Trip Overview

One of AdventureWomen’s all-time most popular adventure travel and cultural trips, we’re returning in 2020 to Egypt and Petra in Jordan to cruise the Nile River, walk among Egyptian pyramids, and explore the ancient temples and archaeological sites in this region in the Middle East.

Egypt is one of the most intoxicating destinations in the world, unequaled in its prodigious contributions to world culture while Jordan’s cultural treasures shine as early examples of human ingenuity. From hieroglyphs and temples to the ruins of Petra, walk with wonder among ancient wonders of the world learning about artifacts created by two of the world’s oldest societies, from 2,500 BC to Year One.

What draws you most to Egypt? Historic frescoes and magical pyramids? Carved stone statues and pharaoh’s tombs? Regardless of what intrigues spark your desire to travel to this mecca for cultural travelers, exploring this area in the Middle East with other women will enrich every moment this cultural odyssey. You’ll join your fellow AdventureWomen in Cairo and get to know your travel companions over a savory welcome dinner and begin your cultural adventure into Egypt’s past the very next day.

You’ll listen to ancient myths explained, hieroglyphs interpreted, and facts behind Egypt’s greatest feats revealed at every stop from the Egyptologist accompanying your group. Witness the enduring genius of Egypt’s stone cutters, builders, and artisans with visits to the 4,000 year old Giza Pyramids and Sphinx. A deluxe four-day cruise on the Nile River includes daily excursions off the ship to explore the enormous temples of the East and West Bank. This leg of your adventure in Egypt also includes one afternoon sailing on a ‘felucca’ – an Egyptian sailboat! You’ll then take a special flight to Abu Simbel and tour several carefully-restored and protected UNESCO World Heritage Sites. After exploring these ancient temples, enjoy a shopping trip deep in the heart of the labyrinthine Khan El-Khalili Bazaar.

In Jordan, be awed by a real 6th century village map mosaic and your discovery of the first Christian church ever built. Then, explore Jordan’s greatest marvel of engineering, art, and pure grit, fabled Petra, a city only accessed by a ‘siq’, a narrow gorge in a rock wall. Around this siq, stone artisans carved colossal faux columns, stairs, and false windows, while deep inside a city was built, including an ingenious complex of dams and water channels. No Middle Eastern journey is complete without a trip out into the vast sand dunes of the Wadi Rum and Valley of the Moon. On your last day, relax at a deluxe resort on the Dead Sea enjoying the rare air and an amazing farewell dinner during which you’ll all reminisce about your greatest discoveries and make a toast to this rewarding adventure you shared together.

For thousands of years, Egypt and Jordan have cast a spell upon all those who visit. Feel that same mystique as you travel with AdventureWomen to explore two of the world’s most amazing destinations.

Main Attractions

  • Cruise the Nile River for 4 days then sail on a ‘felucca’
  • Visit the Giza Pyramids and famous Sphinx of Egypt
  • Tour the historic sites of Petra, Jordan
  • Relax with a spa treatment at a Dead Sea resort

What You'll See and Do

  • Archaeology
  • Architecture
  • Boat Cruising
  • Cooking Class
  • Cultural Exploration
  • Natural History
  • Photography
  • Sightseeing
  • Walking
Browse Detailed Itinerary

Download Extended Itinerary

If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686
Email Us
Browse Detailed Itinerary

Download Extended Itinerary

Browse Detailed Itinerary

Download Extended Itinerary

Trip Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive in Cairo
You will be met at the Cairo Airport and transferred to your hotel.

Enjoy a lively welcome dinner as you get to know your fellow travelers this evening. Share stories and learn about why each woman in your trip is excited to explore Egypt and Jordan!
Dinner

Overnight: Marriott Mena Hous

Day 2

Cairo
Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum, also known as the Giza Museum. It is home to artifacts of ancient Egypt. Explore the museum to learn about the history of the area.

See the Great Pyramids of Giza, the only present-day survivors of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, built over 4,500 years ago. These giant tombs were built to house the mummies of the Pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. Khufu’s is the largest, made out of more than two million blocks. Enjoy lunch at your hotel, complete with views of the pyramids.

