22 Days | Travel the Middle East across Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Palestine from Petra to the Dead Sea





Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Palestine are ancient lands that conjure images of river valleys, powerful Pharaohs, pilgrims and cities carved from stone. Dive headfirst into Cairo, sail up the Nile on a felucca, party in Tel Aviv, take a jeep safari across Wadi Rum and experience more World Heritage Sites than you can shake a stick at: Battir; Petra; the Old Cities of Cairo, Acre and Jerusalem; the Church of the Nativity… it goes on – and so will you as you trek, swim, explore, photograph and taste your way across the best of the Middle East. This adventure will leave you with a greater appreciation for life here and a hands-on experience of some of the most significant religious and human history in this part of the world.
Trip overview

- Start
- Cairo, Egypt
- Finish
- Tel Aviv, Israel and the Palestinian Territories
- Theme
- Explorer
- Destinations
- Egypt, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Original
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 12
- Trip code
- XESIC
- Be amazed by the beautiful scenery as you cruise down the Nile on a felucca.
- Explore vibrant Cairo with its bustling markets and colourful streets.
- Experience the feeling of weightlessness as you float in the super-salty Dead Sea.
- Spend the night trying to count the billions of stars or chat with the locals at our Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum.
- Discover the sights, sounds and tastes of Jerusalem's Old City.
- Hear the personal stories behind some of Bethlehem's graffiti walls.
- Take a cable car to view the incredible caves of Rosh Hanikra.
- We use a variety of accommodation on this trip, including shared accommodation on a felucca and in a desert camp.
- Walking around the ruins can be uneven, dusty and rocky, bring comfortable walking shoes. In places like Petra you can expect to be walking in the elements for most of the day.
- Some hotels may not have lifts. Please be aware you may need to climb stairs with your luggage to reach your hotel room for the night.
- Sites can get congested during peak travel periods with coaches of large pilgrim groups. We do our best to plan our visits around these times but sometimes it is unavoidable. There may be delays, queues and private services that prevent us from entering the site. Your trip leader will manage this as best as they can on the day.
- The temperatures in the region can be extreme – from very hot to very cold (snow in some places) during the year. Please be prepared for the season you wish to travel in.
- Before booking on this trip we recommend that you read the ‘Safety’ section in the Essential Trip Information regarding special safety considerations for Middle East trips.
- Accommodation aboard the overnight train is in two-berth cabins which convert to bunk beds. All bedding is provided on board and western-style toilets are located in each carriage. Keep in mind general train cleanliness may not be to the same standards you are accustomed to.
- Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories are by no means cheap destinations and you should budget accordingly. The good news is that you will have expert local leaders to help uncover the best deals!
- Known as 'baksheesh' in the Middle East, tipping is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry. If you are satisfied with the services provided a tip – though not compulsory – is appropriate and always appreciated. While it may not be customary to you, it is of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. Don’t be taken back if this tipping culture is even more apparent in Israel.
Itinerary
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024
Inclusions
20 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 8 dinners
Private vehicle, Felucca, Jeep, Overnight sleeper train, Plane
Hotel (15 nights), Desert camp (2 nights), Eco-Lodge (1 night) Felucca (1 night), Overnight sleeper train (2 nights)
- Cairo - Khan al-Khalili bazaar visit
- Cairo - Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx
- Cairo - The Egyptian Museum
- Cairo - The Egyptian Museum headset
- Aswan - Nubian Village Visit and Dinner
- Nile - Felucca overnight sailing trip
- Luxor - Karnak Temple (entrance fee)
- Luxor - Colossi of Memnon
- Luxor - Valley of the Kings (entrance to 3 tombs)
- Wadi Rum - Bedouin Desert Camp
- Aqaba - Leader-lead Walking Tour
- Wadi Rum - Bonfire Talk with the Sheik
- Wadi Rum - Guided hike
- Wadi Rum - 4WD jeep safari
- Petra - Leader-led tour of Petra
- Petra - 2 day entrance pass
- Kerak - Castle visit
- Mt Nebo - Site visit
- Dead Sea - Swimming opportunity
- Jerash - Roman ruins
- Madaba - St Georges Church
- Jerusalem - Guided tour of Old City
