16-Night Israel Jordan and Egypt Tour

Three countries, one very long road. This 17-day journey links Israel’s biblical and Roman sites with Petra, Mount Sinai, Cairo, and a Nile cruise, while arranging the flights, drivers, hotels, and border transfers for you. I like the way it covers major sights that would be difficult to connect on your own, especially Petra and the Dead Sea. I also like the Nile cruise section, which gives you several Egyptian temples without changing hotels every night.

The main caution is the Jordan-to-Egypt transfer. After a full day at Petra, you may face a late border crossing and an overnight trip toward Mount Sinai, followed by a nighttime mountain climb for sunrise. That demanding stretch is the weak link, so you should choose this tour for its broad coverage, not for a relaxed pace.

Key points before you book

• Petra follows the Arava border crossing: Assistance is provided at the border, then a Jordanian driver takes you on the roughly two-hour journey to Petra.
• Mount Sinai is an overnight effort: The schedule involves late driving, border formalities, and climbing during the night or early morning.
• The Nile cruise handles southern Egypt well: You visit Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu, and Luxor while sleeping aboard a ship.
• The tour is physically demanding: Long touring days, desert heat, walking at ancient sites, and the Sinai climb require moderate fitness.
• Extra charges add up: The listed price is $3,478 per person, before the $130 departure tax, a $60 Egypt visa, a $75 Jordan visa, and optional Petra by Night.
• The schedule is packed: You see a great deal, but several days begin around 7:20 a.m., and the Jordan-to-Egypt connection can be exhausting.

What the $3,478 price really covers

At $3,478 per person, this is not a cheap holiday. But it covers a large amount of ground across three countries, including 15 nights of accommodation, airport transfers, domestic flights, a climate-controlled van, border assistance, many sightseeing visits, and a Nile cruise.

The included meals are 15 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 3 dinners. That is useful, though you should budget for many additional meals, drinks, and snacks. The package also includes the major touring program, but not every possible admission. The mummy room in Cairo is excluded, and Petra by Night costs about $15 if you decide to add it.

You also need to add the $130 per person departure tax, a $60 Egypt visa, and a $75 Jordan visa. That brings the known total to at least $3,743 per person, before Petra by Night, extra meals, and other personal spending.

There is also a wording issue worth clearing up before you pay. The experience is called a 16-night tour and is shown as lasting 17 days, while the inclusions list says 15 nights of accommodation. Ask the operator to confirm exactly where each night is spent, especially around the flight from Israel to Eilat and the overnight transfer from Jordan to Egypt.

The booking is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. That makes travel insurance particularly sensible, though the policy itself is not included in the tour details.

Tel Aviv begins the journey gently

You arrive at Ben Gurion Airport, where a transfer takes you to Tel Aviv for the first overnight. The transfer is listed at about two hours, although actual timing depends on traffic.

This first evening is more of a landing day than a sightseeing day. That is helpful after an international flight. You have a chance to settle in before the early starts begin.

The next morning, the pickup is scheduled for 7:20 a.m. The route heads north through the Plain of Armageddon, with a view toward Megiddo and a stop at the Mount of Precipitation before reaching Nazareth.

Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee

Nazareth brings the first major religious sites. You visit the Church of the Annunciation and the nearby Church of St. Joseph, then continue toward the Sea of Galilee.

The route passes Cana, associated with the story of water being turned into wine. At Capernaum, near the Mount of Beatitudes, you see the site connected with Jesus’s ministry and a Benedictine church commemorating the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish.

Yardenit offers an opportunity for baptism in the Jordan River waters. The wording makes clear that this is an opportunity, not a required part of the tour. If you want to take part, bring suitable clothing and allow for the fact that this is one stop within a long touring day.

The return route passes Mount Tabor, linked with the Transfiguration. It is a full eight-hour day, and you return to Tel Aviv rather than staying in the Galilee region. That choice simplifies hotel arrangements, but it also means more road time.

Roman ruins, Haifa, and Acre

Day three follows Israel’s Mediterranean coast. You pass Herzliya and Netanya before reaching Caesarea National Park, where the Roman theater and hippodrome give you a clear sense of the city’s ancient public life.

In Haifa, the tour visits the Baha’i gardens and shrine. The stop at Rosh Hanikra adds a different setting, with a cable car ride down to the grottoes. The cable car is included, which is useful because it avoids a long walk down to the coastal caves.

The day ends in Acre, described as Israel’s largest Crusader city. You walk through the Turkish prison, a site also connected with British executions of Jews after World War II. This day mixes Roman remains, religious architecture, sea views, and more recent political history.

Again, the pace is brisk. You will not have unlimited time at each stop, but the route gives you a broad introduction to northern Israel in one day.

