Cancellations and Refunds:

Booking is firm once deposit is made. Payments are nonrefundable, but they are transferable to another traveler you could arrange. Replacement traveler would need to be approved by me keeping in spirit with the nature and purpose of this trip as stated herein. I would need to be notified of replacement traveler and all payments in place no later than Aug. 20, 2018. I can also assist in finding a replacement for you as I’m contacted by interested travelers.

Flights/Transportation: Closest major airport is Las Vegas, NV (McCarran International Airport)

Ideal flight arrivals are by or before 1:15pm Oct. 24.

Ideal flight departures are at 3pm or later on Oct. 27.

Please note: Southwest Airlines has a major hub in Las Vegas (but Southwest doesn’t show up in some online fare finders).

Getting to/from Zion from Las Vegas: We will share 1 large van to get to Zion Lodge (a 3 hour drive, with some pretty fantastic energies along the way, especially with this group!) Van seats are first come, first serve, limited to first 8 registrants and at no additional cost. * We will leave the airport at 2pm. I will communicate our meeting point directly with these ride buddies.

Day 1: Wed, Jan 16 2019 – overnight in CAIRO (D)

Flights into Cairo airport code CAI (please select arrival times not later than 3pm).

• Airport Assistance and Visa Service – Representative
• Private Transfer – Airport – Vehicle/Driver
• Unlimited Bottles of Water in vehicle
• Check into hotel
• At Leisure
• Welcome Dinner for the group at 6PM at Le Meridien Pyramids Hotel Including 1 glass of local wine per person

You will be met by an airport representative and escorted through customs and immigration. Your airport representative will assist with baggage claim and facilitate your airport transfer to our hotel (also included).

Enjoy your private airport transfer to our hotel accompanied by an English-speaking guide (could be ~45 min ride depending on arrival time and traffic). Groups of us arriving at similar flight times will be coordinated to travel as a group. If your flight time is not close to another traveler’s then you’ll receive a personal transfer.

NOTE: Unlimited Bottles of Water in vehicle for you.

Enjoy time at leisure to explore at your own pace, or relax at your hotel.

Welcome Dinner for the group at 6PM at Le Meridien Pyramids Hotel, in the main restaurant, with its restaurant check in area visible off of lobby to meet Jill and the rest of the group. Dinner includes 1 glass of local wine per person. Dinner is buffet style with many choices.

You will find most of our meals on the trip are buffet style for convenience, timeliness and widest variety of choices.

Overnight in Cairo at Le Meridien Pyramids hotel (4*) Deluxe Pyramids View room

Day 2: Thu, Jan 17 2019 – overnight in CAIRO (B/L/D)

• Breakfast included in our hotel (including 1 coffee or tea or cappuccino + small bottle of water per person)
• Private Tour – Full Day Old Cairo (5-6hrs) – Vehicle/Guide/Driver
• Included is a visit to Mohammed Ali Mosque
• Lunch at a Local Restaurant (including 1 soda or water or beer/ and tea or coffee per person)
• Private Tour – Evening visit Egyptian Museum Tour with Mummies Room – Vehicle/Guide/Driver
• Dinner at the authentically special Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant (includes one local beer or one glass of local wine or soft drink + one bottled water per person)

Begin the day with a tour of one of the most ancient ruins in Cairo; explore the remains of the Fortress of Babylon. First built by the Persians around the 6th century BC, these ruins are indeed Cairo’s oldest original structure. Within the confines we will find the Church of St. Sergius, where the Holy Family is reported to have stayed, and the Hanging Church, the seat of the Coptic patriarchate for centuries. Visit the Church of Saint Barbara, a charming monument commemorating a 4th century local saint. End the day with a visit to the Coptic Museum.

We will also visit the stunningly beautiful Mohammed Ali Mosque.

Lunch at a Local Restaurant.

