16-Night Israel Jordan and Egypt Tour

Petra’s rose-colored Treasury, Jerusalem’s Old City, the Pyramids of Giza, and the temples along the Nile all appear on one long route. This 17-day journey handles the hard parts, including domestic flights, border crossings, and transfers between three countries. I like the way it combines famous biblical, Roman, Nabataean, and Egyptian sites without asking you to arrange every leg yourself. I also like that the Nile cruise links Aswan and Luxor in a practical way.

The trade-off is the pace. The Jordan-to-Egypt connection is especially demanding, with a late transfer from Petra, border formalities, a drive to Sinai, and a night climb timed for sunrise. You need moderate fitness, patience with changing vehicles, and a willingness to sleep lightly on some nights.

Key points to know before booking

• Petra and Mount Sinai come back to back: You may tour Petra during the day, cross into Egypt that evening, then climb Sinai during the night.
• The route ends in Cairo: Your return flight must leave from Cairo International Airport, not Tel Aviv.
• Israel sightseeing is packed: Nazareth, Galilee, Caesarea, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Masada, and the Dead Sea arrive in six busy days.
• The Nile cruise covers Aswan to Luxor: Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu, the Valley of the Kings, Karnak, and Luxor Temple are included.
• The $3,478 price is not the final total: Add the $130 departure tax, a $60 Egypt visa, and a $75 Jordan visa per person.
• Some famous extras cost more: Petra by Night is about $15, and entry to the mummy room in Cairo is not included.

What this three-country route really gives you

This is not a leisurely holiday with a few day trips. It is a long historical circuit that moves from the Mediterranean coast to desert fortresses, ancient pilgrimage sites, and the Nile Valley.

The strongest feature is logistical coverage. You receive 15 nights of accommodation, 15 breakfasts, six lunches, and three dinners, plus flights and ground transport listed as part of the airport-to-airport arrangement. Local drivers assist at the borders, which matters because Israel, Jordan, and Egypt each bring different procedures and vehicles.

The group can reach up to 50 people. That is large enough to affect the rhythm of the day, especially at crowded sites and during hotel or border transfers. The schedule also uses early starts, with many pickups around 7:20 a.m. Traffic can change transfer times, so do not plan tight personal arrangements around the stated durations.

Days 1 to 3: Tel Aviv, Nazareth, Galilee, and the northern coast

Your first night is in Tel Aviv after a transfer from Ben Gurion Airport. Day 1 is intentionally light, which gives you a chance to recover from your flight before the sightseeing begins.

Day 2 starts early and heads north across the Armageddon Plain, with a view toward Megiddo. At Mount Precipitation, you get a broad view connected with the New Testament account of Nazareth. In Nazareth, the Church of the Annunciation and the Church of St. Joseph form the main stop.

The route then follows the religious landmarks around the Sea of Galilee. You pass Cana, associated with the story of water turned into wine, and visit Capernaum near the Mount of Beatitudes. The Benedictine church commemorating the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish adds another stop tied to the Gospel accounts.

At Yardenit, you may have the chance to enter the Jordan River waters for baptism. This is optional in spirit, but the stop is part of the day’s religious focus. The return route passes Mount Tabor, connected with the Transfiguration, before returning to Tel Aviv.

Day 3 turns to the Mediterranean coast. Caesarea National Park brings Roman remains, including a theater and hippodrome. In Haifa, you see the Bahá’í gardens and shrine, then continue to Rosh Hanikra for a cable-car ride down to the grottoes.

The day ends in Acre, a major Crusader center. The Turkish prison carries a more recent and painful story, connected with British executions of Jewish prisoners after World War II. This day has a useful mix of Roman, religious, Ottoman, and modern history, but it is another full eight-hour outing with several stops.

Days 4 and 5: Jerusalem, Yad Vashem, Jericho, and Bethlehem

Day 4 is one of the tour’s central days. You begin with views from the Mount of Olives, then visit the Church of All Nations and the Garden of Gethsemane. Inside Jerusalem’s walls, the route passes through the Armenian Quarter and the Byzantine Cardo before reaching the Jewish Quarter and the Western Wall.

You then follow the Via Dolorosa toward the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The walk through the Old City markets adds a less formal, more everyday side of Jerusalem, though the narrow streets and crowds can make the pace uneven.