Jerusalem’s Old City and Yad Vashem

Jerusalem receives one of the most concentrated days of sightseeing. The morning begins with views from the Mount of Olives, followed by the Church of All Nations and the Garden of Gethsemane.

Inside the Old City, you enter through Zion Gate and walk through the Armenian Quarter toward the Byzantine Cardo. The route continues into the Jewish Quarter and to the Western Wall, then follows the Via Dolorosa and its Stations of the Cross to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

This is a lot of walking on uneven surfaces, often through crowded market streets. Wear firm, comfortable shoes and keep your belongings secure. The reward is the chance to connect several of Jerusalem’s major religious and historic areas on foot rather than seeing them only from a vehicle.

The day continues to Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust museum and memorial. It commemorates the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, as well as people who helped them. The museum is closed on Fridays and Saturdays, so the order of the day may need to change if your visit falls on either day.

Bethlehem, Jericho, and the Dead Sea

The next day combines the lowest point on earth with some of the most important Christian sites. You pass the Inn of the Good Samaritan and stop at a sea-level marker before reaching Jericho, described as the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world.

Above Jericho is Mount Temptation, associated with Jesus’s forty-day fast. From there, the route continues to Bethlehem and Manger Square.

At the Church of the Nativity, you see a fourth-century mosaic floor and the spot marked as the place of Jesus’s birth. The tour also visits the Manger and the altar dedicated to the Three Wise Men, then continues to St. Catherine’s Crusader church and its grotto.

The route out of Bethlehem passes the Milk Grotto and Shepherd’s Fields. This is another eight-hour day, with a lot of religious material packed into a relatively short time. If your main interest is archaeology rather than biblical sites, this section may feel less balanced than the later Egypt portion.

Masada, Qumran, and the Dead Sea

Day six is one of Israel’s strongest sightseeing days. You drive south through the Judean Desert to Masada, Herod’s dramatic mountaintop fortress above the Dead Sea.

The cable car takes you up to the summit. You then see the palaces, bathhouse, synagogue, Roman barracks, and other remains. The ancient Snake Path is pointed out as the route used more than 2,000 years ago, but the planned visit uses the cable car.

After Masada, the route passes Ein Gedi and the Qumran caves, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. The day ends with time to swim or float in the Dead Sea, one of the trip’s more unusual experiences.

This is a 12-hour day, followed by a transfer to Ben Gurion Airport and a flight to Ramon Airport in Eilat. A driver then takes you to Eilat for the night. There are no domestic flights on Friday, so the plan changes to an extra night in Tel Aviv and a flight to Eilat the following day.

That travel detail matters. You should expect the day to feel more like a continuous chain of touring and transfers than a restful transition.

Petra is spectacular, but the timing matters

On day seven, a pickup around 8:30 to 8:45 a.m. takes you to the Arava border. You receive help with the border procedures, then meet a Jordanian driver on the other side for the roughly two-hour drive to Petra.

Petra itself is the star of the Jordan portion. You visit the Treasury, then continue to temples, caves, tombs, the Roman Theater, and other remains. The setting is extraordinary, but the visit requires substantial walking over rough ground. You should have moderate physical fitness and good shoes.

The tour lists about ten hours for the day, including the border crossing and drive. That means your time inside Petra is valuable but limited. If you want Petra by Night, it costs about $15 and is not included.

The hardest issue arrives after this visit. You check out of the Petra hotel, and the following transfer takes you back toward the border and Eilat at around 5 p.m. There may be only about two hours in Eilat for food or a swim before continuing to the Taba border and Egypt.

From the Egyptian side, you drive toward Mount Sinai. The schedule then calls for a mountain climb to see sunrise. In practical terms, this can mean leaving Jordan after a full Petra day, crossing another border, driving at night, and climbing in darkness or the early morning. The route is efficient on paper, but it is not gentle.

Mount Sinai and Saint Catherine’s Monastery

The Sinai section is split across the eighth and ninth days, but the timing works more like one long overnight sequence. You climb Mount Sinai and then visit Saint Catherine’s Monastery, including the sixth-century church, the Burning Bush, and Jethro’s Well.

Saint Catherine’s is described as one of the oldest working monasteries in the world, and its library is identified as the world’s oldest. Those details give the stop real weight beyond the mountain view.

You should prepare for cold or changing conditions at night, although the tour only says to dress appropriately for all weather. The physical strain is the larger concern. The trip requires a moderate fitness level, and the overnight timing can be especially difficult after Petra.

Once the monastery visit ends, you continue by road to Cairo for your hotel. The listed duration is about ten hours, so this is not a short hop into the Egyptian capital.

Cairo’s pyramids and ancient capitals

Day ten brings the Pyramids of Giza, including Cheops, Chephren, and Mycrenos, plus the Sphinx. A short camel ride is included in the area.

