Middle East Dream Escape: Iconic Petra & The Great Pyramids Adventure Tour

Get ready for 23 days of pure adventure through Jordan, Egypt, and the Sinai Peninsula- where ancient history meets epic landscapes. Kick things off with a warm Jordanian welcome at a local family's home near Amman, then roam the ancient ruins of Jerash before stepping into the legendary city of Petra. Sleep under a sea of stars in Wadi Rum, float effortlessly in the Dead Sea, and take a thrilling 4x4 ride into the vast desert of Wadi Araba. Then, cross the Gulf of Aqaba to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, where you'll spend free time in Dahab's beach town and hike to the summit of Mount Sinai. The adventure continues with a scenic felucca cruise down the Nile, a visit to the iconic Pyramids, and a home-cooked meal in a Nubian village. Packed with bucket-list experiences and hidden gems, this is the Middle Eastern journey you've been waiting for.

Solo Travellers  

We believe solo travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and solo travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.

My Own Room  

Please note that if you have booked the "My Own Room" option for this tour, you will receive your own single room for all night stops

Finishing Point Instructions  

Our tour finishes on arrival at Giza train station. Please be aware that delays on overnight trains do quite often occur, so please do not book any onward flights before 2pm today.

Packing List  

Cold Weather:
• Long-sleeved shirts or sweater
• Scarf
• Warm gloves
• Warm hat
• Warm layers
• Warm waterproof jacket

Conservative Dress:
• Modest clothing that covers knees and shoulders (Long pants, long skirts, shirts that cover shoulders)
• Shawl or scarf (for temple visits)

Documents:
• Flight info (required) (Printouts of e-tickets may be required at the border)
• Insurance info (required) (With photocopies)
• Passport (required) (With photocopies)
• Vouchers and pre-departure information (required)
• Visas or vaccination certificates (With photocopies)

Essentials:
• Toiletries (required) (Shampoo, bodywash, soap, etc.)
• Binoculars (optional)
• Camera (With extra memory cards and batteries)
• Cash, credit and debit cards
• Day pack (Used for daily excursions or short overnights)
• Ear plugs
• First-aid kit (should contain lip balm with sunscreen, sunscreen, whistle, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, bandaids/plasters, tape, anti-histamines, antibacterial gel/wipes, antiseptic cream, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, rehydration powder, water purification tablets or drops, insect repellent, sewing kit, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)
• Flashlight/torch (Headlamps are ideal)
• Fleece top/sweater
• Footwear
• Hat
• Locks for bags
• Long pants/jeans
• Moneybelt
• Outlet adapter
• Personal entertainment (Reading and writing materials, cards, music player, etc.)
• Reusable water bottle
• Shirts/t-shirts
• Sleepwear
• Small travel towel
• Sunglasses
• Swimwear
• Watch and alarm clock
• Waterproof backpack cover
• Windproof rain jacket

Health & Safety:
• Hand sanitizer (required)
• Face masks (Clients will be only be required to wear a face mask where it is mandated by local regulations.)
• Pen (Please bring your own pen for filling out documents.)

Warm Weather:
• Sandals/flip-flops
• Shorts/skirts (Longer shorts/skirts are recommended)
• Sturdy water shoes/sandals
• Sun hat/bandana
• Swimwear

Accommodation  

Simple hotels (18 nts, twin-share), Desert camp (2 nts), overnight sleeper-train (2 nts).

Joining Instructions  

For details of your joining hotel please refer to your tour voucher, G Account, the G Adventures App or contact your travel agent.

If you would like to book an airport Arrival transfer for your tour, please contact our Sales Team or your Travel Agent in advance of travel.

If you have paid in advance for an arrival transfer, a G Adventures representative will be at the airport, outside the arrival hall, to meet you. If for any reason you are not met at the airport, please call our local support line. If you are unable to make contact for whatever reason, please make your way to the joining point hotel via taxi.

Please note that day 1 is an arrival day and no activities have been planned on this day.

Upon arrival to your Joining Hotel (note that check-in time will be in the afternoon), look for a note or bulletin board in the reception with a note from your CEO. This note will give the details of your Welcome Meeting on day 1 (usually between 5pm and 7pm), where you will get a chance to meet your CEO and other travellers, as well as learn more about how the tour will run. If you don't see a note, please ask reception for details!

If you are arriving later and will miss the Welcome Meeting, your CEO will leave a note at reception for you with any information you may need, and with morning instructions for the next day.

Itinerary Disclaimer  

While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Aboard expedition trips visits to research stations depend on final permission.

Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.

Meals Included  

21 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners

Transport  

Private vehicle, 4x4, hydrofoil ferry, walking, train, felucca

Group Leader Description  

This G Adventures group trip is accompanied by one of our group leaders, otherwise known as a Chief Experience Officer (CEO). The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects.

We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting - we think it's the best of both worlds.

