Fantastic 17-Day Itinerary For Remarkable Egypt And Jordan Trip

Are you traveling to Egypt and Jordan but don’t want to take any tours? Do you want to make sure you see the best of both countries without rushing too much? In this post, I will highlight the must-see attractions for both of these marvelous countries in this perfect travel itinerary.

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It may surprise you to learn that you don’t need to take a tour to see the best of Egypt and Jordan. Of course, if you want to there are plenty of options out there but I love DIY travel and think everyone should try it!

If you want to make sure you have an unforgettable trip, you’ll need a jam-packed itinerary to make sure you don’t miss a single must-see attraction.

Whether Petra or the Pyramids of Giza are at the top of your bucket list, here is my foolproof 9-day Egypt and 8-day Jordan itinerary to guarantee you have the time of your life in these particular countries!

EGYPT & JORDAN ITINERARY

I believe there’s a common misconception about needing a travel guide or arranged tour to travel to Egypt. Of course, this does make it easier but where’s the fun in that? Plus it’s more expensive and you have less flexibility/choices.

Not everyone speaks English but enough people do to get by. I always recommend downloading Google Translate ahead of time as this is a huge help. Make sure you also download Egyptian so you can use it while you’re disconnected from the internet.

Jordan was even easier and in my experience, the people were friendlier and more helpful than in Egypt. This itinerary is meant to help you plan your own trip to these countries if you’d rather do it yourself and travel on your own terms.

9 Days in Egypt & 8 Days in Jordan

That being said, I would like to preface by saying these are suggestions and you can and should alter the itinerary a bit depending on what is most important to you.

For example, I only spent one full day in Petra but some people may want to spend up to three days. The same goes for Cairo, I felt like there was a lot to see but Luxor is also way chiller and less busy than the capital city. Perhaps you’d prefer to spend more time there.

So the days listed next to each destination are more of a suggestion for you! I planned for 9 days in Egypt and 8 days in Jordan and this was perfect for me.

Be Cautious of Egyptian Culture

Egyptian culture tends to be extremely pushy towards tourists. I’ve traveled quite a bit to different countries and I think this is one of the pushiest places by far. They just won’t take no for an answer until you buy something!

I took a day tour to visit the pyramids and while it may be some people’s cup of tea, it was absolutely not mine. Egypt is the only other country besides China where I have experienced constant pushy selling prioritized over actually sightseeing.

They plan a whole day tour where they take you to see different attractions but in between each destination, you waste so much time being taken to papyrus or rug textile shops. The intention here is to get you to buy something from each place.

Of course, they don’t force you but they also do not make it easy to leave without buying anything. Overall, I just felt so pushed to buy and wasted so much time of my day that I would have rathered spent at the pyramids.

Just be mindful of this if you choose to do any day tours. Maybe you like all of the shopping (like my mom does) but maybe you’d rather spend more time exploring the country.

Egypt & Jordan travel Tips & Tricks

I want to start off by giving you a few tips that will make traveling must easier and smoother. These can be applied to both Egypt and Jordan.

• Get a SIM card at the airport. They are generally pretty cheap and it will help you get around tremendously! The only caveat is that your phone must be unlocked in order for other SIM cards to work properly. You can call your cell phone provider ahead of time to make sure it is unlocked.
• Regardless if you have a SIM or not – download the area you are traveling in on Google Maps. There’s an offline maps tab where you can do so at home before you leave for your trip.
• You should also download Google Translate and then the Egyptian language so you can use it offline (just in case!) This is honestly a game-changer for traveling. You can open up your phone camera and the app will scan and translate whatever is in front of it in real-time. Plus if you need to communicate with a local, you can easily speak into the app and it will translate for them.
• Uber was super cheap and easy to use in Egypt as well. You may or may not feel more comfortable using this method of transportation but I figured I’d mention it as it’s a great option.
• Always get traveler’s insurance! You’ll never know when you’ll need it and it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Trust me on this one! There are plenty of sites and companies that offer this and it’s not usually too expensive.

Egypt Itinerary

Cairo (4 days)

You will most likely arrive and start your journey in the capital city of Cairo. Cairo is a very hustle-and-bustle kind of place. You will immediately notice how crazy and disorganized the driving is.

Depending on where you fly from, you should get there rather early in the morning. I believe most flights are overnight arriving around 6 am. If you can push through the jetlag, I recommend you do so so you can get accustomed to the time difference.

It’s now time to explore Cairo! You can easily get around via the metro (use the Google Translate app to help you), you can take an Uber, or of course, walk around.

