CAIRO, THE PYRAMIDS, NILE CRUISE, KARNAK, LUXOR, PETRA & THE DEAD SEA
Are you intrigued by the mystery of mummies? Have you imagined yourself in a scene from an Indiana Jones film? Here’s your chance to be an amateur archaeologist, digging into Egypt and Jordan’s antiquities. Along the way, we’ll see the Great Pyramid of Giza, cruise the legendary Nile in a level of comfort even Cleopatra would approve of, and continue to Jordan where we’ll see the beautiful rose-city of Petra, and have the chance to relax with a rejuvenating swim in the Dead Sea! Plus, visit the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) after its grand opening in 2023. The GEM will be the largest archaeological museum in the world. Along with captivating commentary, your smarTours guide will offer tips, tailored to your interests and activity level, on how to make the very most of your free time in the land of the pharaohs.
Shorten Your Trip! Enjoy our Splendors of Egypt tour visiting Egypt’s highlights from Cairo to Luxor.
Did you know you can make this tour private? Find out about pricing and options
for groups of 15 or more travelers.
Itinerary at
a Glance
Tour Itinerary:
- 2 nights in Cairo
- 1 night in Aswan
- 3-night Nile Cruise
- 2 nights in Luxor
- 1 night in Cairo
- 2 nights in Petra
- 2 nights at the Dead Sea
- 1 night in Cairo
Tour Highlights
- Great Pyramids of Giza
- Sphinx of Giza
- Nubian Village to meet with family
- Philae’s Temple of Isis
- Ptolemaic Temple for Horus and Sobek
- Temples of Karnak & Luxor
- Valley of the Kings
- Valley of the Queens and Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
- Alabaster Workshop Visit
- Egyptian Museum of Antiquities or Grand Egyptian Museum
- Khan El Khalili Bazaar District
- Madaba & Mount Nebo
- Petra & Little Petra
- Jordanian Farmer's Life Experience
- Bethany Beyond Jordan (Baptism Site)
- Float in the Dead Sea
Your Tour Includes
- Optional round-trip airfare from New York (JFK) including taxes, fees & fuel surcharges
- Ground transportation in an air-conditioned motorcoach
- Accommodations at deluxe hotels
- 3-night Nile River cruise
- 28 meals: 14 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 10 dinners
- Comprehensive sightseeing tours and entry fees as per itinerary
- Experienced, English-speaking Tour Directors throughout (specialized Egyptologist Tour Director in Egypt on days 2-10)
- Jordan Visa Fee (Egypt visa fee is not included)
Max Group Size: 30 travelers
Activity Level: Level 2
Expect most included touring to require walking and standing periods up to 4 hours at a time (up to 2 times per day). Included touring may feature light hiking, and/or stairs on some hilly and/or uneven terrain. Learn More
Pacing Level: Balanced
Expect either half-day or full-day tours most days with a free day or free half-day to explore independently in most cities. There may be a few early mornings or long travel days by bus (don’t worry—there are always comfort stops!), and you may expect to stay in most accommodations for 3+ nights. Learn More
Additional Entry Requirements for U.S. Passport Holders
A valid passport is required for international tours. There are entry requirements for U.S. passport holders. Please visit our Passports & Visas page to learn more about any required actions, next steps, and additional costs.
There are stairs and walks with uneven surfaces during the visit to the Pyramids and most of the off-shore excursions that take place during the Nile Cruise portion of the program. The Petra excursion is a full day of walking on uneven surfaces.
For more detailed information about this tour and destination, visit
our Before You Depart section.
Passengers who purchase flights will depart 1 day before the tour starts and return on the same day as the tour ends.
For flight details, see Before You Depart.
Welcome to Egypt’s capital and largest city. Travelers who purchased our air-inclusive package will be met at Cairo International Airport, and assisted through customs and formalities before transferring to your hotel. Take some time to relax and get settled before joining fellow travelers at a welcome dinner.
Accommodations: Cairo Marriott Hotel or similar
Meals: Dinner
Our destination today: the wondrous Pyramids of Giza. Built during the Third and Fourth Dynasties, these monuments stand as testimony to the skill and strength of their builders. We’ll get up close to study the Great Pyramid, as well as see the Pyramids of Khefren and Mycerinus in the distance. Nearby, we’ll gaze at the mythical Sphinx of Giza, which famously combines a reclining lion with the head of an Egyptian king. After these amazing sights, we’ll lunch like the Egyptians do at a local Cairo restaurant.
Accommodations: Cairo Marriott Hotel or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today you’ll be picked up at your hotel and we’ll fly from Cairo to Aswan. Upon arrival you can either hop on another short flight for an optional tour to the Abu Simbel Temples or head to the hotel and start exploring Aswan at your leisure. Later we will all join together to sail on the Nile by a motorboat to the Nubian Village that is located on the West Bank of the River Nile. This fantastic tour to the Nubian Village lets you meet a Nubian family, have a drink in their home, while learning about their lifestyle, culture, and traditions.