We will delve into the historical background of Egypt on a special evening private tour with a trained Egyptologist guide through the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities and its Mummy Room, which houses a priceless treasure of archaeological finds. This location holds the tomb of the King Tut, Egypt’s most famous teenage king! Entrance to the mummies’ room is included. My favorite part of the museum is all the “false doors”… portals to other dimensions, perhaps???

Dinner at the authentically special Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant.

2nd Overnight in Cairo at Le Meridien Pyramids hotel (4*) Deluxe Pyramids View room

Day 3: Fri, Jan 18 2019 – Overnight in CAIRO (B/L/D)

• Breakfast Included in our hotel (including 1 coffee or tea or cappuccino + small bottle of water per person)
• Tour – Private – Full Day Pyramids, Saqqara, Memphis Tour – Vehicle/Guide/Driver – Mykerinous Pyramid
• Special permit to enter the Sphinx enclosure for 1 hour!!
• Lunch at a Local Restaurant (Includes one tea or coffee + one Cappuccino + one local beer OR one local wine or soft drink + one bottled water per person)
• Private Tour – Sunset Desert Trekking with Dinner (Private Transfer – Shared Service) – Vehicle/Guide/Driver/Camel
• Dinner included at Andrea restaurant (includes one local beer or one glass of local wine or soft drink + one bottled water per person)

This, for me, is the day that you thank yourself for making it all this way… because no matter how many images you see of the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx, there is absolutely nothing like being there yourself, looking at it with your own eyes, the sun shining in the background, the feeling of Gaia underneath you as you marvel at the earlier human ancestors who conceived of us such creations, that are still here, right before us. It is absolutely amazing… By the way, for anyone going I highly recommend you order John Anthony West’s Magical Egypt Series. John is a primary factor in my going to Egypt at all, having watched this series when it is was available on Youtube. He passed away from cancer coincidentally while I was with our group in Egypt in Feb 2018. Maybe he joined us for a bit on his way out 🙂

Breakfast at our hotel. The Great Pyramids of Giza are the most iconic image of Egyptology and an absolute must-see on any trip to Cairo. Spend the day discovering Ancient Egypt’s finest monuments and UNESCO World Heritage Sites with a private driver and an Egyptologist guide, starting with historical relics that pre-date the Great Pyramids. Visit the ancient capital Memphis, which lies 12 miles from Cairo. At Saqqara, see the oldest complete stone building complex known in history, featuring an early example of step pyramid construction that functioned as a non-royal burial complex for millennia.

Step back and marvel at the breathtaking scenery of the Great Pyramids of Giza juxtaposed against the famous Sphinx statue. The sheer beauty and allure of the Sphinx have mystified world travelers the likes of Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte, an imposing scene against the backdrop of the infinite desert behind it. The mysteries of the Great Pyramids have piqued the curiosity of visitors for thousands of years. Entrance is included inside one of the Pyramids today.

Please be aware that a limited number of guests are allowed inside the Great Pyramids daily so we will watch the time carefully (and this wasn’t a problem at all last time we were there).

Special permit to enter the Sphinx!!! We didn’t do this last time ~ I’m so excited!

Lunch at a Local Restaurant.

We will be picked up before sunset from our hotel and transferred to the desert to meet our guide. The guide will lead us out into the desert on our choice of camel or horse, where we can enjoy watching the sunset with a panoramic view of the Pyramids of Giza.

This evening includes a stop for dinner at Andrea restaurant before returning to our hotel.

Day 4: Sat, Jan 19 2019 – CAIRO to LUXOR ~ air travel day ~ Overnight in LUXOR (B/L/D)

• Breakfast Included in our hotel (including 1 coffee or tea or cappuccino + small bottle of water per person)
• Hotel check out
• Private Transfer – Airport – Vehicle/Driver
• Flight from Cairo to Luxor (Not Included) – Will be quoted separately
• Private Transfer – Airport – Vehicle/Driver
• Private Tour – Half Day East Bank Tour (Karnak and Luxor Temples) – Vehicle/Guide/Driver
• Sekhmet private entrance within Karnak
• Lunch at a Local Restaurant (Includes one tea or coffee + one Cappuccino + one local beer OR one local wine or soft drink + one bottled water per person)
• Dinner included in our hotel (includes one local beer or one glass of local wine or soft drink + one bottled water per person)

Breakfast at our hotel followed by our private airport transfer accompanied by an English-speaking guide.

