Guide

All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leader or local representative. The aim of the group leader or local representative is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced group leader or local representative however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your group leader or local representative is new to a particular region or training other group leader or local representative. Your group leader or local representative will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your group leader or local representative can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip. All Intrepid group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader. However, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. Due to the vast historical significance of the region, your Tour Leader in the Middle East will also be a Local Tour Guide and will be licensed, registered and trained in accordance with local authorities to provide full guiding services through out your Middle East Adventure. On this trip you’ll have the services of two different leaders: 1) From Amman to Aqaba, you’ll have a Jordanian leader. - You’ll travel unescorted from Aqaba to Taba on the ferry. 2) From Taba to Cairo, you’ll have an Egyptian leader.

Accommodation

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation. Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available. OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION: The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances. ACCOMMODATION STYLE: Some of the accommodation along the way is basic or simple, three and four-star accommodation in the Middle East (with the exception of Israel) is often not equal to same-star facilities in some western destinations. Rooms are clean and comfortable, however, you may note some small maintenance issues that have been overlooked, please assist us by bringing these to the attention of your group leader or local representative so that we can follow up with our hosts. Many restaurants and hotels do not serve alcohol for religious reasons or due to local laws. Breakfast is included in 95% or our hotels, pleaser refer to our daily itinerary for meal inclusions. TWIN SHARE / MULTI SHARE BASIS: Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multi-share basis. CHECK-IN TIME: Throughout the trip, we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination. Standard check-in time is 1400 hours. PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION: If you’ve purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (subject to availability), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights. SHOWERS: Showers at some hotels only have hot water at peak times (usually morning and evening). Outside of these times, you may need to speak to reception to obtain hot water. HEATING AND AIR-CONDITIONING: As a desert region, this part of the world has extremes of weather. Winter months (approx December to March) can be very cold. All of our hotel accommodation contains suitable bedding, and simple light bedding is provided during camping activities such as an overnight felucca, desert camps or at the Red Sea Beach camp stay. Most of our travellers find the bedding provided here adequate, but for your own comfort and if you are particularly sensitive to the cold, consider bringing your own sleeping bag, thermals, scarf, gloves and a warm jacket. Some of our guesthouses/hotels don’t supply heating. In many cases, this would be a major financial and environmental strain on our hotels and the local towns. Summer (approx June to August) can be very hot everywhere we travel, which means that it can be quite uncomfortable for those not used to the heat. Not all our hotels have air-conditioning, and in those that do, it’s not always functioning. ROOM ISSUES: If you have any issues with your room, please speak to the hotel and your group leader or local representative right away so that the problem can be addressed without delay. Hotel (7 nights), Desert camp (1 night)

Others

Petra - Guided tour (One day pass included) Wadi Rum - 4WD jeep safari Wadi Rum - Bedouin Desert Camp Wadi Rum - Zarb Local Dinner

Meals

7 breakfasts, 1 dinner

Optional

Amman - Citadel - JOD3 Amman - Roman Theatre Entrance - JOD2 Amman - Bethany Baptism site - JOD75 Jerash - Roman ruins - JOD10 Amman - Jordan Museum - JOD5 Amman - King Abullah Mosque - JOD2 Mt Nebo - Mt Nebo visit - JOD2 Dead Sea - Dead Sea visit - JOD8 Kerak - Kerak Castle - JOD2 Petra - Petra By Night tour - JOD17 Petra - Additional Petra day pass - JOD5 Cairo -The Royal Mummy Room - EGP180 Cairo - The Citadel - EGP100 Cairo - Coptic Museum - EGP100 Cairo - The Great Pyramid of Cheops (entry fee) - EGP300 Cairo - The 2nd Pyramid of Khafre (entry fee) - EGP60 Cairo - Solar Boat Museum - EGP80 Cairo - Sound & Light Show at the Pyramids (entry fee) - EGP200 Cairo - The Egyptian Museum - EGP160 Urban Adventures -Half Day Pyramids Adventure - USD67 Urban Adventures - Islamic Cairo in Depth Tour - USD45 Urban Adventures - Alexandria City Discovery - USD133 Urban Adventures - Saqqara and Memphis - USD73 Urban Adventures - Treasures and Tut Tour - USD65

Transport

There are some long travel days and some rough travelling in areas away from main tourist routes. Windy roads, rough surfaces and cramped conditions make for some challenging travel experiences. On some long travel days we depart early in the morning to ensure we optimise our time at our next destination. If you experience travel sickness we recommend you consider medication to help ease the discomfort. SECURITY WHILE TRAVELLING: Occasionally you may experience a Tourist Police Escort in your vehicle and whilst not common convoys between select towns or regions are possible. This practice has been implemented by local authorities to monitor the safety and security of visitors to Egypt. FERRY FROM AQABA TO TABA: In the unlikely event of the Aqaba to Taba passenger ferry being cancelled, you will travel as a foot passenger on the vehicle ferry from Aqaba to Nuweiba. This service normally operates at night and takes longer than our regular route. If delayed, you are not likely to arrive in Egypt until after midnight. If travelling on this service, you will have free time in Aqaba prior to an evening departure. Plane , Ferry , Minibus , Jeep

Not included:

Insurance

Insurance is not included. Travel insurance is required for this tour. Please make sure you are adequately covered. If you require travel insurance, TourRadar has partnered up with World Nomads to provide a hassle-free experience. More information can be found here (https://www.tourradar.com/travel-insurance).

Flights

International flights not included.