No trip to Egypt is complete without a ride on a “ship of the desert”. Hop on a camel and ride across the sands of Giza to visit the Sphinx. The enigmatic Sphinx sits nearby the pyramids. It has the body of a lion and the face of a man wearing a royal head cloth. About a thousand years after the Sphinx was built, it was covered in sand, until a young prince had a dream in which the Sphinx told him if he cleared the sand away, he would become Pharaoh.

Enjoy dinner on your own this evening.
Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Marriott Mena House

Day 3

Cairo to the Nile River
Transfer to the airport for your short flight from Cairo to Luxor. Board the Sanctuary Sun Boat IV, your home for the next four nights on the Nile. Settle into your cabin.

Explore the striking and graceful Temple of Luxor, which is dedicated to the God Amun. Your guide will explain the details of the temple. Enjoy lunch on the boat.

Visit 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, decorated richly, and filled with treasures for the afterlife by generations of Pharaohs. You’ll have the chance to visit at least one tomb in the Valley of the Queens, as well as the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut.

On the way back to the river Nile, the road passes by the famed Colossi of Memnon, known in Ancient Greek times for their haunting voices at dawn. This is a great photo stop.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Sanctuary Sun Boat IV

Day 4

The Nile River
Begin your day on the East Bank by visiting the Temple of Karnak, built over a period of more than a thousand years by generations of Pharaohs. The great “Hypostyle Hall” is an incredible forest of giant pillars, covering an area larger than the whole of Notre Dame Cathedral.

Relax on board as you cruise along the Nile. Enjoy a swim in the pool, or just watch the scenery as you pass by the banks. Have lunch on the way.

Later today, your Egyptologist will guide you around the Greco-Roman Temple of Khnum at Esna. The beautifully preserved Great Hypostyle Hall was built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius. It was excavated from the silt that had accumulated through centuries of annual Nile floods and is about nine meters below present day street level.

Enjoy afternoon tea on board as you cruise to Edfu. Have a delicious dinner on board this evening.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Sanctuary Sun Boat IV

Day 5

The Nile River
Visit the largest and most completely preserved ancient temple in Egypt, the extraordinary Temple of Horus, the falcon god. It is the second largest temple in Egypt after Karnak, and was built between 305 and 30 B.C. Depictions of New Year’s celebrations can still be seen on the walls along the staircases. Enjoy lunch on board as you cruise to Kom Ombo.

Visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, a lovely Greco-Roman temple uniquely double-dedicated to Haroeris, the sun god, and Sobek, the crocodile god. Here the ancient pharaohs kept a chamber of mummified crocodiles. The temple stands at a bend in the Nile where in ancient times sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the riverbank.

Take an Egyptian cooking class on board while the boat cruises to Aswan. You’ll learn to make three authentic dishes.

Tonight’s dinner on board will be an “Egyptian Night” costume party for all guests, with a chance to dress up in traditional Egyptian “galabeyyas.” Dinner will be a lavish buffet of Egyptian specialties, followed by traditional music and dancing for everyone.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Sanctuary Sun Boat IV

Day 6

The Nile River
Enjoy a morning to relax on the boat. Take a dip, read a book on the deck, or sip coffee and enjoy the view!

Visit the romantic and majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilka. Philae Temple was dismantled and reassembled (on Agilika Island about 550 meters from its original home on Philae Island) in the wake of the High Dam. The temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, is in a beautiful setting which has been landscaped to match its original site.

Head to the granite quarries where the pink-colored granite used in building pyramids and temples in ancient Egypt came from. The quarries still hold a huge unfinished obelisk that the guides can use to give a lesson in the methods used by ancient engineers to create the monuments you have viewed.

If the weather cooperates, take a felucca (a typical Egyptian sailboat) around Elephantine Island, Lord Kitchener’s Botanical Gardens, and the Agha Khan Mausoleum. Celebrate your last evening on the boat with a gala dinner, complete with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine. Enjoy a folkloric and Dervish show after dinner.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Sanctuary Sun Boat IV

Day 7

The Nile River to Cairo
Transfer to the Aswan airport for a short flight to the magnificent temples of Abu Simbel. Explore these temples that are carved directly into the face of a clif.  Ramses II Temple is guarded by four enormous 65-foot figures of the pharaoh and depicts his most celebrated triumphs in battle. Nearby is the graceful Temple of Hathor, dedicated to the cow-headed goddess of love and built in honor of Ramses’ favorite wife, Queen Nefertari.

