Riyadh

Riyadh

Riyadh - Al Qasab - Shaqra - Ushaiqer – Buraydah

Buraydah – Medina.-

Medina – Al-’Ula

Al-’Ula - Tabuk

Tabuk – Petra

Petra- Wadi Rum.-

Today we have the most exciting day of the trip: First, we visit the impressive archaeological site of PETRA, which is accessed through a narrow canyon, and discover the temples and tombs excavated on the cliffs in this city that was founded 300 years before Christ. After lunch (included) we leave for the impressive desert of WADI RUM. At the Visitor Centre we board 4x4 vehicles to visit some of the most impressive landscapes. We stop in the town of RUM to visit the ruins of the Nabatean temple. We include a 45-minute camel ride through the desert. We will also visit the Khazali Canyon. In this spectacular place, we will see the engravings that reveal the origins of the Arabic language. Dinner and accommodation included in a desert camp.

Wadi Rum- Aqaba- Eilat- Saint Catherine.-

After breakfast, we leave for AQABA, Jordan’s second city, lying on the banks of the Red Sea. We walk through the center before continuing to the border of ISRAEL, EILAT and arrive in this modern and tourist city with its excellent beaches. There’s time to relax, have lunch and stroll around. Are you tempted to have a swim? We then continue towards the EGYPT border, and into Sinai. On the way, there’s chance to take photographs of the Pharaoh’s Island with the powerful fortress of Saladin. Continue to SAINT CATHERINE. Arrival, accommodation and dinner included.

FEES: At the border crossing from Jordan to Israel and from Israel to Egypt, every traveler must pay an entry/exit fee for the different countries. Jordan: $15 (exit fees), Israel: $32 (exit fee), Egypt: $45 (entry visa, which is actually $25 visa + $20.Approximate rates and subject to change without prior notice by the authorities of the country.
Drones and cameras with a 5,5 mtr zoom are prohibited as well as other types of professional equipment cameras ( Europamundo is not responsiblefor objects that may be seized at borders by the authorities of the countries)

IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to exceptional circumstances or due to a small number of participants, it may happen that we will cross directly from Jordan to Egypt by boat, taking the AQABA- TABA FERRY with a duration of just over two hours. During the ferry crossing, there will be no assistance from any guide.

Saint Catherine- Well of Moses- Cairo.-

At the foot of Mount Sinai, we visit the impressive walled monastery of SAINT CATHERINE. According to tradition, this is where Moses saw “the Burning Bush that burned without being consumed”. The monastery, which is a sacred place for Jews, Christians and Muslims, belongs to the Orthodox Church and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We then continue on through the Sinai Desert’s picturesque landscapes. Lunch included in route. Stop at the WELL OF MOSES, a biblical site that looks like a small oasis. We will leave Sinai through the tunnel under the SUEZ CANAL. Arrival in CAIRO at the end of the afternoon. Accommodation.

Cairo.-

Full day visit where we explore the famous Pyramids of Cheops, Kefren and Micerinos (tickets to go inside the pyramids are not included), and also the impressive Sphinx, which is sculpted from rock. Visit to the Egyptian Museum with its ancient art and where the treasure of the Lost Tomb of Tutankhamen is kept. Lunch included. Citadel of Saladin and the Alabaster Mosque. We will take a walk through the Coptic neighborhood where we visit the Hanging Church built above a Roman fortress.

Cairo - Aswan

Transfer to the airport early in the morning to depart by regular flight (included) to ASWAN. Arrival and transfer to the ship, embarkation procedures and accommodation.

In Aswan we will visit the Red Granite Quarry, where the famous Unfinished Obelisk is located. We will observe the ingenious procedure used by the ancient Egyptians for the extraction of granite blocks. We will also visit the High Aswan Dam, a huge engineering work that retains the waters of the Nile. We will visit the beautiful Temple of Philae dedicated to the goddess Isis and located on a small island that can only be accessed by boat. Finally, we will enjoy a felucca ride on the river, typical fishing boats. Full board. Accommodation on board.

Aswan-Kom Ombo - Edfu

Navigation to KOM OMBO. In the morning we will visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, a unique temple dedicated to two Gods, Sobek and Haroesis, where there is a Nilometer (ancient Nile River level measurement system) and a mummified crocodile. Departure to EDFU. Arrival and transfer by carriage to visit the Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the God Horus (represented by a Falcon), it was in the past partially covered by silt during the periodic floods of the Nile. Once the rescue and restoration work finished, we found one of the most beautiful temples of the Ptolemaic era in an exceptional state of conservation. Full board on board.

Edfu-Esna-Luxor

Full Board on board. Navigation to Luxor crossing the Esna lock. Arrival in LUXOR and free afternoon. Night on board.

