Day 1 Arrival Cairo
Upon our arrival in Cairo , we will be met by our Egypt escort, who will assist our group through customs and immigration. Then we will be Transfer to Half Day Tour overview tour of Cairo include sites like the Ben Ezra synagogue , hanging church , Citadel etc. Dinner and Overnight Cairo
Day 2 Cairo Pyramids and Sphinx of Giza:
The Pyramids and their guardian Sphinx have rivaled the world’s greatest cathedrals and temples as hallowed monuments, and are regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Great Pyramid built by Cheops (2551-2528 BC) covers an area of 13 acres. The other two pyramids are those of Chephren and Mycerinus. The Sphinx is one of the most famous monuments in the whole world. The Sphinx combines the strength of a recumbent lion with the intelligence of a human head. Egyptian Museum / Tut’s Treasures: The Egyptian museum contains over 120,000 objects, the “star” of its collections being the stunning treasures from the tomb of Tutahnkamum (King Tut). This museum certainly ranks among the world’s greatest. Saladin’s Citadel: Begun in 1176 by Saladin (who also drove the crusaders out of Jerusalem) the Citadel was enlarged and improved by each successive dynasty and not completed until the 19th century. Visit Solar Boat Museum in Pyramids.
dinner and overnight. In Cairo
Day 3 Alabaster Mosque:
Also known as the Mosque of Mohammed Ali, this is one of the several mosques contained in the Citadel. It’s huge dome and half-domes and tall, slim minarets are stunning. Memphis: Once the capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, much of its remains have now vanished. However, a Colossus of Ramses II and an alabaster sphinx still remain to give us a glimpse of what was once one of the world’s great metropolitan centers. Sakkara/Step Pyramid: When Memphis was the capital of Egypt, Sakkara was the Necropolis. Deceased Pharaohs, family members and sacred animals were ceremoniously transported from Memphis to be permanently enshrined in one of the myriad temples, pyramids and tombs contained here. Dinner and overnight. In Cairo
Day 4 Cairo to Mt Sinai
This morning we begin our journey from Cairo which will take us much the same route that the Israelites are thought to have taken during their escape from Pharoh and time in the wilderness. The next peak to the one on which the monastery is built is believed to be Mt. Sinai, where Moses received the ten commandments from God. Dinner and overnight in St Catherine's
Day 5 St Catherine's – Petra
Afterwards the famous St. Catherine's Monastery at Mt. Sinai. This Byzantine church was built in the 6th
century to protect what was believed to be the Burning Bush in which God first revealed Himself to Moses. It is most renowned for the unique collection of precious art objects and the library with its collection of old manuscripts. We will be transferred Nueiba take a speed Boat cross to Jordan. Meet and assist by our representative in Jordan than transferred to famous rock city of Petra. Just getting to Petra is an adventure. We'll travel through miles of rose-colored canyon to Petra, a city which was literally cut into the cliff sides beginning in about 300 BC. Dinner and overnight in Petra.
Day 6 Petra – to Amman
We will spend the whole day in Petra. There we'll see the famous Treasury and Roman Amphitheater. We'll have ample time to explore the Monastery and Streets of Columns. Than we will arrive to our hotel in Amman for Dinner and overnight
Day 7 Amman – Sea of Galilee
We will leave the hotel early in the morning. First we'll Visit Bethany than we will ascend Mt. Nebo overlooking the Jordan River Valley and the Dead Sea, and gaze upon the promised land as Moses did from this spot just before he died. Next, we’ll visit Madaba. It is home to a beautiful 6th century mosaic of Palestine, possibly the oldest existing map of the Holy Land. It's enlarged view of Jerusalem was used extensively to guide the archaeological excavations there. Our last stop will be Jerash and the magnificent ruins of this Decapolis town. It is known as the Pompeii of the East. Here we'll see the Cardo, South Theater, Temple of Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, the Artemis Temple and the Nymphaeum to name just a few of the Greco/Roman remains. The city's 14 churches date from Byzantine time and are filled with fine mosaics visit Bethany . Afterwards we'll cross into Israel Via the Sheich Hussein Bridge. Dinner and overnight Sea of Galilee
Day 8 Tiberias (Galilee region)
We’ll have a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee aboard a Kinnereth Sailing Company boat. Afterward we’ll arrive in Capernaum where Jesus chose to center his ministry. There we'll visit the ruins of an ancient synagogue built in the 2nd or 3rd century AD, on the site of an older synagogue where Jesus taught and worshipped. Then it's on to the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached to the people and Tabgha, the site of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. Just down the road is Kibbutz Nof Ginosar which we will visit to get an introduction to the Kibbutz movement in Israel and see the recently discovered "Jesus Boat" , a rare and excellent example of the kind of boat in which Jesus would have sailed. Time permitting we’ll visit the Golan Heights to get a unique perspective of this strategic, northernmost area of Israel. If you like we can arrange visit at Golan Height Winery at the end of the day.
