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Day 1: Monday – Departure
Our journey starts today as we depart on our flight to Egypt – to the land of the Pharos.
Sit back, relax and enjoy your flight, and prepare yourself for a life-changing experience.
Meals: On Board
Overnight: On Board
Day 2: Tuesday - “Ahlan Wa Sahlan” - Welcome to Egypt - the Land of Pharos
Upon arrival in Cairo and after passport control, you will be met by our Cairo representative. A private transfer is included from the airport to the hotel. Our hotel is conveniently located only 1.5 miles away from one of the Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramid of Giza. Check-in and Dinner at the hotel.
Meal: Dinner
Overnight Cairo: Giza Pyramids Park » Click here for hotel info
Optional Evening Activity: Pyramids Sound & Light Show ($40 pp)
* Pyramids Sound and Light show should be reserved before your departure and paid directly to your tour guide upon arrival
Day 3: Wednesday – Discovering Egypt's Ancient Civilization
Pyramids / Sphinx / Solar Boat Museum / Egyptian Museum / Old Cairo / Coptic Cairo
After breakfast, meet our Egyptologist tour guide and start our first touring day in Egypt. Our first stop will be at the Pyramids of Giza. A visit to the 3 Giza Pyramids is on every world traveler's must-see list. Cheops Pyramid, the largest of the three, was built in the 3rd dynasty about 2690 B.C. and is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In front of the Pyramids of Chephren, we will find the the colossal statue of the Great Sphinx, which has stood guard over the pyramids for more than 4,500 years. The Sphinx carved from a single piece of stone; it is a lion with a Pharaoh’s head thought to be a portrait of the Pharaoh Chephren. Here we will be provided an opportunity to ride a camel by the Pyramids area. Next, we will visit the Solar Boat Museum, whose main attraction is an ancient Egyptian cedar wood boat dating back 4,500 years. We will then drive into Old Cairo to explore the City’s cultural landmarks that span three millennium of Egyptian history.
Discover the greatest collection of Pharaonic treasures in the world at the famous Egyptian Museum. See the unique collection of Pharaonic art, starting with the Old Kingdom Collection, on to the Middle and New Kingdom galleries and Greco-Roman periods and the famous Tut-Ankh-Amon treasures. Continue to Coptic Cairo, where we will visit the famous Suspended Church (Hanging Church), dating to the late 4th and early 5th century. This basilica was named "Al-Mu'allaqah" because it was built atop the south gate of the Fortress of Babylon. Continue to the Church of St. Sergius, a 5th century Coptic Church. This basilica is built on the cave in which the Holy Family stayed and is regarded by visitors as a source of blessing. As we stroll along, we will come to the recently restored Synagogue of Ben Ezra, which marks the place where Moses was saved by the water girl of Pharaoh. This is the oldest Jewish synagogue in Egypt built in 882 AC. Return to our hotel for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Overnight Cairo: Giza PyramidsPark » Click here for hotel info
Optional Evening Activity: Nile Dinner Cruise with Show ($55 pp including transfers)
*Nile Dinner Cruise should be reserved before your departure and paid directly to your tour guide upon arrival
Day 4: Thursday – Into the Wilderness / Tracing the Route of the Exodus
Sinai Desert / Marah by the Red Sea / Elim / Rephidim / Mt. Sinai/ Bedouin dinner
After Breakfast we will travel east heading towards the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula and the Land of Goshen tracing the Route of the Biblical Exodus (Genesis16-18). We will drive via the tunnel underneath the Suez Cannel to the west branch of the Red Sea. Our first stop will be Marah by the Red Sea, the desert springs along the shore of the Red Sea, where the children of Israel found the waters bitter. Continue to Elim and visit the desert oasis and the possible sites where the 12 wells and 70 Palm Trees were found during the children of Israel's journey to the Promised Land. We then travel along the western Sinai coast to Wadi Feiran (Rephidim), the desert valley where the Children of Israel fought against the Amalekites. From here we can see Mount Serbal, the possible site where Moses held his arms up for victory. We head inland heading towards the granite mountains of Mt. Sinai and Wadi el Raha. Raha in Arabic means "rest" and according to tradition this is the area where the Israelites camped and the golden calf was forged (Exodus 32). In the afternoon we will arrive at our hotel near Mt. Sinai and St. Catherine's Monastery. This evening we will enjoy an authentic Bedouin dinner in a Bedouin tent.
