Itinerary · 10 days
Egypt + Jordan Itinerary, 10 Days From India
Ten days is the minimum honest Egypt plus Jordan combo. The arc: 3 days Cairo plus pyramids, 3 days Nile cruise Luxor to Aswan, 2 days Petra plus Wadi Rum (Jordan), 1 day Dead Sea, 1 day return via Amman. This is the OJ trip rhythm. Anything shorter cuts the Nile cruise or one of the Jordan icons; the dual-country trip is the standard structure.
The 10-day arc
Arrive Cairo Airport plus transfer to hotel (90 min, traffic dependent).
Rest plus orientation. Light walk in Zamalek for solo-friendly cafes.
Dinner at Abou El Sid (traditional Egyptian) plus early sleep.
Giza pyramids plus Sphinx (early morning before heat plus crowds).
Egyptian Museum (now National Museum of Egyptian Civilization) plus Tahrir Square area.
Khan el-Khalili bazaar with local guide plus dinner at Naguib Mahfouz Cafe.
Domestic flight Cairo to Luxor (1 hour). Board Nile cruise boat.
Karnak Temple complex tour (largest religious building ever built).
Luxor Temple sound-and-light show plus sunset cruise start.
Valley of the Kings plus Hatshepsut Temple plus Colossi of Memnon.
Sail to Edfu (cruise sailing time, relax on deck).
Edfu Temple of Horus.
Sail to Kom Ombo plus Temple of Sobek and Horus.
Sail to Aswan plus felucca traditional sailboat ride.
Nubian village visit plus traditional dinner.
Abu Simbel temples day trip (4am start, 3-hour drive) plus return to Aswan by lunch.
Aswan High Dam plus Philae Temple.
Fly Aswan to Cairo plus transit to Amman, Jordan.
Petra entrance plus Treasury via the Siq (1 hour walk in).
Petra extended exploration: Monastery, Royal Tombs, High Place of Sacrifice.
Petra by Candlelight (Mon plus Wed plus Thu evenings only) or Petra restaurant dinner.
Drive to Wadi Rum (2 hours). Camel ride into desert.
4WD jeep tour through Wadi Rum's iconic dunes plus rock formations.
Bedouin camp dinner under stars plus traditional music.
Drive to Dead Sea (3 hours).
Dead Sea float experience plus mud massage at resort.
Resort dinner plus relax.
Drive to Amman airport (1 hour) plus departure.
In flight back to India.
Return.
Budget breakdown (per person)
Mid-range solo traveller estimate. Couples sharing rooms save around 25% per person. Luxury upgrades add 50% to 100%.
Booking tips
- Egypt e-visa USD 25 single-entry; apply at visa2egypt.gov.eg, processed in 3 working days
- Jordan Pass (around JOD 70) covers visa fee plus 40 tourist sites including Petra; mandatory for cost-efficient Jordan visit if staying 3 plus nights
- Nile cruise booking: pick 4-star or above; cheap cruises have safety plus hygiene concerns. Book 90 days out for peak December to March window
- Abu Simbel: book the early morning convoy (one daily, 4am start from Aswan); the temples are only worthwhile in the early morning
- Wadi Rum Bedouin camp: pick mid-range (around USD 80 per night) with full meals; cheaper camps are basic, premium camps (Memories Aicha) are luxury at USD 250 plus
Frequently asked
Can I do Egypt plus Jordan in less than 10 days?
Possible but you must cut something. 7 days: Egypt only (Cairo plus Luxor plus Aswan). 8 days adds Jordan briefly (Petra only). 10 days is the minimum for the dual-country bucket-list trip including the Nile cruise and Wadi Rum overnight. Below 7 days the flight time eats the trip.
Should I skip Egypt and do only Jordan?
Possible if you have visited Egypt before. Jordan-only (Petra plus Wadi Rum plus Dead Sea plus Amman) is doable in 5 to 6 days for INR 1L to 1.4L. Most Indian first-timers do both for the combined iconic landmark sweep, which is why the OJ trip is structured as Egypt plus Jordan.
What is the actual total cost of this 10-day Egypt plus Jordan trip from India?
The breakdown above totals around INR 1,95,000 for a solo traveller mid-range. As a couple sharing rooms, per-person cost drops to about INR 1,55,000. Luxury upgrades (premium Nile cruise, 5-star hotels) push it to INR 3,50,000 plus.
Is the OJ Egypt plus Jordan trip worth the group rate?
Yes for Cairo safety and Nile cruise vetting. Cairo with operator structure (vetted hotels, female local guide, no solo street time) is dramatically different from Cairo solo. Nile cruise quality varies wildly; operator-vetted cruise is the safe choice. Jordan is easier solo but the combo logistics benefit from operator.
When does the OJ Egypt plus Jordan trip run?
Late December for New Year. Best weather, festive Bedouin camp experience for New Year Eve, ideal Petra plus Wadi Rum temperatures. Trip cost INR 1.95L for 10 days including flights from Bangalore plus internal Cairo to Amman flight.