Jerusalem 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!

There is no train from Cairo to anywhere in Israel. If you want to cut on the flights you might consider going from Petra to Eilat or Aqaba, from there to Sinai and then take a bus to Cairo. Petra is much closer to Eilat so it makes no sense going north to Amman only to go south again to Egypt. From Aqaba there is a ferry to Nueiba in Sinai. Or, you can take a bus from Eilat to the border crossing (10-15 km). Cross the border to Taba and then take a bus to Cairo. I don't think it matters which tour you take to Petra. The site has its own guides anyway.

Bregman is correct. Definitely worth while beginning in Israel and then travelling south to Eilat to cross over into Jordan and see Petra. From there the Ferry to Egypt or back through Israel to cross over into Egypt and take the bus to Cairo.

Do note that the bus to Cairo is a l-o-n-g trip, something like 10 hours and the ferry is not always reliable - may not be available when you want to travel.

If you want to fly between Cairo and Israel, then do it the other way round.

I saw you post in the Egypt forum before this one. I did an simular trip earlyer this year. I agree with the above and have more info in your egypt post.