Mystique of Ancient Realms: An Egypt & Jordan Adventure Tour

We just completed a 10-day trip to Egypt (Cairo and Luxor) and Jordan (Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea). Our group consisted of six people ranging from eight to 80 years old. Everyone in the group had an amazing time!

The tour guides in Cairo and Jordan were incredibly knowledgeable and accommodating. They were able to keep things fun and instructive for everyone. The tour operator did a great job of designing a trip with varied exposure to the different sites so it did not feel like we were having the same experience repeatedly.

Before our trip, we were a little anxious about traveling to an area so close to the Gaza conflict, but we had absolutely no concerns about safety the entire time.

The only hiccup we had was that the person meeting us at the airport upon arrival in Cairo was very late. It wasn't a good first impression, after a long flight, to feel stranded at the airport in a new country. Our flight did arrive earlier than the scheduled time, but that was not in our control, and flight times should have been monitored. Other than that, the rest of the trip went perfectly.

There are many different tour operators that offer similar itineraries. The reason we chose Zicasso’s was because they offered the same experience as others, but provided a discount for our two children, aged 11 and eight. This discount was not part of the packages of other tour operators and resulted in substantial savings.

Our entire family highly recommends traveling to Egypt and Jordan!

Through Zicasso’s travel company and its agent, my husband and I had a wonderful experience in Egypt and Jordan. 

While we loved all the sites, the most unexpected visit was to the gorgeous Wadi Rum in Jordan. We were glad we missed the flash flood at Petra by a few hours, so we were still able to enjoy the ancient city and lovely natural canyon. And we were only minimally touched in Luxor by the sandstorm in Cairo! 

The whole experience was five-star, especially in terms of the sites visited, guides provided, hotels, and kindness of the people.

Thank you for arranging such a memorable and enlightening trip! We strongly recommend traveling to Egypt and Jordan through our travel agent and his team "on the ground”.

We had an amazing experience traveling through Egypt and Jordan with this travel company! Our custom 11 day tour was carefully crafted by our agent after a series of phone calls where we determined all our "must sees". We traveled to Cairo, cruised the Nile between Luxor and Aswan, flew to Jordan for the Dead Sea and Petra, and visited the Mars-like desert of Wadi Rum. We felt very safe and comfortable the entire time. Our Egyptologist guides were a wealth of information and were so nice and wonderful to talk to -- we had many excellent conversations about a wide range of topics.  We highly recommend this travel company to anyone considering traveling to Egypt or Jordan. They are absolutely the best!

The trip was memorable and well organized. Our hands were held every day of the trip from the time we arrived in Cairo until we departed in Amman. We saw amazing sites in Cairo, including the pyramids and the Egyptian museum, the cruise on the Nile from Aswan to Luxor was fabulous, with stops to see incredible temples and the pharaoh tombs in the Valley of the Kings as well as an incredible ballon ride. Jordan was also impressive, from the Roman ruins in Jerash to the ancient city of Petra along with enjoyable leisure activities including a day at a Dead Sea resort and a jeep ride in the desert. The hotels and cruise ship were all first-rate and our guides were all well-informed and enthusiastic. This travel agency offered all of this for an incredibly reasonable price, especially since we had our own private guides and drivers for most of our sight-seeing. We also were happy to support an Egypt-based travel company which benefited the people in the countries we visited.

A trip to see the pyramids up close and personal has long been a bucket-list item, and Egypt did not disappoint. It was incredible to be that close to ancient history and take in the majesty of the entire country. And Cairo is a busy, chaotic, and fun city, with so many alleys, restaurants, and sites to see.

The big surprise though, was how much we enjoyed Jordan, which has so much more to offer, explore, and enjoy than I imagined. Petra was so much larger than I thought, so we were glad to have two full days there. Wadi Rum was like landing on another planet. The ruins of Jerash were incredible. As you walked the same cobblestone streets others did thousands of years ago, you felt connected to the history.

Importantly, both were incredibly safe, despite the war in the Middle East. We felt completely comfortable and at ease. In many ways, it was safer than many locations in Europe, as you don’t worry about being pickpocketed there.