- Jerusalem - Mount of Olives
- Bethlehem - Separation Barrier Graffiti Tour
- Bethlehem - Church of Nativity
- Jerusalem - Local Family Dinner
- Jerusalem - Church of All Nations
- Dead Sea - Visit and float
- Masada - Masada visit
- Sea of Galilee - Capernaum
- Nazareth - Church of Annunciation
- Nazareth - Walking Tour
- Akko - Knights Fortress Visit
- Rosh Hanikra - Cable Car & Grottoes
- Caesarea - Roman Amphitheatre & Aqueduct
- Tel Aviv - Leader-led tour of Old Jaffa
- Tel Aviv - Leader-led orientation walk
- Cairo - The Citadel (entrance fee) - EGP300
- Cairo - Coptic Museum (entrance fee) - EGP150
- Cairo - Islamic Art Museum (entrance fee) - EGP180
- Cairo - Sufi Dance Khan al-Khalili (entrance fee) - EGP125
- Cairo - Saqqara and Memphis Afternoon Tour - USD82
- Cairo - The Great Pyramid of Cheops (entrance fee) - EGP600
- Cairo - The 2nd Pyramid of Khafre (entrance fee) - EGP100
- Cairo - The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization & The Royal Mummy Room (entrance fee) - EGP200
- Cairo - Solar Boat Museum (entrance fee) - EGP100
- Aswan - Sound & Light Show at Philae Temple - USD40
- Aswan - Philae Temple (entrance fee) - EGP300
- Aswan - High Dam and Unfinished Obelisk Tour (minimum 2 persons) (entrance, guide & transport) - USD35
- Aswan - Philae Temple Tour (minimum 2 persons) - USD35
- Aswan - Philae Temple Sound & Light Show Tour (minimum 2 persons) (entrance, guide & transport) - USD55
- Aswan - Abu Simbel Tour (minimum 4 people) - USD110
- Aswan - Abu Simbel by Air - subject to availability - from - USD400
- Aswan - Tomb of the Nobles (entrance fee) - EGP60
- Edfu - Edfu Temple (entrance fee) - EGP300
- Luxor - Luxor Temple (entrance fee) - EGP260
- Luxor - Luxor Museum (entrance fee) - EGP200
- Luxor - Mummification Museum (entrance fee) - EGP140
- Luxor - Karnak Temple Sound and Light Show (minimum 2 persons) (entrance, guide & transport) - USD35
- Aswan - Kom Ombo Temple (entrance fee) - EGP240
- Luxor - Karnak Temple Sound & Light Show Tour - USD45
- Luxor - Tomb of Tutankhamun (entrance fee) - EGP300
- Luxor - Hatshepsut Temple - EGP160
- Luxor - Valley of the Queens (entrance fee) - EGP100
- Luxor - Medinat Habu Temple (entrance fee) - EGP100
- Luxor - Deir el Madina -Entry Fee - EGP140
- Luxor - Tomb of Queen Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens (entrance fee) - EGP1400
- Luxor - West Bank; additional site (Min 2 customers)-Entry/Guiding-p/p - EGP300
- Luxor - Hot Air Balloon over the Valley of the Kings - USD130
- Amman - King Abdullah I Mosque (entrance fee) - JOD2
- Amman - Roman Theatre (entrance fee) - JOD2
- Amman - Citadel (entrance fee) - JOD3
- Madaba - Al-Maghtas Bethany Baptism site (entrance fee) - JOD12
- Amman - Jordan Archaeological Museum (entrance fee) - JOD3
- Petra - Petra By Night - JOD17
- Jerusalem - Old City Ramparts -Entry Fee - ILS18
- Jerusalem - Israel Museum - Entry Fee - ILS54
- Jerusalem - Yad Vashem Museum - Free
- Haifa - Baha'i Gardens - Free
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. This trip starts in Cairo on Day 1 at 4 pm. This allows time after the welcome meeting to explore Cairo.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 2,7 (Sleeper Train), Day 5 (Nile Felucca) and Day 9,10 (Desert Camp) where you will be in shared accommodation, and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
3. This trip has an international flight included, luggage restrictions of 23kg checked and 7kg cabin apply on this flight.
4. Accommodation in Wadi Rum is in Bedouin tents, bedding is provided, but in the colder months November-March you may want to consider bring a sleeping bag. Bathrooms in Wadi Rum are on a share basis.
5. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest information on travelling in Egypt before your departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas of your itinerary. We have links to prominent government travel advisories and regular updates on issues affecting this trip on our Travel Alerts page: http://www.intrepidtravel.com/travel-alerts
6.Important alert: Yom Kippur day in 2023 will be on 24-25th Sep. We'll need to make below changes to departures during this time to ensure you'll be able to experience all included activities on your trip:
Departure code: XESIC230906
D19 - Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Rosh Hanikra, Knights Fortress in Akko. Overnight in Nazareth.
D20 - Nazareth walking tour & Church of Annunciation. Overnight in Nazareth
Departure code: XESIC230909
D16 - Bethlehem tour in the morning and home cooked lunch with a local Palestinian family
D17 - Jerusalem old city guided tour (except for Courtyard of Dome)
D18 - morning visit Courtyard of Dome and continue to Jericho as per original itinerary.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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