Arrive in Cairo International airport, the ‘city of a thousand minarets’. You will be met and transferred to your city centre hotel ahead of this evening’s welcome dinner and briefing.

Visit Egypt’s most iconic sites: the Pyramids of Giza and the unblinking Sphinx, guardian of the mortuary complex. The Sphinx was poetically described by the writer John Lawson Stoddard as 'grand in its loneliness; veiled in the mystery of unnamed ages'. After lunch, explore the atmospheric Cairo Museum* with its collections of statues, mummies and pharaonic treasures. Later, explore the Khan el Khalili Bazaar, a souk famed for its precious and semiprecious jewellery. *Please note: Should the new Grand Egyptian Museum be open when you travel, then the Cairo Museum visit will be replaced by a visit to the new Grand Egyptian Museum, to which the artefacts will be moved.

Spend the morning exploring Cairo’s oldest district, the Coptic Quarter. Explore its Coptic churches and the impressive Christian artefact collection at the Coptic Museum. Later, continue to Sakkara, an ancient necropolis famed for its painted catacombs and the famous Step Pyramid of Djoser. Built for the Pharaoh by his architect, the high priest Imhotep, this 27th BC structure was Egypt’s first ever pyramid. Inside, you’ll see wonderful carvings on the alabaster stone walls. Visiting the Step Pyramid of Djoser requires some crouching to walk down a short sloping tunnel. The tunnel is both the entrance and exit, and you will be able to turn around if uncomfortable. You can opt to wait for the group outside the pyramid if you prefer.

Take the desert road to Alexandria, on Egypt’s northern coast. This afternoon, discover Alexandria’s breathtaking highlights, from the Roman theatre to the beautifully-carved Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, a 2nd century construction and one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. Three tiers of underground tombs are found here, with atmospheric reliefs of gods and serpentine spirits carved into the walls. Pause to admire the renovated 15th-century Qaitbay Citadel, once an important defensive stronghold on Africa’s Mediterranean coastline.

Depart Alexandria and visit nearby El Alamein, the site of two key battles during World War II. The Allied Victory in the second battle was instrumental in ending the Axis threat to Egypt. Visit the military museum and Commonwealth war cemeteries. Head southeast back to Cairo, stopping en route to visit the historic Monastery of St Macarius the Great, continuously inhabited by Coptic Orthodox monks from the 4th century up to the present day.

Take a short flight from Cairo to the city of Luxor, boarding your 5-star Nile cruise ship before lunch. This afternoon, we visit sites around Luxor’s East Bank, exploring the Temples of Luxor and Karnak. Both are dedicated to the Theban Triad: the sun god Amun the Creator, his consort Mut (mother of the world) and their son Khonsu, god of the moon. Return to the ship for dinner.

Start the day with a visit to Luxor’s West Bank, one of the most stunning landscapes in Egypt. Our day begins with a stop at the eerie Colossi of Memnon statues before continuing to the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir-el-Bahari, the mortuary complex of one of Egypt’s earliest female pharaohs. Continue to the Valley of the Kings, burial site of almost all New Kingdom pharaohs of the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties. Visit the tomb of Tutankhamun, along with some other tombs of your choice. The Valley’s many-chambered tombs are richly decorated with vibrant wall paintings depicting the stories of their rule, their gods and legends of the afterlife. This evening, the ship sails to the farming town of Esna.

Continue to Edfu, south of Esna, to visit the Temple of Horus and its wealth of inscriptions. Although it was built under the Ptolemaic dynasty, its style appears much older, and it remains impressively intact. During lunch, sail to the agricultural town of Kom Ombo, famous for its Ptolemaic-era twin temples to falcon-headed Horus and crocodile-headed Sobek. This evening, sail toward Aswan.

Rise early and journey southwest to the iconic temples of Abu Simbel, at Egypt’s furthest edge. The Great Temple here is dedicated to Ramesses II, sometimes said to be the greatest pharaoh of the New Kingdom; four 66-foot-high statues of him flank its entrance, and many more enormous statues and halls filled with wall paintings are to be seen inside. To the right of the Ramesses temple entrance is the Small Temple, dedicated to Nefertari (Ramesses’ chief queen) and the sky deity Hathor, the symbolic mother of all pharaohs. Return to the ship in Aswan. The drive from Aswan to Abu Simbel takes around three hours, but is almost universally considered worth the journey by all who have visited in the two centuries since its discovery. Many consider it the highlight of Egypt.

