Day 01

Depart for your overnight flight to Cairo Egypt. Dinner & breakfast served on board. (B,D.)

 

Day 02 - CAIRO

Upon arrival you will be greeted by your Tours representative meeting, assistance through passport and customs Formalities then you will be transferred by private motor coach to Hilton Pyramids hotel for check in, dinner and overnight accommodations. (D.)

 

Day 03 - CAIRO

After breakfast meet at the hotel's lobby for our sightseeing tour of Cairo we visit the famous Hanging church and St. Samans Cave in Garbage Town area. Time permitting and IF the group would like at no extra cost we can visit the Museum of Antiquities in Cairo. The museum houses the greatest collection of pharaonic treasures in the world. Our guide will show us the highlights of these artifacts, including the Tutankhamen Collection of golden treasures and acquaint us with the museum’s expansive collections. We stop for lunch (on your own). Then stroll with your guide through the Khan El Khalili, a bustling warren of shops where you can bargain for rugs, copper and leather crafts, perfumes, and other goods both exotic and familiar. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight accommodations (B,D.)

 

Day 04 - ST. CATHERINE

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). Pm Arrival St. Catherine where you will be transferred to Morgenland for Dinner & overnight at your hotel. (B,D.)

 

Day 05 - SINAI –MASADA - JERICHO

wake up call. AM Meeting at the hotel’s lobby to start your day by climbing Mousa Mountain with our Bedouin local guide . Mousa Mountain which actually the name of a collection of peaks, sometimes referred to as the Holy Mountains. The Mountain was called Mount Sinai, or "the mount of God" possibly before the time of Moses, according to Josephus. On its southern end is Mount Mousa, sometimes referred to as Gebel Mousa or the Mountain of Moses (all of which basically means the same thing). This peak is traditionally considered to be biblical place where Prophet Moses communicated with God and received the Ten Commandments. It also has considerable religious significance to Islam as the place where Prophet Mohammed's horse ( Boraq ) ascended to Heaven . Mount Mousa is about 7,495 feet (2,285 meters) high so climbing Mount Mousa takes an average of about ( 3 hours ) to ascend on foot following the Path of Moses a stairway of nearly 4,000 steps in order to arrive at the peak for the wonderful view of the sunrise. At a number of locations along the route, there are vendors & many cafeterias where you can buy water, food and other items. After enjoying the sunrise, you will start to descend Mount Mousa down & return back to your hotel to enjoy breakfast. Visit St. Catherine Monastery, located at the foot of Mount Moses, St. Catherine's Monastery, was constructed by order of the Emperor Justinian between 527 and 565. I t is built around what is thought to be Moses' Burning Bush, which has a chapel built atop it. It is a spectacular natural setting for priceless works of art, including Arab mosaics, Greek and Russian icons, Western oil paintings, paintings on wax, fine sacerdotal ornaments, marbles, enamels, chalices, reliquaries, including one donated by Czar Alexander II in the 19th century, and another by Empress Catherine of Russia in the 17th century. But of perhaps even greater significance is that it is one of the largest and most important collection of illuminated manuscripts in the world (The Vatican has the largest). The collection consists of some 4,500 volumes in Greek, Coptic, Arabic, Armenian, Hebrew, Slavic, Syriac, Georgian and other languages. After tour you will start driving to Taba border for final departure. Upon arrival at the Taba boarder you will be greeted by your Tours Israel representative. We depart for Masada. We stop on the way for lunch (on your own) Then continue for our guided tour of Masada. Then we continue onto Jericho for our overnight accommodations at the intercontinental hotel for dinner and overnight accommodations. (B,D.)

 

Day 06 - JERICHO – BAPTISMAL SITE “BETHANY BEYOND THE JORDAN” – QUMRAN – DEAD SEA - BETHANY – BETHLEHEM

Open buffet breakfast at hotel then start the day with a visit to Jericho to include cable car to Mt of Temptation. On to Baptismal site for renewal of baptismal vows. Carry on to Qumran

(lunch on own) in the afternoon enjoy a swim at the Dead Sea. After which we depart for Bethany to visit Lazarus Tomb. On to Bethlehem dinner and overnight at the St. Gabriel Hotel. (B,D.)

 

Day 07 - BETHLEHEM–BEERSHEBA-HEBRON–SHEPHERD FIELD – BETHLEHEM

After breakfast, this morning start with Excursion Via Valley of Elah to Beer Sheba – visiting Tel Beer Sheba then through the Judean hills to Hebron visiting tomb of patriarchs and Mamre Return to Bethlehem visiting Shepherd field (Lunch on your own) On to visit Bethlehem – Church of Nativity then Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight accommodations. (B,D.)

 

Day 08 - BETHLEHEM – MT OF OLIVES – MT ZION – POOLS OF BETHESDA –EIN KEREM - BETHLEHEM

After breakfast, Start the day with visit of Mt of Olives to include Ascension chapel. Pater Noster “Lord’s Prayer” , Panoramic view of Jerusalem, Palm Sunday road, Dominus Flevit, St Mary Magdelene( open only Tuesday and Saturday to visitors) Garden of Gethsemane, Church of Assumption followed by visit of St Stephen located in Qidron Valley.

