the Mövenpick Dead Sea or SAS Radisson

DAY 15 - Galilee - Um Qais - Gedera - Bosra Syria - Friday (BL)
Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch enroute. Today we continue northwards to Pella in the Jordan Valley. Visit Um Qais, Gedara of the Bible (Matthew 8:28-34) for a spectacular view of the Sea of Galilee, the Yarmouk River , then on to The Syrian border, visit Bosra before continuing to Damascus.
Do you Speak THE LANGUAGE OF THE JESUS IN THE LAND OF THE BOOK ? Visit Maaloula in Syria . Jordanian departure tax is always included in our rate. When in Jordan and Syria always touring in a private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and a private guide

DAY 16 - DAMASCUS - Saturday (BD)
Today we explore the Syrian capital, visiting the National Museum, with treasures dating from the 1400s BC; the bustling Old Bazaar, the Eastern Gate (Bab ash-Sharqi) in the Roman city walls; the Street Called Straight (Via Recta); the house of Anania; and the chapel with a window from which disciples lowered St. Paul so he could escape those who sought to kill him (Acts 9:24-25).

Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
We are proud to be the only ones that are able to afford you such window on the true warm and hospitable Syrian people , come and meet the locals, you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family ( T shirt , small souvenirs of your home town):
This evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right into the homes of some of the people of Syria l! You'll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. As some have inquired after they returned , feel free to ask about the recipes for the local dishes you will enjoy tonight , please let us know in advance of you prefer vegetarian meals.

Of course, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.

DAY 17 - PALMYRA - Sunday (BD)
We drive to ancient Palmyra (Tadmor), in a desert oasis on the trade route between the Mediterranean and Mesopotamia, to visit its museum, the temples of Bel, Baal Shamin and Nebo, the Roman baths, the Tetrapylon, Diocletian's camp, and the Valley of the Tombs, before settling in at our Palmyra hotel.

When in Jordan and Syria always touring in a private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and a private guide

DAY 18 - KRAK DES CHEVALIERS, HAMA & ALEPPO - Monday (BD)
Get your camera ready, for today we see the famously photogenic Krak des Chevaliers, the most spectacular 12th-century Crusaders' castle of all. From this marvel of military architecture we head north to Hama, one of Syria's prettiest towns, to see its great norias (water wheels), some up to 65 feet in diameter, scooping water from the fabled Orontes River. We continue to Aleppo for the night.

When in Jordan and Syria always touring in a private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and a private guide

DAY 19 - ALEPPO- Tuesday (BD)
The sights of Aleppo (Halab) include the Grand Mosque, the vast Ottoman bazaar, the 12th-century Citadel, and a camel caravanserai. We visit them all, then continue to the church (Qala'at Samaan) built to honor the Byzantine ascetic St. Simeon Stylites, who lived atop a column for over 35 years in the 5th century. We return to our comfortable Aleppo hotel for the night.

When in Jordan and Syria always touring in a private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and a private guide

DAY 20 - SERGELLA, APAMEA, MAALULA & DAMASCUS - Wednesday (B)
We head south to Sergella, one of the 500 Dead Cities, fabled ghost towns built between the 4th and 7th centuries which were abandoned mysteriously around the 9th century. Our next stop is Apamea (Qala'at al-Mudiq), the Hellenistic "city of a thousand columns" built by Seleucus I Nicator in the 2nd century BC and named in honor of his wife. We continue to Maalula, where villagers still speak Aramaic, the language of Jesus, for a visit to the chapel of St. Sergius, before returning to Damascus for the night.

When in Jordan and Syria always touring in a private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and a private guide

DAY 21 - DEPARTURE - Thursday (B)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Salam and Bon Voyage
Extend to Dubai & the United Arab Emirates .

RATES per person: in US$ From JFK

Air fare notes:

• For departures from most west coast cities, as well as Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth or Atlanta in , please add $300 to the above rates. This doesn't apply when you handle your own air fare.
  
• For travel May through end of Sep , please note that a $300 air-fare supplement is added to the above rates.

Hotels in Syria - For the Five Stars modest Deluxe ( or similar)

Damascus , Damascus Cham Palace Hotel , 5 Stars . Palmyra , Palmyra Cham Palace Hotel , 5 Stars.
Aleppo , Chahaba Cham Palace hotel , 5 Stars

Your locally escorted tour includes:

• All airport , hotel, Nile Cruise transfers, always with a private air-conditioned vehicle, with a private chauffeur.
  
• Air fare from JFK in economy class, round trip, tax included , air fare is subject to changes even on a last minute basis ,
  
• All guided sightseeing as per itinerary including all entrance fees. Locally escorted at all times . For example in Jordan you will always have your guide from Amman escorting you throughout Jordan.
  Same in Syria . Private Egyptologist for our group in Egypt even on board the Nile cruise.
  
• Services of local professional guides throughout the tour
  
• Air fare Cairo Amman , in economy class, tax included, ticket issued & delivered in Cairo Egypt.
  
• Jordanian departure tax.
  
• Complimentary visa is issued upon arrival in Cairo as well as Amman and Syria for EU , Australian, NZ, Canadian, American, Mexican & Japanese passport holders. Passport must be valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival.
  