Fly back to Cairo and enjoy lunch on your own.

Enjoy an evening visit to the Khan El-Khalili Bazaar, reputed to be the largest bazaar in the Middle East. Originally founded as a watering stop for caravans in the 14th century, the bazaar has now grown to vast proportions. Wander through the labyrinth of narrow streets, stopping to look in workshops and stalls that sell everything from woodwork, glassware, and leather goods to perfumes, fabrics, and Pharaonic curiosities. Remember to bargain hard!
Breakfast

Overnight: Heliopolis Towers

Day 8

Cairo to Amman
Transfer to the airport in Cairo and board your flight to Amman, Jordan.

When you arrive in Amman, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Explore the area around your hotel this afternoon, and enjoy lunch and dinner on your own.
Breakfast

Overnight: Grand Hyatt Amman Hotel

Day 9

Amman
Take a city tour of Amman that includes the Citadel, the Archaeological Museum, the Roman Theater, the Folklore Museum, and then a walk downtown through the bazaars and the Gold Market.

Drive to Jerash, where you will have lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch, take some time to explore Jerash. Second only to Petra in tourist appeal, the ancient Roman city of Jerash is an archaeological masterpiece, and remarkable for its long chain of human occupation.

Head back to Amman and have dinner on your own this evening.
Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Grand Hyatt Amman Hotel

Day 10

Amman to Petra
Visit Mount Nebo, the mountain where Moses was allowed to see the Holy Land and not allowed to enter it. Nowadays the mountain is a memorial site, where you can find the “Church of Moses” which was built by the first Christians. Enjoy a great view over Jordan, the Dead Sea, and Israel.

Travel to Madaba, known as the City of Mosaics. The main attraction is a vivid, 6th century mosaic map showing Jerusalem and other holy sites. With two million pieces of colored stone and measuring 25×25 meters in its original state (most of which can still be seen today), the map depicts hills, valleys, villages, and towns as far away as the Nile Delta. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

Visit Kerak, which is famous for its crusader fortress, complete with underground galleries, rooms, secret passages, and thick defensive walls pierced by narrow arrow slits where crusader archers held out bravely, but in vain, for over 100 years. Drive to Petra this afternoon.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Movenpick Resort Petra

Day 11

Petra
Start the morning with a walk or an optional horse ride from the main gate of Petra to the entrance of the old city. At the entrance, head along the “Siq” on foot until you reach the rose-red city. Spend the day exploring the ancient city, and have lunch inside Petra with your group.

Enjoy a cooking class complete with dinner this evening. Like any home kitchen, The Petra Kitchen is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where you will gather to prepare an evening meal, working alongside local women under the supervision of an experienced chef. Get an inside glimpse of the secrets behind the famous regional cuisine of the Levant as you learn to create local dishes.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Movenpick Resort Petra

 

Day 12

Petra to the Dead Sea
Bedouin camps are evident in the Wadi, and are still home to a number of Bedouin families who welcome visitors with the hospitality and generosity that Bedouins are so famous for. Explore the desert with a 4×4 driven by a local Bedouin for two hours. Enjoy lunch under a Bedouin tent.

After exploring Wadi Rum, drive to the Dead Sea and check into your hotel. Relax this evening and enjoy dinner on your own.
Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea

Day 13

Dead Sea
Enjoy a free day to explore the area. Take advantage of the pools, make an appointment at the spa, or just relax today.

Have a farewell dinner with your new AdventureWomen friends. Reminisce over all of the memories you have made and celebrate the end of an amazing journey through this truly spectacular country.
Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight: Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea

Day 14

Dead Sea and Depart
Say goodbye to your new AdventureWomen friends as you transfer to the airport for your flights home.
Breakfast

If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686
Email Us
Browse Detailed Itinerary

Download Extended Itinerary

Traveling to Egypt & Jordan



Arrival and Departure Information

October 4th Departure:

Arrive: Arrive in Cairo, Egypt (CAI) on October 4, 2020 before 2:00pm.

Depart: Depart Amman, Jordan (AMM) on October 17, 2020. There will be one group transfer provided for the majority of the group’s departing flights. Additional transfers can be arranged at extra cost.

