CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR IN EGYPT & JORDAN
A cultural tour of Egypt & Jordan

Between Egypt & Jordan, half of the world’s history has its origin. However, for whatever reason, a combination of the two civilizations centres in one journey has hardly ever been offered. This journey traces the historical routes of the Exodus, the trade routes from the times of Moses as well as covers the wonders of the pyramids and sphinx, the treasures of ancient Egypt, which we discover as we cruise the Nile, Mount Sinai and it’s famous St Catherine, Wadi Rum, Petra and Amman. Ideally timed with Xmas at the world famous resort of Sharm – el Sheik near St Catherine’s Monastery and welcoming the New Year at Amman.

Day 1 December 19: Depart Home city for Cairo - Airfare Included

Day 2 December 20: Arrive Cairo / Aswan (EGYPT)
Ahlan wa sahlan! Welcome in Arabic. We are warmly received at Cairo Airport where we will be assisted for our connecting flight to Aswan. Meet & transfer to hotel.
Overnight: Basma Hotel (2 nights) (D)

Day 3 December 21: Aswan
An afternoon tour of Aswan High Dam and the romantic and majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilka. OPTIONAL tour of Abu Simbel by flight in the morning to visit the temples of Ramses II & Queen Nefertari then return to Aswan for an afternoon tour. (B, D)

Day 4 December 22: Aswan/Luxor (Drive)
On our drive to Luxor, stops will be made for visits to the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile-god Sobek. It stands at a bend in the Nile where in ancient times sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the riverbank. Then we will be visiting the well-preserved Greek built Temple of Horus. This temple, built during the reigns of six generations of Ptolemy’s, is not only the best-preserved ancient temple in Egypt, but also the second largest after Karnak.
Overnight: Sonesta St. George Hotel (2 nights) (B, D)

Day 5 December 23: Luxor
We begin our day with a visit to the West Bank of Luxor to explore the Valley of the Kings, a vast City of the Dead where magnificent tombs were carved into the desert rocks, richly decorated, and filled with treasures for the afterlife by generations of pharaohs. Our visit will also includes Queen Hatshepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon. (B, D)

Day 6 December 24: Luxor / Sharm-el-Sheik (Flight)
Visit the Karnak and Luxor Temples. The ancient Egyptians knew the Temple of Karnak as Ipet-isut. It is a city of temples built over 2000 years and dedicated to the Theben triad of Amon, Mut and Khonsu. This derelict place continues to overshadow many of the wonders of the modern world. It is the mother of all religious buildings and a place of pilgrimage for nearly 4,000 years. Luxor Temple was connected to Karnak Temple by an avenue of sphinxes in ancient times. Unlike Karnak, Luxor is mainly the work of one pharaoh - Amenhotep III and was added to by Tutankhamun, Horemheb, Ramses II and Alexander the Great. During Akhenaten’s all religion other than worship of Aten was rejected and development at Luxor stopped. When Akhenaten died, the old religions returned, along with the priests so the temple began to expand again. Evening we are transferred to the airport for our flight to Sharm el Sheikh.
Overnight: Helnan Marine Hotel (3 nights) (B, L)

Day 7 December 25: Sharm-el-Sheik
Day free at leisure to enjoy the area. Join Church services or enjoy the beautiful resort till late in the evening, around 2300 hrs, we visit the historical place of St. Catherine’s Monastery, which was constructed on an order of the Emperor Justinian in the area of what is believed to be Moses' Burning Bush. (B, D)

Day 8 December 26: Sharm-el-Sheik / St. Catherine / Sharm-el-Sheik (Drive)
A pre dawn climb on the biblical Mountain of Moses. The feeling to stand on the spot where Moses is reputed to have received the Ten Commandments with spectacular sunrise view of the Sinai, is something that cannot be described but has to be experienced. After descending, we have breakfast at a local hotel before a visit of the monastery. Return back to Sharm. (B, D)

Day 9 December 27: Sharm-el-Sheik / Aqaba (Ferry)
Day free at leisure then depart for Nuweiba then transfer to the pier to catch the speed ferry to Aqaba in Jordan. Meet & transfer to our hotel.
Overnight: Aqaba Gulf Hotel (1 night) (B, L, D)