And our sincere thanks to Zicasso’s tour operator for pulling the trip together. She listened to our wishes, provided terrific options, and was able to handle the issues that came along. During the trip, the logistics were flawless.

Our travel agency did a fabulous job with our trip to Egypt and Jordan. When we stepped off the plane in Cairo, our agent was at the gate with our visas. We whisked through customs in no time. It was a great start to a memorable trip.

Our first hotel was disappointing. Its website suggests a hotel from a by-gone era. In reality, it is a new Marriott. It was clean, safe, well kept, and literally across the street from the pyramids. The staff was wonderful, but it was not what we hoped it would be. Food was mediocre.

We had a great guide who accompanied us throughout our stay in Egypt. He was knowledgeable, personable, and just plain nice. He was a great ambassador for Egypt who was a pleasure to spend a week with. He was punctual, and patient. He provided great knowledge about ancient Egypt with a passion for his country’s heritage. He did an excellent job.

The hotel in Aswan was splendid. It exceeded our expectations. The location was beautiful. The food was very good. The restaurant was a bit stuffy especially when nearly denying admission because I wore hiking shoes. The food was very good, not great, but the room was great.

Next stop was the hotel in Luxor. It was well located, and had a great staff, but it was not quite as good as Aswan. Nonetheless, there is no question that we would stay there again. Luxor is an unbelievable place. The Valley of the Kings was awesome, but there is no better site than the tomb of Queen Nefertari. The murals defy description.

Alexandria was next up on the journey. The accommodation was a great hotel. The citadel and library were worth a day trip. The city itself had an edge, an impression that no doubt resulted from the 2 fist fights we saw during our afternoon there. We, however, never felt threatened there or anywhere in Egypt. Americans need to ignore that suggestion that the wonderful country is unsafe. It is safe, welcoming, and hospitable. Go to Egypt. You won’t be disappointed.

We next traveled to Jordan for 4 four days. What a place. We stopped at Mt. Nebo on the way to Petra, which defies description. You need to be in shape to enjoy all that Petra offers unless you decide to ride a donkey to the monastery. We hiked it-13.9 miles and 138 flights of stairs. There is a lot to see, and the view from the cliffs overlooking the Treasury is stunning, and quite steep. Petra by night was a dud. We spent 2 nights at the Movenpick on the recommendation of friends. it is a great choice at it is immediately adjacent to the entrance to the Petra. 

Wadi Rhum was next on the agenda. We spent a few hours with our guide whose Bedouin family was wonderful. The area is beautiful. It is no easy to understand by T.E. Lawrence loved the country after touring here. Next time we will stay at least at night here.

We then traveled back to Amman where we stayed at the resort which was great. I realized that I forgot my coat at Petra, but our driver and city guide, made a call to a fellow guide who brought it back to Amman with him; just one of those little things that distinguish a really good tour company. He took us on a great trip through downtown Amman at night. Once again, not a worry about security. We sat outside waiting in line at Habibahto sample kanafehwhen a couple of middle aged guys struck up a conversation with us, another example of how people throughout our trip were genuinely friendly. Our last day in Jordan was highlighted by a day trip to Jerash. Do not miss it. Our guide was great, and took extra time to be sure that we saw everything.

The owner of the Maryland based tour company, put together a comprehensive, insightful, and undeniably memorable trip. His attention to detail was exceptionable. His integrity was evident when he deferred involvement in our last stop, Istanbul. He candidly acknowledged that he did not have a network established there. That he encouraged us to book this part of our trip with someone else speaks volumes for him.

Our agent's involvement did not end when we left Amman. Shortly after we arrived home we received shipment of a table that we purchased while in Jordan. It was not what we purchased, and not what we wanted. When he was informed of this problem, he immediately had his people in Jordan intervene. He was responsible for a full refund of the purchase price. He did not have to do that, but he felt it was his duty to do so. Trust us, as travelers who arrived in Kathmandu around 9:00 am. on April 25, 2015, we know the importance of a tour operator, and this agent is a really good one. 

Go to the Egypt and Jordan, and book with this travel company; you will not be disappointed. Go to Egypt and Jordan because they are safe, welcoming, and incredibly interesting. Don’t listen to naysayers who exaggerate dangers that are ubiquitous. It is a journey that will not disappoint.