Middle-East Tours and Tour Operators

The Middle East is an area geographically defined as a part of Asia, so while Egypt's Sinai is apparently in Asia the rest of Egypt is in Africa, and Turkey, where's that? Europe? Asia?..but who cares?
Here's our definition of the mid-east, an area of dramatic, silent sandscapes, rocks and scrubby acacia trees, roamed by camel trains and occasionally splashed with colourful nomadic tents or mud-village oases.
The big cities - Cairo, Damascus, Istanbul, Tehran, Amman, Beirut - have been around for a thousand years while the big, ancient wonders - Giza, Luxor, Petra, Jerash, Palmyra, Isfahan and Persepolis are each several thousand years old.

The people in these parts are mostly Arabs (but not Egyptians!) and have a long-standing tradition of hospitality and friendliness due to eons of welcoming strangers in harsh desert conditions, but don't ever insult their leaders or their religion.

Avoid travelling in these areas in winter when night temperatures can be surprisingly cold or mid summer when the heat is a killer, and don't expect subtle foods.

Egypt Uncovered operate good value, small group holidays in Egypt - family adventures, Nile cruises, desert safaris. Egypt tours; Red Sea Diving; Temples, Tombs, Pyramids; Desert Safaris; Family Adventure; Grand Egyptian Adventure; Nile Felucca Overnight

Jordan Uncovered:
Starting and finishing in Amman, this 9 day tour gives you a taste of all the main historic sites and beautiful scenery that Jordan has to offer. We drive both the Desert and King's Highways, and visit Desert Castles, desert nature reserves, enjoy a jeep safari in Wadi Rum, explore the ancient city of Petra, swim in the Dead Sea, and visit several other sites including the Roman ruins at Jerash. We run departures on the tour using both 3 and 5-star hotels.
Amman, Red Sea, Wadi Rum, Petra, Dead Sea, Jerash.

Desert, Tombs and Jordan:
We begin this 16 day tour in Cairo visiting the most famous of ancient monuments, the Pyramids and Sphinx, but also Saqqara, the necropolis for the city of Memphis and the Step Pyramid .
From Cairo we head into the Western Deserts and we visit the oases of Bahariya, Farafra, Dakhla and Kharga en-route to Luxor. The Western desert is a place of fantastic beauty and weird, otherworldly rock formations. We include a jeep safari and overnight camp in the White desert. In Luxor, we have plenty of time to visit the spectacular temples of Luxor and Karnak and the tombs in the Valleys of the Kings.
From Luxor we return to Cairo and travel to the coast and the wonderfully laid-back beach resort of Dahab where we have time to relax and enjoy some snorkelling in the Red Sea. You can also climb Mt. Sinai and visit St. Catherine's monastery if you wish.
The Treasury, Petra, Jordan
Next we cross into Jordan and start with a jeep safari through the stunning desert and mountain scenery of Wadi Rum. Our next top is Jordan's highlight, the hidden city of Petra, where we have a full day tour of this world famous Nabatean city.
From Petra we travel north up the scenic King's Highway to Amman, via stops to visit the crusader castle of Kerak, the intricate Byzantine mosaics at Madaba, and the peaks, churches and distant views at Mt. Nebo.
We then take a day trip out from Amman to bathe in the Dead Sea, and visit the Roman Ruins at Jerash. The tour finishes in Amman.

Egypt and Jordan Explorer:
Ideal for those who may already have visited Upper Egypt or done a Nile Cruise, this tour combines a visit to the magnificent Pyramids and Sphinx in Cairo, the Egyptian Museum, and time by the Red Sea, followed by a full tour through Jordan.
We include a jeep safari amid the stunning desert scenery of Wadi Rum, a thorough tour of Petra, a drive up the spectacular King's Highway, a swim in the Dead Sea, and a tour of Roman Jerash.

Egypt and Jordan Highlights:
Starting in Egypt, we see the Pyramids and Sphinx in Cairo, the Pharaonic temples and tombs of Luxor and spend time on the beaches and coral reefs of the Red Sea.
In Jordan, there's a jeep safari in the stunning scenery of Wadi Rum, before we explore the ancient pink city of Petra.
A final drive takes us to the crusader castle of Kerak and a swim in the Dead Sea before the tour ends in Amman

Pharaohs & Deserts – 15 days
Cairo, Aswan (felucca or luxury cruise) Luxor, Fayoum, Western Deserts. This tour combines Ancient Egypt's main historical sites and a felucca or luxury cruise in the Nile Valley, with two separate desert safaris. Around Fayum we visit the Wadi Rayan protected area with its spring oasis and desert lake, and the World Heritage Site of the Valley of the Whales. In the Western Deserts, we visit the Baharya and Farafra oases and enjoy an overnight jeep safari in the spectacular White Desert.

Egyptian Family Adventure – 13 days
Cairo, Aswan (felucca or luxury cruise) Luxor, Red Sea (Hurghada). This specially-designed family adventure gives you and your kids a taste ofthe best of Egypt tourism. The Pyramids and Sphinx in Cairo, and temples and tombs in Luxor are the main attractions, as well as a short desert camel trek, overnight felucca trip on the Nile, and some time by the Red Sea balance these out to make a fun and educational holiday for the whole family.

