Egypt & Jordan: Pyramids to Petra

Itinerary

• Day 1: Overnight flight

  Brush up on your hieroglyphs, board your overnight flight to Egypt, and get some shut eye—just channel your inner mummy. You’re about to uncover a trip you’ll never forget.

• Day 2: Arrive in Giza

  Welcome to Giza, just a hop across the Nile from Cairo, Egypt’s capital, and home to some really, really, really old stuff like the Pyramids. Give ’em a wave, because they’re literally RIGHT THERE. Casual.

  Today's highlights:

  • Meet an EF representative and fellow travelers as they arrive at the airport.
  • Transfer to your hotel to check in and check out your room.
  • Rest up before your adventure begins in the AM.
• Day 3: Sightseeing tour of Cairo + Welcome Dinner

  Forget everything you learned in history class. Actually, don’t do that. Just be prepared to have your mind blown seeing all the Egyptian stuff you learned about in school as you tour Cairo.

  Today's highlights:

  • Visit the Egyptian Museum to gawk at ancient artifacts and learn about Egyptology.
  • Explore Coptic Cairo, a historically Christian neighborhood and home to some of the world’s oldest churches.
  • Float like a butterfly to the Muhammed Ali Mosque (named for the founder of modern Egypt, not the boxer) within the Salah El-Din Citadel.
  • Enjoy a Welcome Dinner with your fellow travelers.
• Day 4: Pyramids of Giza + the Sphinx

  It’s here. You're seeing the oldest and only remaining Wonder of the Ancient World: the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx. This is not a drill, people. This is one of humankind’s greatest accomplishments in the flesh.

  Today's highlights:

  • Tour the grounds and take plenty of pics at the Giza Necropolis, where you’ll learn about the construction, excavation, and the pharaohs buried here.
  • Experience the unrivaled majesty of the Great Pyramids.
  • Shake paws with the Great Sphinx—part lion, part human, 100% awesome.
• Day 5: Fly to Jordan + tour Amman

  Say hello to Amman! Jordan’s capital is a bustling metropolis with all the amenities you could want, friendly Arabic chatter in the streets, and beautifully preserved ancient ruins.

  Today's highlights:

  • Hop a morning flight to Amman, Jordan.
  • Spend the afternoon sightseeing with your Tour Director.
  • Hit the souk for dinner on your own and some souvenir hunting.
• Day 6: Tour the Jerash ruins + Dead Sea swim

  Take a day trip to Jerash, sometimes called “The Pompeii of the East.” No volcanoes here, though—just perfectly preserved Greco-Roman ruins. Then make your way to the Dead Sea for a dip in the lowest point on Earth.

  Today's highlights:

  • Strut down the streets of Jerash like an emperor, stopping at Hadrian’s Arch, built to honor an (actual) emperor’s visit in 129 AD.
  • Get in the ring at the Hippodrome—an ancient Greek arena used for horse racing.
  • Swim in the Dead Sea and see what water ten times saltier than the ocean feels like.
  • Head back to Amman for a night of free time.
• Day 7: Travel to Wadi Musa via Al Numeira + Little Petra

  Today you’re going to Wadi Musa, or “Valley of Moses,” the nearest town to the wonder that is Petra. On the way, learn about sustainable development at Al Numeira and visit Little Petra, or as we like to call it, Petra Jr.

  Today's highlights:

  • Stop at Al Numeira for an authentic Jordanian lunch and learn about the organization’s sustainable practices.
  • Continue to Little Petra, which is just as "whoa” as Big Petra, but cuter and with fewer people.
  • Arrive in Wadi Musa, just a hop, a skip, and a jump from Petra.
  • Take the evening to explore and chill with your fellow travelers.
• Day 8: Guided tour of Petra ruins + arrive in Wadi Rum

  One of the most magnificent feats in ancient architecture, Petra, the Sandstone City, awaits you through a spectacular winding canyon. Continue to the desert oasis of Wadi Rum for a magical night of stargazing.

  Today's highlights:

  • Join a local guide on a Siq walk of Petra. Siq means canyon, but yeah, it IS pretty sick.
  • Gaze at the world-famous Al-Khazneh temple carved right into the cliffs.
  • Travel to Wadi Rum—you might recognize it from countless movies, like The Martian and a few Star Wars films.
  • Relax at an included dinner, then goggle at the stars with professional astronomers.
• Day 9: Wadi Rum desert Jeep tour + optional sunrise hot air balloon ride

  Today you’re in for a thrill ride: a Jeep 4x4 tour of the Wadi Rum Desert Valley, the closest thing there is to Mars on Earth. Check out red sand dunes, wild rock formations, and even the house Lawrence of Arabia lived in.

  Today's highlights:

  • Climb into your 4x4 and experience Wadi Rum with an expert local guide.
  • Soak in the sights in ways you wouldn’t be able to on foot.
  • Enjoy an included dinner and free time to bask in the otherworldly beauty of Wadi Rum.

  Sunrise hot air balloon ride (extra cost)

  Get killer sunrise views of Wadi Rum from the vantage point only a hot air balloon can provide.
  
  This excursion is pre-book only; if your trip is less than twenty days away, please call 800-766-2645 to purchase.

• Day 10: Arrive in Amman + Farewell Dinner

  You’re back in Amman, the White City, and the perfect place to spend your last day in Jordan. Where did the time go? We’ll tell you—making new friends, exploring ancient pyramids, and stargazing in the desert, nbd.

  Today's highlights:

  • Stop at Kerak en route to Amman to check out a big ol’ castle built by Christian crusaders in the 1100s.
  • Chow down on some mansaf, scroll through your pics, and relive all the mems on your last day.
  • Share some laughs (and maybe shed a few tears) at an included Farewell Dinner with your group.
• Day 11: Fly home

  Ma’a salama ‘asadqayaa!
  Translation: Goodbye, friends! Your next destination awaits—home. But this isn’t goodbye. It’s “See you later.” The only question is, where?