Others

Other activities and services not included

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Day 1 Day 1: Amman
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Amman

Ahlan wa sahlan! Welcome to Jordan. Your trip begins in Amman with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive early, maybe take in the sweeping views of Amman from the citadel, explore the Jordan Museum (home to the Dead Sea Scrolls), or take a trip out to the ruins of Jerash – an ancient walled town from 2000 years ago. After your meeting, maybe head out on the town in search of ara’yes (Jordan’s toasted sandwich, packed full of spiced meats).
Day 2 Day 2: Petra
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Petra

This morning, travel by minibus to Mt Nebo – the place where the prophet Moses is said to be buried and where he saw the ’Promised Land’. Check out the mosaics inside its fourth-century church. On a clear day, the views over the Dead Sea to Israel and the Palestinian Territories are spectacular. After, drive to the super salty Dead Sea – sitting well below sea level, this is the lowest point on earth, and you’ll float rather than swim due to the high salt count. The mud on the sea floor is said to have healing properties, so maybe lather up and enjoy Mother Nature’s spa. Continue to the crusader castle of Kerak, sitting on top of a cliff overlooking the town and valley below. Explore the seven-level fortress and learn the legends of 12th-century battles between Crusaders and Muslim armies, then continue to Petra for the night.
Day 3 Day 3: Petra
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Petra

You’ll explore Petra today – the jewel of Jordan, the lost city of the Nabateans and one of the Seven Wonders of the World! Squeeze through a narrow path called the Siq until you reach the grand entrance of the Treasury. Gaze up at the intricate carvings and spend the afternoon exploring the site at your own pace. There’s the old Roman road, other temples and old tombs, as well as the rock-hewn amphitheatre. For those feeling more adventurous, take a challenging hike up a set of stairs to the smaller but no less impressive monastery, which takes about an hour. After arriving back at your accommodation, why not find a traditional bathhouse to rejuvenate after a day of incredible sightseeing.
Day 4 Day 4: Wadi Rum
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Wadi Rum

This morning you’ll drive to Wadi Rum – a rugged, lunar-like landscape framed by huge sandstone mountains. Head on a half-day jeep safari, taking you through some unique desert scenery and uncover traces of ancient civilisations in the many carved inscriptions throughout the area, from pictographs to Thamudic, Nabataean and Arabic texts. The most enduring monuments in Wadi Rum are those carved by nature – natural rock bridges, towering sand dunes and scattered rocky peaks. Spend the night sleeping in a simple desert camp under a camel hair tent. Enjoy dinner cooked in an earthen oven by your Bedouin hosts and soak in the unforgettable surroundings.
Day 5 Day 5: Nuweiba
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Nuweiba

This morning, leave Wadi Rum and make tracks for Nuweiba. You’ll drive to Aqaba, then bid your Jordan local leader farewell and transfer on a ferry bound for Taba. When you arrive, you’ll be met by your Egypt local leader and make your way to your accommodation in Nuweiba. Then enjoy a free afternoon to rest, relax or explore at your own pace.
Day 6 Day 6: Dahab
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Dahab

It’s a short drive to the laidback resort area of Dahab – your base for the next two nights. Dahab, meaning ’gold’ in Arabic, has gone from a Bedouin fishing village to a popular tourist town, thanks to the excellent conditions for activities like diving, windsurfing and rock climbing. However, the town hasn’t lost its authenticity and lowkey appeal that’s attracted visitors since the 1970s. The rest of the day is free for you to wander through the cafes, find some fresh seafood or take on some snorkelling in the Red Sea. Dahab is well known for its drop-offs – spectacular coral reef shelves that plunge into the vast blue depths of the ocean. There are also plenty of bars and restaurants to sit back and enjoy good local food and some sheesha.
Day 7 Day 7: Dahab
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Dahab

In the morning, why not strap on a mask and head to the Blue Hole for some snorkelling at one of the best diving spots in the world. The area gets its name from a submarine sinkhole about 94 m deep, with an arch in the coral reef down at 54 m – a challenge that’s only open to highly experienced technical divers. Snorkellers can enjoy one of the greatest spots in the Red Sea here. Float on the surface and look down into an endless world of blue, then make your way around to ‘the Bridge’, where the visibility is always great and the untouched coral swarms with all different types of colourful fish and marine life. After you’ve had your fill of snorkelling, return to Dahab for an evening feast at a waterside restaurant, or maybe head inland to Assalah, where local joints serve up plates of roast chicken and falafel with regional beer.
Day 8 Day 8: Cairo
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Cairo

Today, you’ll experience the contrast between seaside Dahab and the wonderfully chaotic capital city of Cairo. Transfer to Sharm El Sheikh Airport and take the short flight to Cairo. Cairo is one of the great cities of antiquity and its history can be embodied by two of its imposing landmarks – the Pyramids of Giza and the Mosque of Mohammed Ali. Tonight, why not join your new travel mates for a celebratory dinner in the city – your local leader will know of some delicious places to eat.
Day 9 Day 9: Cairo
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Cairo

There are no activities planned for the final day, and you can depart the accommodation at any time following check-out. While this trip doesn’t include time to explore the sights of Cairo, it’s strongly recommended that you spend a few extra days to see more of what the city offers (one of the Seven Wonders of the World, anyone?). If you want to spend more time here, just speak to your booking agent beforehand.

9 days tour

Jordan & Egypt Express

This tour includes:

Not included:

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Itinerary of your trip Jordan & Egypt Express

Day 1: Amman

Day 2: Petra

Day 3: Petra

Day 4: Wadi Rum

Day 5: Nuweiba

Day 6: Dahab

Day 7: Dahab

Day 8: Cairo

Day 9: Cairo

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