Please note: the options for accommodation in the remote area of Mt. Sinai are limited. Although not equivalent in quality to the other first class hotels we use along this tour, the hotel we use is the best this area has to offer.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Overnight Mt. Sinai: Morgen Land Village Hotel
Optional Night Activity: Climb Mt. Sinai. For those who wish to climb Mt. Sinai, please bring warm clothing for the ascent. Camel ride up to 1/3 of the mt. can be arranged at the spot with your tour guide for $25 per person
Day 5: Friday – From Mt. Sinai to the Red Sea and the Mountains of Edom
Climb Mt. Sinai / St. Catherine Monastery / Taba Border / Eilat /Cross to Jordan / Aqaba
At day break, those who desire and are physically capable, will depart for a memorable early ascent to Jebel Musa – Mt. Sinai (about 6,900-ft) walking in the footsteps of Moses and the devoted pilgrims who tread this route centuries earlier. You may choose to ride a camel part way, stopping at one of the stations to take in the scenery along the climb to the summit (750 steps). We should reach the summit just before dawn in time to witness its incredible sunrise and splendid views. We will enjoy a time of praise and unforgettable, breathtaking views of the Sinai wilderness. As we read from the Book of Genesis we remember that this is the place where Moses met the Lord in the Burning Bush and where he received the Ten Commandments. Descending the mountain we return to the hotel to rejoin the rest of our group for breakfast. We spend the later part of the morning touring the beautiful and unique Monastery of St. Catherine, taking in its fascinating and interesting
sights and exceptional history. St. Catherine's Monastery was constructed by the Roman Emperor Justinian (527 and 565 AD). It is built around what was thought to be Moses' Burning Bush. The Greek Orthodox church building is the oldest continuously used church building in the world. Leaving the Mt. Sinai area we will head towards the eastern shores of the Sinai Peninsula and on the Red Sea on our way north to the Taba Border (Egypt / Israel border). After crossing, meet our Eilat representative and welcome to Israel. We will take a short city tour in Eilat – Israel’s southernmost town on the Red Sea. Arive at the Arava Border (Israel / Jordan southern border).Cross to Jordan and meet with our Jordanian tour guide - Welcome to Jordan. A short drive from the border (15 minutes) lays the resort city of Aqaba on the Red Sea. We will check in at our 5 star resort hotel for dinner and overnight. Free evening to rest, relax or enjoy the town of Aqaba
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Overnight Petra: Mövenpick Resort » Click here for hotel info
Day 6: Saturday – Exploring the Nabatean Treasure City of Petra
Full Day in Petra / Amman
After breakfast we will drive along the king’s highway to Wadi Musa – the Jordanian village located at the entrance to the ancient city of Petra - one of the world’s greatest archaeological sites and today's one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The 2,000-year old ancient city of Petra. Known as the red rock city, Petra was the ancient capital of the Nabateans from the 3rd century BC to the 2nd century AC. Carved by the Nabataeans out of solid rock, Petra was forgotten for hundreds of years until it was rediscovered in 1812. At the entrance to Petra travelers are offered the option to ride a horse for 800m - from the visitors centre to the entrance of the dramatic “Siq” ( canyon). From the entrance to the Siq there is a 1,250 meter walk to the 1st monument “The treasury”. Throughout most of the day we will explore Petra’s incredible structures: the treasury, the field of tombs, the obelisks and the altar, and much more. In the late afternoon we will drive north to Amman – Jordan’s capital and largest city. Check in and dinner at our hotel.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Overnight Amman: Regency Palace » Click here for hotel info
Day 7: Sunday – Crossing to Israel - Into the Promised Land
Madaba/ Mt. Nebo / Cross to Israel / Jericho / Old Jaffa / Tel Aviv
After breakfast we head to the biblical town of Madaba. Madaba is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics and for its Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. Here we will view the earliest original map of the Holy Land. We continue to the biblical Mt. Nebo from which Moses viewed the Promise Land. Mt. Nebo, believed to be the site of the tomb of Moses, commands a spectacular view across the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. We will drive by Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John the Baptist is purported to have baptized Jesus and cross to Israel via the Allenby Bridge (Jordan/ Israel Central border) to meet our Israeli tour guide. As we enter into Israel we remember Joshua as he led the Children of Israel on this exact path - into the Promised Land.
