Crusaders Path
Tour Itinerary from Cairo
Day 1: Accommodation: 
With almost 20 million people Cairo is a hectic, chaotic city. We include a visit to the Sphinx and Pyramids at Giza, with a local guide (this also includes a camel ride around the Pyramids), and a visit the Egyptian History Museum in the afternoon. Entry fees and Egyptologist guide are included.
Days 2 to 5: Accommodation: + Felucca
Arguably the most attractive city on the Nile, Aswan is imbued with the relaxed attitude of the Nubian people who live here. During the two days you are in Aswan you stay in a two star, locally-owned hotel. You will have the opportunity to visit Abu Simbel, the great stone monuments built by Ramses II, as well as a number of temples and tombs on the West Bank of the Nile - across the river from Aswan - accessible by ferry or felucca. Elephantine Island is also well worth visiting, with small ferries crossing all the time. From Aswan you take a traditional Egyptian sailboat or 'felucca' on the Nile River. You spend the next two days aboard watching Egypt glide by and sleeping under the stars. As well as the felucca captain, you also have a cook who will be preparing three meals a day for you while on board. You have the option of stopping off at Kom Ombo and visiting the Temple of Horus at Edfu, before continuing on to Luxor.
Days 6 to 8: Accommodation: 
Luxor is where you re-join your overland truck and camp here for three nights. Visit the Valley of the Kings on donkeys and your local guide will explain the 3000 year old history of the Pharaohs and their mummification and journey through the underworld. There is also the option to go to the Valley of the Queens and the Valley of the Workers, Queen Hatshepsuts Temple, Karnak Temple with its sound and light show, and Luxor Temple. We drive for a day and a half through the desert passing under the Red Sea and theSuez Canal stop off at Mount Sinai and St. Catherine's Monastery which are deep in the desert. It was here, that Moses received the Ten Commandments. It is a great place to camp the night and watch the sunrise.
Days 9 to 14: Accommodation:
Dahab, on the Red Sea Coast is your base for the next couple of days. Here, you can snorkel or scuba dive to some of the best coral reefs in the world, go desert quad biking or just lie on the beach. You can also take a one-day camel safari and trek off-road down the desert coastline. You leave Egypt by ferry across the Red Sea to Aqaba in Jordan. From here it is a short drive into the Wadi Rum desert where you camp overnight. The silent nights are unforgettable with their stunning blanket of stars. Wadi Rum has some of the most spectacular desert scenery anywhere in the world and it was here that Lawrence of Arabia and his Arab forces had their secret base. Here you have the option of taking a 4WD jeep safari with Bedouin guides.
Days 15 to 19: Accommodation: /
Climbing into the mountains you spend the next two nights in a locally-owned hotel at Petra. Situated in a deep ravine with towering sandstone cliffs and hills, the ancient City of Petra is carved out of the rock. The sheer size and architecture of the rock hewn buildings is quite breath-taking. The Nabetaeans who built Petra over 2000 years ago grew to immense wealth by first plundering and then extorting 'safe passage' tolls from the spice and slave caravans that had to pass through their territory. Eventually the Romans took Petra, and some of their influence can also be seen. The Dead Sea is over 1000ft below sea level, very hot throughout the year, and is claimed to have many therapeutic qualities. Situated in the northern-most point of the Great Rift Valley of Africa it is formed by the River Jordan which flows into it. You can indulge in relaxing mud baths and an unusual swimming - or rather floating - experience in this highly buoyant salt sea. In the late afternoon you have a short drive toMt Nebo with its stunning views over Israel - it is also the final resting place for Moses. Regarded as the most important Biblical sight in Jordan, this is where Moses - after leading the Israelites for 40 years through the wilderness - first saw the Promised Land. This is also where Moses died and we visit the Church Of Moses dating back 1700 years. If there is time you also visit the nearby town of Madaba and stop briefly in Amman, the capital of Jordan. Steeped in history - it is mentioned in the Old Testament and the Bible - it is now a modern, cosmopolitan Arab city with an extremely friendly and well-educated population. It is less than a days drive to cross the border into Syria and arrive inDamascus.
