Day 2 Friday 12 November 2010 Cairo
This morning we arrive in the city of Cairo. On arrival we will be transferred to our hotel. The rest of the afternoon will be free.

Day 3 Saturday 13 November 2010 Cairo
Today we have a sightseeing tour of the city and see the impressive Citadel and the maze of narrow congested streets teeming with life. There are many mosques most of which are open to non-Muslims. We visit Khan al-Khalili, the medieval bazaar selling a vast array of spices, water pipes, handicrafts and silks. The afternoon is free for individual exploration.

Day 4 Sunday 14 November 2010 Cairo
Today we visit Giza and see one of the wonders of the ancient world: the Pyramids, built by the Pharaohs over 4,500 years ago. We see the Sphinx, usually dated to 2,500 BC and have a guided tour to explain the history of these ancient buildings. The afternoon will be spent viewing the magnificent collections of Pharaonic art – including the treasures from the Tomb of Tutankhamun – at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities.

Day 5 Monday 15 November 2010 Cairo
This morning we visit the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara (27 miles south of Cairo) the first significant pyramid built and is even older than the pyramids at Giza. We also visit the ancient city of Memphis which was the capital of ancient Egypt (29 miles south of Cairo). In the early afternoon we depart by road for Alexandria to board the Aegean Odyssey.

Day 6 Tuesday 16 November 2010 Alexandria
This morning we will tour Alexandria, the city founded by Alexander the Great. Our visit includes the Roman amphitheatre at Kom al-Dikka, the Graeco-Roman Museum, and Fort Qait Bey, a stronghold protecting the old harbour on the site of the ancient Pharos. We depart in the afternoon and sail for Port Said en route to the Suez Canal.

Day 7 Wednesday 17 November 2010 Suez Canal
Daytime sailing through the 119 mile-long Suez Canal to the Red Sea, via the Great Bitter Lake – a memorable and beautiful journey. Overnight in Suez (or Ein el Soknha).

Day 8 Thursday 18 November 2010 Monastery of St Anthony
Today we visit the Monastery of St Anthony in the Red Sea Mountains. Founded between AD361-3, St Anthony’s is the oldest and largest Coptic monastery in Egypt. It contains remarkable 6th and 9th century murals and has retained much of its original appearance. Return to the ship for an evening departure.

Day 9 Friday 19 November 2010 Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea
Time to relax, enjoy the sunshine and take in an inspiring talk or two by our on-board lecturers. In the evening, the Aegean Odyssey arrives in Safaga.

Day 10 Saturday 20 November 2010 Luxor
The next two days are devoted to visiting some of the most remarkable sites the ancient world has to offer: Karnak, Thebes and the Valley of the Kings. Leave the ship in the morning for an overnight trip to Luxor. After checking into the hotel at lunchtime, the afternoon will be spent exploring the temple complex of Karnak, including the magnificent Temple of Amun and the open-air museum. To round off this spectacular day, you will see the world-famous Karnak sound and light show.

Day 11 Sunday 21 November 2010 Luxor and the Valley of the Kings
Another unforgettable morning. On the opposite bank of the Nile from Karnak, is the site of the ancient Egyptian capital of Thebes and the necropolis known as the Valley of the Kings, burial place of the New Kingdom pharaohs (including Tutankhamun). The magnificence of these tombs and temples has attracted visitors since the time of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus. After lunch, we return to Safaga for an overnight sail to Sharm el-Sheikh.

Day 12 Monday 22 November 2010 St Catherine’s Monastery
On the site where Moses is thought to have witnessed the burning bush is St Catherine’s Monastery, founded in the 4th century and is believed to be the oldest inhabited Christian monastery in the world. It is home to a library of early Christian manuscripts, the Well of Moses where the prophet is said to have met his wife Zipporah and the extravagantly decorated 6th century Basilica of the Transfiguration. After the morning’s tour of St Catherine’s you return to Sharm el-Sheikh for a free afternoon. In the evening, as this is our last night aboard the Aegean Odyssey, we will enjoy a cocktail party on deck at sunset as the ship departs for Aqaba. Tonight we will have a farewell dinner.

Day 13 Tuesday 23 November 2010 Aqaba, Jordan
After breakfast, you are free to explore Aqaba before an early lunch on board ship. In the afternoon we drive to the stunning scenery of Wadi Rum for sunset. Wadi Rum, home of the Bedouin is known for its stunning rock mountains that tower over the desert floor. Lawrence of Arabia had his base here at one stage of his revolt in the desert. The journey then continues on to Petra for hotel check in.

Day 14 Wednesday 24 November 2010 Petra, Jordan
A full day exploring the extraordinary and stunning rose-red ancient city of Petra. From the first sight of the magnificent Treasury as you emerge from the mile-long gorge, which acts as the city’s main gate to the tombs and altars carved out of the rock; this Nabataean antiquity is one of the most astonishing archaeological sites in the world. Overnight in Petra.

Day 15 Thursday 25 November 2010 Amman, Jordan
Today we leave in the morning by road en route for Amman, the capital city of Jordan. We will take the scenic route that passes through the Dana Nature Reserve to the lowest part of the Earth’s surface; the Dead Sea. Taking a dip in the famously buoyant waters of the Dead Sea is an interesting experience. On the way to Amman is Mount Nebo, the reputed burial site of Moses marked by an exquisitely decorated Byzantine church. Evening check in to the hotel in Amman.

Day 16 Friday 26 November 2010 Amman, Jerash, Jordan
The Jordanian capital is a higgledy piggledy place that sprawls over several mountains. Fortunately, its great sites are concentrated in the ancient political and religious centre known as the Citadel. The morning’s tour will include the small but perfectly formed Jordanian Archaeological Museum, the 2nd century AD Temple of Hercules and the Omayyad Palace. In the afternoon, we visit the spectacular Graeco-Roman city of Jerash. Built by Alexander the Great in the 2nd century BC, Jerash is one of the best-preserved cities of antiquity in the world.

Day 17 Saturday 27 November 2010 Departure
Check out of the hotel and transfer to the airport for the flight home.

Day 18 Sunday 28 November 2010 Arrival in Australia
We arrive back in Australia this evening and the tour concludes.