Day 10: (Sunday) CAIRO.
Rise at your leisure this morning, with a full day of optional activities to choose from. After looking at all that magnificent treasure in the museum, shoppers will be ready to browse and buy! Along with our guide, you can choose to join her at the famous Khan el Khalili Bazaar where travelers have been finding great bargains since the middle ages. Cairo is known as a shopping paradise for those seeking antiques, Bedouin handicrafts and silver jewelry.

Optional Full Day Tour to Alexandria with lunch (USD 180 per person)
Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, Alexandria is Egypt's second largest city and main port. We'll explore the well-preserved ruins of the Roman Amphitheater, the Alexandria Library, and the outside of Fort Qaitbey. Round trip transfers, guided tour and lunch at a local restaurant are included. Return to the hotel is in the early evening.

While we are in Cairo we will have the honor of an invitation to meet members of the Blind Girls' Orchestra, in what will surely be a moving and inspiring experience. In 1954, a group of women established the Al Nour Wal Amal (Light and Hope) Association as the first center in Egypt for the education, vocational training and care of visually-impaired girls. Seven years later, a music institute was created and later gave birth to the Egyptian Blind Girls' Chamber Orchestra. The goal of the orchestra and the institute is to introduce girls to an art form that visually-challenged musicians can excel in, and which allows them a creative way to express their emotions. Starting with a choir of 15 girls, the group grew to its present 38-member repertory. It was founded by Samha El-Kohly former president of the Egyptian Academy of Arts, Ministry of Culture, and the former dean of the Cairo Conservatory of Music. The Orchestra has achieved great status worldwide, traveling abroad to enthral listeners with the music of Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and other classical composers.

This evening, a special farewell dinner will be held under the stars at the hotel.

(Breakfast, Dinner)

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Day 1: (Monday) CAIRO/ AMMAN/ PETRA.
In the morning you will join the group transfer to the Cairo Airport for the short Egypt Air flight to Amman. When you arrive at Queen Alia International Airport, you will be met by our local representatives who will assist you with your luggage, customs procedures, and passport formalities. You will then be escorted outside to meet your private driver. The distance to Petra is about 200 km (125 mi) south. As we travel along the picturesque Kings Highway, we will stop to visit a number of extraordinary sites.

Madaba, "the City of Mosaics," is one of the most memorable places in the Holy Land. A prime attraction is the contemporary Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, where a 6th century Byzantine mosaic design on the floor depicts a wonderfully vivid map of Jerusalem and other holy sites. Created with two million pieces of colored stone, it is a masterpiece to behold.

The most revered holy site in Jordan is Mount Nebo, the place where Moses was buried. Located atop an elevated ridge overlooking the Dead Sea, one can view the vast panorama that also encompasses the Jordan River Valley, Jericho, and Jerusalem, often referred to as the Holy Land. The Serpentine Cross, which stands just outside the sanctuary, is symbolic of the brass serpent taken by Moses into the desert, and the cross upon which Jesus was crucified. As we continue, we'll pass by Wadi Al Mujib, a scenic nature reserve with small rivers and waterfalls running through it - one of many in Jordan - that also happens to be the lowest one in the world.

We will visit Crusader Castle, an ancient castle located in the city of Karak that overlooks the Dead Sea. This is where the first contact between Islam and the non-Arab/Byzantine world occurred. A dark maze of stone-vaulted walls and endless passageways, the castle is one of the three largest in the region, the other two being in Syria.

Just 7 miles southeast of Petra is where we will check into our hotel, the quite unique Taybet Zaman, where you are free for dinner and relaxation. The town of Taybet Zaman was an authentic old Bedouin village carved out of the mountains. After it was abandoned in the 1960s, the entire village of 105 original stone houses was converted into a resort hotel. Each house, now a guest room, is furnished with Bedouin rugs and fabrics, and features private bathrooms, satellite TV, direct dial telephone, mini-bar and a hairdryer. While recapturing the spirit of 19th century style of living, guests can sample the old charming beauty of the area without sacrificing modern comforts. The village is complete with stone alleyways, a piazza, an Arab hammam (bath) and a souk (bazaar). Overnight Petra

(Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 2: (Tuesday) PETRA.
Following breakfast at hotel, we'll set out to tour the "Red Rose City" of Petra, without doubt Jordan's most valuable treasure. It is a vast, awe-inspiring place, carved into the sheer rock by the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled here more than 2,000 years ago. As an important junction for the silk and spice trade routes, it linked China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome. By the 14th century, Petra was completely lost to the West, and so it remained for almost 300 years. Then in 1812, a Swiss traveler named Johann Ludwig Burckhardt persuaded his guide to take him to the rumored lost city where he made secret notes and sketches. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Petra is preserved for the ages.

Upon arrival we will take a short ride by horseback from the main entrance, through the Siq - a huge crack in the Nubian sandstone - to reach the Treasury, Petra's most famous monument. The location has been famously featured in such Hollywood blockbusters as "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" and "The Mummy Returns." We'll visit the 3,000-seat Roman Theater, the Temple of the Winged Lion, a Palace Tomb, the Courts, and Qasr al-Bint, the only surviving freestanding building. The guided tour lasts for about 3 hours, after which you are free to explore on your own. Those interested have the option to climb over 900 rock-cut stairs to reach a gigantic 1st century Monastery.

(Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 3: (Wednesday) PETRA / AMMAN.
After breakfast we will depart for Amman and a tour of this capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Amman reflects an interesting mix of ancient and modern civilizations, where Ammonites, Greek, Roman, Byzantines, and Moslems all left their footprints in and around the city. The Citadel is an excellent place to see the archaeological sites of the city. Not only do the excavations here reveal numerous ancient remains, but its mountaintop location provides a stunning view of the entire area. We'll tour the National Archaeological Museum to see a collection of unusual historic finds, including famous Dead Sea Scrolls, preserved skulls and rhinoceros teeth that date back 200,000 years. A visit through Amman's much older Downtown Market and City Center reveals its traditional souks, coffee shops, and cafes that sell local food and sweets. A wide assortment of shopping centers and arcades offer everything from intricate gold and silver jewelry to everyday items. There is plenty of nightlife, from cultural and theatrical events to traditional Arabic entertainment, modern restaurants and clubs.

In the afternoon we will check into the 4-star Imperial Palace Hotel. Located in an affluent area of west Amman, the hotel is only 10 minutes from the vibrant downtown district, and just 30 minutes from the airport. A concierge is available around the clock to offer assistance and to help you make the best of your stay. Guest rooms feature modern amenities including Wi-Fi internet access, satellite TV, direct dial telephone, air conditioning, coffee/tea maker, iron and ironing board, slippers, bathrobes and a hair dryer in the bathroom. Complimentary fruits offer extra refreshment.

(Breakfast, Dinner)

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