Egypt and Jordan

Visit the Jordan city of Amman, where ancient relics meet modern wonders. The city is bustling with people and culture, and is often recognized as the most modernized Arab city. The city dates back even before 7,000 B.C., but rapidly increased in size following World War I – now it is home to Jordan’s king.

Visit the fabled “Rose Red City” of Petra, Jordan. It is a historical and archaeological city among mountains and valleys. The entire city is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, and is thought to date back to 4th century B.C.

The Dead Sea is a salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east, and Israel and the West Bank to the west. Its surface and shores are 1407 feet below sea level, Earth’s lowest elevation on land. With 34.2% salinity, it is one of the world’s saltiest bodies of water. The amounts of salt in the lake makes it impossible for any animals to stay alive, hence the name the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is 31 miles long and 9 miles wide and its widest point.

The Nile is a north flowing river located in the northeastern part of Africa. It is regarded as the longest river in the world at over 4,000 miles long. The Nile and its water sources are shared by 11 different African countries.

Located among the cliffs on the west bank of the Nile near Luxor is the Valley of the Kings, home to the tombs of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom. The tombs were built here over a period of almost 500 years. There are 63 tombs in the valley, 26 of them carved for kings, and the others were carved for royal family members.

Kom Ombo is a town in Egypt famous for its temple, the Temple of Kom Ombo. This Graceo-Roman temple was built in 332 B.C. Being a double temple makes it quite unique. One temple is dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, and the other is dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god.

Aswan is a city in the south of Egypt located just north of the Aswan dams on the east bank of the Nile River and is 81 miles south of Luxor, Egypt. It is said to be Egypt’s sunniest southern city and has a busy market and tourist center.

View the remarkable collections of the Grand Egyptian Museum, featuring some of the area’s oldest artifacts. Containing over 50,000 pieces, peruse the many statues, sarcophagi, and treasures from the tomb of Tutankhamun.