Here is a list of recommendations for popular tourist attractions in and around Cairo:

I think it’s best to spend a full day walking around the city and exploring the culture. Cairo Tower, The Egyptian Museum, and even the Bazaar can all be done in one day.

The next day you can do the Pyramids of Giza, the Pyramid of Djoser, and the Ruins of Memphis. I visited these three on that tour and besides all the selling in between, they were all great and beautiful.

You can talk to your hotel/hostel about renting a driver for the day. This is probably the easiest way as they will wait for you while you sight see but also I think Uber is a great option!

Alexandria (2 days)

The next destination on the itinerary is the city of Alexandria. You can book a train from the main train station in Cairo to Alexandria for around $30 USD. The ride takes about 3 to 4 hours. I recommend getting an early morning train so you have time to explore once you arrive.

I was traveling with my mom and my uncle originally but unfortunately my uncle had a terrible accident and broke his knee. He misstepped on a stair in a dark mosque and ended up needing surgery. It was quite the nightmare and exactly why you should have traveler’s insurance!

Anyhow, because of this, I did not make it to Alexandria. I spent a few extra days in Cairo instead. However, below is a list of popular attractions and places to see in Alexandria:

Travel Day – Alexandria to Luxor (1 day)

After you’ve explored Alexandria, it’s time to take a train back to Cairo for your flight to Luxor. The drive from Cairo to Luxor is about 8 hours. So while it is doable to rent a car and drive yourself or take a bus down there, a flight is a much better option.

The flight is about an hour and a better way to travel if you are short on time. Don’t worry, there will be a list at the end of this post with everything you should book ahead of time to make for a more seamless experience!

It’s best to book a mid-day flight so you have time to take the train back from Alexandria to Cairo first. If you take an early enough train you should have plenty of time to get to the airport without rushing.

Luxor (2 days)

After you arrive in Luxor, you should still have some time to explore the area if you’d like to. If not, this is a great time to relax as you’ll still have two full days to explore. Quick tip- Uber doesn’t work in Luxor so it’s best to take a taxi from the airport to your hotel.

It would also be wise to ask them if you can hire them for a day to drive you around the next day. This will be a much cheaper option. I stayed in a rented apartment and my host offered to book a driver for me but it was three times the price that the taxi driver charged us.

Luxor is divided into the West Bank and the East Bank by the Nile River running in between the two. The West Bank is where the ancient Egyptians buried the dead and where most of the temples/archeological sites are. This is where Valley of the Kings is.

The East Bank is where all of the hotels and restaurants are located. You will likely stay here and be able to walk around to shop and eat.

While you can take a ferry across the river yourself, it can be very difficult to get around all of the sites by yourself without transportation. I also found it difficult to find a rental car company in Luxor.

The best option is to rent a taxi driver for the day. Although I don’t remember the exact cost, I believe it was between $30 – $50 USD for the day. This way they drive you wherever you want to go and will wait for you to sightsee.

The West Bank

Here’s a list of some of the most popular temples and tombs on the West Bank:

The East Bank

And here is a list of the most popular temples, museums, and attractions to visit on the East Bank:

Jordan

That is it for your time in Egypt and now next is Jordan! For me personally, Jordan was a much better time than Egypt. I believe the people are nicer, the culture is more laidback and relaxed and they’re not as aggressive in their sales tactics.

Of course, both countries have their charms and perks depending on what you’re looking for!

Amman (2 days)

From Luxor, you’ll fly into Amman, Jordan’s capital city. You will likely have a layover in Cairo so the earlier you can fly out, the better. This way you’ll have more time in Amman.

You should rent a car to drive around Jordan. It’s a small country and this is the best way to see it all. You can pick up your rental at the airport and head into the city.

Once you’ve settled into your hotel, you should take this opportunity to rest for the night for a full day tomorrow. You should take a little bit of time to walk around and explore the city. Rainbow Street is a great place to find somewhere to have dinner.

The next day, you can explore the Roman Theater and the Citadel. I do want to mention that you should look into getting a Jordan Pass. It’s a pass that grants you access to most of the popular archeological sites in the whole country. It will save you money in the long run!

I also want to mention that Jerash is a large archeological site about an hour north of Amman. I did not have the time to visit this but I hear it’s second-best next to Petra so if you have the time to visit, you should!

Things to see and do while in Amman:

Travel Day – Amman to Wadi Musa (1 day)

To continue your trip around Jordan, you will start to head south to the town of Petra called Wadi Musa. It’s best to wake up as early as you can as there are things to sightsee along the way!

The drive will be around 5 hours. You’ll want to drive down Route 35 also known as The King’s Highway to get the best experience and views.