On to visit Mt Zion to include the King David Tomb, Upper room, St Peter in Galicantu, walk through Jewish quarter and visit Wailing Wall and a visit to Pools of Bethesda and St Ann’s Church (Lunch) on your own). This afternoon we visit New City TO INCLUDE ISRAELI MUSUEM of Jerusalem and Ein Kerem to include church of Visitation and birthplace of St John the Baptist

Return to your hotel. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight accommodations. (B,D.)

 

Day 09 - BETHLEHEM – OLD CITY – SHILOH – NABLUS – BETHLEHEM

After breakfast, Walk the Via de Laroza to church of Holy Sepulcher Celebrate mass at St Marks Church THEN WALK THROUGH JEWISH QUARTER TO VISIT WAILING WALL then depart for Nablus, (Lunch on your own). Visit Jacob’s well and Mt Gerezim. Time permitting visit Emmaus Qubeibeh (depends on situation in west bank). Return to your hotel. (B,D.)

 

Day 10 - BETHLEHEM –JAFFA–CEASERIA-HAIFA–NAZARETH–CANA–TIBERIAS

After breakfast, we will depart for Lod visiting St George’s Church, we will depart for a full day of touring including a visit to Jaffa, the house of Simon the Tanner (Acts 9:36-10:11). Later we visit the Roman Byzantine Crusade ruins including the theatre, the hippodrome and aqueduct. Continue to Mt. Carmel to see the Carmelite Monastery and Elijah’s Cave (I Kings 7) and Stella Maris in Haifa followed by the Jezreel valley. (Lunch is on your own). After lunch it’s on to Nazareth to visit the Church of the Annunciation and Mother Mary’s House (Luke 1:26). A short walk will take us to the Orthodox Church at Mary’s Well – Mary and the child often drew water from this spring. Continue to Cana – possibility of renewal of Marriage vows and then on to Tiberias for dinner and overnight accommodations at the Restal Hotel. (B,D.)

 

Day 11 - SEA OF GALILEE – KURSI - MT TABOR – TIBERIAS

After breakfast, we will drive to the Sea of Galilee and visit Mt. Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12), and then a visit to Tabgha to include the church of the Fishes & Loaves. We continue later to Capernaum referred to in the Gospels as Jesus’ home town. Later we take a boat ride from Kibbutz Ginnosar (not possible to Capernaum as water level is too low and does not permit boats to reach Capernaum) and cross the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 9:2) (Lunch on your own) – perhaps St.Peter’s fish. After lunch we drive by Bethsaida to the land of the Gadarenes to visit Kursi

Continue on to Mt. Tabor. Dinner and overnight accommodations at the Restal Hotel. (B,D.)

 

Day 12 - TIBERIAS–SHEIKH HUSSEIN BRIDGE–NEBO–MEDABA–PETRA

After breakfast, we coach to the Sheikh Hussein Bridge to Jordan. Upon arrival you will be greeted by your Tours representative. Our guide will assist you with your visa. After departing the bridge we proceed to the Taybet Zaman heritage Hotel or similar. After check-in with some relax time dinner will be served at the hotel. (B,D.)

 

Day 13 - PETRA - AMMAN

After breakfast, this day will be dedicated to visit one of the most stunning sites in the world, the Red-Rose City of Petra.Although much has been written about Petra, nothing really prepares you for this amazing place. It has to be seen to be believed. Petra, the world wonder, is without a doubt, Jordan’s most valuable treasure and greatest tourist attraction. It is a vast, unique city, carved into the sheer rock face by the Nabateans, an industrious Arab people who settled here more than 2000 years ago. The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was introduced by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. It was described as "a rose-red city half as old as time" in a Newdigate Prize-winning poem by John William Burgon. UNESCO has described it as "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage". Entrance to the city is through the Siq, a narrow gorge, over 1km in length, which is flanked on either side by soaring, 80m high cliffs. Just walking through the Siq is an experience in itself. The colors and formations of the rocks are dazzling. As you reach the end of the Siq you will catch your first glimpse of Al Khazneh(Treasury). This is an awe-inspiring experience. A massive façade, 30m wide and 43m high, carved out of the sheer, dusky pink rock-face and dwarfing everything around it. It was carved in the early 1st century as the tomb of an important Nabataean king and represents the engineering genius of these ancient people. The Treasury is merely the first of the many wonders that make up Petra. As you enter the Petra valley you will be overwhelmed by the natural beauty of this place and its outstanding architectural achievements. Lunch at the Basin restaurant, among archeological treasures. Late afternoon, group will be transferred to Amman. Check in at the warwick II Palazzo Hotel and suites or similar in Amman. http://warwickhotels.com/il-palazzo After room’s distributions and some rest guests will be having their dinner at the hotels restaurant. (B,D.)

 

Day 14

After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for our flight home. (B.)