12 Day Israel, Jordan and Egypt Tour with Nile Cruise

Overview

1. 1
   Day 1Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee

   After pickup you drive across the Armageddon plain with a view of Megiddo, stop at the Mount of Precipitation and visit the Church of the Annunciation and the Church of Saint Joseph in Nazareth. In the afternoon you pass Cana, stop at the Mount of Beatitudes and visit the Benedictine church in Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee. If time allows there is an optional baptism in the Jordan River, and you pass Mount Tabor on the way back to your hotel for the night.

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2. 2
   Day 2Caesarea, Haifa, Rosh Hanikra and Acre

   The coastal day begins in Caesarea with its Roman theater, hippodrome and temple remains. You then tour the Bahai Gardens and Shrine in Haifa and ride the cable car down into the sea grottoes of Rosh Hanikra. A walk through the Crusader city and the old Turkish prison in Acre ends the day before your second hotel night.

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3. 3
   Day 3Jerusalem and Bethlehem

   Start with the view from the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations, then enter the Old City of Jerusalem through Zion Gate for the Armenian Quarter, the Cardo, the Jewish Quarter and the Western Wall. After the Via Dolorosa, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the markets, you cross into Bethlehem for Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity, with its silver star and the Altar of the Three Wise Men. Bring your passport, and note that Israeli citizens cannot enter Bethlehem. You spend the night at your hotel.

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4. 4
   Day 4Masada and the Dead Sea

   Drive through the Judean Desert past the Inn of the Good Samaritan and the sea level marker, with Jericho in the distance. A cable car takes you to the top of Masada to see Herod's palaces, the Roman barracks, the synagogue and the bathhouse. After a local lunch stop you swim and float in the Dead Sea, then return to your hotel for the night.

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5. 5
   Day 5Flight to Eilat and Petra

   Early in the morning you transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for the domestic flight to Ramon Airport, then take local transport to the Eilat Central Bus Station to meet your driver. After crossing the Arava border, your Jordanian guide joins you for the two-hour drive to Petra and a full tour of the Treasury, the amphitheater, the royal tombs and the caves. You sleep in a desert tent in Wadi Rum.

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6. 6
   Day 6Wadi Rum safari and the night transfer to Cairo

   A 4x4 jeep safari takes you through the sandstone landscapes of Wadi Rum to see 2,000-year-old rock inscriptions and learn about Bedouin life. You cross back into Eilat and have several free hours for the beach, a walk or dinner. At 22:00 your driver collects you for the Taba border and the 10-hour overland drive to Cairo, so there is no hotel tonight.

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7. 7
   Day 7Pyramids, Egyptian Museum and Khan el-Khalili

   You arrive in Cairo in the morning and go straight to the Great Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. The afternoon is spent at the Egyptian Museum, with its mummies, statues and countless artifacts. A walk through the alleys of the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar ends the day, and you check in to your Cairo hotel for the night.

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8. 8
   Day 8Saqqara and Old Cairo

   In the morning you drive to Saqqara to see the Step Pyramid of Djoser and learn how Egyptian building skills developed. Back in the city, you tour Old Cairo with its fortifications, historic quarters and Coptic churches. You spend a second night at your Cairo hotel.

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9. 9
   Day 9Flight to Aswan and Nile cruise check-in

   An early transfer takes you to Cairo's domestic airport for the flight to Aswan, where you are met and taken to your 5-star cruise ship for three nights. In the afternoon you see the Aswan High Dam and take a motorboat to Agilika Island for the Temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis. A felucca sail around the Nile islands ends the day, and you sleep on board.

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10. 10
    Day 10Kom Ombo and Edfu

    After breakfast on board, the ship sails to Kom Ombo for a guided visit to the double temple of Sobek and Haroeris. Back on the ship you cruise to Edfu and tour the remarkably well preserved Temple of Horus, the falcon-headed god. The ship continues toward Luxor, where you spend the night docked on board.

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11. 11
    Day 11Luxor West Bank

    Today you explore the West Bank of Luxor, entering three royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings and visiting the Theban Necropolis, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. You return to the ship for lunch and a free afternoon. Dinner and traditional entertainment follow on board, with an optional sound and light show at Karnak on request, and you sleep on the ship.

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12. 12
    Day 12Karnak, Luxor Temple and departure

    After breakfast you leave the ship and tour the East Bank, starting with the vast Karnak Temple complex and then Luxor Temple. Karnak is the largest ancient religious site ever built. After the tour you are transferred to the airport for your departure flight.

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What's included

Pickup & meeting point

Know before you go

Cancellation policy

This tour includes flights or accommodation that are booked for you as soon as you book, so it is non-refundable, including no-shows. Border and visa fees are also non-refundable once paid. We strongly recommend travel insurance that covers trip cancellation. If we cancel or materially change the tour, you can choose an alternative date, a credit or a full refund. Read the booking terms.

Frequently asked questions