After breakfast you will start your day at the ancient capital of Memphis, before moving on to the step pyramid of Djoser. You’ll have lunch at a local restaurant, then the biggie – you visit the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. OPTIONAL entrance to the Great pyramid. Tonight, you have the opportunity to do the Sound & Light Show at the pyramids on an OPTIONAL TOUR. Overnight at the Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel.

Today starts with a visit to the Citadel & Mohammed Ali Mosque, before you go to the Egyptian Museum to see the treasures of Tutankhamen. You’ll grab a bite to eat at Khan el Khalili bazaar, do a spot of shopping. Overnight at the Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel.

You start the today with a visit to the National Museum of Egyptian civilisation to the view the mummies of some of the most important pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Frome here we drive to Alexandria and check into the Steigenberger Cecil Hotel.

You spend today seeing the sights of Alexandria – The Catacombs, Roman Amphitheatre and Quait bay and the newly reopened Greco-Roman Museum. Overnight at Steigenberger Cecil Hotel.

After breakfast you drive along the Northern coast to El Alamein to visit the war memorials before continuing on to Matruh, where you check into the Triumph White Sands Resort.

Following breakfast you spend the day exploring Matruh, including the beautiful beaches (Cleopatra’s Beach and Rommel’s Beach) and the Rommel Cave Museum.

After breakfast at the resort you drive to Siwa Oasis, where you check into Kenouz Shali Lodge. Lunch is at the lodge, then you visit Shali Village and watch the sunset at Fatanas Island. Dinner and overnight at Kenouz Shali Lodge.

After breakfast you have a day of sightseeing, including the Temple of Alexander the Great, the salt lakes, the Temple of Amun and Cleopatra’s Bath (swimming hole). Lunch is back at the Lodge, before and afternoon jeep safari in Bir Wahed. Dinner & overnight back at the Lodge.

After breakfast at the Lodge you visit Shali Fortress and the Mountain of the Dead tombs. Lunch & dinner at the Lodge.

Following breakfast at the hotel you check out and drive back to Cairo. It’s a long drive, with a stop in Matrouh for lunch on the way. Arrive into Cairo & check into the Cairo Pyramids Hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel you transfer to Cairo Airport to fly down to Luxor. You are met on arrival in Luxor and transferred to the Old Winter Palace Hotel.

Today you have the choice of either relaxing at the hotel or doing the optional tour to visit the temples of Dendera and Abydos, North of Luxor. The drive is about an hour to Dendera then another hour and a half to Abydos. I personally think these two temples are the cream of the temples in Egypt and well worth visiting. You’ll return to Luxor in the late afternoon.

Check out after breakfast this morning and transfer to your Nile cruise boat, the Kahila Nile cruise, for the next 4 nights. After lunch on board, you’ll visit the temples of Karnak & Luxor. You’ll return to the boat dinner. OPTIONAL TOUR – Sound & Light at Karnak Temple.

- OPTIONAL TOUR – Hot air balloon on the West Bank – extra early start! If you don’t do the hot air balloon, you’ll “sleep in” and leave the boat around 0800 to meet the rest of us at the Colossi of Mammon statues. Once we’re all together we’ll move on to visit the Valley of the Kings (OPTIONAL entrance to the tomb of Tutankhamun) and Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple. You return to our Nile cruise boat for lunch and to set sail for Edfu via the lock at Esna.

Following breakfast on board you’ll get into horse-drawn-buggies to transfer to the temple of Horus. You return to the boat for lunch and to sail to Kom Ombo to visit the unique temples of the two Gods, Sobek and Horus the elder (Haroeris). You’ll keep sailing South after Kom Ombo, until we reach Aswan. Dinner and overnight on board

After breakfast you’ll drive out of town to get a speed boat to the beautiful Temple of Isis on the island of Philae. From here, you go to the High Dam and the unfinished obelisk. You’ll return to the boat for lunch, then relax on board before you can take an OPTIONAL TOUR - felucca ride to the Botanical Gardens on Kitchener’s Island followed by a local speed boat to the nearby Nubian Village in the late afternoon. Dinner on board. OPTIONAL TOUR – Sound & Light Show at the temple of Isis on the Island of Philae, OR a tour of the city by night. Dinner & overnight on board.