Passing by Jericho we will drive all the way to the Mediterranean Sea to visit the lovely, 4,000 years old port city of Jaffa. We will explore the old town of Jaffa and its restored structures. This is the port that allowed cedars from Lebanon to arrive for the construction of King Solomon's Temple. This is also the town where Simon the Tanner lived, and it was here that the Apostle Peter performed a miracle. We arrive in Tel Aviv - Israel’s largest and most modern city. We will Check in at our hotel. After dinner we will meet in the hotel's meeting room for orientation. Free time to rest, relax and enjoy our first evening in Israel. Our Tel Aviv hotel is conveniently located near the shore of the Mediterranean Sea and close to the city center and attractions.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Overnight Tel Aviv: Tal Hotel » Click here for hotel info
Day 8: Monday – From Tel Aviv to the Galilee
Caesarea / Megiddo / Nazareth / Sea of Galilee / Tiberia
After an early breakfast we start our Holy Land journey heading north to the Sea of Galilee. We will have a relaxing drive along the beautiful coast of the Mediterranean Sea and stop at Caesarea Maritime (Acts 9.30 Acts 10 24-48), which was the center of early Christians. Here Cornelius the Centurion and his household were saved and baptized (Acts 10), and it was also here where Paul made his defense before Festus and King Agrippa prior to his final journey to Rome (Acts 25 & 26). Next, we will stop at Mount Carmel (Muchraka), where Elijah issued his challenge to the False Prophets. Then on to Megiddo (1 Kings 4.28, 9,15, 2 Kings 23,29 & Revel. 16.16), and the Valley of Armageddon (Revelation 16), to see the remains from Solomon's days, and view the site where the Battle of Armageddon will be fought. We continue along the Jezerel valley to visit the town of Nazareth (Luke 1.26, 4.16-29, Matthew 2.23). We will take in an unforgettable view from the top of Mt. Precipice and drive via Cana of Galilee (John 2.1-11) and the Lower Galilee region to the beautiful Sea of Galilee and the town of Tiberia. Check in and dinner at our hotel, located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Overnight: Sea of Galilee, Royal Plaza Hotel » Click here for hotel info
Day 9: Tuesday – Discovering the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights
Sail on the Sea of Galilee / "Jesus Boat" /Golan Heights / Upper Galilee / Caesarea Philippi / Yardenit
Today we will discover the tranquil Galilee region and the beautiful Golan Heights. After breakfast we will board a wooden boat and sail on of the Sea of Galilee as the disciples did 2,000 years ago. We will dock at Kibbutz Nof Geonsar and visit the “Ancient Jesus Boat” - the remains of a 2,000 year old boat that was discovered in 1986. This boat was used at the time of Jesus and his disciples. Next we will drive up to the beautiful Golan Heights and learn about the ancient Jewish settlements in this region. Visit Banias - ancient Caesarea Philippi (Matt. 16.13 and Mark 8.27), where Jesus said “on this rock I will built my Church”. We will drive through the Hula Valley and the Upper Galilee region back to the Sea of Galilee. We conclude this remarkable day with a visit to Yardenit – the baptismal site on the Jordan River. Return to our hotel for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Overnight: Sea of Galilee, Royal Plaza Hotel » Click here for hotel info
Day 10: Wednesday – Jesus’ Early Ministry along the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan
Mount of Beatitudes / Tabgha / Capernaum / /Beth Shean / Dead Sea
Today we will experience the area of Jesus’ early ministry around the Sea of Galilee. After breakfast we will drive along the Sea of Galilee and enjoy the breathtaking view from the Mount of Beatitudes (Matt. 5,6,7,8), where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount. Next, we will visit Tabgha - the site of the Feeding of the 5,000 and Primacy of Peter (Matt. 13, Mark .33-45, & John 21). Here we will visit the Church of Multiplication with its 4th century mosaic floor. Continue on to the 2,000 year old remains of Capernaum (Matt. 4.13 13.54, 17.24, Luke 7, Mark 1.2, John 4.46-54). Here we can stand in what is left of the synagogue in which Jesus ministered. It was from this city that Jesus did most of his Galilean ministry, where he performed many miracles, and where Peter's mother-in-law lived and was healed. From here we will drive south along the Beth Shean valley and the ancient city of Beth Shean (Mark 5.20, 7.31), for an overview of this remarkable archeological site. It was here that after defeating Saul and his sons on Mount Gilboa, the Philistines hanged their bodies on the walls of Beth Shean (1 Samuel 31). We will drive through the Jordanian Valley past the city of Jericho and arrive at the lowest place on earth - the Dead Sea. We will check in at our hotel, located on the shores of the Dead Sea. Before dinner we will enjoy relaxing free time at our Dead Sea hotel. Take this opportunity to enjoy optional spa treatments and a massage, float in the salty water of the Dead Sea, or even take a dip in the beautiful pools of our hotel.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Overnight: Dead Sea, Leonardo Plaza Hotel Dead Sea » Click here for hotel info
or Daniel Dead Dead Sea Resort and Spa » Click here for hotel info
Day 11: Thursday – Exploring the Dead Sea and the Judean Desert
Dead Sea / Masada/ Ein Gedi / Qumran / Jerusalem
Today we will explore the Dead Sea and the Judean desert region and its biblical and historical sites. After breakfast we will drive along the shores of the Dead Sea to visit one of the most spectacular sites in Israel –
