Von der Felsenstadt Petra zu den Pyramiden

[die Tourbeschreibung ist momentan nur auf Englisch verfügbar]

Day 1 to 2
Amman
Starting in Amman, the country's modern yet conservative capital. Situated on a hilly area between the desert and the Jordan Valley, the city blends modern culture with an ancient past. There are ultra-modern buildings, hotels, smart restaurants, art galleries and boutiques to explore in the commercial hub of the city. You can also visit traditional coffee shops and artisans' workshops.
Visit the amphitheatre and the restored Roman Theatre, or walk up to the citadel and admire the fantastic view of the city and surrounding landscapes. From Amman you can also visit the Dead Sea. Other optional trips you can take include the Citadel and the Roman Ruins of Jerash. Take a Turkish bath if you wish, and visit the old souq to test your bargaining skills once more!

Day 3 to 4
Petra - Wadi Rum
We begin with an early morning transfer to Wadi Musa, beside the infamous city of Petra. We check in and go to discover the site of Petra with our Tour Leader.
This magnificent city is made up of stone structures carved into the sheer rock face by the Nabataeans, an ancient Arab civilisation. The Nabataeans settled in Petra over 2,000 years ago and turned it into an important trade route linking China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome. Located deep inside a narrow desert gorge, it is the most mystical and historical of all Jordan's treasures. You will be able to see the remains of what was once a prosperous, thriving community. The beautiful colours of the city lost in the desert have to be seen to be believed!

On day 4 we have the morning free to re-visit and explore the site of Petra.
Later in the afternoon we travel to the spectacular desert area of Wadi Rum where we will spend the night in a Bedouin-style camp. We spend 3 hours exploring the desert by 4 wheel drive and ending our day watching the sunset. Wadi Rum is one of the desert wonders of the world, where endless layers of golden and red sands are enclosed in towering carved rock mountains. We stay with a local Bedouin family, eating local food cooked over a fire under a full sky of stars.

Day 5 to 7
Aqaba - Nuweiba - Dahab - St Catherine
On day 5 after our Bedouin-style camp, we travel to the picturesque Red Sea port of Aqaba. Aqaba is a pleasant resort town and the gateway to the Red Sea. Here you will also find bustling markets and medieval archaeological sites.

On day 6 we board the fast ferry to Nuweiba and then transfer to Dahab on the Red Sea coast. Dahab is a beautiful town famous for its diving and snorkelling. Meaning ‘gold' in Arabic, Dahab has amazing beaches and an almost unrivalled variety of coral gardens and coloured reefs. Here you may find yourself hanging out in a beach café with a shisha pipe, eating sea food while watching the moonlight reflect on the crystal water, riding a camel in the desert, having tea with a Bedouin family or simply watching the local children wander beneath the palm trees selling handmade Bedouin crafts.

On day 7 after a free day in Dahab we transfer to St Catherine late in the evening. Named after the monastery at the foot of Mt Sinai, St Catherine is surrounded by spiky granite mountains, and between two of the highest and most religious mountains in the Sinai, Mt Sinai and Mt St Catherine. Take a walk around the village and you'll be sure to come across Bedouins, camels, trekkers and pilgrims united by the spirit of adventure found so close to Mt Sinai. We leave Dahab in the late evening and transfer to Mt Sinai - no hotel is required for this evening.

Day 8 to 10
Mt Sinai - Cairo
Today we have a very early start to climb Mt Sinai in time for sunrise. Mt Sinai is believed to be where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God. Following in Moses' footsteps we have the opportunity to ascend to the summit in time for sunrise. This means a very early start (between 1-3am depending on the time of year) and involves a fairly strenuous uphill walk along a camel path and finally up 750 stone steps accompanied by your tour leader. The climb takes about three hours although it is possible to take a camel up as far as the steps or hire one halfway up if necessary! There are teahouses dotted along the way and one at the top so not only can you follow the glow of their lights but you can stop for a hot drink and a breather. The view from the top as day breaks is worth every step. There are two routes down the mountain. From the top you must follow the 750 stone steps back down and then can either return along the camel path or follow a winding route down the 'steps of repentance'. Neither route is difficult (particularly as you will no longer need your torch!) however the 3000 or so steps of repentance do have some steep sections and can take around two hours to descend. This afternoon we drive to Cairo via the Suez Canal.

When you arrive in Cairo on day 9 you are thrown headfirst into the hustle and bustle of this wonderful city. As you wander the streets your senses will be assaulted on all levels – with cars tooting, donkeys braying and the call to prayer; the mix of smells like the aroma from cooking pots and the scent of apple tobacco; the delicious taste of mint tea as you sit in a shaded café to relax; and the endless river of life that you can watch roll past you – women haggling in the bazaars, men talking whilst enjoying a traditional shisha pipe, cars vying for space on the crowded roads, camels ambling serenely along and children playing in the back streets.
You have an included visit to the amazing Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza guided by an Egyptologist. The Pyramids really do have to be seen to be believed! To get there we weave our way through the manic Cairo traffic, out into the suburbs and then, suddenly, there they are: huge majestic tombs rising out the desert, towering above the modern city of Cairo and an incredible testament to the immense achievements of the Ancient Egyptians.
Built over five thousand years ago the Pyramids are the only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world that is still standing. We explore the Pyramids and the Sphinx with our local leader who can explain all the mysteries surrounding their creation, were they built by aliens or are they aligned to the stars? Our tour will end after breakfast on Day 10.