fbpx

Antiquities of the Red Sea and Aegean Sea

Program Overview

Visit three continents; explore centuries-old landmarks in Jordan, Egypt, and Greece; and cruise from the Red Sea to the Aegean Sea via the Suez Canal on this remarkable voyage. Discover the historical sites of Jordan on a journey to Amman, Jerash, Wadi Rum, and legendary Petra. Mid-cruise, overnight in Luxor in a Nile-view room and enjoy a specially arranged visit into the tomb of Queen Nefertari. Stand in the shadows of the Great Pyramids of Giza. View the Minoan Palace at Knossos and continue to Heraklion to visit the Archaeological Museum. Enhance your immersion into these ancient civilizations with the Israel Pre-Program and/or Greece Post-Program Options.

A Fall version of this program is also available.

Program Details

April 14 to 27, 2023 (Le Bougainville)
From $7,995 plus air View Terms & Conditions
  • Uniquely designed, comprehensive, 12-night land and sea program.
  • Three nights in Amman, with a tour of the city and the Greco-Roman ruins of Jerash.
  • One night near the legendary “rose-red city” of Petra, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
  • Eight-night, exclusively chartered cruise aboard the five-star Le Bougainville; each suite and stateroom has a private balcony.
  • Visit millennia-old sites in Jordan, Egypt, and Greece, and cruise from the Red Sea to the Aegean Sea via the Suez Canal and Mediterranean Sea.
  • Excursion in the Mediterranean port of Alexandria, founded in 331 B.C. by Alexander the Great and today a cosmopolitan cultural hub.
  • Visit to Giza to see the Great Pyramids and the Great Sphinx.
  • Excursion into the Wadi Rum Protected Area, a traditional Bedouin site.
  • Overnight in a Nile-view room in fabled Luxor, with visits to Karnak and Luxor Temples, the tombs of Kings Tutankhamen and Ramses IV and by special arrangement, the tomb of Queen Nefertari.
  • Enjoy lectures on board by Dr. Tarek Sayed Tawfik Ahmed, an acclaimed Egyptologist.
  • Complimentary alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages throughout the cruise and complimentary Wi-Fi access aboard the ship (conditions permitting).
  • Four-night Israel Pre-Program Option or two-night Classical Greece Post-Program Option.

Day 1 - Depart the U.S. or Canada

Day 2 - Arrive in Amman, Jordan

Day 3 - Amman

Day 4 - Amman / Jerash / Amman

Day 5 - Amman / Petra

Day 6 - Petra / Wadi Rum / Embark Le Bougainville / Aqaba

Day 7 - Safaga for Luxor, Egypt

Day 8 - Luxor / Hurghada

Day 9 - Ain Sokhna for Giza Plateau (Great Pyramids)

Day 10 - Sail the Suez Canal

Day 11 - Alexandria

Day 12 - Day at Sea

Day 13 - Heraklion, Crete

Day 14 - Athens, Greece / Return to the U.S. or Canada

View detailed program itinerary >

Le Bougainville

Exclusively Chartered, Five-Star Luxury Small Ship

Le Bougainville, launched in 2019, ushers in a new generation of five-star small ships, combining revolutionary design and a new standard of luxury for unparalleled cruising. Dock in smaller ports inaccessible to larger ships, where authentic cultural experiences and majestic scenery await you.

Learn more about the Le Bougainville >

Dr. Tarek Sayed Tawfik Ahmed has a BA & MA of Egyptology from Faculty of Archaeology Cairo University and a PhD in Egyptology from the University of Bonn, Germany. He will present exclusive lectures about the culture, way of life and iconic creations of ancient Egypt.

Israel Pre-Program Option

This exclusive, four-night itinerary features visits to cultural sites around Jerusalem, including the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. Visit Bethlehem, the UNESCO-designated Masada, and enjoy a float in the Dead Sea. Enjoy deluxe accommodations in Jerusalem.

Classical Greece Post-Program Option

Extend your time in Athens with a two-night itinerary that includes tours of the Parthenon and the Acropolis Museum, as well as a full-day excursion to the mystical UNESCO World Heritage Site of Delphi and its Archaeological Museum. Accommodations are in the deluxe Grand Bretagne Athens Hotel.

The Pre-Program and Post-Program Options are available at additional cost. Details will be provided with your reservation confirmation.

Hotel Fairmont Amman

Check in to the five-star Fairmont Hotel Fairmont in Amman. for three nights. This beautiful, modern hotel features gorgeous interiors of fine wood and marble, with large rooms combining classic luxury with modern design, and all of the amenities a traveler could want and then some. The hotel is centrally located, within easy walking distance to the affluent Abdoun neighborhood and the nearby diplomatic area.

