Depart for Egypt.

Welcome to Egypt, one of the world's greatest ancient civilizations. Arrive in Cairo and transfer to your hotel for the remainder of the day at leisure. Tonight, attend an orientation meeting at approximately 6 PM and enjoy a Welcome Drink with your Tour Manager and fellow travelers at the hotel.

After breakfast, visit the Pyramids of Giza, built during the 3rd and 4th dynasties of the Old Kingdom. These monumental undertakings stand as a marvelous testimony to the almost unbelievable skill and determination of their builders. Get a close-up view of the Great Pyramid, built for the Pharaoh Khufu, as well as the Pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure. Not too far from the Pyramids, see the great Sphinx of Giza, the legendary statue with the head of a human and the body of a lion, amazingly carved out of a huge piece of limestone. Next, visit a shop where you can view a brief demonstration of how papyrus paper is made from papyrus grass. Browse the collection of artwork on display. Leisure time this afternoon, join the optional tour to Memphis & Sakkara with lunch. In Sakkara, the site of hundreds of tombs, view the famous Step Pyramid of Djoser. Visit Memphis, the capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom, was founded by King Menes. Today, Memphis is an open-air museum highlighted by a giant statue of Ramses II.

Spend today exploring Cairo on your own, or take part in the optional tour of the Citadel and Egyptian Museum. The Citadel is a medieval fortress in the center of Cairo. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its expansive views of the city, now contains museums and mosques. Visit a gold shop before having lunch in a local restaurant. Then, head to the Egyptian Museum, a neoclassical-style building located in Tahrir Square. The museum houses the world’s largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts. Tonight, gather together for dinner at the hotel.

Today, fly to Aswan, an ancient frontier town. On the way, stop in Abu Simbel. Get transported back in time to the mighty Temple of Abu Simbel, reclaimed from the floodwaters of the Aswan High Dam and totally reconstructed in the present location. The site is dominated by the looming twin temples of Ramses II and his wife Queen Nefertari. It is one of the most recognizable ancient sites in Egypt. Then, board your flight to Aswan and check in to your hotel.

This morning, take a tour of the Philae Temple dedicated to the goddess Isis. Arrive by motorboat and marvel at the Temple's beautiful island location. Continue to the spectacular Aswan High Dam, an engineering miracle when originally constructed in the 1960s. The dam brought an end to the Nile's devastating floods. Visit a perfume shop and learn how these scents are made. After, embark on your ship for an unforgettable cruise on the legendary Nile River. After lunch aboard the ship, spend the afternoon at leisure, or join the optional Aswan Felucca Ride. Relax aboard a felucca, the traditional sailboat of Egypt used along the Nile, and watch the exquisite sunset.

This morning, tour the imposing Greco-Roman Temple of Kom Ombo, which is dedicated to Horus, the sky god, and Sobek, the crocodile god. Admire the fascinating detailed reliefs on the walls. Later, visit the stunning Temple of Horus in Edfu, considered one of the best preserved of all the Egyptian temples. It was built during the Ptolemaic times and was completed over a 180-year period. The temple is dedicated to the falcon god Horus, the son of Isis and Osiris. Its extravagant design and sheer size are indications of the country's prosperity at the time. This afternoon, the ship sails via Esna to Luxor, known in ancient Egyptian times as the city of Thebes. Tonight, enjoy a Welcome Cocktail before dinner.

View the magnificence of the Luxor West Bank on this morning’s optional tour that includes the Valley of the Kings & the Temple of Hatshepsut along with the Colossi of Memnon. Begin with a visit to the UNESCO-listed Valley of the Kings, the necropolis of Thebes and admire the tombs of ancient Egypt’s rulers. Next, head to the Temple of Hatshepsut, a colonnaded structure surrounded by cliffs and learn about the life of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s longest-reigning female ruler. Visit an alabaster factory, where you can view a demonstration of grinding alabaster the old fashion way. Browse the extensive collection of alabaster pieces. Conclude the tour at the Colossi of Memnon: two massive stone statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Return to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon, take a sightseeing tour of the East Bank of Luxor. Visit the magnificent Temples of Karnak, dating back over 3,000 years. Walk along the avenue of the Sphinxes and marvel at the Hypostyle Hall with its 134 massive sandstone columns. Afterward, head to Luxor Temple to admire the colossal statues of the great pharaoh Ramses II.

This morning, after disembarking your cruise ship, transfer to the airport for your flight to Aqaba, Jordan’s only port city. Spend the remainder of the day discovering the beauty of the Red Sea. Perhaps, explore the sea’s coral reefs and marine life, go for a swim, or relax at the beach. Tonight, dinner is at the hotel.

Spend your morning at leisure on the shores of the Red Sea, or join the optional Glass Bottom Boat Tour. On this tour, board a glass-bottom boat and cruise to the Gulf of Aqaba, on the Red Sea. During the cruise, admire the unique coral reefs that live in the Red Sea, which are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. There will be an opportunity to go snorkeling while on board (towels and snorkeling gear provided), or simply enjoy the sun on the open-air top deck. Savor a barbecue lunch with drinks while at sea. This afternoon, travel to Wadi Rum, a surreal desert terrain of ancient river beds, wind-sculpted mountains, vast desert vistas, and pastel-colored sands. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, often described as the "Valley of the Moon". Ride in a 4x4 vehicle to explore the valley, with its looming rock faces that seem to grow directly out of the sand. Cross the huge red sand dunes and the eroded pillars of sandstone rock known as "The Seven Pillars". Then, have dinner in an authentic Bedouin tent in the midst of the desert, where you’ll be introduced to "Zarb" -a selection of foods cooked in an oven with hot coals beneath the desert floor. Afterward, travel back to Aqaba for an overnight stay.

Today, depart Aqaba for the ancient city of Petra. Enter the "Rose Red" City hand-sculpted from a mountain range by the Nabateans in the 3rd century BC. Begin your walk (or ride) through the "Siq" a winding canyon road. In the end, you’ll gaze in total amazement at Petra’s most extraordinary monument - the towering Treasury building rising over 140 feet. Beyond, discover soaring temples, elaborate royal tombs, a theatre, burial chambers, and water channels - all remnants of a once great Nabatean culture. Today, Petra is both a Jordanian national treasure and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch in a local restaurant, there will be time on your own to further explore the city, before checking in to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Depart Petra this morning and travel north, towards Amman. En route, stop at Shobak Castle, constructed during the Crusader era. Visit the mosaic city of Madaba, where an ancient map of the Holy Land is set on the floor of Saint George's Church. After lunch in Madaba, continue with a visit to Mount Nebo, the reputed burial site of Moses, overlooking the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. Later, stop at Moses Springs and visit a mosaic school and workshop where you will have the opportunity to learn about this incredible craft. Arrive in Amman, the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and check in to your hotel.

Today, embark on a tour of the city of Jerash, the best-preserved example of Roman civilization in Jordan. Jerash, part of the Decapolis (the ten large Roman cities of the East) has been called the Pompeii of the East for its unique state of preservation. The city features theaters, churches, temples of Zeus and Artemis, a Nymphaeum, and a colonnaded street. Next, take a city tour of Amman, often referred to as the "White City" because of the white stone used to build the houses. Amman is among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The tour will take you to the museums, the Citadel, the Roman Amphitheater, the souks, and the city's modern district. The rest of the day is at leisure. This would be the last night for an overnight stay at Amman.

Transfer to the airport for your departure flight