Luxor Travel Forum

Where should I start & end (Cairo, Luxor, Jerusalem, Petra)?

I am planning a trip for the end of the year. I have a free flight that I have to take before the end of the year with American Airlines and I want to visit the following sites:

- Cairo (Giza and the Pyramids)
- Luxor
- Petra
- Jerusalem

I am not sure what city I should fly into to begin my trip. American can get me to either Tel Aviv or Cairo. From there I have had many suggestions:

- Take a train (at night) from Cairo to Luxor and then fly to Tel Aviv. After seeing Jerusalem, take a tour bus into Jordan (after switching buses) and spend a couple days in Petra then take a bus to Amman or back to Tel Aviv and fly back to Cairo for my return home.

Has anyone taken a train from Cairo to Luxor? If so, how was it?

Is there a train to Jerusalem from Cairo?

Has anyone taken one of the many tours from Jerusalem to Petra? How was it?

Any suggestions you could provide would be great!!

I have tried a couple travek agencies but they all include airfare and I already have the free flight that I have to use.

Thank you!

You should be able to get an open jaw ticket. Early this year I flew into Tel Aviv went over land to Egypt, then flew back home from Cairo. And open jaw ticket saves you time and money. You can stop in Petra, Jordan along the way. I understand it is an easy side trip from Elat.

I spent 5 or 6 days in Jerusalem including a trip to Bethlehem in Palestine and 2 day trips to other areas like the Dead Sea.

I took a bus from Jerusalem to Elat, taxi to the Taba Egypt, then van to Dahab in the Sinai. I left Jerusalem early morning in the morning and was in Dahab early afternoon.

I wanted to go to Luxor from Dahab but the ferry at Sharm was not running so I took an overnight bus to Cairo, then down to southern Egypt, then back to Cairo.

so far I've only added a few VT tips from that trip but check them out for additional ideas

"Has anyone taken a train from Cairo to Luxor? If so, how was it? "
I have, it was ok, nonthing great. It took a long time from Cairo to Aswan, something like 14 hours, I took a boat fro aswan to luxor, then the train back to cairo.

"Is there a train to Jerusalem from Cairo? "
No train, the best overland between Israel and Egypt is via Elat/Taba.