October 16th Departure:

Arrive: Arrive in Cairo, Egypt (CAI) on October 16, 2020 before 2:00pm.

Depart: Depart Amman, Jordan (AMM) on October 29, 2020. There will be one group transfer provided for the majority of the group’s departing flights. Additional transfers can be arranged at extra cost.

Passports and Visas

Citizens of the United States must have a passport valid for six months beyond your travel dates with at least two blank facing pages. If you do not have a passport, please apply now!

US Citizens need a visa to enter Egypt. You can get this upon arrival for a US$25 fee. AdventureWomen will get your visa for entry into Jordan.

Activity Level

We rate this trip as Moderate. Our Moderate adventures exercise your mind more than your body and are designed for women who prefer a leisurely, less rigorous experience. For example, you could walk up to 2 miles per day through cities and villages, stand in museums for a few hours, relax on a boat, or view wildlife from a vehicle. Please note that this is a general description of what you might encounter; for specific details about your trip, please consult the itinerary.

We recommend training before your trip (with your doctor’s permission!) to make the most of your adventure. We have a partnership with FitForTrips, a company that will design an individualized fitness plan for you with this itinerary in mind. Best of all, AdventureWomen guests get a 25% discount with the code FITWOMEN. Learn more here.

You should come with a flexible, adventurous, and enthusiastic spirit, and a wonderful sense of humor that adventure travel requires.

Health Considerations

Make an appointment with a travel clinic. There are no immunization requirements for travel to Egypt or Jordan, however your local travel clinic may have recommendations for you based on your age, health, and past vaccination history.

For more health information, go to www.cdc.gov/travel
and navigate to the pages about Egypt and Jordan.

Money

US Dollars are accepted in most places in Egypt and are accepted in Jordan. Credit cards are accepted at major hotels and restaurants, but it is best to carry cash for smaller places. If you’d like to shop at Egyptian markets, we recommend exchanging some money for Egyptian Pounds.

Suggested Gratuities: We will provide suggested gratuities for this trip closer to departure.

How to Register

Call the AdventureWomen office at (800) 804-8686 to determine space availability and register for this trip. We can complete your registration, including taking your credit card deposit over the phone.

If you prefer, you can register online by clicking “Sign Up for this Trip” on the trip page.

Please be sure to read the AdventureWomen policies before registering!

Forms and Final Payment

The deposit for this trip is $800, and is nonrefundable and nontransferable. Once you book, you will need to fill out and return to AdventureWomen:

Information Form
Booking Conditions Form
Copy of Flight Information
Copy of Issuing Page of Passport (Photo Page)

Final payment is due to AdventureWomen in a cash form (check, money order, or wire transfer). A maximum of $1,500 per person can be put on a credit  card, which includes your deposit.

October 4th Departure Final Payment Date: July 6, 2020

October 16th Departure Final Payment Date: July 18, 2020

If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686
Email Us
Browse Detailed Itinerary

Download Extended Itinerary

What's Included

Included

  • All hotel accommodations throughout the trip
  • All meals as listed in the itinerary
  • All ground transportation
  • Fully-guided sightseeing as indicated in the itinerary
  • English-speaking Egyptologist guide in Egypt
  • English-speaking guides throughout the trip
  • Drinking water in vehicles
  • Gratuities for baggage handling
  • One AdventureWomen Ambassador

Not Included

  • International airfare
  • Domestic airfare
  • Optional activities as listed in the itinerary
  • Meals not specified in the itinerary
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Fees for passports, visas, or immunizations
  • Cost of hospitalization or evacuation
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Gratuities for head guide and drivers

If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686
Email Us
Browse Detailed Itinerary

Download Extended Itinerary

Accommodations

Marriott Mena House
The Mena House is one of the most unique hotels in Cairo, with its own rich and colorful history. Surrounded by 40 acres of verdant green gardens, this palatial hotel is located in the shadows of the Great Pyramids of Giza in Cairo.

Sanctuary Sun Boat IV
Furnished in a contemporary style with an art deco influence, the modern fittings and cutting edge technology on board the boutique Sanctuary Sun Boat IV are combined with sophisticated public areas with luxurious teak flooring for an elegant finish. Each spacious en suite room features air conditioning, a mini bar, and LCD television with satellite. All cabins have Nile views and are fully air-conditioned with individual control.

