Egypt and Jordan: Timeless Treasures, Ancient Lands

•   3-night Nile River cruise aboard Nile Adventurer, with private galley tour & cooking demonstration

Day 1: Welcome to Cairo
A transfer is included from Cairo International Airport to Mena House Oberoi, a sumptuous former royal hunting lodge in the shadow of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramid of Giza. Since most international flights arrive between 3:00 and 11:00 PM local time, you might want to consider traveling to Egypt a day early and arrange a pre-stay in Cairo to ease the effects of jet lag before the first day of sightseeing on your Egypt and Jordan tour begins.
Overnight: Mena House Oberoi, Cairo, Egypt
Meals Included: A snack in your hotel room upon late arrival

Day 2: The Sphinx, Great Pyramid, and a camel ride
Prepare for a day of awe-inspiring wonders at the Pyramids! At Giza, see the Sphinx guarding the plateau, as it has for the same 4,500 years. Marvel at the Great Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu), a crowning architectural achievement, and smile for the camera as you ride a camel* at the Pyramids. Visit the Solar Boat Museum, whose main attraction is an ancient Egyptian cedarwood boat dating back 4,500 years. Attend a welcome reception and dinner.
Overnight: Mena House Oberoi, Cairo, Egypt
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 3: Egyptian Museum and the "Boy King's" treasures
A lecture by a professor of modern Egyptian history kicks off your day, followed by a visit to the Egyptian Museum to explore its world-renowned collection of antiquities, many 5,000 years old – yet another memorable experience on Tauck's Egypt & Jordan tour! Behold treasures found in the tomb of the "Boy King," Tutankhamun, including his golden funeral mask, solid gold coffin, carved throne, and jewelry. "Meet" other ancient rulers, including the might Ramesses II, face-to-face in the Royal Mummy Room. Later, a walking tour of Old Cairo with a local guide visits a local mosque and includes time to wander through a local bazaar. This evening's elaborate sound and light show at the Pyramids and the Sphinx in Giza is a spectacular way to end this unforgettable day.
Overnight: Mena House Oberoi, Cairo, Egypt
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 4: Early antiquities at Memphis, Sakkara and Dahshur
Travel to the site of ancient Egypt's first capital, Memphis, for a look at some of Egypt's oldest antiquities; you'll see the Alabaster Sphinx and an imposing statue of Ramesses II. In Sakkara, visit the Teti Pyramid, and view the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the world's first monumental structure built of stone. Continue off-the-beaten path to the less-often visited necropolis at Dahshur for a look at the numerous pyramids, temples and royal tombs there.
Overnight: Mena House Oberoi, Cairo, Egypt
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5: • Abu Simbel, Aswan and the start of Nile cruising
Take a private charter flight to Abu Simbel, in what was once the ancient kingdom of Nubia. Marvel at the Great Temple honoring Ramesses II – carved out of a cliff, with four 67-foot-high seated statues of the pharaoh at the entrance – and the adjacent Temple of Hathor, dedicated to his wife, Queen Nefertari. Cross part of the famous Sahara Desert to Aswan to visit the Aswan High Dam, completed in 1971. Embark the Nile Adventurer to start your cruise, then take a boat to the Philae Temple on Agilka Island; dedicated to Isis, it was moved to its present location to save it from the rising waters caused by the building of the new dam. Meet the Nile Adventurer's officers at the Captain's welcome dinner tonight aboard ship.
Overnight: Aboard Nile Adventurer
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: • Nile cruising, Kom Ombo and Edfu
Glimpse river life along the Nile while cruising aboard Nile Adventurer, a highlight of Tauck's Egypt and Jordan tour. Stop to visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, an unusual double temple, and have tea at a replica of an ancient Nubian village. Then it's on to the Temple of the Falcon God Horus in Edfu, one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. Return to the ship to attend a cooking demonstration and private galley tour before donning Egyptian garb for a festive Egyptian Night dinner featuring local cuisine and after-dinner music and dancing.
Overnight: Aboard Nile Adventurer
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7: • Temples of Karnak & Luxor & a carriage ride
Your Egypt and Jordan tour continues in Luxor, site of ancient Thebes, starting with an on-board lecture, followed by a visit the vast Temple of Karnak with our Egyptologist; built over a span of 1,300 years, it is one of the world’s largest temple complexes. Then tour the Luxor Museum, displaying rich archaeological finds from the region’s temples and tombs. Ride a horse-drawn carriage this evening to visit the spectacularly illuminated Temple of Luxor, noted for its avenue of sphinxes, grand colonnades, and colossal statues of Ramesses II.  Finally, the Captain and crew of Nile Adventurer bid you a fond farewell with cocktails, dinner and a folkloric show aboard ship tonight.