Day 9 Nazareth Sepphoris (Galilee region)
We will start the day by visit the beautiful baptismal site which has been constructed where the Jordan flows into the lake. Recall Jesus' first miracle at the wedding as we ride through Cana on the way to Nazareth, his boyhood home Nazareth we will visit the Basilica of the Annunciation which was completed in 1966 and is the latest of many churches above the cave where Mary was visited by the Angel Gabriel. Then we travel the ancient caravan route to Tel Megiddo (Armageddon in the Bible) where we will visit the archaeological dig of over 20 different cities which lie superimposed upon each other. This site was devastated so many times in the ancient world and it was of such strategic importance that St. John describes it in the book of Revelation as the place where the final battle between good and evil will take place. We’ll also visit the spectacular recently opened excavations at Sepphoris than we will return the hotel for Dinner and Overnight.
Day 10 Tiberias Dead sea to Jerusalem
After breakfast at the hotel we start our journey south to Jerusalem. Our first stop will be the remains of the Decapolis city of Scythopolis at Beit Shean to view the impressive mosaics, roman theater and temples that are part of this on-going archaeological dig. As we will pass by Jericho, one of the world's most ancient cities. Here we'll see the ruins of this city conquered by Joshua. we will stop near Ein Gedi to have a chance to "swim" in the Dead Sea, the saltiest water in the world, where even the world's worst swimmer will float. Then we proceed to visit a dig of the Essene settlement at Qumran. From there we will be able to look up and see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947 by a shepherd boy. Our final stop before Jerusalem is Masada which is always a highlight of any trip to Israel. We will ascend to Masada by cable car to see the magnificent ruins of the fortress built by Herod, where from 70 - 73 A.D. the Jewish defenders made the last stand of the Judean revolt against Rome. We'll see the remains of storehouses, cisterns and the 6th century Byzantine church. Peer down upon the remains of the Roman camp below. Contemplate what it must have felt like for the Jews to have the might of Rome amassed against them below and watch as day by day the Romans built the still remaining siege ramps which eventually would allow them to attack. On our way to Jerusalem we’ll travel through the Judean Wilderness where from afar we'll see the Mount of Temptation. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem
Day 11 Old City Jerusalem
Mount of Olives. From here we can see the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock, the Kidron Valley and the Golden Gate (Beautiful Gate) to the city. This area is home to many different churches including the Dominus Flevit Church, which we will visit, Pater Noster Church, Chapel of the Ascension, Dominus Flevit and the Church of Mary Magdalene. Garden of Gethsemane: Besides seeing the remains of the Garden, we'll visit the nearby Church of All Nations. Crossing the Kidron Valley we pass the tombs of Absalom, Zechariah and St. James. Mt. Zion: Nearby we will see the Pool of Siloam (Shiloh) and the entrance to King Hezekiah's Water Tunnel built in the 8th century BC to supply the city of Jerusalem with water in case of a siege. At Mt. Zion we visit the Tomb of King David, the traditional site of the Upper Room where the last supper was held and the house of the High Priest Caiaphas. We'll also see a scale model of the City of Jerusalem as it was in 1 AD to get a feel for the city at the time of Jesus.
Day 12 Jerusalem
Old City of Jerusalem: Here we'll visit the Jewish Quarter with the Western Wall of the Temple, and the Cardo Maximus (the recently excavated main street of Roman and Byzantine Jerusalem), Time permitting we'll also visit the Burnt House* (a remnant of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD). We'll also ascend the Temple Mount (Mount Moriah), an area sacred to Jews, Christians and Moslems alike. Here we'll visit the Dome of the Rock Mosque*. It is built over the place Abraham brought Isaac to be sacrificed, the Jewish Temple stood, Jesus worshipped and taught, and from which Moslems believe Mohammed ascended to Heaven. Time permitting, we'll visit the El-Aqsa Mosque with it's cool white marble interior. We'll also follow the path of the Via Dolorosa, the Way of the Cross, from the Church of St. Anne and the Pool of Bethesda to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher the oldest traditional site of Jesus' Death and Resurrection. (We’ll also visit the Garden Tomb, another possible sight for Christ's Entombment.) Along the way we'll visit site of Herod's Antonia Fortress, and the Ecce Homo (Behold the Man) Arch among others. We'll also walk part of the old city walls* which will give us a fascinating perspective on the city (time and energy permitting!) and we'll see many of the famous gates of the city.
Day 13 Jerusalem area
Modern Jerusalem: we will start our day by visit Hadasa hospital the beautiful Chagall windows than we'll visit Yad Vashem*, Israel's museum and memorial to the Holocaust; The Israel Museum* to see the Shrine of the Book where some of the Dead Sea Scrolls are on display. Journey's out of Jerusalem: Bethlehem: We'll start with Bethlehem, the City of David. Here we'll see manger square and the Church of the Nativity - on the site of Jesus' birth and of the world's oldest functioning Christian church.
We will have our farewell dinner at Mini Israel
.
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