Jordan and Egypt

Once Sandee and I committed to join a tour group in Israel, we knew we’d have to take advantage of having made the long flight and see some of the other amazing locations in the area. Petra was high on our list, both because it is relatively easy to get to from Israel and because it is such a unique and famous place. If you’ve seen “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” then you have seen Petra. As I started researching tours, I found a reputable company that offered a four day tour of Jordan and Egypt that included Petra, Wadi Rum, and Cairo. How could we resist?

We booked the trip through Desert Eco Tours. They have partners in both Jordan and Egypt and they took care of all transportation, guided us through the border crossings, booked our hotels, provided all food, and arranged for guides. Their partner in Jordan is “Why Jordan” and that portion was as part of a tour group. We had a private guide and car in Egypt for just the two of us. Everything went smoothly (except that our short flight from Tel Aviv was delayed) and if you want a trip like this you can book with confidence.

First on the itinerary was Petra. We had a short, early morning flight from Tel Aviv to Eilat in Southern Israel and then made the border crossing into Jordan. We were in a taxi for the first part of the ride, to help us catch up to the tour bus due to our late flight. From the border in Aqaba to Petra is a little more than a two hour drive. The entrance plaza for Petra is crowded with a lot of shops, including the absolutely necessary Indiana Jones Supermarket:

The trail into Petra itself leaves from there, about a 2km walk to get to the Treasury. I was surprised that there were sights to see almost from the very beginning.

After this short section through the hills, we were at the entrance to “The Siq” which is the narrow slot canyon leading into Petra. Two “Guards” in costume were posted at the entrance to add to the atmosphere.

The Siq was fantastic in its own right, with narrow canyon walls, carvings, and beautiful scenery.

Finally we reached the end of the trail and were treated to our first view of the Al-Khazneh or “The Treasury” through the canyon.

The Treasury dates back to the 1st century and is believed to be the mausoleum of the Nabatean King Aretas IV. Apparently it is known as the Treasury based on the belief of some 19th century Bedouins that it contains treasures. The site of Petra includes many mausoleums and dwellings carved into the rock, as we would soon see.

Our guide led us though Petra until we reached the end of the main valley and had lunch. From there we were on our own to make our way back, which we liked because we could choose where to spend our time.

Once we made it back to the Treasury, I hired a Bedouin kid to take me up the trail to a viewpoint looking down on the area. I was skeptical that a guide was necessary, but the trail was a lot sketchier than I expected and it was definitely a good idea. The view was fantastic. The canyon to the right in the shot below leads to the other places we had visited within Petra and you can make out the theater in the background.

Once we completed the hike, our guide company had arranged transportation to our hotel in Jordan for the night. I had selected the Hayat Zaman hotel, which is a beautiful stone village on a hill overlooking the valleys around Petra.

Our next day was going to be a busy one. After being picked up from the hotel, we had a full day tour planned in the Wadi Rum, after which we’d be driven back to the border with Israel. After crossing into Israel we’d drive to the Egyptian border, cross, and then drive down the Sinai Peninsula to our hotel for the night in the Red Sea resort area of Sharm El Sheikh.

I didn’t know much about Wadi Rum, beyond it clearly being one of the more popular places to visit in Jordan. Wadi Rum means “valley of the moon” and is a fantastic red sand desert with interesting rocks and mountains that have appeared in a lot of movies including “Lawrence of Arabia” and “The Martian”. Our guide took us through the desert in a 4WD jeep stopping at several places. At one stop there was a tall dune that we climbed, leading to a really nice view of the adjacent valley.

Next to this viewpoint was a Bedouin tent where we were served Bedouin tea. The tea was warmed over an open fire and was a tasty combination of several spices.

Our next stop was the Khazali Canyon, a slot between the rocks that also has some petroglyphs. The mountains around the canyon look like melting chocolate.

We continued through the desert to the area where our guides would make our (late) lunch. They stopped along the way to pull some dead wood from the sand, which they used to build a fire a grill some chicken. The meal included many of the staples we’d had in the middle east, several fresh salads, hummus, baba ghanoush, and the grilled chicken.

There was a nice view of the desert from this spot in the late afternoon light as well.

From Wadi Rum we began our journey toward Cairo. We first drove to the border with Israel and had another uneventful crossing. The drive from there to the Egyptian border took less than half an hour. Our guides obtained our visas and we passed through security into Egypt. The drive down the Sinai was the sketchiest portion of our trip: the State Department discourages travel in that area. We passed through many armed checkpoints during our three hour drive to Sharm El Sheikh, but our driver was prepared with the right paperwork and we made it with no issues.

