Richard Madden has been one of the UK's top travel writers for the last 20 years and was the Adventure Travel Editor of the Daily Telegraph for much of that time. He has written best-seller travel and adventure books, presented documentaries for the Discovery Channel, and edits one of the UK's top outdoors magazines. Richard's first ever experience of a foreign country was the Uganda of General Amin which he travelled around as a 16 year-old schoolboy - when he was also introduced to the dictator himself. As a student at Oxford University he bicycled across the U.S. before beginning his career in the British Army and later becoming a journalist. He specialises in adventure travel and activity sports - and he has travelled to more than 80 countries on all seven continents.

Go beyond the tourist trail to the hidden treasures of the Middle East. A private Egyptologist guided tour will unlock the secrets of the Pyramids, the magnificent Sphinx, the Egyptian National Museum’s brilliant Tutankhamen exhibit and the bustling night bazaars of vibrant Cairo. Travel to Jordan and visit Petra, a grand ghost city half as old as time. Carved into the sheer sandstone cliffs, its massive architectural feats and ingenious complex of dams and water channels, this remarkable ancient city of grand buildings evokes wonder to this day. Swim in the Dead Sea, renowned for its rejuvenating and health-giving properties. Discover Jerash, one of the largest and most well preserved sites of Roman architecture in the world outside Italy. Journey to the ancient city of Damascus and the Umayaad mosque, and the amazing silver and gem markets. The Krak des Chevaliers is one of the most spectacular Crusader castles in the world. And finish in Beirut with a private tour of this city that is as old as time.

Request a quote or call Kensington to speak to our Middle Eastern Destination Expert to learn more about various extensions and all the different ways of customizing your tour. Some examples are a scenic Nile cruise or an extended stay on the luxurious beaches of Amman’s Red Sea. Remember that all of our tours are available at 3, 4 and 5 star levels according to your preference.

Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the hub of the country. Millennia of history have made it one of the most fascinating places in the world. The Egyptian Museum whose 107 halls feature huge statues on the ground floor, and small statues, jewels, Tutankhamon treasures and the mummies on upper floors. Other downtown sights include the Saladin Citadel and Mohamed Ali Mosque, and Khan Khalili bazaar. Nearby Giza is famous for the Pyramids of Egypt, among the largest constructions ever built.

Richard Madden has been one of the UK’s top travel writers for the last 20 years and was the Adventure Travel Editor of the Daily Telegraph for much of that time. He is now freelance and in the last few years has edited, co-written or ghost-written, five travel and adventure books. These include ‘Born Survivor’ (Man Vs Wild in the U.S.) for the TV Adventurer, Bear Grylls, which topped the best-seller lists on both sides of the Atlantic. He has also presented two 40-minute travel documentaries for the Discovery Channel in their series, Trailblazers, and is the Editor of OE Magazine (www.oe-mag.com), one of the UK’s top outdoors magazines.

Richard’s first ever experience of a foreign country was the Uganda of General Amin which he travelled around as a 16 year-old schoolboy - when he was also introduced to the dictator himself. As a student at Oxford University he bicycled across the U.S. before beginning his career in the British Army and later becoming a journalist. He specialises in adventure travel and activity sports – his favourites are trekking, horse-riding, diving and paragliding - and he has travelled to more than 80 countries on all seven continents.

Transfer to/from Cairo Airport in private vehicle with English speaking driver.

You will be met in the tunnel by an airport representative who will in turn facilitate the visa process ($15 per person - included in tour cost), escort you through customs and immigration, off to baggage claim and finally to passenger pick up. It is here that you will connect with our representative associate who will arrange airport transfer to your hotel.

Experience a spectacular sound and light show on the side of the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Le Meridien Pyramids resort is located twenty minutes from Cairo’s city centre, with a spectacular closeness to the Giza Pyramids, one of history’s greatest treasures and one of the Seven Wonders of the world. With 444 rooms, this hotel is the ideal combination of rich foliage blended with sultry sands and timelessness. From dining North American-style over Tex Mex dishes to closing off the night over traditional Arabic shisha, one can attain a true feel for Egypt while still retaining a level of comfort akin to home. Aside from Le Meridien offering resort-style facilities, from outdoor tennis courts kept lit at night to spa treatments, the distance to the city allows the curious traveler to discover the curving streets and bazaars that mark Cairo’s mysterious aura.

Overnight at Meridien Pyramids.

Enjoy the insights and anecdotes of your world famous Explorer-in-Residence.