Flight from Cairo to Luxor (Not Included) – Will be quoted separately. (Last I checked this flight was about $125 USD. If you’d like to check out current prices as you consider whether to join this trip, please use this info: Jan 19 Flight to Luxor Egyptair #361, depart Cairo at 10:45am, arrive Luxor 11:45am).

Enjoy a private airport transfer accompanied by an English-speaking guide.

Enjoy a private tour with a qualified Egyptologist guide exploring the East Bank of Luxor. Visit the most impressive temples of Karnak and Luxor, while learning about ancient Egyptian history from your own personal guide. Start your day with a visit to the Temples of Karnak. Walk along the Avenue of Sphinx to enter the complex as your guide explains how the massive facade was constructed. Continue to Luxor Temple which was once joined to the Temples of Karnak by a two-kilometre long Avenue of Sphinx, a portion of which marks the entrance to the temple. Your private guide will offer interpretation and guide you through the most important parts of the temples.

Sekhmet private entrance with Karnak. Check out this amazing video another traveler took which captures some of the special energies in this very special statue’s room. Experiencing it for yourself is even more amazing. By the way our first visit to Karnak, we didn’t know this was here… I’ll tell you about that later. Sekhmet found a way to get our attention, bringing us all back to Karnak, just for her 🙂

Lunch at a Local Restaurant.

Dinner at our hotel.

1st Overnight in Luxor at Steigenberger Nile Palace (5*) Nile View room

Day 5: Sun, Jan 20 2019 – Overnight in LUXOR (B/L/D)

• Breakfast Included in our hotel (including 1 coffee or tea or cappuccino + small bottle of water per person)
• Private Tour – Half Day West Bank Tour I (Valley of Kings & Queens, Hatshepsut Temple, Memnon Colossi with King Tut – Vehicle/Guide/Driver
• Special Permit to Nefertari’s Tomb
• Lunch at a Local Restaurant (includes one tea or coffee + one Cappuccino + one local beer OR one local wine or soft drink + one bottled water per person)
• At Leisure
• Dinner included in our hotel (includes one local beer or one glass of local wine or soft drink + one bottled water per person)

Breakfast at our hotel. This morning we will meet up with our guide and explore some of the most incredible sites of the country. We will visit the Valley of the Kings where we will have the chance to explore three tombs including the famous Tutankhamun Tomb (King Tut’s Tomb). For a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, tombs were constructed for the kings and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom (the Eighteenth to the Twentieth Dynasties of Ancient Egypt). The valley stands on the west bank of the Nile, opposite modern Luxor. Then it’s off to the nearby Valley of the Queens and also the recently renovated mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut was the second pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty of Ancient Egypt. She is generally regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful pharaohs, reigning longer than any other woman of an indigenous Egyptian dynasty. The tour includes a visit to the huge Colossi of Memnon which are all that remain of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III.

Special Permit to Nefertari’s Tomb – this place was absolutely magical and so well preserved. I cannot wait for you to see it. We made a special request that this be included in our trip again this time.

Lunch at a Local Restaurant.

Enjoy time at leisure to explore at our own pace, or relax at our hotel.

Dinner at our hotel

Day 6: Mon, Jan 21 2019 – Overnight in LUXOR (B/L/D)

• Breakfast Included in our hotel (including 1 coffee or tea or cappuccino + small bottle of water per person)
• Private Tour – Full Day Dendera & Abydos Tour – Vehicle/Guide/Driver
• Lunch Box (including 1 soda or water per person only)
• Dinner included in our hotel (includes one local beer or one glass of local wine or soft drink + one bottled water per person.