Day 10 December 28: Aqaba / Petra (Drive)
Morning at leisure then around 1400 hrs we take a short drive northwards to Wadi Rum. We change vehicles and get into our 4X4’s open top jeeps and take an adventurous ride visiting the Wadi Um Eshreen, the Moving Sand, Al Khazali, Abu Aineh and Rum Mountain. We see the trail of Lawrence and the famous Red Mountains. This is the scene of any desert at it’s best. After an interesting safari, we enjoy a Bedouin dinner with music before we proceed north to the spectacular city of Petra.
Overnight: Grand View Hotel (2 nights) (B, D)

Day 11 December 29: Petra
Another highlight today and it is Petra – the most magnificent site in the Middle East. After passing the main gate we take a horse ride for about 700 meters to the entrance of the SIQmand walk along the SIQ until the most astonishing monuments of Petra, the Treasury, appear all of a sudden. We wander among the tombs, temples, water cisterns, the Roman Theater, street of Facades, the Royal Tombs, the massive Courthouse, Roman Street and Triumphal Arch and ending at Qasr Al-Bint. (B, D)

Day 12 December 30: Petra / Amman (Drive)
Continue northwards to Amman with stops to visit the Dead Sea, and the Christian town of Madaba to visit St. George’s Apostle Church that houses the earliest original mosaic map of the ancient Middle East. Continuing to nearby Mount Nebo, we visit the church on top of the hill where it is believed that Moses viewed the Promised Land.
Overnight: Days Inn Hotel (2 nights) (B, D)

Day 13 December 31: Amman
Amman, the capital of Jordan, offers both the old and new. Our day tour starts with a visit first to see the Roman Amphitheater followed by the Citadel, the Archeological Museum, the beautiful King Abdullah Mosque. We then spend time at the local souq and also visit the newly built high-class area of Abdoun. We then go out of town to see the huge site at Jerash where we also cover the Triumphal Arch, the Hippodrome, the Temple of Zeus, and the Forum, the mile long street of Columns, the Nymphaeum, the Temple of Airtimes and the Viaduct Church. This evening we will be taken to a local restaurant for our New Year Eve Gala Dinner. (B, D)

Day 14 January 01: Amman / Cairo (Flight)
Return to Cairo to visit the most famous of the Egyptian sphinxes, the Great Sphinx of Giza, followed by the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops). Completed around 2600 BC, this pyramid was 146m (478ft) high and consisted of over 2 million limestone blocks weighing over 2 tons each.
Overnight: Iberotel Cairo Hotel (1 night) (B, D)

Day 15 January 02: Depart Cairo
After a journey into antiquity and Biblical times, we bid farewell as we are transferred to the airport for our departure flight. (B)

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Departure Dates
2009 English Speaking Departures Dec 19, 2009
Inclusions
Tour Price Includes Tour Price Does Not Include International airfare (valued at $ 1600) Hotel Accommodation as mentioned (or similar) Meals as mentioned (B=Breakfast L=Lunch D=Dinner) All sightseeing and transfers Services of local English speaking guide & driver in Egypt. Entrance fees to museums and sites included in the itinerary Ferry ticket (Nuweiba - Aqaba) Departure taxes (approx US $280) Insurance & Visas Tips/Gratuities Drinks/Beverages with meals Entrance fees to the inner chambers of the Pyramids, Tout Ankh Amoun Tomb in the Valley of Kings, outdoor museum at Karnak Temple, Library of St. Catherine’s Monastery, camel ride while climbing Mount Sinai – all payable locally
Tour Price
We accept payment in US $ (US Dollars), CA $ (Canadian Dollars) or equivalent EURO (for clients outside North America). Bestway Tours & Safaris offers conversion rate protection. Once full payment has been received, and no modification has been made to the tour itinerary, we will honour that rate. For complete payment procedures, please download Bestway_Payment_Info.pdf Note: to read this file you must have Adobe Acrobat.
Departure Double Occupancy Single Room Supplement US $ 4995 ex New York US $ 460 CA $ 5995 ex Toronto / Montreal CA $ 500
Estimated International Airfare - International airfare is included in this tour
Canada - West Coast N/A USA - West Coast N/A Canada - East Coast N/A USA - East Coast N/A
Participants
This tour operates on a minimum of 02 and a maximum of 16 articipants.
Notes
Customised Itinerary If you would like to have a tour on dates other than the above ones or with a customised itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy to work out an exclusive program for you. Foreign Language Departures Please contact us for information on French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking departures. You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com or call us at 604.264.7378. Residents of U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1.800.663.0844.