However, your first stop before Route 35 will be Mount Nebo for panoramic views of the Jordan Valley. This is about a 45 min drive from Amman. Mount Nebo is known as the place where Moses died so there’s a beautiful church here as well in his honor.

You should stop along the way at Moujib Panorama viewpoint to see the windy part of The King’s Highway and the valley. Then continue heading south to Wadi Musa.

If you have enough time and energy, you can stop in the town of Kerak to visit the AlKarak Castle which is about an hour away from the viewpoint. Entry to this castle is also included in the Jordan Pass!

From the town of Kerak, it will be about a two-hour and thirty-minute drive to Wadi Musa. Make sure you get a good night’s rest tonight as you will be doing a lot of walking to explore Petra in the morning!

Wadi Musa aka PETRA (1-2 days)

Finally, the main attraction of Jordan! Petra is honestly so gorgeous and so worth all of the attention it gets. It is my favorite Wonder of the World and I’m sure it will amaze you just as well!

The reason you want to spend the previous night in Wadi Musa is so you can wake up as early as possible to beat the crowds to Petra. They open at 6 am giving you plenty of time to see everything you want to see in one day. However, they do offer two and three days tickets if you’d prefer more time.

The three main attractions inside Petra include the Siq, the Treasury, and the Monastery. If you’re interested, you can read more about visiting Petra and its history in my post right here.

I also want to mention that they offer Petra by Night every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:30 pm to 10:30 pm. This is where the Treasury is lit up by a thousand candles to give you a totally different experience of this rose-colored city.

Wadi Rum (2 days)

Before you head to Wadi Rum the next day, I recommend visiting Little Petra just 15 minutes north of Wadi Musa. As its name implies, it’s a smaller version but just as beautiful as Petra and worth a trip.

It should only take you about two hours to see everything inside this archaeological site which you can read all about here, if you’re interested in visiting!

Wadi Rum is another must-visit place in Jordan and if you’re up for it, you should definitely book a camp for the night. Wadi Rum is a red sandy desert in the south of the country. It’s a nature preserve with gorgeous tall mountains.

You cannot drive yourself into Wadi Rum so you will need to park your car in the visitor area of the Wadi Rum Village. When you book your camp for the night, they will arrange your pick-up with a local Bedouin guide.

While you can stay in a traditional Bedouin camp, luxury camping has become quite popular in the desert. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to camp under the desert stars. I camped one night at Memories Aicha Luxury Camp and it was such a wonderful and romantic experience. You can read more about this camp here.

The Dead Sea (1 day)

Floating in the Dead Sea was one of the highlights of my trip to Jordan. I cannot recommend it enough! From Wadi Rum, it’s about a three-and-a-half-hour drive north.

You will be driving back up on Route 65 also known as The Dead Sea Highway. This road takes you right along the Dead Sea for some incredible views.

There are a few options for visiting the Dead Sea. You can book a resort right along it for a private ‘beach’ access included with a spa treatment. However, this is a pretty expensive option so your other choice is to visit on your own.

There are public ‘beach’ accesses available but these still cost about $20 USD. I found a free swimming area where you can visit the Dead Sea without spending a dime. You can read more about where to find that spot in my post here!

Regardless of how you choose to visit, you’ll have an unforgettable experience. Because of the high salinity content, the ground solidifies with salt crystals making it such a unique formation. The high salinity levels are also the reason you automatically float in the water.

Travel Day – Drive back to Amman & Fly Home (1 day)

Whether you decide to stay a night in a resort by the Dead Sea or not, will determine what to do on your last day. Perhaps you prefer to hang out around Amman while you wait for your flight back home. However, if you have enough time and didn’t do it at the beginning of your time in Jordan, now would be a good time to visit Jerash.

Things to Book Ahead of Time

• Your flight to Cairo (of course)
• Your roundtrip train ticket to Alexandria. You should do this at least one day before the train ride. You can take a trip to the station to book it while you’re exploring the city.
• Your flight from Cairo to Luxor.
• Your flight from Luxor to Amman.
• The rental car in Jordan.
• Your Petra ticket and Petra by Night if you choose to do so!
• Any activities or camps you plan on visiting/staying in while in Wadi Rum.

I bet you are super excited about your trip to Egypt and Jordan as I know it will be a memorable one! I hope this itinerary gave you all of the information you were looking for or at the very least a good idea about what to sightsee and what to expect in both Egypt and Jordan.

For more Egypt or Jordan information, you may also like:

• The Best & Complete Jordan Road Trip Itinerary (With Map)
• Little Petra: Jordan’s Wonderful Hidden Secret