Egypt and Jordan Tour Cost: 12 to 14 Days

On a mid-range organized trip, budget about US$5,500-9,000 per person for 12-14 days in Egypt and Jordan, excluding international flights, or roughly US$7,500-12,000 including flights from the U.S. Jordan is the pricier country per day: hotels, guides and site tickets cost more than their Egyptian equivalents, and combining the two adds a regional flight and a second set of entry costs.

These figures are planning ranges, not quotes. What you actually pay depends on the season, hotel category, group size, how many nights you spend in each country and which extras you add. The point of this guide is to show you where the money goes, so you can read a quote line by line, spot what is and is not included, and decide where spending more improves the trip and where it does not.

The cost components at a glance

A two-country trip is easiest to understand as two separate trips joined by a short flight. The table below breaks a typical 12-14 day mid-range itinerary into its main parts, per person, sharing a double room.

The Egypt section is usually the larger share of the time but not always the larger share of the cost. A Nile cruise bundles accommodation, most meals and guided visits into one price, which keeps the daily average down. Jordan has no equivalent, so each night, meal and guided day is priced separately.

What the Egypt section covers

A classic eight- or nine-day Egypt section begins in Cairo with two or three nights for the Giza pyramids, the Sphinx, Saqqara and the Grand Egyptian Museum, where Tutankhamun's treasures are now displayed. You then fly south and join a Nile cruise. The common choices are three nights sailing Aswan to Luxor or four nights sailing Luxor to Aswan, with visits to Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae along the way.

What moves the Egypt price most:

• Cruise category. A standard five-star ship and a luxury ship can differ by more than the cost of the whole Jordan section. A small dahabiya sailing is another price level again.
• Cairo hotel. A pyramid-view hotel in Giza costs more than a comparable downtown property, but saves time on the first sightseeing day.
• Domestic flights. Most itineraries fly Cairo to Luxor or Aswan and back, rather than spending a full day on the road.
• Abu Simbel. The excursion from Aswan, by road or by air, is often an optional add-on rather than part of the base price.

What the Jordan section covers

Four or five days in Jordan is the comfortable minimum. A typical route lands in Amman, visits the Roman city of Jerash and the Amman Citadel, then drives the King's Highway or the Desert Highway south to Petra. Petra deserves two days if you want to reach the Monastery as well as the Treasury and the Royal Tombs. From Petra it is a short drive to Wadi Rum for a jeep tour and a night in a desert camp, and many trips finish with a night on the Dead Sea before flying out of Amman.

Why Jordan costs more per day

• Hotels. Four-star hotels in Amman and Petra are priced well above their Egyptian equivalents, and the better Dead Sea resorts are a significant line on their own.
• Site tickets. Petra is one of the more expensive single sites in the region, especially if you visit for more than one day.
• Guides and drivers. A private guide and vehicle for each day add up quickly, because there is no cruise ship to fold those costs into.
• Pricing in dinars. The Jordanian dinar is pegged to the U.S. dollar, so prices do not soften with exchange-rate movements the way Egyptian pound prices sometimes do.

The Jordan Pass

The Jordan Pass is an official bundle that covers the tourist visa fee and entry to Petra and many other sites, on the condition that you stay a minimum number of nights in the country. For most travelers spending four or five nights in Jordan and visiting Petra, it is the simplest and usually the cheaper option. The pass price depends on how many days of Petra you choose, so check the current options on the official Jordan Pass website before booking, and make sure it is bought before you arrive.

Costs that are easy to overlook

Some items rarely appear in the headline price of a package but still come out of your pocket.

• Tipping. Both countries have a strong tipping culture. Guides, drivers, cruise crew, camp staff and hotel porters all expect something. Budgeting US$400-600 per person for the whole trip keeps you from counting coins every evening.
• Visas. Entry rules depend on your passport and can change, so please check the official source before you travel.
• Optional experiences. A sunrise balloon over Luxor's West Bank, special tombs in the Valley of the Kings such as Seti I, Petra by Night on the evenings it runs, or a Dead Sea spa treatment are each modest on their own and noticeable together.
• Meals outside the package. Cruises include most meals; city hotel nights usually include breakfast only, so lunches and dinners in Cairo and Amman may be extra.
• Travel insurance. Choose a policy with medical and evacuation cover; the range above is typical for travelers from the U.S. but depends on age and coverage.

How season and group size change the price

Peak season in both countries runs roughly from October to April, with the highest demand around Christmas, New Year and Easter. Hotels, cruise cabins and Wadi Rum camps cost more then, and the better properties book out first. Summer is cheaper, but Upper Egypt and southern Jordan are very hot, which shortens the comfortable sightseeing day.

Group size matters because guide and vehicle costs are shared. A couple on a fully private trip pays more per person than a family of four or two couples traveling together on the same private itinerary. Small-group departures with fixed dates are usually an economical way to cover both countries with a guide throughout.

Saving money without hurting the trip

• Book an open-jaw ticket. Fly into Amman and out of Cairo, or the reverse, so you never backtrack. This usually costs about the same as a round trip and saves a day.
• Use the Jordan Pass if your stay meets its minimum-night condition.
• Spend one night, not two, at Wadi Rum. One night gives you the sunset, the stars and a morning jeep tour.
• Keep the Dead Sea to a day visit from Amman unless a resort stay is the point of the trip.
• Choose the cruise carefully. A good standard five-star ship delivers the same temples as a luxury ship; spend the difference where it matters to you.
• Travel in the shoulder months. Late October, November, late February and March often bring good weather with more availability than the holiday peaks.

Who should spend more, and where

If this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip and comfort matters, the two places where extra spending shows most are the Nile cruise and the Petra hotel. A better ship changes your daily experience for four nights; a hotel close to the Petra entrance lets you enter at opening time and return midday to rest. Travelers who care most about understanding the sites should prioritize a strong private guide in both countries over a higher hotel category. Families often get good value from a private itinerary with a shared vehicle, where the per-person cost falls and the pace can follow the children.

Frequently asked questions

Is it cheaper to do Egypt and Jordan separately?

Not usually. Combining them saves a second long-haul round trip from the U.S., and the regional flight between Cairo and Amman is short. Separate trips only make sense if you want much more time in each country than one vacation allows.

How many days does the Jordan section need?

Four to five days is the comfortable minimum. Petra deserves two days, Wadi Rum one night, and you need time for Amman, Jerash or the Dead Sea. Three days in Jordan is possible but feels rushed and reduces the value of the regional flight.

Does the Jordan Pass save money?

For most travelers who stay the required minimum number of nights and visit Petra, yes, because it covers the visa fee and Petra entry in one purchase. Check the current conditions and options on the official Jordan Pass website, since the rules and prices are set by the Jordanian authorities.

Which country should come first?

Either works. Many travelers start in Jordan and finish with the Nile cruise as a slower ending, while others begin in Cairo because their cruise date is fixed. Your international flight schedule usually decides it.

Are international flights included in the price ranges?

The lower range excludes international flights; the higher range adds a typical economy fare from the U.S. Fares vary widely by city, date and airline, so treat that part as the least predictable piece of the budget.

Plan it with Nourbelle

Prices above are indicative and are confirmed in writing before you book. Tell us about your trip or browse our Nile cruises and a Nourbelle specialist will reply with a tailored plan for both countries.