Accommodations: Movenpick Aswan or similar
Meals: Breakfast
In the morning, visit a modern-day architectural wonder, the Aswan High Dam, as well as Philae’s Temple of Isis, which was nearly lost to rising water in the 1960s until the dam was built. Afterwards, you’ll board your Nile cruise ship to depart on a three-night journey from Upper to Lower Egypt.
Accommodations: Movenpick Royal Lily or Steigenberger Minerva
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We’ll cruise to Kom Ombo to visit an unusual double temple, built in the Ptolemaic period and dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon-head god Horus. After exploring Kom Ombo, we’ll sail on to Edfu, an Egyptian city on the west bank of the Nile River. Our day continues with a tour of the immense, well-preserved Temple of Edfu, built between 237 and 57 B.C. and also dedicated to Horus. Legend says that this was the site where Horus avenged his father’s murder by his uncle, the god Seth. Back on board our ship, we’ll sail past Esna to Luxor.
Accommodations: Movenpick Royal Lily
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Often considered the most extraordinary open-air museum in the world, Luxor boasts an imposing array of ruins and monuments. The modern name for Thebes (the “city of palaces”), Luxor is also the inspiration for the word luxury, and we’ll see quite a bit of architectural extravagance today. The graceful Temple of Luxor was built over several centuries by Amenhopis III, Tutankhamun, Ramses II and Alexander the Great and features an avenue of sphinxes. We’ll also tour the ancient temple complex of Karnak. The immense wealth of Thebes was spent embellishing and building temples in honor of Amun-Ra, the most important and powerful of ancient Egyptian gods. The balance of the day is at your leisure.
Accommodations: Movenpick Royal Lily
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, we’ll say farewell to our ship and continue our exploration of Luxor and the Nile’s west bank. We’ll visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s second confirmed female Pharaoh and regarded as one of its most successful rulers, as well as royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. The afternoon is free to relax or investigate exhibits at the Luxor Museum.
Accommodations: Sonesta St. George Luxor or similar
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy this free day at leisure in Luxor to explore further or relax by the pool.
Accommodations: Sonesta St. George Luxor or similar
Meals: Breakfast
A morning flight takes us back to Cairo and our last hotel. Today, we’ll explore the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, which houses the world’s largest collection of artifacts from the era of the pharaohs, including some belonging to King Tut. Afterward, we’ll wander through the bustling, colorful Khan El Khalili Bazaar. We’ll end the day by sharing memories of our amazing travels through Egypt at dinner before we leave for Jordan tomorrow.
Accommodations: Cairo Marriott or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning, we'll depart Egypt by plane for Jordan. After we arrive in Jordan, we'll visit Madaba, "the City of Mosaics", where we'll see the St. George Greek Orthodox Church, known for housing the Madaba Map. This map is a floor mosaic depicting Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Afterward, we'll travel ten minutes west to Mount Nebo—the presumed site of Moses' death and burial place. After our visit, we'll continue to Petra where we'll check in at our hotel and enjoy dinner.
Accommodations: Petra Canyon Hotel or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Prepare for an extraordinary day! After breakfast today, we'll drive to Petra where we'll take a tour of the breathtaking "rose-red" city (by horseback and foot), which begins at the "Siq", a winding canyon road. At the end of the passage, we'll see Petra's most beautiful monument—the Treasury—carved out of the solid rock from the side of the mountain. Beyond the Treasury, we'll discover soaring temples, elaborate royal tombs, a theatre, burial chambers, and water channels. Next, we'll drive to Little Petra, the suburb of Petra in ancient time. Here, we'll see more awe-inspiring ruins on our short walk.
Note: This day may be more taxing as this is a full day of walking on uneven surfaces.
Accommodations: Petra Canyon Hotel or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today we'll get a glimpse into the life of a Jordanian farmer and her family. We'll learn how to bake whole wheat Saj bread, pick free-range eggs, feed a baby goat, and more before we sample fresh food from the farm under a 400-year-old oak tree. Next, we'll visit the site of John the Baptist's settlement at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, believed to be the Baptismal Site of Jesus Christ. Located on the east bank of the Jordan River in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, it is being systematically surveyed, excavated, and restored to receive pilgrims and visitors. The Bethany area sites form part of the early Christian pilgrimage route between Jerusalem, the Jordan River, and Mount Nebo. After our visit, we'll continue to our hotel on the Dead Sea.
Accommodations: Crowne Plaza Jordan - Dead Sea Resort & Spa or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
After breakfast at our hotel, we can enjoy a relaxing day at the Dead Sea, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world. At your leisure, float in the clear blue, mineral-rich water, soak up some sun, and even try the invigorating full-body mud mask that cleanses the skin. We may also consider an optional tour of Amman, the capital of Jordan (see optional tours for more details).
Accommodations: Crowne Plaza Jordan - Dead Sea Resort & Spa or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
After breakfast, we'll leave Jordan behind as we fly back to Cairo. This evening, we'll share a farewell dinner with our fellow travelers.