Days 20 to 21: Accommodation:
Damascus - Spend time in the oldest inhabited city in
the world. Syrians are among the most hospitable people you will ever meet. The
country has a rich and varied history with the Egyptian, Roman, Babylonian and
Persian Empires having all passed through here along with Jesus and his
disciples. From here, depending on the political and security situation inLebanon, there is the option of taking a one day guided tour intoLebanon and Beirut,
which includes a guided visit to Baalbek Roman Temple, a city tour of Beirut as well as free time in this
quickly regenerating city, fast recovering from the civil war of the 80's and
90's.
Tour Itinerary from Damascus
Days 1 to 2: Accommodation:
Damascus - Spend time in the oldest inhabited city in
the world. Syrians are among the most hospitable people you will ever meet. The
country has a rich and varied history with the Egyptian, Roman, Babylonian and
Persian Empires having all passed through here along with Jesus and his
disciples! From here, depending on the political and security situation inLebanon, there is the option of taking a one day guided tour intoLebanon and Beirut,
which includes a guided visit to Baalbek Roman Temple, city tour of Beirut as well as free time in this
quickly regenerating city, fast recovering from the civil war of the 80's and
90's.
Days 3 to 8: Accommodation: /
A one day drive then takes you into Jordan and the Dead Sea. Therapeutic mud baths are followed by an unusual swimming experience in this highly buoyant salt sea. Camp overnight on Mt Nebo which overlooks Israel, before visiting one of the main attractions in the Middle East - The Rose Red City of Petra. This stone carved city was only uncovered about 70 years ago after being forgotten for over 1000 years. Walking through an incredibly narrow, rocky defile brings you out to Petra's most famous site - The Treasury - The Nabataeans who carved this vast red city in 3rd Century BC controlled the spice and slave caravans from Asia on their way to Arabia. On your way to Aqaba you desert camp over night at Wadi Rum. There is the option of taking a 4WD jeep safari deep into the desert with Bedouin guides. From Aqaba, we take the ferry across the Red Sea to theSinai Desert in Egypt..
Days 9 to 14: Accommodation:
Dahab is your base for the next few days. You can snorkel or scuba dive to some of the best coral in the world or try your hand at various water sports or just relax on the beach. Mount Sinai and St. Catherine's Monastery are nearby deep in the desert. It was here, that Moses received the Ten Commandments. It is a great place to camp the night and watch the sunrise. Leaving the Sinai you cross the Suez Canal for a long drive to Luxor via Hurghada. Dahab also has many beach cafes and quirky restaurants serving great seafood as well as traditional Arabic food. For the energetic you can take a one day camel safari and trek off road down the desert coast line with experienced Bedouin guides and camels you will reach areas few tourists ever see.
Days 15 to 20: Accommodation: + Felucca
In Luxor you stay in a campsite with a swimming pool and you have two full
days to explore. You will have time to visit Valley of the Kings &
Queens, Karnak Temple and its Sound and Light Show and Luxor
Temple. The remarkably well preserved tombs of Ramses II andTutankhamun have coloured paintings and hieroglyphics that still seem
fresh after 3000 years. You then travel ontoAswan, arguably the most attractive city on
the Nile. You can walk along the Corniche with its riverside restaurants,
some of them floating, as well as the tremendous views of the Nile cataracts. You
spend two days here which gives you enough time to take a trip out to the stone
monuments of Abu Simbel built by the greatest of allPharaohs Ramses II. On the third day, you have the
opportunity to enjoy the Nile River from a traditional felucca sail
boat for a two day trip to Kom Ombo. Just lie back and
watch Egypt glide by.
Day 21: Tour Last Day
With almost 20 million people this is a hectic,
chaotic city. We include a visit to the Sphinx and Pyramids at
Giza, with a local guide (this also includes a camel ride around the
Pyramids), and a visit the Egyptian History
Museum in the afternoon. Entry fees and Egyptologist guide are
included.
NOTE:
Adventure
travel is not an exact science. It is this very unpredictability which makes it
such a rewarding experience. Occasionally we must amend our itineraries to take
into account changing local circumstances. In such situations we’ll always try
to minimise any
disruption,
but you need to bear in mind that from time to time events occur outside our
control. While our crew are experienced and knowledgeable of the countries through
which we travel, they are not guides as such. The diversity and extent of the
history and cultures in this region are second to none. At the most important
historical sites we visit, we have the benefit of locally trained guides who
have spent many years and have vast experience of such sites.