Luxor

During our stay in Luxor we will get to know one of the most impressive ancient cities on the planet (tickets included to the places mentioned). Early in the morning, from our hotel we will take a private boat to cross the Nile River, with its peace and impressive views early in the morning, we go to the west bank. We visited the "Valley of the Artisans" Deir el-Medina, a little-visited place, here they lived and are the tombs of great builders and craftsmen who built and decorated the royal tombs of ancient Egypt. We will visit three tombs, their paintings show scenes of daily life at that time. After that, we visit the fantastic temple of Medinet Habu, the temple of Ramses II, large and magnificently preserved, its scenes of wars will surprise us. We stopped in front of the Colossi of the Memnon, two impressive statues of Amenhotep II. We will visit the VALLEY OF THE QUEENS where the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (Deir el Bahari) is located, considered the first woman to occupy the position of pharaoh. We also visit the famous VALLEY OF THE KINGS where the tombs of the main pharaohs are hidden. Among these tombs, composed of several rooms and corridors leading to the corresponding burial chambers (we include, in addition to the general admission, a ride in an electric cart to access the enclosure and tomb of Ramses -which requires additional entry-). Return to the east bank of Luxor. Free time for lunch.

In the afternoon we visit KARNAK, it housed the most important religious complex in Ancient Egypt, highlighting the immense temple of Amun-Ra, our guide will take us to the little-crowded temple of Khinsu. We will also visit the LUXOR MUSEUM, which shows us an impressive collection of objects and mummies found in this area. After dark we include the entrance to the LUXOR TEMPLE, its lighting makes it magical at this time. Time to walk in the commercial area (souk) near the temple.


Note: The order of the visits will vary based on climatological factors and procuring to visit the different locations at times of less affluence.

Luxor – Dendera - Hurghada

Distance: 330 km
Landscapes: Arid deserts between mountains traveling towards the Red Sea. Free time in the morning to stroll on your own, shop or visit some other point in Luxor if you wish. Around 11am we will continue our trip.

12.30 hrs- Dendera, arrival at one of the best-preserved Egyptian temples thanks to the fact that it remained buried by sand and mud until it was discovered in the mid-nineteenth century. Entrance included. This impressive enclosure of 40,000 square meters, surrounded by a burly brick wall eight to ten meters high was dedicated to Hathor, goddess of love and fertility and mother of Horus, celestial god in Egyptian religion. We are surprised by its walls, its immense monumental doors and the quality and perfection of its details. After the visit lunch included.

15.00 hrs- Continuation to the Red Sea. Our highway crosses desert mountain ranges, interesting landscapes.
18.15 hrs- Hurghada, arrival in the late afternoon. We are located in an area with the most popular of Egypt´s resorts, its hotels stretch over a strip of almost 50 kilometers. Hotel accommodation on an all-inclusive basis.

Hurghada- El Gouna- Hurghada

Distance: 70 km

Full day in Hurghada. Free time in the morning to relax in the hotel facilities or to go on your own to visit the great aquarium or the museum of Hurghada.
15.00 hrs- After lunch (included), an excursion to learn more about the area.


15.45 hrs- El Gouna. A short distance from Hurghada, we can find the most luxurious holiday resorts in Egypt where numerous canals and lagoons were opened to access most of the residences by yacht. Free time to stroll through this exclusive place.


17.00 hrs- From El Gouna, we return to Hurghada.
17.45 hrs- Hurghada- In the center of Hurghada, we visit its mosque (entrance included) and walk to the marina, a very touristic area full of life, shops and restaurants.


19.00 hrs- After a free time in the Marina, return to our hotel. Stay on an "all included" basis.

Hurghada – Saint Paul– Saint Anthony – El Galala – Cairo

Distance: 555 km
Landscapes: Desert, following in many sections the Red Sea.
Notes: Please dress appropriately for the visit of the monasteries. On certain religious festivals monasteries may remain closed to tourist visits.


07.30 hrs- Hurghada. Departure. Following the Red Sea we travel to two impressive Coptic monasteries, the Monasteries of St. Anthony and St. Paul, the oldest in Christendom dating back to the fourth century, when monks began to settle in the caves and cliffs hidden at the foot of the Red Sea mountains. Both monasteries are considered the holiest places of the Coptic church in Egypt.


10.30 hrs- Between arid mountains, surrounded by powerful walls, we will visit the Monastery of Saint Paul (entrance included) that will move us, with its orchards and palm trees, and the pilgrims who come to pray at its cave / church of the fourth century with simple murals.


11.30 hrs- Monastery of Saint Paul, departure.
12.30 hrs- After that we will visit the Monastery of Saint Anthony (entrance included) also walled with its numerous buildings and adobe houses, its atmosphere seems stopped in time. The church of St. Anthony, built over the tomb of the saint, houses magnificent Coptic murals of the thirteenth century.


13.30 hrs- We continue our route. Lunch included.
15.30 hrs- El Galala. Arrival at this new city that Egypt is building in the desert that will surprise us. We will go first to the luxury resort located next to the Red Sea, with its marina and water park; from where we include the cable car ride (the highest slope in Africa) to El Galala, a magnificently designed city, its construction began in 2015 and it houses a large university.


17.30 hrs- El Galala, departure.
20.00 hrs- Cairo.- Arrival at the end of the day.-

After breakfast, transfer to the airport and end of our services.