Join Morris Columbus Travel in a unique opportunity to follow the footsteps of Moses and the Children of Israel in the very lands of their sojourns. Our scriptural and historic journey will traverse Lower and Upper Egypt including 4-days sailing on the Nile, walking through magnificent temples and tombs, exploring sandstone monuments, and viewing spectacular vistas. Adding the additional option to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan will continue your explorations for another 6-days (see separate brochure).
While other companies take 2 and 3 buses on their tours, ours has a 1 bus guarantee that ensures you have an intimate experience at the sites as well as your educator. It allows your group to bond as a family and makes fast friends with those you're traveling with. You will not come home wishing you had more.
*While the physical activity on this tour (walking distances) is not significant, the days are full of touring from breakfast to dinner time with "down-time" only in the evening.
To complete the experience be sure to add on the Jordan Post Tour to visit the ancient city of Petra and other sites of the Old Testament!
Highlights of the Tour:
- 1 tour-bus experience for the whole tour!
- Morris Murdock LDS tour Director for the whole trip along with local guides
- Pre departure study material and lectures to prepare for your tour
- Licensed, insured, and bonded travel agency with 60 years of experience!! IT MATTERS!
Tour ID # 9223D01
A CASH DISCOUNT of $100.00 applies for all payments made by check or ACH AFTER deposit
To Book This Tour, Contact your favorite Morris Columbus Travel advisor or the Group Tour Manager listed below:
Megan Shouse, Tour Manager
Tel: (801) 483-6167
Email - mshouse@morrismurdock.com
Day 1: Saturday, April 1, 2023
USA - Cairo, Egypt
Depart home city, overnight flight to Cairo, Egypt.
Day 2: Sunday, April 2, 2023
Arrive Cairo
Transfer to Cairo Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel for our next three nights.
Meals : Dinner
Day 3: Monday, April 3, 2023
Cairo, Memphis, Saqqara, Giza
After breakfast our first visit is to Memphis (capital of the Pyramid Age) and Saqqara (Djoser's famous step pyramid); we'll then transfer to Giza. We begin with the world-famous Pyramids of Giza, classified among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Here we'll stand in awe of their size and magnificent engineering. Then we will come face to face with the 5,000-year-old Sphinx. Some may choose to ride a camel to the Sphinx. Afterwards, we will explore the 30,000 treasures of Egyptian antiquity, including the famous King Tutankhamen (“King Tut”) exhibits at the new Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza (referred to as the GEM). Here also, we will see the Solar Boat (the funerary barge used 4500 years ago by Pharaoh Khufu (also known as Cheops, the second pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Egypt). Our visit to the GEM will help us learn the history and see life as it existed at the time of the pharaonic dynasties. A short distance away is our hotel near the Pyramids and museum. Evening optional Giza Light and Sound Show [$20/person]
Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4: Tuesday, April 4, 2023
Cairo, Egyptian National Museum, Old Cairo, Citadel and Alabaster Mosque, Khan Khalili Bazaar
After breakfast, our first stop today is the famous Cairo Egyptian Museum. Here discoveries from the tombs and cities throughout Egypt are exhibited. The treasures of Tanis that rival the “King Tut” collections, the Narmer Pallet (earliest unification of Upper and Lower Egypt about 5,000 years ago), as well as many other interesting exhibits from the various periods of ancient Egyptian history are on display. We will tour Old Cairo Coptic and Jewish communities, the Citadel, Mohammed Ali Alabaster Mosque, and pay a visit to the world-famous Khan Khalili Bazaar for shopping.
Day 5: Wednesday, April 5, 2023
Begin Nile Cruise Day—Cairo flight to Aswan
After breakfast we transfer to the Cairo Airport for our flight to Aswan City. Traveling from the airport we will stop at the Aswan High Dam, and the Unfinished Obelisk. Following check-in aboard our Nile Cruise Ship, we will have lunch and then visit the Phylae Temple, In the late afternoon, we will sail on a Felucca (Nile sailboat) to the Nubian Village of Hessa. Our dinner and overnight will be back onboard our cruise ship. Evenings and prior to shore excursions some lectures on ancient Egyptian cultures and temple ceremonies will be provided throughout the cruise.
Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Thursday, April 6, 2023
Nile Cruise Day – Kom Ombo Temple
Today we will first visit the Graeco-Roman Temple at Kom Ombo. The temple at Kom Ombo is about 30 miles north of Aswan and was built during the Graeco-Roman period (332 BC-AD 395). The temple is unique because it is a double temple, dedicated to Sobek the crocodile god, and Horus the falcon-headed god. The layout combines two temples in one with each side having its own gateways and chapels. Here we will also learn some of the early Egyptian temple ceremonies and translate some of the significant hieroglyphic symbols associated with those ceremonies. After lunch we continue down the Nile River (north) to Edfu and its magnificent temple. Dinner and shipboard entertainment will highlight our evening
Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Friday, April 7, 2023
Nile Cruise Day – Temple of Horus at Edfu, Pass Through Locks of Esna
Our first visit this morning is to the Temple of Horus in Edfu, the second largest temple in Egypt. It is considered the most beautiful and well-preserved of all the Egyptian temples. Returning to our ship, we have lunch as we continue down the Nile to Esna, known anciently as Latapolis (about 485 miles south of Cairo). We will sail down the Nile through the Esna lock and continue to Luxor.
Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Saturday, April 8, 2023
Last Day of Cruise—West Bank of Nile, Valleys of the Kings and Nobles, Hatshepsut’s Funerary Temple, Colossi of Memnon, Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple.
Arriving early in Luxor (some may choose the option to see the sunrise over the Valley of the Kings from high in the air by hot air balloon [$65]) we disembark our cruise ship and visit the fabulous tombs and funerary temples on the West Bank, including the elaborate tombs of Ramses IV, Tutankhamen (King Tut) and others. Crossing the Nile once again we will tour the famous temples of Luxor and Karnak (the largest religious building ever constructed). We will walk the newly opened “Avenue of the Sphinx”. In the late afternoon we will transfer to the very luxurious Luxor Steigenberger Hotel. After dinner some may choose the optional carriage ride to the “Light and Sound Show” at the Karnack temple [$20/person + carriage].
Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Sunday, April 9, 2023
Temple of Dendera, Life along the Nile, Flight to Cairo
Our stay in upper Egypt is completed with a visit to the Temple of Dendera, where worship of the gods of Egypt is found as early as 3,000 B.C. The Temple of Dendera was one of the last completed temples and has the son of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra VII (famous Cleopatra of Shakespeare) and Pompeii carved on wall reliefs. Here we will review the ancient temple ceremonies before returning to Luxor for some shopping and our flight to the port city of Alexandria, Egypt. We will stay near the Mediterranean Sea at a luxury hotel for dinner and overnight.
Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10: Monday, April 10, 2023
Cairo/ (Nile Delta) Alexandria
Today we visit the famous port city of Alexandria, named after Alexander the Great. Here we will visit the Mediterranean port, new Library of Alexandria, Graeco-Roman Museum, Pompey’s Pillar, the Catacombs, Roman Amphitheater, Quarry Bay Citadel, and other fascinating sites. We will have a farewell dinner before heading south to witness Egyptian life in the Nile Delta. Our final journey in Egypt is to the Cairo International Airport for flights to either Amman (for the Post Tour Jordan Option), or departures to the USA.
Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Optional Jordan Tour Addon:
Day 1: Monday, April 10, 2023 - Travel to Amman, Jordan.
Day 2: Tuesday, April 11, 2023 - Jabbok River, Ajloun Castle, Jerash, Amman Citadel, Archaeological Museum, Temple of Hercules, Byzantium Church, Ommyad Palace, view Roman Theater, Odeon, Hashemite Plaza.
Day 3: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 - As-Salt, Jordan River Valley, Ancient Pella, Umm Qais, Irbid, Jordan Museum.
Day 4: Thursday, April 13, 2023 - Amman, Madaba, al-Karak Castle, Wadi Musa.
Day 5: Friday, April 14, 2023 - Petra, Petra Visitor Center, Wadi Rum Visitor Center.
Day 6: Saturday, April 15, 2023 - Wadi Musa, Baptismal site of Jesus, Al Mughtas, Mount Nebo, the Jordan Museum.
What is Included with the land tour:
- Comprehensive Egypt tour
- Four-day/three-night Nile River cruise
- Sightseeing and admissions as per itinerary
- Expert guide services with local English-speaking guides and Dann and Shirley Hone
- Meals as per itinerary (B: breakfast, L: lunch, D: dinner)
- All group airport/hotel transfers with group flight itinerary
- Comprehensive sightseeing as per itinerary
- All entrance fees as per itinerary
- Airline flights: Cairo-Aswan and Luxor-Alexandria (based upon current airfares)
- First Class hotels
- Pre-departure orientation materials
- Daily travel guides
- LDS insight lectures
- All applicable taxes and fees
What is not included:
- International airfare home city to Cairo and return.
