Middle East Grand Tour

Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul

  Open your Middle East Grand Tour from Turkey, strategically located on the crossroad between the East and the West. Upon arrival in Istanbul, be welcomed and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is for refreshment or a self-guided exploration of this sophisticated metropolitan.

  • Istanbul

• Day 2: Istanbul City Highlights

  Your Istanbul city tour starts from the Topkapi Palace, a museum boasting fabulous collections of jewels and cultural relics from the Ottoman time and even earlier.
  Continue to the Hagia Sophia, one of the most extraordinary buildings in the history of architecture. The nearby Blue Mosque is the landmark of Istanbul. Later, you will visit the Basilica Cistern, and then take a leisurely walk in the ancient hippodrome.

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  • Istanbul

• Day 3: Istanbul - Cappadocia

  Take a morning flight arriving at Kayseri in central Anatolia. On arrival, be welcomed and escorted to discover the colorful landscapes of Cappadocia: the strange rocks in all shapes at the Devrent Valley, the fairy chimneys at Pasabagi Valley, beautiful examples of Byzantine art in the cave churches of the Goreme Open Air Museum, the Uchisar Castle dating to Byzantine times, and the Pigeon Valley with numerous pigeons reside in the dovecote caved into the cliff.

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  • Cappadocia

• Day 4: Cappadocia, Kaymakli Underground City and Valleys

  Your tour today starts from the Ortahisar, an ancient fortress that has witnessed countless ups and downs in history. Climb up to the peak of this towering castle and get a panoramic view of the surroundings.

  Continue to Kaymakli Underground City, crawling through its narrow tunnels to discover the dark life of the persecuted Christians in the 7th century. For the rest of the day, discover more than Cappadocia has been gifted by nature: the Cavusin Valley and the Red Valley changed dynamically with the afternoon sun glow.

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  • Cappadocia

• Day 5: Cappadocia - Istanbul - Cairo

  After breakfast, get to Kayseri airport for your flight back to Istanbul, where you can change to another flight to Egypt.

  Upon arrival, meet our representative at the airport and take a private transfer to your Cairo hotel.

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  • Cairo

• Day 6: Cairo

  Today, you will get a deeper understanding of ancient Egypt. Have a private guided tour to Memphis, the capital of ancient Egypt. Then, marvel at magnificent pyramids, the symbol of Egypt. The Step Pyramid of Saqqara is the earliest pyramid in Egypt, while the Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest one. You will also see the mysterious Sphinx today.

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  • Cairo

• Day 7: Cairo

  Today, your exploration will start from the Egyptian Museum, where you can meet extensive collections of ancient Egypt. Continue to Old Cairo for the Citadel of Salah El-Din, a part of the World Heritage Site Historic Cairo. After that, take a leisure walking around the Khan El Khalili Bazaar and visit a working studio to learn about the process of making papyrus.

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  • Cairo

• Day 8: Cairo - Luxor

  After breakfast, fly to Luxor, the site of ancient Thebes. After a short break, enjoy a private guided tour to the east bank. The tour includes the Temples of Karnak - the largest temple in Egypt, and the sacred Luxor Temple.

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  • Luxor

• Day 9: Luxor - Cairo

  Today, you'll take a private guided tour to visit the west bank of Luxor. Follow the steps of your guide to explore the Valley of the Kings, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Colossi of Memnon. After the tour, fly to Cairo overnight.

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  • Cairo

• Day 10: Cairo - Amman - Petra

  Today, you will fly to Amman. When your flight lands at the airport, our representative is waiting to assist you in customs formalities. Get out and meet your private driver, who will escort you to Petra. It will take about 3 hours.

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  • Petra

• Day 11: Petra

  After breakfast, you will pass through a narrow canyon to entrance Petra. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its rock-cut architecture. After having a 2-hour private guide tour, you can stroll around the paved streets to take in the buildings carved into rose-red rocks.

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  • Petra

• Day 12: Petra - Allenby Bridge Border - Jerusalem

  This morning, you will depart for the Allenby Bridge. Along the way, make a stop at Madaba for its colorful mosaics, and overlook the holy land from the top of Mt. Nebo. When arriving at the Allenby Bridge, you need to pass the border on your own. Your private driver on the Israeli side is waiting for you, and ready to escort you to your hotel in Jerusalem.

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  • Jerusalem

• Day 13: Jerusalem

  The old city of Jerusalem is a holy city for Muslims, Christian, and Jewish. You will experience the sacred atmosphere and visit religious sites including the Mount of Olives, the Gethsemane, the King David's Tomb, the Wailing Wall, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

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  • Jerusalem

• Day 14: Jerusalem - Bethlehem - Jerusalem

  Set out on a guided tour by driving south to Bethlehem. Be sure to see the silver star, where Jesus Christ was born according to the Hebrew; then, explore the multitude of Churches and Chapels within the Church of the Nativity, one of the most important sites in Israel. Manger Square will be next. It is a good place for you to feel the pulse of the city. You can also visit the Shepherds Field, and then travel back to Jerusalem.

  In the sacred city, head to the Israel Museum in its New City. It houses artifacts related to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Don't miss the city model in the time of the Second Temple and the Dead Sea Scrolls uncovered in Qumran. Later, stop at the Holocaust Memorial of Yad Vashem, and relax at the busy Machane Yehuda Market before returning to your hotel in Jerusalem.

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  • Jerusalem

• Day 15: Jerusalem - Tel Aviv, Departure

  After breakfast, bring your memories head to the airport to catch your flight back home.

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