Overnight: Aboard Nile Adventurer
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8: Valleys of the Kings and Queens and a felucca ride
Disembark Nile Adventurer for a major highlight of your Egypt and Jordan tour – a visit to the Valley of the Kings, where at least 62 ornately decorated tombs for the pharaohs were hidden; step into another world as you enter King Tut's tomb! Our Egyptologist accompanies your exploration of the Valley of the Queens, revealing 80 tombs of royal family members; see Medinet Habu. Later, enjoy a sunset cocktail cruise on the Nile aboard a traditional felucca, followed by dinner at your hotel – where your room overlooks Egypt's timeless river!
Overnight: Steigenberger Nile Palace Luxor, Egypt
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 9: On to Jordan and Wadi Rum
Fly via private charter to Aqaba, Jordan, on the Red Sea, where you'll set off for the next adventure on your Jordan tour – an excursion by four-wheel-drive vehicle through the stunning, lunar-like desert landscapes of Wadi Rum. Then continue through the desert to a two-night stay overlooking the dramatic Petra Valley, home of the amazing archaeological site.
Overnight: Mövenpick Resort Petra, Jordan
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 10: Amazing Petra, a city carved from stone
A short walk from your hotel lies the entrance to one of the world’s greatest archaeological sites – the 2,000-year old city of Petra, which the ancient Nabataeans carved out of colorful sandstone cliffs. Explore this incredible site’s tombs, temples and other structures by foot as well as by horse cart throughout most of the day. Later, meet a Bedouin family on a visit to their private home near Petra, and enjoy dinner and traditional entertainment at a restored 19th-century Bedouin village, now a resort.
Overnight: Mövenpick Resort Petra, Jordan
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 11: In history's footsteps along the King's Highway and the River Jordan
Continue your Jordan tour amidst spectacular views of the Jordan Rift Valley as you wind your way along the 5,000-year-old King’s Highway, one of the oldest continuously used roads in the world; visit sites where, thousands of years ago, biblical history was made. Stop at Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John the Baptist is purported to have baptized Jesus; pass Mt. Nebo, where Moses looked out on the “Promised Land," and enjoy a lunch of traditional Jordanian specialties; and check out a 6th-century mosaic map of Biblical sites at St. George's Church in Madaba. Your final destination today is your spa resort on the shores of the Dead Sea.
Overnight: Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea, Jordan
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 12: Relax by the Dead Sea or explore Roman Jerash
Take time to enjoy the amenities of your spa resort on the Dead Sea today, or set off to visit the site of Jerash in Jordan. Here you'll see some of the best-preserved remains of Roman architecture in the Middle East, in what was once the city of Gerasa. Explore its Roman temples, theatres, arches, walls and baths before returning to the resort for tonight's farewell reception and dinner – a festive conclusion to your unforgettable Egypt and Jordan tour.
Overnight: Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea, Jordan
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 13: Bound for home
Tour ends: Jordan. A transfer is included from the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea to the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman and takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Allow a minimum of 2 1/2 hours for flight check-in. Most international flights depart in the early morning hours – you may want to rest and extend your Jordan tour with an extra night's stay at your Dead Sea spa resort.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Don't miss our current specials: Special Air Savings - Learn More Hurry! Air Savings End March 26! Special International Air Savings – Europe Book and deposit summertime departures of the following Tauck journeys to Europe by March 26, 2010 and save $2,000 per couple off Business Class Air ($1,000 off per person) from select U.S. cities. Savings are valid for travel between June 29 and September 5, 2010, subject to availability: •Treasures of the Aegean – 14 days with a 7-night cruise aboard Wind Star / Wind Spirit •Sicily, the Amalfi Coast & Rome – 11 days with a 7-night cruise aboard Le Ponant •Switzerland – 11 days featuring travel along Tauck’s scenic Yellow Roads •Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence & Rome – 10 days in Italy with all multiple-night stays •Paradors of Northern Spain – 14 days exploring culturally rich Iberia •The Best of Ireland – 13 days featuring iconic cultural treasures of the Emerald Isle •A Week In… Ireland – 8 days with a 2-night stay at Dromoland Castle •A Week In… Spain – 8 days from Barcelona to Andalucía, Seville and Madrid •A Week In… Scotland – 8 days with 2- and 3-night stays in Loch Lomond, Inverness & Edinburgh •Spain and Portugal – 14 days of Iberian pleasures and culinary treasures •Normandy, Brittany, Paris & the Loire Valley – 13 days showcasing joie de vivre •A Week In… London & Paris – 4 nights at a grand hotel in London and 3 nights in Paree •Castles & Kings: London to Paris – An 8-day family vacation alive with royal traditions Deposit must be paid at time of booking and certain restrictions apply. Valid on new bookings only and not combinable with other promotions; ask for details. Tauck Tour Deals Traveling with a group of friends or family can add to the joy of any journey. Book a group of 10 on any Tauck land journey or cruise and the 11th guest travels FREE. Book a group of 8 on any Tauck Bridges family adventure and the 9th guest travels FREE Tauck Single Specials For those seeking singles tours, we are pleased to offer special values on select departures to our guests who choose to travel solo. You can travel with peace of mind, knowing that you are among like-minded travelers and will have all the day-to-day details handled for you! While everyone is welcome, on these select dates we offer special arrangements to those traveling solo at a reduced cost. Tauck Single Specials in North America Best of the Canadian Rockies Michigan's Lakes & Mackinac Island Charleston/Savannah Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia San Fransisco, Sonoma & Napa Valleys Tauck Single Specials in Europe A Week in Ireland A Week in Spain Mediterranean Discovery Istanbul and the Black Sea Treasure of the Mediterranean Cruising Mediterranean Shores The Blue Danube Holland Belgium in Spring Strasbourg to Prague Serenade The Rhine and Moselle Budapest to Amsterdam by Riverboat Budapest to the Black Sea Classic Italy Bellissima Northern Italy Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence and Rome A Week in Paris and Provence Tauck Singles Specials in Latin America Panama Canal & Costa Rica
Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
9/13/2010 - 9/26/2010	$6,390
10/4/2010 - 10/17/2010	$6,390
10/11/2010 - 10/24/2010	$6,390
11/15/2010 - 11/28/2010	$6,390
11/22/2010 - 12/5/2010	$6,390
12/6/2010 - 12/19/2010	$6,390
12/20/2010 - 1/2/2011	$6,690
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

• = Cruise Day Flying to Tauck’s Egypt Most international flights to Cairo arrive between 3:00 PM and 11:00 PM local time, which is 7 hours ahead of the United States’ Eastern Standard Time. To ease the effects of jet lag, you may want to consider traveling to Egypt a day early. Tauck can book your international flights for travel originating in the United States, including arranging an additional night at the Mena House Oberoi in Cairo for the evening before your tour begins, giving you plenty of time to rest and relax. Ask for details upon booking. 1. Arrive Cairo Tour begins: Mena House Oberoi. Welcome to Egypt; a transfer is included from Cairo International Airport to Mena House Oberoi, a sumptuous former royal hunting lodge close to the Pyramids of Giza. You’ll have no doubt you’ve embarked on an unforgettable journey when you look out from your room... and see the Pyramids there before you! 2. Sphinx & Pyramids of Giza / Solar Boat At Giza, the incomparable Sphinx sits near the magnificent Great Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu), the only survivor among the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.” And you’ll see them both today, plus have your photo taken while riding a camel* at the Pyramids. Check out an Egyptian cedarwood boat – remarkably well preserved after 4,500 years buried in the sand – at Giza’s Solar Boat Museum. Join us this evening for a welcome reception followed by dinner at your hotel, ideally set in the shadow of the Pyramids. Meals BLD 3. Egyptian Museum / Old Cairo Gain insights on the changing face of this ancient country during a morning lecture on modern Egyptian history by a local expert. Voices of the past seem to come from the host of rare artifacts – including treasures from King Tutankhamun’s tomb – representing 5,000 years of Egyptian history at Cairo’s Egyptian Museum; your visit to the mummy collection is eerily amazing! On a walk through Old Cairo with a local guide, visit a mosque before exploring the bazaar at your leisure. Tonight’s spectacular sound and light show, set against the Pyramids and the Sphinx in Giza, is dazzling and awe-inspiring! Meals BL 4. Memphis / Sakkara / Dahshur Take a good look at some of Egypt’s oldest antiquities on an excursion from Cairo to ancient Memphis, the first capital of the “Old Kingdom” of Upper and Lower Egypt; see the statue of Ramesses II and the Alabaster