Heliopolis Towers
Heliopolis Towers offers a convenient location close to the Cairo International Airport. Heliopolis is a tree lined suburb of Cairo that is home to Egypt’s Diplomatic and Presidential offices.

Grand Hyatt Amman Hotel
Conveniently located in the heart of the business and diplomatic district of Jabal Amman, the Grand Hyatt offers luxurious rooms as well as restaurants, bars, clubs, swimming pools, and even a shopping mall.

Movenpick Resort Petra
The Movenpick is located directly at the entrance to the historic Jordanian city of Petra. This resort features a combination of natural stone, handcrafted wood, and Middle Eastern fabrics and textures.

Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea
Your hotel is situated on the edge of the famous salt lake (the Dead Sea), and provides uninterrupted views across the vast sea towards the West Bank. It also has the largest spa in the Middle East, and you may want to spend part, or all of your free day there! Enter a world of natural and architectural brilliance, where you will be swept into an oasis of comfort and serenity with a Babylonian-inspired theme. Carved in natural stones and offering enchanting sea-view balconies, all of the rooms are delicately styled with contemporary fittings and luxurious amenities.

If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686
Email Us
Browse Detailed Itinerary

Download Extended Itinerary

What to Bring

Egypt and Jordan have a uniformly dry climate year round. In October, daytime temperatures usually are in the mid-80s, cooling off to the mid-60s at night. Egypt and Jordan are conservative countries. Please be sure to cover your shoulders when sightseeing, and when visiting religious sites, you will also need to cover your knees. You may want to bring one or two nicer outfits for dinners.

Clothing and Gear

  • Duffel bag or small suitcase
  • Daypack
  • 2-3 short sleeve shirts (quick dry recommended)
  • 2-3 long sleeve shirts (quick dry recommended)
  • 1 medium weight fleece sweater/jacket for cool evenings
  • 1-2 pairs of pants
  • 1-2 pairs of shorts (at least 1 pair must cover knees)
  • 1-2 sets of nicer clothes for dinner (skirts should be knee-length or longer)
  • 1 bathing suit
  • Waterproof jacket
  • Hat for sun protection
  • 5-7 pairs underwear
  • 5-7 pairs of socks
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Sandals

AdventureWomen Essentials

  • Travel documents (passport, airline tickets, money)
  • 2-3 spare passport photos (in case of lost passport)
  • Write down/print out travel insurance number
  • Locks for your suitcase/duffel bag
  • Travel alarm clock with spare batteries
  • Headlamp or small flashlight with spare batteries
  • Binoculars (optional; 8x40/42 models are excellent choices; center focus models are easiest)
  • Digital camera, memory cards, battery charger
  • Power adapters/power bank
  • Sunglasses, case, and strap
  • Spare glasses, contact lenses, cleaner, saline, etc.
  • Money belt or neck pouch
  • Your AdventureWomen water bottle
  • Sunscreen and lip balm with SPF
  • Mosquito repellent
  • Hand wipes/hand sanitizer
  • Toothbrush/toothpaste
  • Soap, shampoo, and conditioner
  • Small packet of tissues
  • Tampons and panty liners (avoid plastic applicators)
  • Earplugs: We recommend Mack’s Pillow Soft White Moldable Silicone Snore Proof Earplugs. Available at most drugstores or at www.earplugstore.com
  • Assortment of stuff sacks and Ziploc bags
  • 1-2 bandanas/Buff
  • Reading material/journal and pens

Personal First Aid Kit

  • Prescription medicine you usually take (in original containers)
  • Personal epi pen (if you need one, don’t forget to pack it!)
  • Bandages, Gauze, Ace bandage, blister prevention
  • Antiseptic wipes/spray
  • Antibiotic ointment
  • Cotton-tipped applicators
  • Oral rehydration tablets/packets
  • Antidiarrheal medication
  • Mild laxative
  • Antacid
  • Cold remedies
  • Ibuprofen/acetaminophen
  • Eye drops
  • Tweezers, scissors (travel size), safety pins

If you prefer to buy a complete kit, we recommend the Smart Travel first aid kit.

If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686
Email Us
Browse Detailed Itinerary

Download Extended Itinerary