Day 1  -  Depart from USA

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Day 2  -  Cairo

Evening arrival at Cairo International Airport, meet and assist by representative, transfer to hotel and overnight.

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Day 3  - Cairo  B-L

Breakfast at hotel. Visit Memphis; Egypt’s first legendary capital, and the Step Pyramid of Saqqara; a milestone in the evolution of monumental stone architecture. After Lunch Continue to visit the great Pyramids of Giza and the enigmatic Sphinx. Back to hotel and overnight.

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Day 4  -  Cairo  B-L

Breakfast at hotel. Explore the treasures of the Cairo Egyptian Museum. Lunch then continue to visit the Citadel of Saladin dominating the hill overlooking Cairo, and the Alabaster Mosque. Back to hotel and overnight.

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Day 5 - Nile Cruise   B-L-D

Breakfast at hotel and check out. Transfer to Cairo Airport for the domestic flight to Luxor (Thebes). Upon arrival, transfer to Nile Cruise. Embarkation then cross the Nile to visit West Thebes [Valley of Kings, Temple of Deir-el-Medina, Temple of Deir-el-Bahari, and the Colossi of Memnon]. Back to cruise and overnight Luxor.

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Day 6 - Nile Cruise   B-L-D

Breakfast on board. Visit East Thebes [The Temple of Karnak the largest temple complex ever built by man, and the Luxor Temple a graceful piece of architecture housing impressive statues of Ramses II]. Back to Nile cruise and navigation southward to Esna. Overnight Esna.

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Day 7 - Nile Cruise   B-L-D

Breakfast on board,navigation southward to Edfu to visit the Temple of Horus the best preserved temple in Egypt. Navigation southward to Kom Ombo. Overnight Kom Ombo.

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Day 8 - Nile Cruise   B-L-D

Breakfast on board. AM: Visit the unusual double Temple of Kom Ombo. Navigation southward to Aswan. PM: Visit the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisque, and ferry the Nile to visit the beautiful temple complex of Philae located on the Island of Agilika. Overnight Aswan.

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Day 9 - Nile Cruise   B-L-D

Breakfast on board and check out. Transfer to Aswan Airport for the domestic flight to Abu Simbel, site of the magnificent Temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari. An engineering marvel, the great temple was moved up the hillside to save it from the flooding when Aswan’s High Dam was built. We then fly to Cairo. This evening, you will enjoy a fabulous Light and Sound show at the foot of the pyramids and hear the story of the history of Egypt.

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Day 10 - The Sinai Desert   B-L-D

Today we travel by coach to the Sinai Peninsula. Jebel Musa, the Mount Sinai of the Old Testament, is where Moses received the Ten Commandments. We arrive later at St. Catherine’s Monastery, an isolated holy place of rich treasures, located on the traditional site of the Burning Bush. The Monatery’s Library is considered second in importance only to the Vatican Library. After a private visit to the Monastey, you will be taken for a Bedouin dinner and show.

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Day 11 -  From Egypt to Jordan   B-L-D

Early wake up call for those who’d like to climb Mount Moses for a spectacular sunrise (optional). After breakfast, we travel through the Sinai eventually reaching Nuweiba. We take the fast ferry to Aqaba, Jordan. Overnight in Aqaba.

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Day 12 - Wadi Rum to Petra   B-L-D

After breakfast depart for Wadi Rum where you will take a tour by 4x4 Jeep. With its "moonscape" of ancient valleys and towering sandstone mountains rising out of the sand, Wadi Rum is also home to several Bedouin tribes who live in scattered camps throughout the area. Climbers are especially attracted to Wadi Rum because of its sheer granite and sandstone cliffs, while hikers enjoy its vast empty spaces. Wadi Rum is probably best known because of its connection with the enigmatic British officer T.E. Lawrence, who was based here during the Great Arab Revolt of 1917-18. Much of David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia was filmed in Wadi Rum. Ovenight in Petra.

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Day 13 - Petra   B-L-D

This is Jordan’s most famous site. It was carved out of the craggy rock mountains south of the Dead Sea by Nabatean traders more than 2000 years ago. After breakfast depart for Petra where you will have a guided tour of the site. The ancient city of Petra was originally inhabited by the Nabateans, who developed the canyon into an impenetrable city. The main approach is through a narrow cut in the rock, or siq. As it winds along you can see the remnants of drainage channels, rock carvings, and the unique striping of the rock itself. As you round the last bend, the most famous of all structures in Petra suddenly appears before you. The Treasury, like most of the other buildings in Petra, have been carved out of the cliff walls. After your guided tour, the rest of the day is at your leisure. Overnight in Petra.

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Day 14 - Petra to Dead Sea   B-L-D

After breakfast, depart for the Dead Sea. Visit the huge castle where Saladin and Richard Lionheart fought during the crusades. Enjoy swimming in the Dead Sea. Overnight in Dead Sea.

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Day 15 - Dead Sea to Jerash to Amman   B-L-D

After breakfast your first stop of the day will be at Mount Nebo. Atop the mountain, you will have a spectacular view, as did Moses, of the Jordan River Valley and the Holy Land below. There is a monument to Moses marking his burial place and a church with an exceptional collection of ancient mosaics. Continue to Madaba to see another well-known mosaic map of the Middle East in the floor of the Church of St. George. And next destination will be Jerash You will visit Jerash, the Pompeii of the East. You will enter Jerash through the monumental South Gate and find yourself wandering around in a Roman city. You will walk in the Oval Plaza surrounded by colonnades, visit the Roman theatre and Byzantine churches with mosaic-covered floors. Enjoy a stroll along Jerash’ main road the Cardo and pass by the Nymphaeum. Jerash has been covered by sand for centuries, the main reason why it is still so well-preserved. You may experience the marvelous acoustics of the theatre, the stage of the Jerash music festival which takes place every year. And see for yourself how the Romans built the earthquake-proof columns of the colonnaded streets. Evening back to Amman, enjoy the night highlights of the capital of Jordan. Overnight in Amman.

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Day 16 - Amman – Departure to US  B-D

Morning free . After check out, tour city of Amman. Farewell dinner at a restaurant. Late transfer to airport for departure.

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