Yad Vashem is also included. This Holocaust museum is a serious, emotionally heavy visit, not a quick photo stop. It is closed on Fridays and Saturdays, so the order may need to change if your touring day falls then.

Day 5 moves through the Judean Desert toward the Dead Sea, Jericho, and Bethlehem. A stop at the sea-level marker helps explain the unusual geography of the region. In Jericho, you can see Mount Temptation, associated with Jesus’ forty-day fast.

Bethlehem centers on Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity. You see the fourth-century mosaic floor, the site marked by a star, the manger area, and the altar connected with the Three Wise Men. The nearby Church of St. Catherine and its grotto are included, followed by the Milk Grotto and Shepherds’ Fields.

The Bethlehem visit is one of the route’s most meaningful religious stops, but keep in mind that this is a day trip from your Israeli base. You will be moving through several locations rather than spending extended time in one neighborhood.

Day 6: Masada, Qumran, and the Dead Sea

Day 6 is particularly strong for archaeology and desert scenery. You drive south through the Judean Desert to Masada, Herod’s dramatic mountaintop fortress above the Dead Sea.

The cable car takes you to the top, where you see palace remains, a bathhouse, synagogue, Roman barracks, and other structures. The Snake Path is visible as the old route used to reach the summit. The cable car makes the visit possible for more people, but this is still a hot, exposed site where good shoes and suitable clothing matter.

On the way onward, the route passes Ein Gedi and the Qumran caves, associated with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The day finishes with time to swim or float in the Dead Sea.

Then comes another logistical shift. You are taken to Ben Gurion Airport for a flight to Ramon Airport near Eilat, followed by a transfer to Eilat. If the flight falls on a Friday, the stated plan is an overnight in Tel Aviv and a flight to Eilat the next day. That change can affect the following border schedule, so check the exact arrangement before departure.

Day 7: Petra and the cost of the late-night connection

From Eilat, a driver takes you to the Arava border. Assistance is provided for the border process, and a Jordanian driver continues the two-hour transfer to Petra.

Petra itself is the reward for the long route. You enter the famous canyon passage and reach the Treasury, the monument most associated with the Nabataean city. The tour continues to temples, tombs, caves, a Roman Theater, and other remains.

A full day at Petra requires steady walking on uneven ground. The program lists about ten hours for the day, including border and driving time. Petra by Night is an optional evening activity costing about $15, so you should think carefully before adding it after a full day on your feet.

The next transition is the point I would study most closely before paying. At about 5 p.m., you return toward the border and Eilat. After a short window to eat or swim, you meet again around 9 p.m. for the drive toward the Taba crossing and Egypt. A driver on the Egyptian side takes you toward Mount Sinai.

This means Petra and Sinai are not two relaxed, separate days. They form one continuous push with border procedures and a night transfer between them.

Days 8 and 9: Mount Sinai and the drive to Cairo

The Mount Sinai section is the most physically demanding part of the schedule. The climb begins during the night or in the early morning so you can reach the summit for sunrise. The tour then includes St. Catherine’s Monastery, the Burning Bush, and Jethro’s Well.

St. Catherine’s is described as a sixth-century church and one of the oldest working monasteries in the world. The visit also includes its historic library. These are important sights, but the timing matters more than usual here. You may have had little sleep after Petra, the border crossing, and the overnight drive.

After the Sinai visit, the route continues by road to Cairo for the night. I would pack a small day bag with water, a warm layer for the night, sturdy footwear, and only the essentials for the climb. The provided information calls for moderate physical fitness, and this is where that requirement becomes real.

Days 10 and 11: Giza, Saqqara, Memphis, and Aswan

Cairo’s first sightseeing day begins at the Giza Plateau. You see the pyramids of Cheops, Chephren, and Mycrenos, along with the Sphinx. A short camel ride is included.

The day continues to Saqqara, where the Step Pyramid of Djoser and the pyramids of King Titi are visited. At Memphis, the Open Air Museum includes the statue of Ramses II. Lunch at a local restaurant is included.

The mummy room is not included in the listed admission, so do not assume every museum or pyramid interior is covered. The route already contains a lot, and the Saqqara and Memphis additions make this more than a simple pyramid outing.

On Day 11, you fly from Cairo to Aswan and check in to the ship. After lunch, you visit the Aswan High Dam and Philae Temple, then return for dinner and a Nubian show.