We only had time for a few hours of sleep before catching an early flight to Cairo. Security in the Egyptian airports was the tightest I had seen. We had to pass through a full security check just to get to the check-in counter. There was another full check going from their to the departure terminals and another one at the gates. The flight was short and we were met in the Cairo airport by our guide – and now we were off to Giza!

Cairo is different than any city I have experienced. The Cairo metro area has a population of over 20 million people. The city is crowded and busy – all with no traffic lights. Pedestrians cross between the throngs of cars (and occasional donkey) and intersections are a confusing mass of meshing traffic. Horns blare constantly and the air smells of thick smoke and smog. The Nile river runs through the city, with Cairo on one bank and Giza on the other.

We entered the Pyramid Necropolis and had our chance to get up close and personal with the Great Pyramid of Khufu. It was hard to believe we were actually standing there! Our ticket included entry to the pyramid with the chance to climb the grand gallery to the King’s chamber. You can see the entrance in the picture above. No cameras are allowed inside and photography is forbidden – apparently unless you tip the attendant in the chamber…

The initial passage was steep and narrow and I had to duck down low to fit. From there we entered the grand gallery where we had much more space – and a lot of steps to climb.

And yes, we did tip the attendant and got our pictures taken in the King’s Chamber with the sarcophagus.

After making our way back down, we drove to the panoramic view of the pyramids. You can see the city of Cairo in the background to get an idea how close the pyramids are.

The best way to get to the famous nine pyramids viewpoint, where all of the pyramids of Giza are visible, is by camel. After demonstrating my pathetic negotiating skills (really, what’s an extra few dollars after going all the way to Egypt) I mounted my trusty steed and was on my way.

The camel ride ended at the Great Sphinx, which we explored next.

After lunch we went to Memphis and the Mit Rahina Museum. The most famous item there is a massive statue of Ramses II, but there are other statues and a sphinx as well. The statue is about 10 meters tall and dates back 3000 years.

Our final stop on the first day was Saqqara, the primary necropolis of Memphis. The main feature of Saqqara is the step pyramid of Djoser, which predates the great pyramids in Giza.

I couldn’t pass up the shot below of the snakes built into a wall.

That was enough for a very long day – so we went back to our hotel for a mediocre buffet dinner and crashed for the night. We’d be starting the next day at the Egyptian Museum.

The number of ancient artifacts in the Egyptian Museum is mind boggling. There are so many that they can’t even protect them all. The pieces in the outdoor courtyard (above) are all real – and they are exposed to the elements and the visitors. The two most well known exhibits are the full collection from the tomb of King Tutankhamen and the mummies of many of Egypt’s most famous pharaohs, including Ramses II. Of course, photography isn’t allowed in either of those areas and this time they were serious about it.

Our next activity was sailing on the Nile River. This was surprisingly enjoyable. The day had become really nice and the water was calm. For the first time we were able to see some of the city without the normal accompaniment of car horns and crowds. And for the record, we were told that ever since the Aswan Dam was completed, there aren’t any crocodiles in the Nile in Cairo.

Our next stop was Old Cairo, home to the oldest Synagogue, Mosque, and Christian Church in Egypt and we were able to spend some time in each of them. The Ben Ezra Synagogue (which does’t permit photography inside) is the traditional location where the infant Moses was found by the Pharaoh’s daughter after being set adrift on the river.

We then visited the Cavern Church. This is the traditional location where Joseph, Mary and Jesus stayed for three months during their exile in Egypt. The cave where they were believed to have stayed is accessible by going down some stairs behind the altar. The church dates to the 4th century.

Finally we visited the Mosque of Amr ibn al-As, the oldest mosque in Egypt, built around 640 AD. Our guide took us inside and spent some time explaining the Muslim culture in Egypt and answering questions. We both appreciated his openness.

The final activity of our whirlwind tour was to return to Giza to watch the pyramid light show. We followed our guide’s recommendation to go the the cafe and get some drinks, which allowed us to relax in comfortable chairs during the show. It was a fun presentation, lighting up the pyramids and sphinx as well as some of the other structures with an audio program that dramatically described some of the famous Pharaohs.

From there we were off to the airport and a long flight home. Feel free to comment with any thoughts or questions. And of course, prints are available…