Nile Felucca Overnight Cruise:
Several of our tours feature a 1 or 2-night felucca cruise on the Nile from Aswan downstream towards Komombo.
Feluccas are very basic traditional Nile sailboats and make for an extremely relaxing and enjoyable way to travel down the river. The deck of the boat is covered in soft mattresses and cushions and has a canopy that offers shade from the sun.
You spend the day relaxing on board the felucca while it slowly sails down the Nile and in the evening the boat will moor along the banks of the Nile where you will sleep under the stars.
The Nubian boat crew will look after you, prepare your meals, and entertain you in the evenings, leaving you with many happy memories of your time on the Nile.

Grand Egyptian Adventure – 15 days
Cairo, Aswan (felucca or luxury cruise) Luxor, Red Sea (Dahab). Our most popular itinerary, this tour starts with visits to the Pyramids & Sphinx in Cairo before heading south. From Aswan, we take a peaceful felucca sailboat or luxury Nile cruise along the Nile to Luxor, where we explore temples & tombs on both banks of the river. The tour ends with time for you to relax at the beaches and cafes at Dahab, to snorkel or scuba-dive among the coral reefs of the Red Sea, and if you wish, to climb Mt. Sinai. A 9 or 10-day version of this tour is also available missing out the Red Sea section.

Desert Safaris (Egypt and Jordan):
The deserts of Egypt and Jordan are amongst the most spectacular in the world. From vast sand seas to weird moonscapes, from prehistoric rock art to colourful Bedouin campsites, these unique environments make an ideal destination for the more adventurous of traveller. Although accommodation is often more basic than on most of our other tours, what could be more memorable than a night spent under the beautiful star-studded desert sky. All transfers and guides are included during your tour.

Temples, Tombs & Pyramids – 7 days
Cairo, Luxor. For those who are short of time this tour gives an excellent introduction to the many wonders of Egypt. From the stunning Pyramids at Giza and the awe-inspiring temples of Luxor and Karnak to the sprawling bazaars and fascinating museums of Cairo this tour gives you the chance to experience Egypt at its best.

Scuba Diving in Egypt (Red Sea, Dahab):
Extremely crystal clear warm waters and, miles of spectacular fringing coral reefs, internal lagoons and navigable channels provide incredibly diverse habitats for over 1000 species of fish. Spectacular coral reefs, dizzyingly sheer drop-offs, underwater caverns and overhangs qualify Egypt as a world class dive destination for divers of all levels.
Whether a beginner or an experienced diver, we have numerous courses and diving packages available. From PADI Open Water courses to 10-dive packages there is plenty to choose from.

Encounters Travel operate great value adventure tours to various exotic destinations including Jordan and Egypt. All tours through Encounters are completely financially protected through ATOL, ABTA and IPP; see Encounters insurance information.

Highlights: Sightseeing in Amman, swimming in the clear blue waters of the Red Sea, sleeping under the stars in Wadi Rum, walking around the 'Rose Red' city of Petra, floating in the Dead Sea, exploring the crusader castle of Kerak.

This is the perfect Jordan adventure tour. Our 8-day tour starts in Amman before heading to the Red Sea at Aqaba where you can enjoy snorkelling over the colourful corals or relaxing on the sandy beach. From Aqaba we head to nearby Wadi Rum for a jeep safari through the spectacular desert and mountain scenery, then we overnight in a Bedouin camp. Our next stop is the amazing Lost City of Petra, were we spend plenty of time exploring this incredible UNESCO world heritage site. After our tour of Petra we head further north along the scenic King's Highway, stopping at Kerak crusader castle and Madaba en-route to Amman. The tour also features time at Jerash’s Roman ruins and a memorable swim, or perhaps float, in the Dead Sea. We then travel back to Amman completing your Jordan tour.

Highlights: Egypt's Great Pyramids & Sphinx, the Valley of the Kings, traditional Felucca sailing, cruising Abu Simbel, Red Sea snorkelling and other activities at Dahab, Jordan's Bedouin camp at Wadi Rum, Petra's amazing rock city, floating in the Dead Sea.

Spending time both in Egypt and Jordan this 16 day tour begins in Cairo with a visit to the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx before heading to Aswan where an incredible trip to Abu Simbel is included in you tour.
You start your traditional Felucca cruise down the Nile on your way to Luxor in the Nile Valley. Here you will visit some amazing temples and the tombs of the Valley of the Kings before heading to Dahab on the Red Sea for some relaxation and snorkeling. Dahab has incredible diving, snorkeling, and amazing seafood and has loads of fun activities such as quad biking, kite boarding, windsurfing and horse and camel riding or visit St. Catherine's monastery and climb Mount Sinai.
After 3 full days in Dahab, we head up the Sinai peninsula into Jordan where we spend a night in a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum. Next we visit the world renowned UNESCO World Heritage site of Petra, then onto the Dead Sea and finishing in Amman.

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