Middle East Adventure Itinerary

Welcome to a city like no other. Be immersed in Cairo's chaos, colour and culture with a trip to Khan al-Khalili, Egypt's most famous bazaar. For a change of pace, climb aboard a camel and visit the impressive Sphinx and Pyramids of Giza for those iconic vistas. Take time to visit the fascinating Egyptian Museum, home to more than 120,000 antiquities and relics including the famous burial treasures recovered from King Tutankhamun's tomb. In the evening, take an overnight sleeper train bound south.

Join a local Nubian family for dinner to experience a slice of Nile culture firsthand. There is also time for an optional day trip to the fascinating temples of Abu Simbel. Later, set sail down the Nile on a magical overnight felucca journey, sleeping on deck under the starry sky.

Known as Thebes to the ancient Egyptians, Luxor conceals amazing treasures. Pay a visit to an Intrepid-supported animal care project and wander the amazing Temples of Karnak. Enjoy a donkey ride before heading to the Valley of the Kings to visit three of the best-preserved pharaonic tombs. Afterwards, join a local family for a traditional home-cooked lunch and enjoy free time before boarding an overnight sleeper train back to Cairo.

Explore Cairo in your own time and catch up on all the sights you may have missed earlier.

Climb Mt Sinai for panoramic desert views. Visit the monastery of St Katherine, built at the site of the burning bush.

Stay in beach huts and use free time to laze on the beach, snorkel the Red Sea's underwater world and tuck into tasty seafood. With warm sunsets, spectacular reefs and golden sand, this area of immense natural beauty is the perfect spot to sit back and relax.

Step on to a ferry and cross into Jordan to spend the night in Aqaba, Jordan's only seaport.

Bunker down in a desert camp in Wadi Rum with Bedouin tribespeople. A safari reveals the sublime beauty of the desert; sand dunes are interrupted by lunar-like rocky peaks, some of which bear carved inscriptions from ancient civilisations.

Explore the long-lost city of Petra, carved out of a cliff face. A local guide helps to reveal the history of this ancient wonder.

Head to the coast for a soak in the Dead Sea. The salinity of the Dead Sea makes for effortless floating and the mud is known for its healing properties. Make a stop at Mt Nebo before reaching Madaba.

Cross the border into Syria and roam the alleyways of the ancient city of Damascus.

Explore the ruins of Palmyra, the former Silk Road city that rises hauntingly from the desert.

Visit this imposing fortress which remains one of the world's most impressive castles.

Revel in the excitement of the souq and perhaps enjoy a rejuvenating scrub in a Syrian hamam.

Cross the border into Turkey and revel in the exotic charms of this pilgrimage town. Enjoy warm hospitality and a spicy homemade meal while staying with a friendly local family.

Be entranced by the colossal stone heads of Mt Nemrut.

Be spellbound by the Cappadocia region, famous for its underground cities, whimsical fairy chimneys and stone churches.

A fascinating fusion of East and West, Istanbul begs to be explored.