Philae is especially rewarding because the temple setting adds water and boat travel to the experience. The cruise also gives you a needed change of pace after repeated road transfers, though the sightseeing schedule remains active.

Days 12 to 14: Kom Ombo, Edfu, Luxor, and the Valley of the Kings

The ship sails toward Kom Ombo, where you visit the temple of Sobek and Haroeris. You then continue to Edfu for the Temple of Horus before sailing onward to Luxor.

Day 13 focuses on Luxor’s West Bank. The route includes the Theban Necropolis, the Valley of the Kings, and three royal tombs. You return to the ship for lunch and have a free afternoon, followed by onboard entertainment.

Day 14 crosses to the East Bank for Karnak and Luxor temples. Lunch is at a local restaurant, then you fly from Luxor back to Cairo and transfer to your hotel.

This part of the tour is one of its best-planned sections. The ship provides accommodation while the route moves between major Nile sites, reducing the need to pack and unpack each night. You still need energy for the tombs and temple grounds, but the cruise offers a welcome sense of order after Sinai and the multi-border route.

Days 15 to 17: Cairo’s museums, free time, and departure

Your final guided day covers the Egyptian Museum, Cairo’s city center, churches, the Citadel of Salah El Dien, and the Mosque of Mohamed Ali. Optional tours, cruises, and shows may be available through the guide, but they are not specified as included.

Day 16 is free. That day matters because the preceding two weeks are packed with early starts, flights, long drives, and major archaeological sites. You can walk around on your own or rest at the hotel.

Day 17 is the airport transfer to Cairo International Airport. Since the tour begins at Ben Gurion Airport and ends in Cairo, you need a flight plan that fits the final transfer rather than assuming a return from Israel.

Is the $3,478 price good value?

At $3,478 per person, the package has real value if you want all three countries and would otherwise need to arrange several flights, hotels, guides, border transfers, and a Nile cruise separately. Fifteen nights of accommodation, many breakfasts, six lunches, three dinners, internal flights, and extensive sightseeing are included.

The price needs adjusting upward. Add the $130 departure tax, the $60 Egypt visa, and the $75 Jordan visa per person. Petra by Night costs about $15, and some optional Cairo activities cost extra. The Egyptian Museum’s mummy room is also outside the listed inclusion.

The value depends heavily on your tolerance for the schedule. If you prefer slow mornings, independent wandering, or two nights in most places, this is not the right structure. If you want the headline sites and prefer having a driver or guide manage complex transfers, the coverage is strong.

Who should book this tour?

I would recommend it to an active first-time visitor who wants a broad introduction to Israel, Jordan, and Egypt in one booking. It suits you if major religious sites, ancient ruins, desert scenery, and Nile temples matter more than long stays in one city.

I would be cautious if you have mobility limits, dislike overnight travel, or need predictable rest. The Petra-to-Sinai connection is the key concern, not a minor footnote. You should also be comfortable with a group of up to 50 people and with plans changing around flights, traffic, border timing, and the Friday restriction on domestic flights in Israel.

The cancellation terms are strict because the experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed after booking. Make sure your passport is valid and provide each participant’s passport name, number, expiry date, and country when booking. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and the tour operates in all weather.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

It begins at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, with a transfer to Tel Aviv for the first overnight stay.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends with a drop-off at Cairo International Airport in Egypt.

How long is the tour?

It lasts about 17 days and includes 15 nights of accommodation.

What meals are included?

The package includes 15 breakfasts, six lunches, and three dinners.

Are flights included?

Airport-to-airport transport includes flights and climate-controlled van transportation. The itinerary specifically includes flights from Ben Gurion to Ramon Airport, Cairo to Aswan, and Luxor to Cairo.

Are visas included?

No. The listed costs are $60 per person for an Egypt visa and $75 per person for a Jordan visa.

Is the $130 departure tax included?

No. The $130 per person departure tax is not included in the listed price.

Is Petra by Night included?

No. Petra by Night costs about $15 and is listed as an optional activity.

Is the Mount Sinai climb part of the tour?

Yes. The itinerary includes a night or early-morning climb timed for sunrise, followed by a visit to St. Catherine’s Monastery and related sites. You should have moderate physical fitness for this part of the route.