Enjoy this tour which explores the relics of ages past, and includes visits to ancient Memphis, Saqqara and the Great Pyramids of Giza. Already millennia old by the birth of Christ, the elaborate statues and astonishing scale of these sites will amaze all who visit. This tour also features the famous Sphinx, whose constructor's still remains unknown, but its sheer beauty and allure has mystified the likes of Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte. This tour includes a private vehicle, a driver, and a highly trained Egyptologist, and entry to either Chephren (Khafre) or Menkaure (Mycerinus) pyramids, as well as the Solar boat. Entrance to the Pyramids come with an additional cost, and be aware that a limited number of people are allowed inside daily, so arrive early so you will not be disappointed.

Enjoy a personalized lunch with your guide at a great local restaurant.

Clients are picked up before sunrise (sunset) from hotel and transferred to the desert where they will meet their guide. The guide will lead you out into the desert on your choice of camel or horse, where you enjoy the sunset with a panoramic view of the Pyramids of Giza. This evening includes stopping for dinner at a bedouin restaurant adjacent to the desert before returning to your hotel.

Overnight at Meridien Pyramids.

Enjoy the insights and anecdotes of your world famous Explorer-in-Residence.

This full day tour includes a private tour with your trained Egyptologist guide through the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities and its Mummy Room, which houses priceless archaeological finds including the treasures of Tutankhamun and the Greco/Roman period. In the afternoon visit Saladin Citadel, a spectacular medieval fortress built by the renowned leader himself and dating back from the 12th century. Here you will explore the mosque and tomb of the Ottoman ruler Mohamed Ali, whom laid the foundation for the modern nation of Egypt. Later, on a walking tour, you will get to stroll through the fabled Khan Khalili bazaar, absorbing the sights, scents, exotic treats and energy of this ancient yet vibrant meeting place.

Enjoy a personalized lunch with your guide at a great local restaurant.

Experience a traditional Egyptian meal at Cairo's famous Abou El Sid restaurant.

Overnight at Meridien Pyramids.

Petra is famously described as "a rose-red city half as old as time". A spectacular and unique sight, its massive buildings are carved directly into the sandstone cliffs. Enclosed by towering rocks and watered by a perennial stream, Petra controlled the ancient commercial routes across the desert to the Persian Gulf. The impressive eastern entrance leads steeply down through a dark and narrow gorge called the Siq (the shaft), a natural geological feature formed from a deep split in the sandstone rocks. It opens directly onto Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh ("the Treasury") hewn directly out of the sandstone cliff. A little farther from the Treasury is a massive theatre, so placed as to bring the greatest number of tombs within view; and at the point where the valley opens out into the plain the site of the city is revealed with striking effect. Almost enclosing it on three sides are rose-coloured mountain walls, divided into groups by deep fissures, and lined with tombs cut from the rock in the form of towers.

Enjoy the insights and anecdotes of your world famous Explorer-in-Residence.

Transfer to/from Cairo Airport in private vehicle with English speaking driver.

Take your flight from Cairo to Amman. The flight duration is approximately 1 hour.

You will be met by an airport representative who will facilitate the visa process , escort you through customs and immigration, then it is off to baggage claim and finally to passenger pick up. It is here that you will connect with our Kensington associate who will arrange airport transfer to your hotel.

Airport meet and assist/transfer in Amman with a private vehicle and English speaking driver.

Avail of a transfer to Petra with a private vehicle and driver.

The Siq Al-Barid (Little Petra) is located to the north of Petra, only a 10 minute drive away. A classical temple stands guard outside the miniature siq which would appear to have been an important suburb of the city of Petra, situated at the point where several ancient caravan routes met, linking Wadi Araba with Gaza, Egypt and the Mediterranean coast. The narrow file, only some 350 m long, is crammed with tombs, temples, triclinia, houses, water channels and cisterns. The surrounding area is picturesque and fun to explore.

Enjoy one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the ancient Nabatean city of Petra carved from the rock over a thousand years ago. Embracing traditional hospitality and overlooking Jordan's timeless wonder, the Petra Marriott Hotel offers anticipatory & traditional service designed to exceed all expectations.

Overnight at Petra Marriott.

The Dead Sea is an inland lake lying 400m (1320ft) below sea level in the lower part of the Jordan Valley, which has more minerals and salt than any other body of water in the world and is renowned for its rejuvenating and health-giving properties. Other interesting sights around the Dead Sea include Mount Sodom, a 13km- (8 mile-) long mountain range made up of pure salt which has many caves with extraordinary hanging salt formations, and Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls, written by Essene scribes, were discovered in ancient pottery jars.

Enjoy the insights and anecdotes of your world famous Explorer-in-Residence.

Petra is the treasure of the ancient world, and the rock-carved rose-red city is full of mysterious charm. Indeed, it was "designed to strike wonder into all who entered it". Petra is the legacy of the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled in southern Jordan more than 2,000 years ago. Admired then for its refined culture, massive architecture and ingenious complex of dams and water channels, this remarkable city of grand buildings carved into massive cliffs evokes wonder to this day. Enjoy being shown the wonders of the city in the company of your Driver-Guide.