Dendera Day!!!! Yipppeeee! The color blue in this Temple of the Hathors is oceany awesomeness and the hidden chambers underneath are a special treat.

Breakfast at our hotel. This full day tour includes a private vehicle, driver and trained Egyptologist. North of Luxor city (169 kilometers) we will find the ruins of the temples of Abydos, the chief center of the dedication to Osiris, the god of the afterlife. The Abydos necropolis is one of the most ancient in Egypt, and along with the nearby city of Thinis was one of the most important burial places for Kings and high court dignitaries. In the afternoon return south to Dendera Temple dedicated to Hathor, goddess of love, fertility and beauty. Dendera was one of the most ancient and most famous Egyptian cities.

Lunch Box to eat on site.

Dinner at our hotel.

Day 7: Tue, Jan 22 2019 – LUXOR to ASWAN ~ private bus transfer ~ Overnight in ASWAN (B/L/D)

• Breakfast Included in our hotel (including 1 coffee or tea or cappuccino + small bottle of water per person)
• Hotel check out
• Luxor – Aswan [with Edfu & Horus Temple (5hrs)] – Vehicle/Guide/Driver
• Lunch Box (including 1 soda or water per person only)
• Sunset Felucca
• Dinner included in our hotel (includes one local beer or one glass of local wine or soft drink + one bottled water per person)

Breakfast at our hotel. Sit back and relax during this transfer from Luxor to the beautiful Nile valley of Aswan in a private mini-bus. Visit the Nile-side Temple of Horus, the falcon god, built in 230 BC by Ptolemy III.

Lunch Box to eat on site.

Enjoy the a Sunset sail on the Feluccas.

Dinner at our hotel.

Day 8: Wed, Jan 23 2019 – Overnight in ASWAN (B/L/D)

• Breakfast included in our hotel (including 1 coffee or tea or cappuccino + small bottle of water per person)
• Tour – Private – Half Day Philae, Obelisk Tour – Vehicle/Guide/Driver
• Lunch at a Local Restaurant (includes one tea or coffee + one Cappuccino + one local beer OR one local wine or soft drink + one bottled water per person)
• Dinner included in our hotel (includes one local beer or one glass of local wine or soft drink + one bottled water per person)

Breakfast at our hotel.

View the Temple of Philae, dedicated to the Goddess Isis, on the island of Agilika, stopping at the “unfinished obelisk,” a practical demonstration of the methods used by ancient craftsmen to create impressive monuments.

The Goddess Isis story here is a bit disrupted as the island is all recreated from items moved from its original location. So it feels a bit scrambled energetically but nevertheless interesting and worthy of a visit for certain. And, the land on which the re-creation sits, has its own special nature to it (just hidden a bit, but not from us 🙂 )

Lunch at a Local Restaurant.

Dinner at our hotel.

Day 9: Thu, Jan 24 2019 – ASWAN to AMMAN to PETRA ~ air transfer day ~ Overnight in Petra (B/L/D)

• Breakfast included in our hotel (including 1 coffee or tea or cappuccino + small bottle of water per person)
• Hotel check out
• Private Tour – Half Day Nubian Village Tour – Vehicle/Guide/Driver
• Private Transfer – Airport – Vehicle/Driver
• Flight from Aswan to Cairo then Amman (Not Included) – Will be quoted separately at registration
• Arrival in Amman Airport @6:20 pm
• Meet & Assist (obtain free visa for all those who sent their passport details and they are non-restricted nationality in Jordan)
• Dinner at nearby Kan Zaman Restaurant (20 minutes away from Airport) including Mineral Water (bottle for each 2pax) + One round of Soda / sparkling water / Glass of Local Beer or Glass of Local Wine)
• 3 hr drive to Petra in private bus/private driver
• Check in at Movenpick Nabatean Castle and get rest after this particularly long day

Breakfast at our hotel. Enjoy a tour of the Nubian Village in Aswan with your private vehicle, driver and guide. See a traditional Nubian Village, wander through the narrow alleys between the colorful mud-brick dwellings, and enter a typical home. Relax for a few moments, settle in to enjoy tea with a Nubian family and share the timeless Egyptian custom of friendship.