• All domestic airfares and transfers in Egypt. With possible free upgrade to business class ( subject to availability)

• A complimentary home hosted family dinner
  
• Bottled water ( one per person) delivered to your cabin daily while you are on board the cruise.
  
• Tea or coffee /bottled water with each meal while on board the cruise.
  
• Hotel accommodation with tax & service charges.
  
• Nile Cruise with all meals & shore excursions.
  
• Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin on board the Nile Cruise .
  
• Complimentary galabya on board the cruise for the costume party.
  
• Preset menu meals including B = Breakfast, (or cB, Continental Breakfast) L = Lunch, D = Dinner, all as per itinerary .

Syria will not issue you a visa , if your passport has any Israeli stamps or visa for Israel, you are responsible for ensuring that your passport is valid and in order, please provide us with your passport info and an eligible scan of the info page in your passport at least 45 days in advance to allow us to secure your visa .

The tour does not include:

• Travel Insurance, trip cancellation insurance, please ask us your insurance agent
• Personal expenditures (beverages, laundry, special meals, etc.)
• Tips to hotel and restaurant staff, drivers and guides in Jordan
  

THE LANGUAGE OF THE JESUS IN THE LAND OF THE BOOK

Syria is truly the Land of the Book. The ancient alphabets of the Near East grew into Aramaic and then Hebrew, and finally Arabic and the modern Latin script that you're reading!

Jesus spoke to His Disciples in Aramaic. And nowhere else in the Holy Land does His language live as in Maaloula, where His words may still be heard exactly
as He spoke them. For the believer, or for anyone who values traditions of faith, it is a deeply moving experience.

Maaloula is just a short drive from Damascus, and home to Christian community that thrives after 2000 years. As much as any land, Syria is the birthplace of the Christian faith. St. Paul converted on the road to Damascus, and in the early centuries of the Church,
six Syrian bishops were elevated to the Holy See as popes. The grand Omayyad Mosque is built on a sacred site shared by Muslims and Christians for centuries,
expressing the true brotherhood at the center of both faiths. Two million Syrians worship as Christians.

The full panoply of the Christian experience in the Near East has been played out in Syria. The Krak des Chevaliers is the unique never conquered Crusader fortress
that stands intact as if ready to host the Knights of the Cross once again––and is a must stop for the visitor of faith to the holy sites.

Extend your stay in Syria for one day and visit Maaloula

More choices :

Combine this tour with any Travel in Style tour to Egypt, or Turkey for an even more exciting vacation adventure.

• Syria, Turkey, and Greece in 11 days

  
  
  

• Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea

  Amid scenes of exquisiteness and peace, the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar will give you the opportunity to enjoy its riches where Marc Anthony, Queen of Sheba, Aristotle and even Cleopatra once strived to unravel mystery.

  

   

  Millennia Of History, Welcome to Ishtar

  
  Surely there is no region on earth where nature and history have more wonderfully conspired, where so exciting a drama has obtained so beautiful a theatre.

  Amid scenes of exquisiteness and peace, the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea gives you the opportunity to enjoy its riches - where Marc Anthony, Queen of Sheba, Aristotle and even Cleopatra once strived to unravel mystery.

  Indulge in the ultimate family escape to the Ishtar Royal Villa.
  The Ishtar Royal Villa is a three bedroom masterpiece that allows the comfort of joining two
  Ishtar Beach Chalets located directly on the beach to it, making it an ideal secluded retreat for families seeking unmatched personalised luxury and intimacy.

  The Ishtar Royal Villa offers the following benefits:
  • Complimentary massage upon arrival in the privacy of the wellness area of the Villa which includes a Therapy Room, Steam Room, Sauna and a Shower Room
  • Exclusive Dead Sea Bathroom Amenities
  • Complimentary VIP Bar
  • Complimentary High-Speed Internet Access
  • Designer Tea and Coffee-making Facilities
  • VIP Welcome Tray
  • Fruit & Water replenished daily
  • Laptops on request
  • iPods on request
  • Kids' VIP Welcome Set
  • Luxury Turn-down Service
  • Farewell Ishtar Gift
  • International Newspapers
  • Complimentary Pressing upon arrival
  • DVD/CD Player
  • Private Infinity Edge Pool and Outdoor Jacuzzi
  • Personal Butler
  • Personal Chauffeur during the entire stay, from point of arrival at Queen Alia International Airport until point of departure from the Airport

  
  The Ishtar Royal Villa has an area of 476 Square meters in addition to 74 Square meters in each individual Ishtar Beach Chalet, as well as a private garden and pools, totaling a breathtaking 1,830 Square meters of absolute luxury.

  
  

  

   

  Ishtar Spa Room
  

  
  All rooms have natural stone floors and designer furniture, featuring King size beds, a living area, a working desk and a walk-in wardrobe. Rooms are located on the second floor and have an area of 68 Square meters and a bi-level private terrace of 45 Square meters with terrace furniture and an outdoor Jacuzzi.
  The Ishtar Spa Rooms feature a state-of-the-art DVD/CD player (upon request) and complimentary suit pressing upon arrival.