This whirlwind exploration of the Middle East takes you from ancient wonders to holy cities. On this 3-week trip, witness the immensity of the great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx in Cairo, sail down the Nile River and explore the architecture of the past, take in the majesty of The Treasury in Petra, Jordan, float in the strangeness of the Dead Sea and visit one of the oldest holy cities in the world – Jerusalem. Connect with the Bedouin women in the Negev Desert region of the Palestinian territories over tea and a traditional weaving demonstration. Head on a desert safari in a 4WD through an International Dark Sky Park. Traverse the open-air museum that is Luxor, full of Pharoah tombs, temples and monuments. Visit the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, where Jesus is said to have been born. This Middle Eastern odyssey is packed with local experiences, modern traditions and ancient artifacts.

• OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
• The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.
• ACCOMMODATION STYLE
• Some of the accommodation along the way is basic or simple, three and four-star accommodation in the Middle East (with the exception of Israel)  is often not equal to same-star facilities in some western destinations. Rooms are clean and comfortable, however, you may note some small maintenance issues that have been overlooked, please assist us by bringing these to the attention of your group leader or local representative so that we can follow up with our hosts. Many restaurants and hotels do not serve alcohol for religious reasons or due to local laws. Breakfast is included in 95% or our hotels, pleaser refer to our daily itinerary for meal inclusions.
• TWIN SHARE / MULTI SHARE BASIS
• Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multi-share basis.
• CHECK-IN TIME
• Throughout the trip, we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.  Standard check-in time is 1400 hours.
• PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
• If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (subject to availability), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.
• SHOWERS
• Showers at some hotels only have hot water at peak times (usually morning and evening). Outside of these times, you may need to speak to reception to obtain hot water.
• HEATING AND AIR-CONDITIONING
• As a desert region, this part of the world has extremes of weather. Winter months (approx December to March) can be very cold. All of our hotel accommodation contains suitable bedding, and simple light bedding is provided during camping activities such as an overnight felucca, desert camps or at the Red Sea Beach camp stay. Most of our travellers find the bedding provided here adequate, but for your own comfort and if you are particularly sensitive to the cold, consider bringing your own sleeping bag, thermals, scarf, gloves and a warm jacket. Some of our guesthouses/hotels don't supply heating. In many cases, this would be a major financial and environmental strain on our hotels and the local towns. Summer (approx June to August) can be very hot everywhere we travel, which means that it can be quite uncomfortable for those not used to the heat. Not all our hotels have air-conditioning, and in those that do, it's not always functioning.
• ROOM ISSUES
• If you have any issues with your room, please speak to the hotel and your group leader or local representative right away so that the problem can be addressed without delay.