Enjoy a private airport transfer accompanied by an English-speaking guide.

Flight from Aswan (through Cairo) then Amman (Not Included) – Will be quoted separately. (Last I checked, cost was ~ $400 USD. If you’d like to check out prices it’s Jan 24 flight from Aswan to Cairo, Egypt Air #412 departure 2:25 pm then flight from Cairo to Amman on Egypt Air #701 departure 5:05 pm.)

We will arrival at the Amman Airport at approximately 6:2opm and be greeted and assisted with visa assistance a

Meet & Assist (obtain free visa for all those who sent their passport details and they are non-restricted nationality in Jordan)

Dinner at nearby Kan Zaman Restaurant (20 minutes away from Airport).

3 hr drive to Petra in private bus/private driver (I predict some napping going on during this drive 🙂 )

Check in at the Movenpick Nabatean Castle and get some much needed rest after this particularly long day.

Day 10: Fri, Jan 25 2019 – Overnight in Petra (B/L/D)

• Breakfast at our hotel including round of Cappuccino or Latte or Turkish coffee per person
• full day guided tour of Petra site
• Buffet style lunch at Basin Restaurant inside the site including Mineral Water (bottle for each 2pax) + One round of Soda / sparkling water / Glass of Local Beer or Glass of Local Wine)
• Dinner at our hotel including Mineral Water (bottle for each 2pax) + One round of Soda / sparkling water / Glass of Local Beer or Glass of Local Wine)

Breakfast at our hotel. After breakfast we will meet our guide and have short 15-minute ride to the Petra site entrance. Petra is magical!!

Note on footwear for today: This is a walking tour with a lot of uneven terrain and some uphill and downhill hiking so please wear comfortable shoes with some good grip souls. There is the opportunity for camel rides (and I think burros as well) within Petra (not included) for anyone who wants some four-legged animal assistance 🙂 but last time everyone made it on their own.

Lunch will take place inside Petra at a local restaurant.

Short horse & buggy ride between Petra Site entrance and Siq (about 800 meters) is included in the Petra ticket fee. Last time we were here, some of us preferred to walk. I enjoyed the horse and buggy ride after the Petra tour, back to the site entrance.

Inside Petra there is a lovely man that sells spices, essential oils uniquely available from the Middle East and other lovely (they make great gifts).

The pictures to the right are of the group on the walk towards what is called The Treasury (pictured below, an iconic image of Petra). The details of this structure, carved into the stone mountain, are breathtaking. While walking with our guide last year, he happened to mention that the story is that a group of non-natives arrived, built the intricately carved structures and then that unusual group left, even disappeared… as our guide told us this it reminded me of something out of the Celestine Prophecy 🙂 Mysteries, living legends, timeless explorers making a mark then feeling done and departing into other realities 🙂

Dinner at our hotel.

Day 11: Sat, Jan 26 2019 – Overnight in Petra (B/L/D)

• Breakfast at Petra Hotel including round of Cappuccino or Latte or Turkish coffee
• 1 1/2hrs drive to Wadi Rum national part for jeep tour in the amazing moon-like desert and very special landscape
• traditional Bedouin lunch ~ main dish is “Zarb” where they cook meat and chicken under the sand. Lunch includes Mineral Water (bottle for each 2pax) + One round of Soda / sparkling water / Glass of Local Beer or Glass of Local Wine
• drive back to Petra Hotel for dinner including Mineral Water (bottle for each 2pax) + One round of Soda / sparkling water / Glass of Local Beer or Glass of Local Wine

After our breakfast we will meet our guide and head out to Wadi Rum. It has a supernatural feel to it and appears other worldly in some ways. The Matt Damon movie, Mars, including filming here for the Mars landscape scenes. It can be chilly here, like high desert ~ please include layers for keeping warm if we encounter any colder/windy/wet days. Last year it rained the night before we went to Wadi Rum (it only rains about 1-2 times each year – we felt blessed and you could tell the locals loved it!).

