Ahlan wa sahlan! Welcome to Jordan. Your trip begins in Amman with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive early, maybe take in the sweeping views of Amman from the citadel, explore the Jordan Museum (home to the Dead Sea Scrolls), or take a trip out to the ruins of Jerash – an ancient walled town from 2000 years ago. After your meeting, maybe head out on the town in search of ara’yes (Jordan’s toasted sandwich, packed full of spiced meats). It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place. We have listed the total price including transportation and local guides (where applicable) for these optional activities wherever possible. This is to help you budget for any additional excursions you might like to do on your trip. Some activities require minimum numbers to operate. If you prefer to do your own thing, taxis are available and your leader can assist in organising.

This morning, travel by minibus to Mt Nebo – the place where the prophet Moses is said to be buried and where he saw the 'Promised Land'. Check out the mosaics inside its fourth-century church. On a clear day, the views over the Dead Sea to Israel and the Palestinian Territories are spectacular. After, drive to the super salty Dead Sea – sitting well below sea level, this is the lowest point on earth, and you’ll float rather than swim due to the high salt count. The mud on the sea floor is said to have healing properties, so maybe lather up and enjoy Mother Nature’s spa. Continue to the crusader castle of Kerak, sitting on top of a cliff overlooking the town and valley below. Explore the seven-level fortress and learn the legends of 12th-century battles between Crusaders and Muslim armies, then continue to Petra for the night. Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours. Your tour today includes stops at the Dead Sea, Mount Nebo and Kerak Castle, but keep in mind that entry fees are not included. When swimming at the Dead Sea, towels are available for hire. Many travellers like to experience Petra by night, however, this is only available on certain days of the week. Feel free to ask your group leader for more information, and if this optional activity is available to you on your dates.

You’ll explore Petra today – the jewel of Jordan, the lost city of the Nabateans and one of the Seven Wonders of the World! Squeeze through a narrow path called the Siq until you reach the grand entrance of the Treasury. Gaze up at the intricate carvings and spend the afternoon exploring the site at your own pace. There’re the old Roman road, other temples and old tombs, as well as the rock-hewn amphitheatre. For those feeling more adventurous, take a challenging hike up a set of stairs to the smaller but no less impressive monastery, which takes about an hour. After arriving back at your accommodation, why not find a traditional bathhouse to rejuvenate after a day of incredible sightseeing. One day's entrance fee to Petra is included in your trip. A horse ride is offered as part of the ticket price (not including tip) from the entrance point down to the Siq. Tuuur doesn't recommend that passengers take this option due to the safety and insurance liability involved.

This morning you’ll drive to Wadi Rum – a rugged, lunar-like landscape framed by huge sandstone mountains. Head on a half-day jeep safari, taking you through some unique desert scenery and uncover traces of ancient civilisations in the many carved inscriptions throughout the area, from pictographs to Thamudic, Nabataean and Arabic texts. The most enduring monuments in Wadi Rum are those carved by nature – natural rock bridges, towering sand dunes and scattered rocky peaks. Spend the night sleeping in a simple desert camp under a camel hair tent. Enjoy dinner cooked in an earthen oven by your Bedouin hosts and soak in the unforgettable surroundings. Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours. Conditions are basic at the desert camp, but the hospitality of your hosts is legendary, and you'll treasure the memory of sleeping beneath the rugged landscape. Tonight, a mattress and blankets are provided. Please be aware that while the desert may be very hot during the day, it will still be cool at night and warm clothes and a sleeping bag are highly recommended when travelling outside of the summer months. Western-style toilet facilities are available.

This morning, leave Wadi Rum and make tracks to Dahab. You’ll drive to Aqaba, then bid your Jordan local leader farewell and transfer on a ferry bound for Taba. When you arrive, you’ll be met by your Egypt local leader and drive to the laidback resort area of Dahab – your base for the next two nights. Dahab, meaning 'gold' in Arabic, has gone from a Bedouin fishing village to a popular tourist town, thanks to the excellent conditions for activities like diving, windsurfing and rock climbing. However, the town hasn't lost its authenticity and lowkey appeal that’s attracted visitors since the 1970s. The rest of the day is free for you to wander through the cafes, find some fresh seafood or take on some snorkelling in the Red Sea. Dahab is well known for its drop-offs – spectacular coral reef shelves that plunge into the vast blue depths of the ocean. There are also plenty of bars and restaurants to sit back and enjoy good local food and some sheesha. Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours. In the unlikely event of the Aqaba to Taba passenger ferry being cancelled, you will travel as a foot passenger on the vehicle ferry from Aqaba to Nuweiba. Please refer to the Transport section of your Essential Trip Information for more details. At the Aqaba ferry terminal, you’ll pass security and pay a JOD10 departure tax, keeping the receipt to get stamped. On board, take your passport to the counter in the middle of the ferry where it will stay for the journey. When you arrive, an escort will take you and your passport to the arrival terminal, where you will pass immigration and then meet up with your Egypt group leader. Any camera with a resolution exceeding 50 megapixels, regardless of the camera type, including GoPro cameras, can be confiscated by the local authorities at Taba Port. Binoculars are also not allowed. We've had reports of such confiscation even if it's not on the official banned list. Please be aware of this possibility.

In the morning, why not strap on a mask and head to the Blue Hole for some snorkelling at one of the best diving spots in the world. The area gets its name from a submarine sinkhole about 94 m deep, with an arch in the coral reef down at 54 m – a challenge that’s only open to highly experienced technical divers. Snorkellers can enjoy one of the greatest spots in the Red Sea here. Float on the surface and look down into an endless world of blue, then make your way around to ‘the Bridge’, where the visibility is always great and the untouched coral swarms with all different types of colourful fish and marine life. After you’ve had your fill of snorkelling, return to Dahab for an evening feast at a waterside restaurant, or maybe head inland to Assalah, where local joints serve up plates of roast chicken and falafel with regional beer.

Check out of your hotel in Dahab, then have a proper lunch before driving late afternoon to St Catherine. Check in at your hotel before heading out for dinner to get your first glimpse of the area. For those who want to hike up Mount Sinai, gather again after midnight around 01:00 am for the hike, and watch the sunrise on the top before your descent. If you have any questions, your leader is there to help! Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.

This morning, head out to visit St Catherine's Monastery. Located at the foot of Mt Sinai and built over 1500 years ago, this is the oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery. Legend has it that the monastery encloses what's claimed to be the burning bush seen by Moses and was eventually named after Catherine of Alexandria, whose relics turned it into an important pilgrimage site. It is now a UNESCO listed site, holding incredible importance to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. After your visit, head back to your hotel to grab your luggage and then hit the road to Cairo. Arrive in Cairo in late afternoon, settle into your hotel before you head out for an optional final dinner to celebrate this great journey. Your driving time today will be approximately 7 hours. For those who are taking the optional hike up Mount Sinai. You'll start around 1am after midnight. There are two hiking routes, one steeper and one less so. Both will meet for the final 750 steps to the summit. You'll need to have sturdy shoes, comfortable clothes and head torch for the hike. It'll take around 3 hours to hike to the top and around 2 hours down the same way. You'll then meet the rest of the group together at St Catherine Monastery for the visit.

There are no activities planned for the final day, so you can depart the accommodation at any time following check-out. While this trip doesn’t include time to explore the sites of Cairo, it’s strongly recommended that you spend a few extra days to see more of what the city offers. If you want to spend more time ere, just speak to your booking agent beforehand.