Trekking Through Egypt and Jordon

Friday, May 14, 2010
Washington to Cairo (via London)

Dulles Intl (IAD) to London Heathrow (LHR) /Flight UA 918
Departure (IAD): May 14, 6:03 PM EDT (evening)
Arrival (LHR): May 15, 6:20 AM BST (morning)

Saturday, May 15, 2010
London to Cairo

Flight: Bmi # 771
Departure (LHR): May 15, 9:15 AM BST (morning)
Arrival (CAI): May 15, 4:10 PM EEST (afternoon)

CAIRO, EGYPT

May 16

Buffet Breakfast at hotel and introduction to our Egyptologist guide. We start our excursion by visiting the Egyptian Museum, then the Great Pyramid from outside, and the Sphinx. Lunch at De-Luxe restaurant. In the afternoon we visit the old bazaar (market) of Khan El Khalily.

May 17

Buffet Breakfast at hotel. We have a full-day excursion to the Step Pyramid of Sakkara, designed and built by Imhotep in 2630 BC for King Djoser. It consists of 6 mastabas and is possibly the world’s oldest freestanding stone structure. Then we visit the City of Memphis, the capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom about 3000 BC. We continue our tour after lunch to visit the Citadel of Saladin, built in the 13th. century by the famous Crusader adversary. We will also visit the Alabaster Mosque, named after the first ruler of modern Egypt Mohamed Ali at the turn of the 19th century. He ordered this mosque built as a replica of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

May 18

Buffet Breakfast at hotel . Free at Leisure. In the evening, we will enjoy dinner and a folkloric show while cruising the river Nile for two hours in a five star floating restaurant. The Nile is the longest river in the world, stretching north for approximately 4000 miles from East Africa to the Mediterranean.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Depart for the Red Sea and the Sinai Peninsula

Cairo International (CAI) to Sharm El Sheikh International (SSH)
Egyptair # 307
Departure (CAI): May 19, 5:45 PM EEST (evening)
Arrival (SSH): May 19, 6:45 PM EEST (evening)

Sharm el Sheikh (Red Sea)
Sinai peninsula, Egypt

May 20-23
Hotel: Iberotel Palace Hotel

May 20

Arrive in Sharm el Shiekh on the Sinai Peninsula. Full day boat trip to Ras Mohamed including lunch, snorkeling, and diving (for Kristie and Sean).

May 21

Full Day excursion to the beautiful mountainous landscape of the Sinai to reach St Catherine Monastery, one of the first holy sites in the world. Inside this beautiful complex many treasures date back to the 4th century. We will have the chance to see the site of Moses` famous burning bush and where the Ten Commandments where revealed to him. Back to Sharm el Sheikh in the evening.

May 22

Free at leisure to explore town or enjoy the resort’s pools and beaches.

Petra, Jordan

View a map of Jordan

May 23-25
Hotel: Marriott, Petra, Jordan

Depart Sharm el Sheikh with guide and drive up the Sinai coast to Nuweiba port , Egypt where we will board a ferry to Aqaba, Jordon.  The drive should take 2 hours. The ferry will take 2 1/2 hours up the Red Sea and into the Gulf of Aqaba. Once we arrive in Aqaba we’ll rent a car and drive 90 minutes to the Petra Marriott.

May 24

Tour Petra, an ancient city carved in rock over 2000 years ago. Today Petra is a World Heritage site.

Dead Sea, Jordan

May 25-26
Hotel: Movenpick Hotel and Resort, Dead Sea, Jordan

Depart Petra and drive to Movenpick Resport, a spa resort on the Dead Sea. Kristie, Sue and Amy will indulge in several spa services while Sean lounges on the spa terraces overlooking the sea.

Amman, Jordan

May 26-28
Sheraton, Amman, Jordan

Depart the Dead Sea and drive to Amman. Check into the Sheraton, Amman.

Friday, May 28, 2010
Fly back to Washington via Geneva, Switzerland

Amman Queen Alia Intl (AMM) to Geneva Geneve-Cointrin (GVA)

Royal Jordanian # 153
Departure (AMM): May 28, 7:25 AM EEST (morning)
Arrival (GVA): May 28, 10:55 AM CEST (morning)

Geneva Geneve-Cointrin (GVA)  to Washington Dulles Intl (IAD)
United Airlines # 975
Departure (GVA): May 28, 12:00 PM CEST (noon)
Arrival (IAD): May 28, 3:16 PM EDT (afternoon)

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