Ancient Empires
Few regions of the world can boast such a rich and complex past. Pharaohs, Assyrians, Nabataeans, Greeks, Romans and Turks have all come and gone, leaving many layers of history to delve through. In Cairo, unearth the history of the pyramids and Sphinx, and spend a day exploring the museum and the hidden crannies of the medieval city. Further south, take in all the highlights of Luxor and enjoy a beautiful, relaxing four-night Nile cruise. Later, watch the sunrise from the summit of Mount Sinai and breath in its epic surrounds, before crossing into Jordan. Explore timeless, grandly silent Wadi Rum and discover the ancient carved city of Petra. The old city ruins of Jerash, the Roman Gerasa of antiquity, are a fitting preamble for the basalt city of Bosra, the fabulous desert capital of Palmyra and the Seleucid city of Apamea. In Damascus and Aleppo, we visit the major monuments and browse the wonderful medieval bazaars. A jewel in the crown of our journey is the formidable fortress of Krak des Chevaliers – considered the greatest Crusader castle ever built.
Itinerary
| Day Number(s) | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | (Sat) Arrive in Cairo and transfer to hotel. |
| 2 | Visit Egyptian Museum, pyramids and Sphinx. Sleeper train to Luxor. |
| 3 | Arrive Luxor. Horse-drawn carriages to Karnak Temple. Board Nile cruise boat. |
| 4 | Visit Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut and Colossi of Memnon. |
| 5-6 | Sail to Aswan. Visit Edfu and Komombo Temples. |
| 7 | Free day in Aswan. Optional visit to Abu Simbel. |
| 8 | Morning flight to Cairo. Visit Gayer-Anderson Museum, Ibn Tulun Mosque and Khan al-Khalili Bazaar. |
| 9-10 | Drive to the Sinai. Optional ascent of Mount Sinai. Hydrofoil to Aqaba. |
| 11-12 | Jeep safari in Wadi Rum and full-day in Petra. |
| 13 | Drive to Amman via Shobak Castle, Dana Village and Madaba. |
| 14 | Visit Jerash and the Dead Sea. |
| 15 | Visit Bosra. Drive to Damascus. |
| 16 | Visit the museum, Omayyad Mosque and bazaars. Drive to Palmyra. Tent dinner. |
| 17 | Visit Palmyra. Drive to Krak des Chevaliers. |
| 18 | Visit Krak, Apamea, Hama, the Dead Cities and Maarat-el-Numan. Arrive Aleppo. |
| 19 | Explore the bazaars. Visit St Simeon's Monastery. |
| 20 | Visit Ugarit and Saone. Drive to Tartus. |
| 21 | Tartus Museum. Drive back to Damascus. |
| 22 | Trip ends in Damascus this morning (Sat). |
Trip Highlights
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At A Glance
Trip Length |
22 days |
Trip Code |
PGAE |
Activities |
|
| Culture (Moderate), Trekking (Moderate) | |
Minimum Passengers |
|
| 6 people | |
Maximum Passengers |
|
| 15 people | |
Countries Visited |
|
| Egypt, Jordan, Syria | |
Start City |
|
| Cairo | |
End City |
|
| Damascus | |
