DETAILS
Join us on this custom-designed, 14-day journey to the very cradle of civilization. Visit three continents, navigate the legendary Red, Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, transit the Suez Canal and experience eight UNESCO World Heritage sites. Spend three nights in Amman to visit Greco‑Roman Jerash and dramatic Wadi Rum, and one night adjacent to the “rose‑red city” of Petra. Cruise for eight nights aboard the exclusively chartered, Five-Star Le Bougainville, featuring 92 Suites and Staterooms, each with a private balcony. Mid‑cruise, overnight in a Nile‑view room in Luxor and visit Queen Nefertari’s tomb. Marvel at the wonders of the Great Pyramids of Giza and see the 4,000 treasures of King Tutankhamen in the Grand Egyptian Museum.
- Pricing from
- $7,995
Early booking savings up to $5,400 if booked by Sept. 12, 2022!
- Trip Type
- Group Travel Tour, International Ocean & Sea Voyages
- Departure Dates
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Oct 31, 2023 - Nov 13, 2023
Pre‑Program Option – Israel: The Holy Land
April 10 to 15, 2023 or Nov. 13 to 18, 2023 (Post-Program for Oct. 31 departure)
Expand your exploration of the great civilizations to include captivating biblical, historical, and cultural sites in and around Jerusalem. Tour UNESCO World Heritage-designated Masada, see where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, visit Bethlehem, and enjoy an unforgettable float in the Dead Sea. In historic Jerusalem, a holy city for three of the world’s major religions, walk in the footsteps of Jesus, see evocative religious sites, and visit the poignant Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. Enjoy four nights in the deluxe Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem.
Price per person, based on double occupancy: $2,295
Price per person, based on single occupancy: $3,595
Post‑Program Option – Ancient Greece
April 10 to 15, 2023 or Oct. 29 to Nov. 1, 2023 (Post-Program for Oct. 31 departure)
Enhance your Athens experience with an immersion into this ancient city. Enjoy a full-day excursion to the mystical UNESCO World Heritage Site of Delphi and its Archaeological Museum. Explore Plaka, Athens’ oldest neighborhood, at leisure. At the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Acropolis, see the archaeological treasures in the Acropolis Museum and tour the perfectly proportioned Parthenon, a graceful example of Doric architecture.
Accommodations are for two nights in the deluxe Grand Bretagne Athens Hotel.
Price per person, based on double occupancy: $995
Price per person, based on single occupancy: $1,395
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David J. Brown
Few names over the past twenty-plus years have been as synonymous with the National Trust for Historic Preservation as David J. Brown. David served as EVP and the organization’s founding Chief Preservation Officer, where he led the Trust’s advocacy, educational, field work, research, and historic sites programs. A national leader, speaker, and author with a four-decade record of achievement in saving historic places and supporting thriving communities, David is the founder of Bearden Brown LLC, which works to build nonprofit leadership and grow organizational impact. An affiliate fellow at the American Academy in Rome and a founding board member of the International National Trusts Organisation, David brings an international perspective to his discussions of preservation, history, and architecture.
BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE!
No cancellation fees for new bookings until 96 days prior to trip departure.
TOUR MAP
ITINERARY
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day 1 & 2
Depart the U.S. - Athens, Greece/ Embark the ship
Arrive in Athens, Greece and embark Le Bougainville
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day 3
Heraklion, Crete
This afternoon, travel to one of the most legendary sites of antiquity, the Minoan Palace at Knossos where, in Greek myth, Theseus defeated the Minotaur in the Labyrinth built by Daedalus. Dating from the 17th century B.C., the palace is a maze of chambers, staircases, and courtyards. Continue on and visit the amazing Archaeological Museum. In the evening, enjoy the Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner.
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day 4
Cruising the Mediterranean Sea
Enjoy stunning views as you spend a day cruising the Mediterranean Sea.
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day 5
Alexandria, Egypt
Discover Egypt’s most enchanting city—founded by Alexander the Great in the fourth century B.C. See the Alexandria Library, the Roman Amphitheater, and Qaitbey Fort.
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day 6
Transit the Suez Canal
Experience one of the most momentous voyages between continents transiting the 120-mile Suez Canal—Egypt’s Victorian-era engineering marvel. Enjoy a lecture on board the ship with renowned Egyptologist Dr. Tarek Sayed Tawfik Ahmed.
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day 7
Ain Sokhna for Giza Plateau
See the last remaining Wonder of the Ancient World, the Great Sphinx, and the pyramids of the Old Kingdom pharaohs. Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum (scheduled to open in late 2022), where you’ll see the amazing Grand Staircase, King Tut’s wonderous treasures, and the well-preserved 4,600-year-old Sun Boat of King Khufu.
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day 8
Hurghada for Luxor
Travel to Luxor to explore the UNESCO-designated ancient Thebes. Walk along the avenue of the ram-headed sphinxes into the Great Court of the magnificent Karnak Temple complex. Continue on to the Luxor Temple and watch the sun set over the Nile River as the temple lights in the night sky. Check into a Nile-view room for an overnight at the Steigenberger Hotel.
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day 9
Luxor/Safaga
Cross the Nile to visit one of the world’s most important archaeological sites, the Necropolis at Luxor in the Valley of the Kings. Explore the tomb of Tutankhamen and enjoy an specially arranged visit to Queen Nefertari’s tomb in the Valley of the Queens.
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day 10
Aqaba, Jordan/ Disembark the ship/ Wadi Rum/Petra
Disembark the ship and traverse the awe-inspiring wilderness of UNESCO World Heritage-designated Wadi Rum, known as the “Valley of the Moon.” Enjoy a Jeep ride through this ethereal landscape of striated canyons, soaring mountains, undulating sand dunes, and rocky caverns. Tonight, check into the five-star Movenpick Hotel.
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day 11
Petra/Amman
The ancient “rose-red city” of Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Its majestic ensemble of temples, dwellings, and tombs—carved directly into the sandstone cliff face—still holds a mythical appeal. Tonight, check into the five-star Fairmont Hotel Amman.
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day 12
Amman
Embark on a tour of Amman, starting with the blue-domed King Abdullah Mosque. See the ruins of Hercules temple at the Amman Citadel. Explore the Roman Amphitheater and then continue to the Jordan Museum.
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day 13
Amman/Jerash/Amman
Enjoy a scenic journey to Jerash, Jordan’s most captivating Greco-Roman site. See baths, theaters, plazas, fountains, and arches—incredibly still as they were 2,000 years ago. Marvel at the three-gated Hadrian’s Arch, walk the Sacred Way to the Temple of Artemis, and take in the sublime architecture of the Forum. Enjoy lunch in Jerash before heading back to Amman.
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day 14
Amman/Home City
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Everything you need to know about the tour
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Be prepared with the National Trust Travel Plan
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