Sphinx. Learn how ancient pyramid design developed in Sakkara when you view the early Step Pyramid of Djoser and visit the mound-like Pyramid of Teti, along with the royal tombs of the remote necropolis of Dahshur. Meals BLD 5. Abu Simbel / Sahara / • Embark Ship Fly via private charter to visit the archaeological site of Abu Simbel, where the gigantic temples of Ramesses II and his wife, Queen Nefertari, dwarf you and fellow visitors. Travel through the Sahara Desert to Aswan – stopping for a look at one of the world’s great engineering feats, the Aswan High Dam – and board the Nile Adventurer for your three-night Nile cruise. Disembark for a private boat ride to see the Philae Temple before returning to the ship for tonight’s welcome dinner aboard the Nile Adventurer, hosted by the Captain. Meals BLD 6. • Nile Cruise / Kom Ombo / Edfu Glimpse life along the Nile’s banks from the decks of the Nile Adventurer as you sail to Kom Ombo for a guided visit to its unusual double temple and tea at a replica of a Nubian village. Continue on to Edfu and the Temple of Horus, one of the best preserved in Egypt, whose detailed walls are a textbook of mythology and history. Get set for a special evening aboard ship tonight – including a private galley tour and cooking demonstration, an Egyptian Night dinner for which you’ll don traditional Egyptian garb, and after-dinner music and dancing as the Nile Adventurer cruises to Luxor. Meals BLD 7. • Luxor Temples / Carriage Ride A remarkable day awaits you in Luxor, site of the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes and an extraordinary “open-air museum.” After an on-board lecture, our expert Egyptologist leads you through visits to the Temple of Karnak and the Luxor Museum to view treasures of Upper Egypt. A private horse-drawn carriage whisks you to a tour of the Temple of Luxor – spectacularly lit at night – before you return to the Nile Adventurer for your final night aboard, featuring farewell cocktails, dinner and a folkloric show. Meals BLD 8. Valleys of the Kings & Queens Disembark Nile Adventurer in Luxor and head to the Valley of the Kings; step into another world as you enter the actual tombs of King Tutankhamun and several other pharaohs! Continue on to the Valley of the Queens and Medinet Habu. Tonight, enjoy wine, beer and snacks aboard a traditional felucca at sunset, then dinner à la carte at the hotel in Luxor, where your balconied room overlooks the Nile. Meals BLD 9. Fly to Jordan / Wadi Rum Excursion After a private charter flight to the Red Sea resort city of Aqaba, Jordan, Tauck takes you on an excursion to Wadi Rum, home to some of the most stunning desert landscapes on earth. Exploring these beautiful, lunar-like dunes and towering sandstone cliffs by four-wheel-drive vehicle is an absolutely unforgettable experience! Journey through the desert to the iconic archaeological site of Petra. Meals BLD 10. Incredible Petra / Bedouin Family Visit A passage through a narrow canyon called the Siq leads to yet another breathtaking moment – your first glimpse of the ancient Nabataean city of Petra, carved out of the sandstone cliffs around 6 BC. Explore Petra’s fascinating sites both on foot and via horse cart, including the 130-foot-high Khazneh (The Treasury), the Royal Tombs, and an amphitheatre that once seated 8,000, and numerous temples and tombs. Later, you’ll visit the private home of a Bedouin family, then have dinner at a restored hilltop Bedouin village. Meals BLD 11. Along the Jordan to the Dead Sea Thousands of years of biblical history reveal themselves along the 5,000-year-old Kings’ Highway from Petra to sites on the east bank of the River Jordan associated with stories in both the Old and New Testaments. Begin with Bethany beyond the Jordan, identified as the place where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Pass Mt. Nebo, try traditional Jordanian foods for lunch, and visit St. George’s Church in Madaba to view a 6th-century mosaic map of biblical sites en route to your spa resort on the Dead Sea. Meals BLD 12. Resort Relaxation / Jerash Excursion Spend a relaxing day at your Dead Sea resort or set off on an excursion to Jerash, site of one of the best-preserved ancient Roman cities in the Middle East. Wander among its fine examples of Roman temples, arches, theatres, baths, and city walls. Tonight, cap your unforgettable journey with a festive farewell reception and dinner. Meals BLD 13. Journey Home Tour ends: Jordan. A transfer is included from the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea to the Queen Alia International Airport (about 1 1/4 hours) – allow 2 1/2 hours for check-in. Most international flights depart early in the morning; Tauck can arrange an extra night at the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea – ask at booking. Meals B

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