I want to go to Masada. One of my all-time favorite books is The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman, and so I now feel a very strong connection to that place. I’m not exactly sure that I need to be a part of a tour group to visit Israel, but I DO feel that I need a tour, or at least a group, to go to Egypt. I do NOT feel like being hassled full-time by sexually aggressive touts. I need a shield, and unfortunately that means I need a man (ugh) or a tour group. If I’m going to bite the bullet and do a tour I’m going to go full out and do Egypt, Jordan, and Israel all at once.
Here are some places:
http://www.wonders-tours.com/17-israel-petra-egypt-w–nile-cruise-268
http://indus.travel/israel/small-group-tours/mystical-egypt-israeljordan
http://noahtours.com/en/guaranteed_departure_tours/guarantee_tours_israel_jordan_egypt_tours/
http://www.onthegotours.com/Egypt/Tours-Egypt-And-Beyond/Pyramids-Petra-Promised-Lands
These tours are expensive, but very hassle-free. I hate to skip out on all of the fun of planning a more independent trip, but gross aggressive men groping and gimmicking me is enough to make me want to skip this part of the world all together.
Across the Never Sky 
I’m normally very anti-tour — I love the idea of being independent and only seeing things I want to see — but you’re right, there are definitely places that I, as a woman, would feel more comfortable going to with a tour.
Happy I stumbled across your blog! 🙂