The pictures to the right are a group shot from last year and below it a pic of me with one of our jeep drivers. He ended up offering his coat to one of the guests who was cold but still wanted to ride in the back of the jeep for a more thrilling adventure. I fell in love with the people here and you may as well.

We will eat an authentic lunch at a camp within Wadi Rum, enjoy local music and possibly see some dancing, or join in 🙂

Then we head back to our hotel in Petra for dinner.

3rd Overnight in Petra at Movenpick Nabatean Castle (5*)

Day 12: Sun, Jan 27 2019 – Travel day by private bus to Amman ~ Overnight at Dead Sea then flights home (some will have pre-dawn flights Jan 28 home) (B/L/D)

• Final breakfast together at Petra Hotel including round of Cappuccino or Latte or Turkish coffee
• Hotel check out
• Drive to Bethany for visit to baptismal site of Jesus Christ at John the Baptist spring
• Check in at Dead Sea Hotel
• Lunch at main restaurant including Mineral Water (bottle for each 2pax) + One round of Soda / sparkling water / Glass of Local Beer or Glass of Local Wine
• Afternoon for spa treatments, swimming in Dead Sea, playing in Dead Sea mud or relaxation
• Final Dinner together at hotel including Mineral Water (bottle for each 2pax) + One round of Soda / sparkling water / Glass of Local Beer or Glass of Local Wine
• After dinner, we can use our rooms to relax and wait for their flights home
• Departure transfers to Amman Airport for departure using Cars and minivans with English-speaking drivers arranged based on flights timing and with assistance at Amman Airport.

Our last full day together! After breakfast and checking out, we will head back towards Amman (about 3 hours in our own private bus). Our first visit will be to Bethany for a short hike towards a natural spring that is the actual site where John the Baptist baptized Jesus. Interestingly, there is now a site a walk further where it is more convenient for other baptisms and so they sort of pretend that the baptism happened at the now developed area 🙂 Humans and our conveniences. Our local guide can share more about this, and of course we can tap into what we are feeling/”getting” about this site as well.

We will get on the bus for another short drive where we can actually get our feet or more into the Jordan river. Israel is on the other side, often filled with tour buses, people in white gowns, getting baptized in the Jordan river. The Jordan side was extremely mellow and relaxed with only our tour bus. Interesting contrast to observe.

Next we head off to check into our hotel located directly on the Dead Sea. We will have lunch there, then off for spa treatments, swimming in the Dead Sea and playing in the mud if you desire. The Dead Sea has such salinity that you completely float in it – it feels lovely. People from across the globe come to the Dead Sea for its natural healing properties. A fun, playful, restorative way to end our journeys.

Tip: Please bring a swimsuit (ideally a black or dark colored one you don’t mind getting muddy) for the Dead Sea experience, and possibly some waterproof shoes as the shoreline has uncomfortable large stones.

Dinner will be at our hotel, our Last Supper together.

Flights home should be booked out of Amman Queen Alia International Airport (airport code AMM) for Monday Jan 28 for 12am or later. Sounds strange but actually you’ll find most flights out of Amman through Europe or through Dubai are around this midnight-ish time up to even around 6am.

We will each have private transfers to the airport with luggage service. Travel agency will arrange us in groups based on similar flight times. If your departure flight isn’t close to anyone else’s than you will have your own personal transport.

1st and only Overnight in Amman at Movenpick Dead Sea Hotel (5*) ~ our Final night before flights home