the 1,500 feet mountaintop fortress of Masada. Built by King Herod, Masada is famous for being the last stronghold of the Jewish rebellion against the Romans. We will ascend to Masada by cable car and discover the 1st century Synagogue, Herod’s Bathhouse and many other sites. We will continue along the shores of the Dead Sea for a look out on the oasis of Ein Gedi, where David hid in a cave when running from Saul (1 Samuel 23). It was here that David composed several of his Psalms. Next, we will visit Qumran and walk through the ruins of this ancient Essene community. In this spot, an amazing cache of ancient biblical texts were discovered in 1947 - commonly called the Dead Sea Scrolls. From here we will ascend to Jerusalem – the holy city of Zion. Upon arriving in Jerusalem, experience a breathtaking panoramic view of Jerusalem from Mt. Scopus and take personal time for prayer as we enter God’s eternal city. Continue to our centrally located hotel for check in and dinner. Our hotel is conveniently located walking distance from old city Jerusalem. Free time to rest, relax and enjoy your first evening in Jerusalem.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Overnight: Jerusalem, Grand Court Hotel » Click here for hotel info
Day 12: Friday Touching the Stones of Your Heritage: Jerusalem Old City
Mount of Olives / Kidron Valley/ / Garden of Gethsemane/ Western Wall Tunnels / Pool of Bethesda/ Church of the Holy Sepulcher/ Via Delarosa / Christian Quarter
Today we walk where Jesus walked. Following an early breakfast we will begin our first day of touring Jerusalem and head to the top of the Mount of Olives to stand where the Lord ascended into heaven (Acts 1). From the Mount of Olives we take in a breathtaking view of the city across the Kidron Valley to the Eastern Gate where the Prince of Peace will enter (Ezekiel 44). We will pass by Pater Noster Church and visit Dominus Flevit where “the Lord wept” as he beheld the Holy City. We will take the Palm Sunday Road down to the Garden of Gethsemane where we will see 2,000 year old olive trees that date back to the time of Christ. We will enter the Old City; our first stop will be the Western Wall (“Wailing Wall”) – the holiest site in Judaism and one of the original ancient walls that retained the Temple. We will be privileged to enter the most important excavations in Israel – the famous Western Wall Tunnels. The tunnels, running along the base of the Western Wall will lead us through the Second Temple era and reveal the amazing construction of the Temple Mount: giant stones, water supply and a Roman street where our Lord was led to judgment. Continue to St. Anne Church and the Pool of Bethesda. We will start our walk along the Stations of the Cross – the Via Delarosa, to visit the Judgment Hall of Pilate all the way to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Matt. 27. 33-57, 28.10). In the afternoon we will enjoy free time to rest and shop at the colorful old city bazaars. As Jerusalem prepares for the beginning of the Shabbat we will join in prayer at the Western Wall. We return to our hotel for Shabbat dinner.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Overnight: Jerusalem, Grand Court Hotel » Click here for hotel info
Day 13: Saturday - City of Zion - Past, Present and Future: Jerusalem Old and New City
Mt. Zion/ Upper Room/ Tomb of King David/ Jewish Quarter/ Knesset / Ein Karem / Bethlehem/ Church of the Nativity/ Shepherd’s Field/ Garden Tomb
After breakfast we will drive to Mt. Zion and worship in the Upper Room (Luke 22) - the traditional site where Jesus instituted the Lord’s supper and where later Thomas cried, "My Lord and my God”. Visit the Tomb of King David and walk through the historic Jewish Quarter. We will drive through the new city of Jerusalem and pass by the Knesset - Israel’s parliament. Drive to Ein Karem - the birthplace of John the Baptist (Luke 1.39-80) and visit the Church of St. John the Baptist. Continue to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity (Luke 2: 1-7). We venture out to the Shepherd’s Field, referenced in Luke 2:8-20, where an angel appeared to announce the birth of Jesus. In the late afternoon we visit the Garden Tomb, where we will celebrate the resurrection with a time of prayer (Luke 23). We will end the day by driving back to our hotel for our great farewell dinner. We will share food with our new friends and be inspired by all the memories from our journey - memories that will last a lifetime.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Overnight: Jerusalem, Grand Court Hotel » Click here for hotel info
Day 14: Sunday – Free day in Jerusalem / Saying Goodbye / Departure
Check out from the hotel and store your luggage at the hotel storage. Enjoy a relaxing free day in Jerusalem.
Return to the hotel for our late transfer back to the Tel Aviv airport for our flight home.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner on your own
*** Please check with us for additional sites you can visit today on your own. .
Day 15: Monday – Arrival
Arrive this morning back in the U.S.A with memories that last a lifetime and start planning your next trip to the Holy Land........
Important notes:
* If you need to arrive back in the U.S on Sunday, you will have to take a Sunday morning flight out of Tel Aviv.
Your departure transfer:
* Your transfer back from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv airport is included in the tour package rate as long as your flight departs in the evening. Mainly Delta flights that departs close or after midnight
* You are required to be at the Tel Aviv airport 3 hours before your flight departure. Therefore, your transfer driver will wait for you at the lobby of the Jerusalem hotel 4 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure.
(It is a 1 hour drive between Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv airport). |
