The Middle East is blessed with a huge of ancient historical sites and natural beauty. This tour highlights the most famous of these in Egypt and Jordan, while leaving some free time for you to explore further yourselves, or just relax by the Nile, or on the beach by the Red Sea. The accommodation used is a mix of 3 to 4-star hotels.

Starting in Cairo we make a visit to the Gisa Plateaux to see the Great Pyramids and mysterious Sphinx. These awesome ancient monuments have withstood the tests of time, giving us a fascinating and unique glimpse into the past. Our tour finishes with a visit to the famous Egyptian museum with its vast collection of ancient artefacts, including the treasures of Tutenkhamun's tomb.

From Cairo we travel by sleeper train to Luxor with its spectacular collection of temples and tombs. On the east bank or the Nile, we visit the colossal and well preserved Temples of Karnak and Luxor, while our tour of the west bank of the Nile explores the tombs of the Valleys of the Kings, Queen Hatchepsut and Medinat Habu temples, and the Colossi of Memnon.

Leaving Upper Egypt behind we head back to Cairo to explore the Citadel and the bazaar, before continuing on to the Sinai Peninsular and the laidback Red Sea beach resort of Dahab. Here we have a couple of days to relax by the beach and enjoy the fantastic swimming and snorkelling available on and around some of the world’s best coral reefs. You can also climb Mt. Sinai and visit St. Catherine's monastery.

Next we cross into Jordan for a jeep safari and overnight Bedouin camp amid the stunning desert & mountain scenery of Wadi Rum. In summer we use a mobile camp, and in winter a fixed camp with more facilities and shelter available for the cooler weather. The next highlight is a guided tour and some free time in the world famous Nabatean city of Petra. The tour ends with a drive up the King's Highway to the crusader castle of Kerak and a swim in the Dead Sea, before we finish in Amman.