Accommodations: Hilton Cairo Heliopolis or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Our tour comes to an end after breakfast today. Travelers who purchased our air-inclusive program will transfer to the airport for our return flight to the U.S. early this morning (a boxed breakfast will be provided for our early morning flight. For tour-only travelers, the tour comes to an end after breakfast at our hotel.
Meals: Box Breakfast
Instant Savings of up to $400 per person for a handful of spots on select dates. While supplies lasts, ends Sep 29.
Prices listed as “with flights” below include round-trip
airfare from one or more airports in the USA.
Travelers may choose to purchase the tour only,
and arrange their own arrival in destination.
Please note this may change your tour start date.
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* Departures designated as "Guaranteed" may be canceled or rescheduled only
under Extraordinary Circumstances, for example in situations deemed to be unsafe
or nonviable due to local conditions. See Terms
& Conditions for full details.
Rates are per person based on double occupancy.
Single supplement applies when not sharing a room. Select a
date above to see the rates for that specific departure.
For more information on this tour, please
contact us here
or call us during business hours (Monday-Friday from 9:00 am - 5:30 pm Eastern)
at 1.800.337.7773.
Reservations and Payments
Reservations can be made online or by phone
(1.800.337.7773)
and will be confirmed upon receipt of your non-refundable,
non-transferable deposit, which must be received at the
time of reservation.
Deposits are $300 per person.
Full payment is due 90 days prior to departure.
Space and prices subject to availability.
Please see the
smarTours Terms and Conditions for complete
booking information.
Optional Tours
Customize your trip with these optional tours.
Enhance your trip with our recommended optional tours.
Indicated optional tours are available to pre-book
when you reserve your trip and can be added to your
reservation up to final payment. This is the best option
to guarantee your spot on your preferred optional tour!
Optional tours require a minimum number of participants.
Optional tours are non-refundable unless they do not operate.
Some optional tours can be purchased in-destination and
may cost extra. The payment methods and currency
information to purchase tours in-destination will be
provided on final documentation.
Visit Sakkara, the Step Pyramid on which Imhotep experimented with the design of his stone tomb, beginning with a standard mastaba like those built in mud-brick at Abydos and Saqqara by the 1st and 2nd dynasty Kings. The Sakkara Step Pyramid, constructed 4,700 years ago, is said to be the oldest monumental masonry structure in the world.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
Be amazed by the magnificent UNESCO-listed Abu-Simbel Temples. Threatened by the waters of Lake Nasser, these gigantic landmarks were famously saved, dismantled and relocated in the 1960s. The larger temple is dedicated to Ramses II, while the smaller was built for his favorite wife, Nefertiti.
Note: This excursion involves walking on uneven terrain. Travelers take an EgyptAir shuttle flight from Aswan Airport to Abu Simbel Airport where a shuttle service is used to bring travelers to the site and back at scheduled times. Depending on flight schedules, luggage is kept at the Aswan Airport and received once the group returns from Abu Simbel.
MUST BE PRE-BOOKED!
This tour must be pre-booked prior to final payment as
it is not available to book in-destination.
This wonderful little museum is located on the Corniche about halfway between the Luxor and Karnak Temples, and is home to a small but well-chosen collection of relics from the Theban temples and necropolis. Displays of pottery, jewelry, furniture and statues were created by the Brooklyn Museum of New York.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
Just before sunrise you cross the Nile to the West Bank where you lift off from in front of Hatshepsut temple. As you rise up over the mountains of the Necropolis you will have a spectacular view over the many tombs, temples, fields and villages. Your flight will last approximately 45 minutes and will have you back to your hotel in time for breakfast.
Note: Participants must be of reasonable fitness and not appropriate for women who are pregnant or people with osteoporosis, etc.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
On this optional tour, enjoy sailing on the Nile River past beautiful scenery and the communities that reside along the banks.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
On this optional tour, explore the capital of Jordan. We'll visit the old city of Amman, exploring the Citadel and the Roman Theater, two of the city's most popular archeological sites.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
Featured Accommodations
Your home base in Cairo is a historic palatial property with lush gardens and 5-star accommodations. Pool, casino, spa, on-site dining.
16 Saray El Gezira Street • Zamalek, Cairo, Egypt 11211
Website
Elphantine Island
Aswan Governorate 81111, Egypt
Website
For Tuesday arrivals
Travel in style on this flagship cruiser, which features 56 spacious cabins. The MS Royal Lily also features a spa, restaurant on the Main Deck and the Salon Deck, where you can enjoy expansive views with afternoon tea.
Website
For Friday arrivals
Cruise the Nile in comfort aboard the Steigenberger Minerva, a 77-cabin cruise ship. The ship also features a restaurant, lounge and bar, extensive sun deck, pool with pool bar, fitness gym, and beauty salon.
Website
Set on the banks of the Nile, this luxurious contemporary hotel welcomes you with a spa, array of fine dining choices and superb level of amenities. Don’t miss the outdoor terrace with majestic Nile views.
Corniche El Nile Street • Luxor, Egypt
Website
El-Orouba, Qism El-Nozha
Cairo Governorate 2466, Cairo, Egypt
Website