The Best of Jordan , Syria and Egypt

A true 1001 Arabian Nights Adventure
A 19 -Day Jordan , Syria and Egypt Adventure
For Guests who want the BEST when touring the Near 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 . Add the Dead Sea ?

DAY 1 - CAIRO Tour Starts weekly in Cairo - Arrive Wednesday or Friday .
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

DAY 2 - CAIRO - Thursday or Saturday (BL)
On your first full day in Egypt we show you the Egyptian Museum, including the "Mummies Room" , the Citadel of Saladin, the Rifai Mosque 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 When in Cairo touring is always in a private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and a private Egyptologist

DAY 3 - CAIRO - Friday or Sunday (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 and the Step Pyramid .
When in Cairo always touring in a private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and a private Egyptologist

DAY 4 - LUXOR ! (or Aswan) - Saturday or Monday- Board your Nile Cruise (BLD)
We fly to Upper Egypt to board your Nile Cruise : Free upgrade to business class on the domestic flights in Egypt ( subject to availability),we land in LUXOR ( or Aswan subject to cruise availability at the time you book with us ) and board our Nile cruiser in time for a delicious lunch. Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin .The gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and the mighty Temple of Luxor are our goals in the afternoon. We'll return in time for the afternoon tea served on deck. You'll have a chance to explore your ship before dinner.

DAY 5 - LUXOR , EDFU - Sunday or Tuesday (BLD)
We tour today as well the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings including Tut-Ank-Amon's tomb and the great temple of Queen Hatshepsut, we stop at the Colossi of Memnon on the way back to our cruise.

Afterward, we'll continue on Luxor's west bank to get a totally different perspective on ancient Egyptian life, at the ancient workers' settlement of Deir el-Medinah. While most of the imposing stone monuments and sites of Egypt honor the lives and after-lives of royalty, Deir el-Medinah gives us unique and surprising insights into the ordinary citizens who constructed and decorated the tombs.

Here we'll see the excavated homes shared by laborers with their domestic animals. These quarters were surprisingly large, with three good-sized rooms, courtyard, kitchen, and even storage cellars. While ancient Egypt might not have been a workers' paradise, we'll see that artisans and builders were highly regarded in their community. We are proud to be the only operator to offer regular visits to this singular ancient settlement in its tour and cruise programs.

We sail in the afternoon we cruise to Esna to go through the locks , and on to Edfu where we dock for the night. In the evening , we'll celebrate in Egyptian style, dressed in galabias, the flowing national costume, a galabya will be delivered to your cabin with our compliments)

DAY 6 - EDFU, KOM OMBO - Monday or Wednesday (BLD)
We moor in Edfu, climb aboard horse-drawn carriages, and clip-clop through the town to the Temple of Horus, Egypt's best-preserved temple. Re-embarking on our Nile cruiser, we enjoy lunch as we sail further south upriver .
We disembark downstream at Kom Ombo to visit its twin temples of Haroeris, the sun god, and Sobek, the crocodile god, the continue our voyage to Aswan, while we party after dinner with music& dance.

DAY 7 - CAMEL CARAVAN, NUBIAN VILLAGE , ASWAN - Tuesday or Thursday (BLD)
First we tour Aswan dams, then on to the new Nubian Museum then the awesome Aswan dams, and next an ancient granite quarry complete with an unfinished obelisk. Then we go by motor launch to the Island temple of Philae , dedicated to the Ancient Goddess ISIS : 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."

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!
In the afternoon we enjoy a leisurely sail by graceful felucca on the Nile.
For those who are interested : a short camel caravan & ride is included ( almost a half hour ride) to visit a local Nubian Village.

Our farewell dinner this evening is a buffet of Egyptian specialties, followed by a show featuring oriental performers, including of course a belly dancer.