Optional Activities  

Aqaba
- Aqaba Boat Trip with Snorkelling
- Aqaba Beach Club Pass with Lunch

Dahab
- Windsurfing in Dahab
- Beach time in Dahab

Cairo
- Islamic and Coptic Cairo Tour
- Egyptian Museum (200EGP per person)
- Explore a Pyramid (100-400EGP per person)
- Explore Memphis and Sakkara

Aswan
- Visit the Souk (Free)
- Philae Temple Sound and Light Show (70USD per person)
- Temple of Abu Simbel Visit

Luxor
- West Bank of Luxor Guided Tour
- King Tutankhamen Tomb (300EGP per person)
- Bazaar Visit in Luxor (Free)
- Mummification Museum Visit (100EGP per person)
- Tour of the East Bank - Karnak and Luxor Temples (65USD per person)

A Couple of Rules  

Illegal drugs will not be tolerated on any trips. Possessing or using drugs not only contravenes the laws of the land but also puts the rest of the group at risk. Smoking marijuana and opium is a part of local culture in some parts of the world but is not acceptable for our travellers. Our philosophy of travel is one of respect towards everyone we encounter and in particular the local people who make the world the special place it is. The exploitation of people in the sex trade is completely contrary to this philosophy. Our CEOs have the right to expel any member of the group if drugs are found in their possession or if they utilize the services of paid sex workers, in any capacity.

Travel Insurance  

Travel insurance is compulsory in order to participate on any of our trips. When travelling on a group trip, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance has been sighted by your leader, who will take note of your insurance details. When selecting a travel insurance policy we require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency evacuation and repatriation. A minimum coverage of USD200,000 is required. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. Some tours include adventure activities that require extra coverage (e.g. crampon use); please review your itinerary and make sure that you are covered for all included activities. If you have credit card insurance we require proof of purchase of the trip (a receipt of credit card statement) with a credit card in your name. Contact your bank for details of their participating insurer, the level of coverage and emergency contact telephone number.

Feedback  

After your travels, we want to hear from you! Your feedback information is so important to us that we'll give you 5% off the price of your next G Adventures trip if your feedback is completed on-line within 30 days of finishing your trip. Your tour evaluation will be e-mailed to you 24 hours after the conclusion of your trip. If you do not receive the tour evaluation link in the days after your tour has finished, please drop us a line at customersolutions@gadventures.com and we will send it on to you.

International Flights  

Check-in times and baggage allowances/restrictions vary by airline and can change at any time. For the most up-to-date information for your flight, please contact your airline. We recommend checking in online in advance to avoid potential delays at the airport.

Group Leader  

CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, Certified Egyptologist as CEO while in Egypt

Max Pax  

16

What's Included  

Your G for Good Moment: Al Safi Community Lunch, Jordan Valley
Your G for Good Moment: Funtasia Project Visit, Luxor
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your First Night Out Moment: Connect With New Friends
Your Foodie Moment: As-Salt Food Tour, As Salt
Your Big Night Out Moment: Aqaba
Your Big Night Out Moment: Cairo , Cairo
Your Local Living Moment: Boat ride to Nubian Village with Traditional Meal, Aswan
Your Discover Moment: Aswan. Amman Citadel, Mosque and Amphitheatre Visit. Jerash Guided Visit. Little Petra and hike to Petra with guided visit. Sunrise visit to Petra. 4x4 Wadi Rum Desert Trip. Night Walk in Wadi Rum. Dead Sea Visit. Madaba Mosaics. Free time in Madaba, Aqaba, Amman, and Dahab. Wadi Araba Hike. Wadi Araba Camping. Saint Catherine's Monastery Visit. Mount Sinai Sunrise Hike. Guided tour of the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. Orientation walk through Cairo's Khan el-Khalili bazaar. Free time in Aswan. Felucca Sailing Excursion. Kom Ombo Temple visit. Cycle and Funtasia Project visit. Free time in Luxor. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.

Dossier Disclaimer  

The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary.

VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.

Spending Money  

Every traveller is different and therefore spending money requirements will vary. Some travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping. Please also remember the following specific recommendations when planning your trip.

Emergency Fund  

Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD $200 (or equivalent) as an 'emergency' fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!

Highlights  

Taste As-Salt's rich culinary heritage on a food tour and enjoy tea in a local home, Hike from Little Petra along the back door trail to its famous neighbour, Savour a traditional Jordanian lunch at the G Adventures-supported Al Safi Kitchen helping build a sustainable future for its community, Soak in the desert vibes of lesser-known Wadi Araba, Hike to the summit of Mount Sinai, where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments, Cross the legendary Suez Canal - the vital link between Europe and Asia, Explore Egypt's ancient temples and pyramids, Sail the Nile on a traditional felucca, Visit a Nubian village and connect with its welcoming community

Group Size Notes  

Max 18, avg 14.