Jordan & a romantic Egyptian Nile cruise

This morning, with your local guide, you drive one hour north to explore Jerash, one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman cities in the Middle East. You stop for lunch at Bait Al Khayrat cooperative en route back to Amman. The charity supports and employs women from the local village, Souf. In the afternoon, you will have a private tour of Amman, the city of seven hills. The Roman amphitheater in downtown has capacity for 6,000 people across three tiers, and is a particular highlight.

Today, you depart Amman and, with your private driver, travel along the 5,000-year-old King's Highway to Petra. En route, you will stop at Mount Nebo and see its spectacular views over the Dead Sea, Madaba to see the Christian mosaics, and Kerak to visit the Crusader castle. Total driving time today will be around five hours, and you will arrive at your Petra hotel in the evening.

Today, you will enjoy a full-day guided tour of the Nabatean city of Petra, one of the seven wonders of the modern world. This will probably be one of the highlights of your trip. Your private guide walks around the enormous site with you, explaining how Petra was built and the story of the Nabatean people who inhabited the site. In the evening, you return to your hotel and have time to relax and enjoy its facilities.

One day is never enough to fully experience the wonders of Petra, so you have an extra day to explore. Wake up before sunrise for a truly unforgettable sunrise hot air balloon ride above Petra. After returning to your hotel for breakfast, you could hike up to the Monastery or the High Place of Sacrifice or visit the Royal Tombs or Byzantine Church. Another truly unique experience, in the evening, you have a freshly prepared dinner in one of the caves set among the rock close to Little Petra.

Beginning your journey back north, you have one night to experience the unique charms of the Dead Sea. On the way, you'll enjoy a guided 4x4 tour of the vast, stunning landscapes of Wadi Rum. You’ll be driven across the sandy, rocky landscape to see interesting sites, including petroglyphs and inscriptions that tell the story of 12,000 years of human history here. Make sure you spend some time floating in the Dead Sea and absorb its naturally healing properties.

In the morning, your driver will collect you and transfer you to Queen Alia International Airport for your flight to Cairo. Here, you are greeted by a local Audley representative and driver who will take you to your hotel in the city. You have the rest of the day at leisure to settle into your hotel. Alternatively, you could head down to Khan el-Khalili Souq and spend some time shopping if you would like.

This morning, your private guide will meet you at your hotel for a full-day tour of the pyramids at Giza, Memphis and Saqqara. The three sites showcase a range of Ancient Egyptian history and pyramid-building styles, the step pyramid at Saqqara being the earliest example.

Today, your guide will pick you up for a half-day tour of the Egyptian Museum, where the apparent disarray belies the vast collection of treasures on display. One of the highlights will surely be Tutankhamun’s death mask. In the afternoon, your private guide takes you to Old Cairo, an area within the Roman fortress of Babylon, where Coptic Christians built their churches. There are still tens of thousands of Copts in Egypt today, and this tour gives you an idea of the many layers of Egyptian society.

After breakfast, you are taken to Cairo International Airport by your private driver in time for a short flight to Aswan, where you are greeted and driven to your cruise ship in time for lunch. In the afternoon, you take a short motorboat ride to visit the peaceful Philae Temple on an island in the Nile. Afterwards, you visit the Aswan High Dam, constructed in the 1960s and 70s and the Unfinished Obelisk, the largest known ancient obelisk, with your small tour group.

This morning, you set sail to Kom Ombo and visit the temples of Sobek and Haroeris, which are dedicated, unusually, to two gods. These are Sobek, the god of the Nile, and Haroeris who was an older manifestation of Horus. The boat continues to Edfu where you have a chance to explore the temple of Horus and uncover the legend behind it. You return to the boat for dinner on board before the boat moors in Esna overnight.

You set sail and cross the famous Esna Lock while having breakfast, and reach Luxor today. On arrival, you cross to the West Bank to visit the Theban Necropolis, Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el Bahari and the Colossi of Memnon. You have the chance to descend into one of the well-preserved tombs in the Valley of the Kings and marvel at the awe-inspiring hieroglyphics. You return to the boat for your final evening and have dinner accompanied by live music and entertainment.

Disembark after breakfast and cross to the East Bank to visit the impressive temples at Luxor and Karnak. The Karnak temple site was developed, built and added to over a period of 1,300 years and is a vast complex of temples within temples, pylons and hypostyle halls covering more than 400,000 square meters. After your small group tour, you are driven from Luxor to Hurghada in a private vehicle, arriving at the Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh in the evening.

Spend a day relaxing at the Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh. You could head out snorkeling across the colorful house reef. The Red Sea is a world-class diving and snorkeling destination, with sites perfectly suited to all ages, levels of ability and experience. Alternatively, if you are feeling more adventurous, book a day’s diving tuition through the Oberoi’s PADI-certified dive school. The hotel has a range of dining options for dinner, including an Asian, Indian, and international à la carte restaurant.

Today is your final full day in Egypt. You could book in for some relaxing treatments at the hotel’s spa. If you’re feeling more energetic, head to the tennis courts or golf course for a session. The hotel also offers complimentary cooking classes, wine tasting, and yoga if this is more up your street.

After breakfast, you are collected by your private driver and transferred to Hurghada Airport for your flight to Cairo, ready for your return international flight. You are met on arrival by a local representative who will assist you in finding the correct departure gate for your onward flight. Ask your specialist about direct flight options from Hurghada as well.