Enjoy a private transfer from Petra to the Dead Sea. The transfer time is approximately 3hrs in duration.

Set on the northern shores of the Dead Sea at the lowest point on Earth, the Movenpick Dead Sea deluxe resort is built in a traditional village style and offers luxurious rooms, a range of outlets, first-class meeting and leisure facilities featuring the renowned ZARA Spa. The resort has a total of 358 rooms, of which over two-thirds are smoking; there are non-smoking rooms on several floors and blocks. All rooms have either a balcony or a terrace; interconnecting rooms and rooms for physically challenged are also available. With about ten different room categories to choose from, you can either choose a room in the main building, the village or the beachfront with mountain, garden or sea view. The rooms also vary in size, decor and furnishing.

Overnight at Movenpick Dead Sea.

Amman's history dates from the bronze age and features grand Roman ruins and some of the region's finest mosques. The old city is centered on the Souk (a colorful traditional market) and the King Hussein Mosque. Since Amman resembles Rome, as it is situated on seven hills, the city was a favorite place for Roman soldiers and officials. Behind the Roman forum stands a Roman theatre—the largest theatre in Jordan—with room for 6,000 spectators. Amman is also home to some of the grandest mosques in the Middle East. The enormous King Abdullah I Mosque is capped by a magnificent blue mosaic dome beneath which 3,000 Muslims may offer prayer. The most unusual mosque in Amman is the Abu Darweesh Mosque covered with an extraordinary black and white checkered pattern and is unique to Jordan.

Enjoy the insights and anecdotes of your world famous Explorer-in-Residence.

Avail of a private transfer between the Dead Sea and Amman.

Jerash, located 48 km north of Amman and nestled in a quiet valley among the mountains of Gilead, rivals the grandeur of Imperial Rome being one of the largest and most well preserved sites of Roman architecture in the World outside Italy. To this day, its paved and colonnaded streets, soaring hilltop temples, handsome theaters, spacious public squares and plazas, baths, fountains and city walls pierced by towers and gates remain in exceptional condition. Enjoy visiting the sites in the company of your Driver-Guide.

Recently renovated, the Amman Marriott Hotel offers comfort and convenience to those visiting Amman. The city center hotel is close to the business district and tourist attractions, just steps away from the allure of this modern yet ancient city. The location of the Amman Mariott ensures that you don't miss anything, with area attractions such as the Citadel and Jerash only minutes away. The hotel also offers delicious dining options, as well as a health club for maximum well being in the middle of the city.

Overnight at Amman Marriott.

Damascus is the capital of Syria and its largest city, with about 4.5 million people. Established between 10,000 to 8,000BC, Damascus is credited with being the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. The old walled city, in particular, feels very ancient and is comprised of a maze of narrow alleys, punctuated by enigmatic doors that lead into pleasing, verdant courtyards and blank-faced houses.

Enjoy the insights and anecdotes of your world famous Explorer-in-Residence.

Start the day with a city tour of Amman. Amman is the capital of Jordan which is a fascinating city of contrasts – a unique blend of old and new, ideally situated on a hilly area between the desert and the fertile Jordan Valley. The visit will include the fascinating Roman Theater and Nymphaeum that reflect the historic legacy of the city, and the enchanting Citadel which has stood since the ancient times of the Ammonites. Your touring will also include visits to both the Archeological and Folklore musuems. If it's shopping you're after, then the pedestrian Wakalat shopping district offers a wide selection of international brand names to choose from. For a more exotic and traditional experience you can visit the old-downtown, also known as the ''Souq'', and take in the traditional sights and smells of the spice market, and shop for authentic souvenirs.

Relax on your direct flight from Amman to Damascus. Flight time is approximately 45 minutes.

Transfer in a private vehicle from the airport to your Damascas hotel. The transfer includes airport meet and assist.

The Cham Palace Hotel is located downtown, in the heart of the city and has 400 luxurious guest rooms and suites. There are five restaurants on site, among them the only Chinese and Japanese revolving restaurant in Syria. Facilities also include the lobby bar and luxurious traditional English "Harry's Bar" on the 11th floor, a sidewalk cafe, the "Jet - Set discotheque", featuring live entertainment Banquet facilities for up to 500 guests, bowling, swimming pool, fitness center, gymnasium, sauna, hairdresser and beauty parlor and arcade.

Overnight at Cham Palace.

Enjoy the insights and anecdotes of your world famous Explorer-in-Residence.