DAY 8 - ASWAN , Abu Simbel CAIRO - Wednesday or Friday (B)
Board a short flight to Abu Simbel:
Ramses the Great's huge desert temple at Abu Simbel marked the southern border of the pharaoh's dominions. Rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser by an international effort, it is a marvel of sacred engineering. Twice a year ,and only then the sun penetrates to the Holy of Holies, illuminating the stone figures of Ramses and Nefertari. Group tour exploring the two huge temple, admire their ancient aura and artistry.

Jacquie Kennedy & Abu Simbel: All Americans alive during the 1960s remember President John F Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Most Americans from that time also remember Abu Simbel, the dramatic, ancient Pharaonic temple threatened by the rising waters blocked by the new Aswan High Dam. It's worth remembering that it was Jacquie Kennedy who provided crucial support for the mammoth rescue project. Without her help, Abu Simbel might have been lost. Read More

Fly back to Aswan and connect with your our return flight to Cairo and your hotel.

DAY 9 - AMMAN- Thursday or Saturday ( BL)
Air ticket is included Cairo Amman in business class for deluxe rate , economy class for first class hotels , tax included. Fly to Amman . Subject to flight availabilityand when it is a morning flight then we will enjoy a comp tour of Jerash in Jordan.
In Amman : Our staff will meet you upon arrival , Complimentary visa is issued upon arrival for American , Canadian , Australian, NZ, EU , Singaporean, Mexican & Japanese passport holders. Passport must be valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival.

From Amman Airport : proceed to tour of Jerash (Gerasa of antiquity), the best preserved city of Roman times. Visit its theaters, temples, churches and colonnaded streets. Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant then we head back to Amman .Transfers and tours today are always with a private air-conditioned vehicle, and a private chauffeur .

DAY 10 - MADABA, KERAK & PETRA Friday or Sunday (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 11 - PETRA - Saturday or Monday (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

DAY 12 - WADI RUM & Syria /Bosra - Sunday or Tuesday (BD)
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 to 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 13 - DAMASCUS - Monday or Wednesday (BD)
Morning day at leisure. Breakfast & dinner are included at the hotel. Afternoon leisurely guides walking tour of the local souks and the Bazaar. Itinerary in Syria is subject to change slightly to accommodate changes for local souks and museums hours. When in Jordan and Syria always touring in a private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and a private guide

DAY 14 - DAMASCUS Tuesday or Thursday (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.

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

DAY 15 - PALMYRA - Wednesday or Friday (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 16 - KRAK DES CHEVALIERS, HAMA & ALEPPO - Thursday or Saturday (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 17 - ALEPPO- Friday or Sunday (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 18 - SERGELLA, APAMEA, MAALULA & DAMASCUS - Saturday or Monday (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 19 - DEPARTURE Sunday or Tuesday (B)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Salam and Bon Voyage
Extend to Dubai & the United Arab Emirates . Flying in and out of Cairo please click here to fly back to Cairo.

RATES per person: in US

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.
  
• 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 for first class hotel category and business class for the deluxe hotel rate , tax included, ticket issued and delivered in Cairo Egypt.
  
• Jordanian departure tax.
  
• Syrian 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 day sin advance to allow us to secure your visa .

The tour does not include:

• International airfare from / to your home country.
• Travel Insurance, trip cancellation insurance, please ask us for the flyer
• Personal expenditures (beverages, laundry, special meals, etc.)
• Tips to hotel and restaurant staff, drivers and guides
  

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• Back to Jordan Tour List

  Compare with the 11 days Jordan / Syria Edition

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  For Guests who want the BEST when touring the Middle East

 

Sample Charming Boutique Hotels in Syria :

Talisman Hotel: Damascus
Talisman is more than an hotel: it is more like a home. We will provide you all the services and luxury of a five stars residence. Two wide opened courtyards with outdoor swimming
pool. Private and exclusive Turkish Hammam.
The Talisman is a luxury «charm» hotel situated in the old town of Damascus, twenty minutes from the airport, a hundred yards from the old Roman straight way (Medhat Pacha) and the historical Bab Sharqi, famous now for its souks and street markets. This old Jewish palace, built in a quiet side street and easily accessible by car, has been restored in the most authentic tradition of an Arab house.