Mövenpick Resort Petra

In Petra, you'll stay at the the five-star Mövenpick Resort. Located right at the entrance to this ancient city, this unique luxury hotel features arabesque designs, natural stone, carved wood, local textiles, and a wonderful collection of art and antiques. Rooms are modern, stylish, and very comfortable.

Steigenberger Nile Palace Hotel

Take in incredible views of the Nile from your beautiful, large, modern room with a balcony in this stunning five-star hotel in Luxor.

Ready to Begin Your Journey?

We'll contact you. No obligation.

Reserve My Spot

Program Itinerary

Days 1 Depart U.S. or Canada

Your trip will begin by departing the U.S. or Canada.

Day 2 and 3 Amman, Jordan

Arrive in Amman and check in at the five-star Fairmont Hotel Amman. Enjoy a tour of Amman, starting with the blue-domed King Abdullah Mosque. Visit the Amman Citadel and see the ruins of Hercules temple. Explore the Roman Amphitheater and then continue to the Jordan Museum.

Day 4 Amman / Jerash / Amman

Enjoy a scenic journey to Jerash, Jordan’s most captivating Greco-Roman site. See baths; theaters; plazas; fountains; and arches, incredibly still as they were 2,000 years ago. Marvel at the three-gated Hadrian’s Arch, walk the Sacred Way to the Temple of Artemis and take in the sublime architecture of the Forum. Enjoy lunch in Jerash before heading back to Amman where you’ll have an evening at leisure.

Day 5 Amman / Petra

The ancient “rose-red city” of Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The site’s majestic ensemble of temples, dwellings and tombs—carved directly into the sandstone cliff face—still holds a mythical appeal. Tonight, check into the five-star Movenpick Hotel.

Day 6 Petra / Wadi Rum / Embark the ship / Aqaba

Check out of the hotel and traverse the awe-inspiring wilderness of UNESCO World Heritage-designated Wadi Rum, known as the “Valley of the Moon.” Enjoy a Jeep ride through this ethereal landscape of striated canyons, soaring mountains, undulating sand dunes, and rocky caverns. After lunch, travel to Aqaba to embark the ship for the Captain’s Welcome Reception. 

Day 7 (Morning) Safaga for Luxor, Egypt

Travel into the mountains and across the arid desert to Luxor to see the great temples of ancient Thebes. Arrive in Luxor and check into a Nile-view room for an overnight at the Steigenberger Hotel. Explore UNESCO-designated ancient Thebes with a visit to the magnificent Karnak Temple complex. Walk along the avenue of the ram-headed sphinxes into the Great Court and then continue to the Luxor Temple. 

Day 8 Luxor / Hurghada

Cross the Nile to visit one of the world’s most important archaeological sites, the Necropolis at Luxor in the Valley of the Kings. Explore the tomb of Tutankhamen and enjoy an exclusively arranged visit to Queen Nefertari’s tomb in the Valley of the Queens.  

Day 9 Ain Sokhna for Giza Plateau

See the last remaining Wonder of the Ancient World, the Great Sphinx and the pyramids of the Old Kingdom pharaohs. Next, visit the marvelous Grand Egyptian Museum, where you’ll see the spectacular Grand Staircase, King Tut’s amazing treasures and the well-preserved 4,600-year-old Sun Boat of King Khufu. 

Day 10 Suez Canal Transit

Experience one of the most momentous voyages between continents transiting the 120-mile Suez Canal—Egypt’s Victorian-era engineering marvel. Enjoy a lecture on board the ship with renowned Egyptologist Dr. Tarek Sayed Tawfik Ahmed.

Day 11 Alexandria

Discover Egypt’s most enchanting city—founded by Alexander the Great in the fourth century B.C. Visit the National Museum and the Roman Amphitheater. This afternoon, tour Qaitbey Fort.

Day 12 Day at Sea

Enjoy a relaxing day cruising the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas and take part in an educational lecture.

Day 13 Heraklion, Crete

Travel to one of the most legendary sites of all antiquity, the Minoan Palace at Knossos where, in Greek myth, Theseus slew the Minotaur in the Labyrinth built by Daedalus. Dating from the 17th century B.C., the palace is a maze of chambers, staircases and courtyards. Continue to Heraklion to visit the Archaeological Museum. This evening, attend the Captain’s Farewell Reception.

Day 14 Athens, Greece / U.S. or Canada

Disembark Le Bougainville after breakfast and join the Athens Post-Program Option or transfer to the airport for your return flight home.