The tour then moves to Saqqara to see the Step Pyramid of Djoser and the pyramids of King Teti. Lunch is provided at a local restaurant before you continue to Memphis and its Open Air Museum, including a statue of King Ramses II.

This is a strong first day in Egypt because it places the best-known monuments alongside less famous sites. Giza can feel familiar from photographs, but seeing the pyramids and Sphinx together gives the day its power.

Entrance to the mummy room is not included. You should also remember that the camel ride is described as short, so it is an added taste of the setting rather than a major camel excursion.

The Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor

On day eleven, you fly from Cairo to Aswan and transfer to the cruise ship. After lunch, you visit the Aswan High Dam and the Temple of Philae, then return for dinner and a Nubian show.

The cruise is a smart part of the package. It reduces repeated road transfers and gives you a fixed base while the ship moves between major temples. You still need to follow the ship’s schedule, but you avoid packing and unpacking every night in southern Egypt.

At Kom Ombo, you visit the temple of Sobek and Haroeris before sailing onward to Edfu. The Edfu stop covers the Temple of Horus, then the ship continues to Luxor for the night.

Day thirteen focuses on Luxor’s West Bank. You visit the Theban Necropolis, the Valley of the Kings, and three royal tombs. After lunch, the afternoon is free, followed by evening entertainment on board.

The free afternoon is welcome after the long schedule. Three tombs are included, but the plan does not specify which ones, and tomb access can vary, so ask your guide about the choices.

The final cruise morning covers Luxor’s East Bank, including Karnak and Luxor temples. After lunch at a local restaurant, you fly from Luxor back to Cairo and transfer to your hotel.

Cairo’s museum, churches, and citadel

Your next full day in Cairo includes the Egyptian Museum, the city center, churches, the Citadel of Salah El Dien, and the Mosque of Mohamed Ali.

This day provides useful contrast with the pyramid visit. Instead of focusing mainly on ancient royal monuments, you see religious buildings, a historic fortress, and one of Cairo’s major museums.

Optional tours, cruises, and shows may be offered through the guide. Since these are not listed as included, ask about the price before agreeing. The scheduled program already covers eight hours, so take care not to turn your final Cairo days into another race.

Day sixteen is deliberately free. You can walk around on your own or rest after an exhausting trip. That open day is important because the previous two weeks leave little room for unplanned time.

Transport, group size, and physical effort

Airport-to-airport transport is one of the tour’s biggest advantages. Flights connect the long Israel and Egypt sections, while a climate-controlled van and local drivers handle road transfers.

Border crossings are assisted, but assistance does not mean the process will be quick. Israel-Jordan and Jordan-Egypt crossings involve formalities, and the Jordan-to-Egypt connection is particularly demanding because of its late timing.

The group can include up to 50 people. That is a large maximum, and it may affect how quickly the group moves through sites, borders, and hotel transfers. The tour uses local drivers and guides, but individual guide names are not provided.

The daily starts around 7:20 a.m. on many Israel days. Add long drives, heat, uneven paths, stairs, and the Mount Sinai climb, and you get a program suited to an active person. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and every participant needs a current passport. Passport name, number, expiration date, and country are required when booking.

Who should book this trip?

I would consider this tour if you want to see the major highlights of Israel, Jordan, and Egypt in one organized trip, and you care more about coverage than flexibility. It suits someone who does not want to arrange several hotels, flights, border crossings, and local transfers separately.

It is also a good fit if Petra, the Pyramids, Jerusalem, and the Nile cruise are all priorities. The included transport and admissions can offer solid value once you compare the cost of arranging three countries independently.

I would not choose it if you want slow mornings, long stays in each city, or an easy Jordan-to-Egypt transition. The Petra-to-Sinai connection is the part I would think about most carefully. If you are not comfortable with a nighttime mountain climb after a full touring day, ask if that section can be changed before booking.

FAQ

How long is the Israel, Jordan and Egypt tour?

The tour is listed as lasting approximately 17 days and is described as a 16-night tour. The inclusions state that 15 nights of accommodation are provided, so confirm the exact night count before booking.

Where does the tour start and finish?

The tour starts at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel and ends with a drop-off at Cairo International Airport in Egypt.

What visas and taxes are not included?

The $130 per person departure tax is not included. The Egypt visa costs $60 per person, and the Jordan visa costs $75 per person.

Are flights included?

Airport-to-airport transport, flights, and a climate-controlled van are included. The itinerary specifically includes flights between Ben Gurion and Ramon airports, Cairo and Aswan, and Luxor and Cairo.

Is Petra by Night included?

No. Petra by Night costs about $15 and is not included in the tour price.

Is the mummy room included in Cairo?

No. Entrance to the mummy room is specifically excluded.

What level of fitness is needed?

A moderate level of physical fitness is required. You should be ready for long touring days, walking at archaeological sites, and a climb of Mount Sinai during the night or early morning.