NEW YEAR'S IN EGYPT & JORDAN.

Can you imagine walking through a city that was carved into rock over 2,000 years ago? The ancient city of Petra in Jordan became one of the 7 New Wonders of the World when it was chosen in 2007 by a vote of 100 million people. This is where the famous Indiana Jones was shot too, if you recall.

"Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.", Anita Desai

Wadi Rum's stunning red sand dunes, rugged mountains, and unique rock formations make it a breathtakingly beautiful during sunset. We are going to stay in the most luxurious camp here in Wadi rum. Staying in one of these is actually a dream come true experience. If you remember Star Wars, Martian, it's all shot here. Today we will be sleeping in Desert tents. There will be proper washrooms and beds too.

The last day of the Jordan trip is here and we will be back to the city by 5pm. People who are only doing Egypt can land on next day.

"Don't you think it's better to be extremely happy for a short while, even if you lose it, than to be just okay for your whole life?", Audrey Niffenegger (The Time Traveler's Wife)

Pyramids, Mummies and treasures: If that's all you have heard of Egypt. Get this: Paper, ink, police, calendar, locks, makeup, wigs, toothpaste and even mints came from Ancient Egypt. We expect the trippers to reach Cairo Airport by afternoon 1 pm. After dropping our luggage in hotel, we head to see the Pyramids and Great Sphinx of Giza. Did you know Sphinx is the oldest known monumental sculpture in Egypt? (2558–2532 BC).

We will end with a visit inside a pyramid, which can be a surreal and awe-inspiring experience. The entrance to the pyramid is a narrow and steep descent, leading to a series of chambers inside the structure. It would take about 30 minutes.

Post evening tea, we head to the Egyptian Museum which is hosting artefacts from 2023 that has never been shown to public. Pharaoh Tutankhamun's treasure and its iconic gold burial mask kept here, is supposedly one of the best-known works of art in the world. Today's day end with an Egyptian meal: Fatteh.

Tonight, we are going to a special cafe with a rich history originally made in 1486. Imagine that. Nestled in the heart of Cairo's Khan el Khalili district, this café was once a war refugee center and belonged to a Princess. Over the years, the house changed hands and is situated in the outdoor plaza of this Fatimid architectural marvel, and the underground crypt of the house serves as a reminder of the significant role it played in the fight against French occupation in 1798. No we aren't revealing the name of our secret spots.

Imagine waking up to this view! Yes, we will be staying in a Pyramid facing hotels. Today, we will start our 4 hour journey early to Baharia desert. The White Desert is a natural wonder that you simply can't miss. It is an otherworldly landscape of white limestone formations that have been sculpted by wind and sand over millions of years. The stark white formations against the blue sky create a surreal and almost alien-like atmosphere.

Today we will be camping in the desert. If you are looking for an extremely luxurious group trip, this one probably isn't one. This is designed for people who want to see more landscapes, have more raw experiences than spending time inside a hotel room. Someone wise had said this: That Luxury hotel rooms are those inventions that keep you away from real culture and raw travel experiences. There is a significant amount of effort that went in to curate this masterpiece itinerary & we want to make sure you know what you are signing up for. No bad surprises, we only want to give you the good ones. Once you sign up we will be sharing with you a packing list and what to expect with all the activities involved too.

You will have simple tents like this for the night, sleeping bags, a good dinner, campfire, some stories and a lot of black tea.

Today, we will trace our way back to Cairo. We will be back by 4pm and post which, We will be visiting the Khan el-Khalili market where we all will pick one perfume each of your choice: This is on Team OJ 🙂

We will once again hit another cafe that has its place in history: Founded in 1908, this café quickly became a hub for intellectuals, artists, and politicians, earning the nickname "The Parliament of the Arts." The café's walls are adorned with photographs of its famous patrons, including Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz, who is said to have written much of his work at this cafe. Throughout its history, This Café has been a symbol of Egyptian culture and a beacon for free speech and political discourse. During the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, the café was a gathering place for protesters and played a significant role in the events that led to the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak. Again, the name stays surprise.

Today is a relaxed day, we will be staying is a very pretty secret village in Aswan. We will be taking you to a Bedouin village of a tribe that once helped to build the Pyramids. We are planning to keep the location a secret. We will reach late to our village.

"You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestation of your own blessings.", Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love. "And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.", Roald Dahl

We start our day with a boat ride around Philae temple: a mysterious ancient temple on an island that you can only access by boat. Post the boating, we will head to a desert near Aswan town to do something very unique: A sand bath. 😀 Since decades, its believed that burying your body in sand gives valuable results & can help relieving you from stubborn ailments such as rheumatism, arthritis, joint edema and skin inflammation. The day is spent back at the village with brilliant view of the river. If you guy are game, we can jump into the river for a quick shower. The water is so clean that this is also used for drinking in the region.

We will be taking a 3 hour train today from Aswan to Luxor. After checking in, we head out to visit the valley of kings: also known as the Valley of the Gates of the Kings which is a valley in Egypt where, for a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, rock-cut tombs were excavated for the pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom.

In the evening, we will visit Karnak (fortified village) temple complex, which is one of the largest complex built from 2000–1700 BCE. Imagine that.

Today we will end our day with a Felluca ride in the Nile river during sunset.

No, we aren't flying to Sharm el Sheikh in a ballon which would have been way too cool to do though. We will wake up early to do hot air balloon above Luxor which is supreamly pretty and highly recommended. Post which, we have a slow breakfast and take flight to Sharm el Sheikh via Cairo.

There are some insanely pretty cafes and pubs in the regions. We are going to hit couple of them today. Get your brightest clothes for better photos.

Did you know Zindagi na milegi Dubara (ZNMD) scuba diving scene was shot here? Thats right, we are going to exactly the same place. Take a look what even Padi has to say about the spots here.

PS: Since we are flying next day, we wouldn't dive more depth. People who want to do a deeper and longer dive should stay an additional day and book the flight a day later only.

Post your dive, we will head out to a nice club to party. Lets make it count 🙂

"Live, travel, adventure, bless, and don't be sorry.", Jack Kerouac

You can book any flight today from SSH to India. If you are thinking of booking this trip, here is a challenge for you. See if you can find a better itinerary, We are mostly confident it's not there.

PS: Since we are flying next day after diving, we wouldn't dive more depth. People who want to do a deeper and longer dive should stay an additional day and book the flight a day later only.