You disembark after breakfast and transfer to the divine Old Cataract Hotel. OPTIONAL TOUR – Abu Simbel by flight. The rest of the day is free to soak in the magic of the Old Cataract Hotel, a destination in itself! Overnight at the Old Cataract Hotel.

Today is at leisure to relax or visit Aswan city. Overnight at the Old Cataract Hotel.

After breakfast you farewell the Old Cataract Hotel and fly to Sharm el Sheikh on the tip of the Sinai Peninsula (via Cairo). You are met at Sharm airport and transferred to the Move pick Resort for 2 nights. Time to explore Na’ama Bay or perhaps visit the Old Market area for shopping. Overnight at Novotel Sharm el Sheikh Resort.

OPTIONAL TOUR – To drive into the Sinai Desert to visit St Catherine’s Monastery. This is where Moses purportedly receive the 10 Commandments (atop Mount Sinai) and the biblical burning bush is located at the base of the mountain, inside the walls of St Catherine’s Monastery. Alternatively, you can relax around the pool at the Novotel Sharm el Sheikh Resort or visit some of the sights of Sharm. Overnight at the resort.

OPTIONAL TOURS – Either a full day snorkelling/SCUBA diving at Ras Mohammed or a visit to Dahab to do the same in the famous Blue Hole – both sites are considered in the top 3 in the world for this! Alternatively, you may decide to explore Na’ama Bay or relax at the resort. Overnight at Novotel Sharm el Sheikh Resort.

Today is a free day to relax at the Novotel Sharm el Sheikh Resort.

Today you will transfer from Sharm el Sheikh to Nuweiba to catch the ferry to Aqaba in Jordan. On arrival you are met and transferred to the township of Wadi Rum, where you swap into 4WD’s and transfer to the Bedouin Meditation camp for a traditional Bedouin dinner and overnight.

After breakfast at camp you visit some of the main sights of Wadi Rum, such as the petroglyphs, the remains of the home of Lawrence of Arabia, and “the bridge” …climb it if you dare! You are then transferred back to the Wadi Rum Township, where you’ll swap to your mini-bus and transfer to Wadi Musa, the nearest village to the Petra sites. You visit “Little Petra” before you check into the Sof Saf Hotel (Sof Saf means “Willow Tree”). (OPTIONAL DINNER AT ELAN RESTAURANT).

After breakfast you’ll have your first visit to the World Heritage Site of Petra, entering via the famous Siq. You’ll spend the whole day at the site, hiking, climbing, photographing and generally being gobsmacked at the amazing architecture of the Nabateans. Make your own way back to the Sof Saf Hotel. OPTIONAL - You’ll go out tonight to Cath’s favourite local restaurant for dinner. Overnight at Sof Saf Hotel.

Today is your free day to return to Petra and explore what you missed yesterday – and there will be lots! We’ll try to enter via the “goat track” or the back entrance if we can, just to make it a little more challenging! Make your own way back to the Sof Saf Hotel (or we’ll meet for a well-earned drink in Wadi Musa). OPTIONAL – group dinner together. Overnight at Sof Saf Hotel.

After breakfast you depart for Amman, via the Dead Sea for a swim in this bizarre place. You’ll have lunch at a Dead Sea resort, then you’ll drive further, to visit the church at Mount Nebo. This is where Moses first saw the “promised land”, shortly before his death. You’ll drive on to Madaba to view the oldest known mosaic map, showing Jordan and Palestine in the North and Egypt in the south. You’ll then drive the short way to Amman to check into the Crowne Plaza Hotel for overnight.

Visit Jerash, in the north of Jordan, to explore the ancient Roman city, followed by a visit to Ajloun castle and Umm Qais for the views to Jordan, Syria & Palestine. Overnight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel…but you will leave for the airport around midnight.

Following breakfast at the hotel the day is free to explore Amman or repack your cases ready to fly home tonight. I will book one room for everyone to move their bags into as check out is at 1200 and you don’t depart for the airport until 10 p.m. (Extra rooms can be pre-booked at extra cost if you so wish) Departing Amman on Oman Air at 2.25 a.m. on 15th April. You connect in Muscat, arriving at 6.55 a.m. and departing for Bangkok at 0905. You arrive into Bangkok at 5.45 p.m. and depart at 7.40 p.m. on Thai Airways. You land back in Melbourne at 7.30 a.m. on 16 April.