Each of the 16 rooms and suites at Talisman is unique with its personalized lay-out and decoration. All the rooms are equipped with the latest commodities:king size bed, mini bar, central heating, individual air-conditioning, plasma television set with decoder so that you may choose any channel you please, DVD reader, wi-fi internet connection, telephone. Executive suites are larger and have a desk corner. The bathrooms are spacious and planned for your rest and well-being: finely worked wooden basins with their matching mirrors, old cement tiled or beige marble floors, bath tub or shower cabin, or both, hair-drier and comfortable bathrobes.

Zenobia hotel: Palmyra
built in 1920 … Agatha Christy was one of the welcomed guests , the Zenobia Hotel is ideally located in the middle of Palmyra archeological site; rooms offers a wonderful view of the traces of past civilizations, which you can explore at your ease.

The 26-room hotel offers a wonderful view of the traces of past civilizations, which you can explore at your ease. The hotel is a masterpiece of elegance and warm hospitality that is part of our commitment to tradition particularly amidst this historical surrounding. You are welcome to the world of Zenobia hotel where you relive the past and feel the glorious days of Palmyra.
The hotel rooms; all are air-conditioned, with central heating and a telephone. The Countess suite is a duplex room, with two double beds and a private bathroom on each deck. ( Supplement applies, and you must really book in advance to get this suite)

The Oasis restaurant offers a wide variety of delicious cuisine whether it is indoors or in the open air with a direct view on the ruins.

Palmyra was known as the bride of the desert, where once stood as one of the greatest Roman oasis cities of all times. The extensive roman ruins, only a three-minute walk from the hotel; stand gracefully to remind us of the glory of Palmyra's past

Beit Wakil Hotel: Aleppo
A true example of the distinguished 16th century Aleppine architecture,is a charming palace situated just outside the old city walls.This perfectly preserved structure which has stubbornly defied the destructive elements of time,ranks among the most elegant and
beautiful palaces in the region.

The Hotel is in " Jadidah" which is a particularly picturesque quarter. Next to the main Maronite church is Sissi Street, which is full of old Arab residences. Most have now been converted into small boutique hotels and restaurants serving the delicious local Arab-Syrian cuisine for which Aleppo is famous. Beit Wakil is one of the loveliest examples. Simple on the outside, but you enter a beautiful courtyard with a fountain, a majestic arch, coloured marble flooring and arabesque glass windows. You can descend past an underground bar into stone-built cellars with a labyrinth of tunnels, said to lead all the way to the Aleppo Citadel.

Beit Wakil,a true example of the distinguished 16th. century Aleppine architecture,is a charming palace situated just outside the old city walls.This perfectly preserved structure which has stubbornly defied the destructive elements of time,ranks among the most elegant and beautiful palaces in the region. Faithful to the old Aleppine tradition the exterior is castle like,simple and void of any decoration,but as soon one enters inside a magical oriental story like world comes into existence

The beautiful courtyards with breathtaking relief and tracery work of their walls, the marble fountains among the jasmine and lemon trees, the unique iwan with its majestic arch and colors marble flooring,the elegant arabesque woodwork of the wall cupboards,the hand drawn wooden ceilings with corniche, the famous central Qa'a (large room: Lobby ) with its suspended dome and coloured arabesque glass windows,the stone built cellars and the lime stone caves below with a labyrinth of tunnels , one of which , links the palace to the Citadel of Aleppo , are just few of the many elements which distinguishes the Aleppine masonry art and Arabian architectural genius

Today, Beit Wakil welcomes its guests as a four star hotel with all the modern comfort facilities. Beit Wakil rooms and suits are centrally air conditioned, with traditional comfortable Aleppine furniture, minibar, music, T. V and satellite services, phone and private bathrooms. Both our summer and winter restaurants offer a wide verity of delicious Aleppine mezes and specialties together with an oriental entertainment program of classical Arabic music and dancing.