The charm of Damascus lies in the wonderful sharp contrast between the historical and new areas. The modern area houses long, wide streets, luxurious buildings, modern hotels, elegant small apartments and the best library in the Middle East. In the historical part of the city, there are narrow lanes, caravansaries, baths, souks, old palaces, libraries, mosques and churches. All this make a visit to Damascus more than rewarding. Enjoy a visit to the national museum, and the Omayad Mosque, and take a stroll in the old Bazaars and Souks. Lunch is included with this tour.

Overnight at Cham Palace.

Enjoy the insights and anecdotes of your world famous Explorer-in-Residence.

Undoubtedly one of the finest examples of a Crusader fortress virtually still intact in a magnificent location close to the Mediterranean, Crac des Chevaliers is known as “the most preserved crusader citadel in the world”. It was held for 162 years by the Crusaders and later given to the Mamlouk. Its towers, stables, water-cistern, meeting-hall and chapel still give an ever lasting impression and were described by T.E Lawrence as such: "it is the most wholly admirable castle in the world". Enjoy a day excursion to this fascinating site with a private vehicle and driver, complete with a detailed visit of the castle. On your return to Damascus you may welcome the chance for some independent shopping and exploring the covered bazaar.

Overnight at Cham Palace.

Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2.1 million. It is located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's coastline with the Mediterranean sea. The first mention of this metropolis dates to the 15th century BC, and the city has been continuously inhabited since. Beirut holds Lebanon's seat of government and plays a central role in the Lebanese economy with its Downtown, Hamra, Verdun, and Ashrafieh based corporate firms and banks. The city is the focal point of the region's cultural life, renowned for its press, theaters, cultural activities, and nightlife. After the destructive Lebanese civil war, Beirut underwent major reconstruction, and the redesigned historic city center, marina, pubs and nightlife districts have once again rendered it a tourist attraction. Beirut was named the number one Place to Visit in 2009 by The New York Times. It was also listed as one of the top ten liveliest cities in the world by the Lonely Planet list of the top ten cities for 2009.

Enjoy the insights and anecdotes of your world famous Explorer-in-Residence.

A representative will greet you when you land in Beirut and assist with the visa/baggage process. Note: Visas are obtained on arrival for all US, Canadian and European passport holders. Clients are required to pay $20 upon entry. Travellers from other countries should contact their local embassy for further information.

Visit Beirut and discover the lively Cornish, the Pigeon’s Grotto and the renovated downtown. Continue to the National Museum. Built in 1930, the Museum houses a collection of ancient antiquities covering about 60 Centuries of history. Departure to the Chouf mountains, Located south-east of Beirut, the region comprises a narrow coastal strip notable for the Christian town of Damour, and the valleys and mountains of the western slopes of Jabal Barouk, the name of the local Mount Lebanon massif. Chouf is the heartland of the Lebanese Druze community. The Emirs of Lebanon used to have their residence in Chouf, most notably Bachir Chehab II, who built the magnificent palace of Beiteddine during the first half of the 19th century. Another historical town, located just below Beiteddine, is Deir al Qamar (the monastery of the Moon).visit of Deir el Qamar. Then we will continue to the Beiteddine Palace, the eighteen-century Arabian night’s-type retreat. We will admire graceful arcades, ornate ceilings; rich marble mosaics, tinkling fountains and beautifully paneled rooms.

The Golden Tulip Serenada Hotel (4*) is conveniently situated in the heart of the famous Hamra city, 15 min from the airport and 5 min from the sea, close to Beirut Down Town and Verdun Shopping Centre, making it a perfect location for travelers. The hotel boasts 65 rooms including 10 one bedroom suites with all the comforts and facilities of your own home, crowned with the appropriate services and respectable hotel. They also offers gastronomic food in its Mediterranean restaurant along with delicious drinks and cocktails, as well as a variety of other outlets such as all day dining restaurant, pool terrace, Roof Top, swimming pool.

Overnight at Golden Tulip Serenada Hamra (4*).

Enjoy the insights and anecdotes of your world famous Explorer-in-Residence.

Departure to Jeita. Visit of the grottoes, Lebanon’s natural miracle, a striking nine kilometers labyrinth of galleries on two levels. The lower, river level offers a unique tour by flat-bottom boat past “weeping willows” and gigantic stone flowers. Equally striking is the upper grotto where monstrous mineral animals crouch in shady corners. Continue to visit Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa where you will enjoy the beautiful view of Jounieh. We will then proceed to Byblos, the oldest harbor in the world. Visit of the archeological site where around the acropolis you will admire traces of all periods since the Neolithic times. It is a city full of history where the Christian religion is dominating by the crusaders passage and their building of a cathedral in the 12th century.

Overnight at Golden Tulip Serenada Hamra (4*).

Enjoy the insights and anecdotes of your world famous Explorer-in-Residence.

Private airport transfer with an English speaking driver.

Depart from International Airport. End of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart (Int`l Airport).