- Egypt tourist visa (currently about $30 for USA citizens)
- Tips and gratuities ($190 to be collected with final payment)
- Meals and drinks not listed in the itinerary
- Travel protection/insurance is mandatory per the Egypt government for all international visitors (talk to your Columbus Travel advisor for coverage that meets requirements)
- Health tests and vaccinations
- Anything purely of a personal nature
Deposit, Payment, Cancellation, & Refund:
- $500 per person at the time of reservation
- Final payment date: January 5, 2023
- Land Tour Cancellation: All cancellations must be in writing and received by Columbus Travel. If cancelled:
- On or before January 5, 2023: $100 per person
- On or after January 6, 2023: non-refundable
Optional Tours:
Continue your explorations and add the optional 6-day Jordan tour.
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Optional Jordan Tour Addon:
April 10 – 16, 2023
$1695.00 per person/ based on double room
Day 1: Monday, April 10, 2023 - Travel to Amman, Jordan.
Day 2: Tuesday, April 11, 2023 - Today we journey north from the Jordanian capital city of Amman (known in Greco-Roman times as Philadelphia) to Jerash, the monumental Graeco-Roman Decapolis city, visiting its magnificent ruins and review Old and New Testament events that occurred along the route. We will cross the Jabbok River near Penuel and recall that the patriarch Jacob was renamed “Israel” at its banks after wrestling with an angel all through the night. You return to Amman for visits to the famous downtown Souk (open-air market), Amman Citadel, location of the Jordan Archaeological Museum (houses some of the Dead Sea Scrolls), Temple of Hercules, and other significant sites. We will also transfer for a tour of the Roman Theater and the Odeon before returning our hotel.
Day 3: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 - This morning we take a journey few tours provide throughout the northwestern areas of Jordan. Our adventure begins with a drive through the picturesque western hills of the Balqa Highlands, passing through Es-Salt to the Jordan River Valley, then following the valley north we arrive at the city of Pella, where the Jewish Christians fled from Jerusalem in 66 AD, following the prophetic instructions of Jesus and his disciples. Our next travels take us further north to the site of New Testament city of Gadara (Umm Qais), where we have a view of the Sea of Galilee. From this vantage point, we can see the borders of Israel, Syria, and Jordan. Heading south again, we pass through the provincial capital of northern Jordan, Irbid and stop at the crusader-Moslem fortress of Ajloun Castle.
Day 4: Thursday, April 13, 2023 - This morning we head south, stopping for a lunch break at Madaba where the oldest mosaic map of the Holy Land is displayed on the floor of the Byzantine church. After our visit, we journey southeast along the King’s Highway through the biblical lands of Moab and Edom (tribal inheritances of Rueben). Enroute we stop to view the ruins of Herod Antipas’ fortress-palace overlooking the Dead Sea, Machaerus. This is the location of Salome’s dance and the beheading of John the Baptist. Traveling further south, we visit al-Karak
Castle, one of the largest crusader castles in the Levant. Along the Kings Highway we will pass many of the biblical cities and locations from the days of the Patriarchs through the Exodus of the Children of Israel. We continue traveling south to Petra, a marvel long before “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” opened in theatres. After a memorable day, we arrive at our Old Village Hotel Resort in Wadi Musa for dinner and overnight. The hotel is a unique experience with the true ambience of the Bedouin-Nabatean cultures.
Day 5: Friday, April 14, 2023 - After breakfast we will head to the ancient ruins of Petra by entering through the Siq. Most people recognize Petra for the Treasury, but there is so much more to see. There are two ways into and out of Petra. One is by buggy pulled by a donkey (additional fee). The other method is by foot, which allows for a scenic and memorable experience and is not a difficult walk. After lunch we visit Wadi Rum and enjoy the red sand dessert of Lawrence of Arabia and the site of many film locations of the Moon.
Day 6: Saturday, April 15, 2023 – Today we travel along the Desert Highway to a mountain peak in the Jordanian western mountains, Mount Nebo, where Moses made his last stopping place before departing the tribes of Israel and entrusting their leadership to Joshua. After taking in the panorama of modern Israel and the Palestinian Territories and reviewing the events on this mountain we descend to the great rift valley of the Jordan River and see in the distance the city of Palms, Jericho. We will make the crossing of the Jordan close to where Joshua and the children of Israel, Elijah and Elisha, Joseph and Mary, and Jesus and His disciples crossed near Al-Maghtas or “Bethany beyond the Jordan”, the probable site of Bethbara where the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist occurred. We finish out day back in Amman to the airport for our late flights home.
Day 7: Sunday, April 16, 2023 – Travel home today with memories to last a lifetime