Spend the morning exploring the great monuments around Aswan. You’ll visit the 3600-metre long High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and the majestic Temple of Philae. This afternoon, board a traditional felucca boat and enjoy a relaxing cruise around the area before dinner. This evening, fly back to Cairo, where you’ll stay in a hotel near the airport ahead of tomorrow’s flight to Jordan.

Fly to Amman and be transferred to your city centre hotel ahead of this evening’s briefing and welcome dinner.

Continue to Jerash, an ancient Roman city known as ‘the Pompeii of the East’; it is one of the best-preserved Roman towns outside Italy. Learn about the city's history and explore its many archaeological remains. Take a short drive on to the town of Ajloun, a small town overlooked by the Saracen fortress of Qa'lat Al Rabad in the Jordan Valley. Stop by the Biscuit House, a community project providing employment to local women, and try your hand at one of the heritage crafts preserved here. After, head back to Amman and relax before dinner.

Enjoy a tour of the old city of Amman this morning, exploring Amman’s Roman amphitheatre and the hilltop Citadel, home to ruins from many periods of Amman’s history. Later, head out of the city for a visit to some of Jordan's Desert Castles, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Qasr Amra, a stunning example of early Islamic art and architecture and boasting impressive frescoed ceilings. Stop at the mysterious site of Al Kharanah, a many-roomed house or palace about which little is known, before visiting the intriguing Azraq Castle. Built in the 13th century, Azraq also served as Lawrence of Arabia’s headquarters in the winter of 1917, during the Great Arab Revolt.

After breakfast, you will make your way to Mount Nebo. It is said to be from here that Moses viewed the promised land in Canaan before his death. Explore the ruins of Nebo’s 4th and 5th-century churches, whose floors are still covered with marvellous and intricate mosaics. Continue to the town of Madaba to visit the Orthodox Church of St George and the Madaba Mosaic Map, the oldest surviving depiction of the Holy Land. Your evening ends in the town of Petra, where we’ll enjoy an authentic Levantine cooking class, preparing soup, appetisers and a main course under the expert eye of a local chef.

This morning you will marvel at the beauty of Petra, the ‘Lost City of the Nabateans’ carved directly into the rugged sandstone cliffs. Surrounded by imposing mountains, the former capital of the Nabatean Empire is approached through a deep cleft in the rocks known as the Siq. Rounding the last corner of the Siq and being confronted with the magnificent façade of the famous Treasury is an emotive experience for many travellers. Your guide will introduce you to Petra’s many secrets before an afternoon at leisure. This evening, we’ll return to Petra and experience the unforgettable sight of the Treasury lit by over a thousand candles. Enhanced by the play of light and shadow, 'Petra by Candlelight’ is an altogether overwhelming experience.

Spend the morning at Little Petra, a nearby Nabatean site on a smaller scale and less well-known to visitors. Look out for the Painted Biclinium room with its remains of Nabatean wall-paintings. Journey to Wadi Rum; the ‘Valley of the Moon’. This adventurer’s paradise epitomises the romance of the Arabian desert, with ancient valleys and towering sandstone mountains erupting dramatically from the white and pink sands. A 4x4 will whisk you through the dunes to see ‘Lawrence’s Road’, visiting the most spectacular sights of Wadi Rum. Hear its long history and role in the Great Arab Revolt and the story of Lawrence of Arabia. Drive among sand dunes and canyons with Bedouin petroglyphs, and venture through the dry oasis to see the iconic Seven Pillars of Wisdom. These rough, coarse columns of sandstone and granite were originally called Jabal Al-Mazmar, and renamed after Lawrence’s autobiography. This evening you will stay in a unique desert camp – a wonderful opportunity for stargazing and a chance to experience diyafah (Bedouin hospitality). Please note that temperatures in Wadi Rum can drop sharply at night. Make sure to bring a warm jacket with you. You will be camping in a large Bedouin en-suite tent with electricity and all necessary amenities.

Depart Wadi Rum this morning, heading north along the Jordanian/Israeli border to the Dead Sea – the lowest point on earth. Many travellers come to bathe in these unique waters and the high salt content and mineral-rich mud are said to bring many health benefits. After lunch, you are free to enjoy the delights of the Dead Sea, bathing in its super-buoyant waters, or perhaps simply relax in your hotel room before dinner.

After breakfast you will transfer to Queen Alia International Airport, Amman for your onward flight.