Daily Itinerary

Thursday, March 4 - Day 1: Depart on overnight flight to Tel Aviv.

Friday, March 5 - Day 2: Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport we you are met and transferred to the Grand Beach Hotel in Tel Aviv for dinner and overnight.

Saturday, March 6 - Day 3: We drive along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea, the ancient Roman Capital built by Herod the Great in 22 B.C. where we see the Roman Amphitheater and Herodian Port. We then drive up Mt. Carmel and visit the place of the fire where Elijah met the prophets of Baal. After lunch we enter the Valley of Armageddon to visit the remarkable excavations at Megiddo; including the water tunnel built by King Ahab and King Solomon's stables. We then proceed to Tiberias for dinner and overnight at Leonardo Club Tiberias on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

Sunday, March 7 - Day 4: The morning begins with a peaceful boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, then a visit to the Mount of Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on The Mount (Matt. 18). We then walk through Capernaum, center of Christ's ministry. We then drive to the northern border of Israel to visit Caesarea Philippi where Peter said "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God" (Matt. 16:13), and then climb the Golan Heights to look towards Damascus. At the end of this full day we return to Leonardo Club Tiberias for dinner and overnight.

Monday, March 8 - Day 5: We start this day with a visit to Yardenit, a baptismal site on the Jordan River (Matt. 3:13). We then drive through Cana in Galilee, site of the First Miracle and continue to Nazareth to visit Mary's Well. From here we go south along the Jordan River Valley past ancient Jericho and climb up to Jerusalem where we check into the Grand Court Hotel for dinner and overnight.

Tuesday, March 9 - Day 6: What a day awaits us...we first drive to the top of the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. Then we walk down the Palm Sunday route to the Garden of Gethsemane. We then walk up to the Old City walls and enter the Lion's Gate to see the Pool of Bethesda. Following this we walk the Via Dolorosa, the Way of the Cross. Exiting the Old City we will drive to Mount Zion and visit the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu and the traditional site of the Last Supper. Dinner and overnight Grand Court Jerusalem.

Wednesday, March 10 - Day 7: To avoid crowds we have an early morning visit to Church of Holy Sepulchre. We then drive to the Shrine of The Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed and enjoy the scale model of Jerusalem during the time of the Second Temple. Drive to Bethlehem to visit the Church of The Nativity, Manger Square, and view the Shepherd's Fields. End the day with a visit to the Garden Tomb. Dinner and overnight Grand Court Jerusalem.

Thursday, March 11 - Day 8: Drive through the Judean Desert to the Dead Sea, the lowest point of earth, and along its shore to the fortress of Masada. You will view the 3 dimension museum theater, then ride the cable car to the top of the mountain to see Herod's fortress-palace, synagogue, bathhouses, and more. On the return trip to Jerusalem you visit the Caves of Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. You will have time to enjoy a short float in the Dead Sea. Dinner and overnight Grand Court Jerusalem.

Friday, March 12 - Day 9: Free day to walk the walls, visit Temple Mount, shop, rest, or possibly serve in a soup kitchen. Dinner and overnight Grand Court Jerusalem or if you end your tour with Israel you will be transferred to Tel Aviv for your flight home.

Saturday, March 13 - Day 10: Transfer to Allenby Bridge crossing into Jordan, visit "Bethany beyond the Jordan" baptismal site. Drive north to Jerash, where we explore one of the best preserved Roman cities. Dinner and overnight Amman Inn Hotel.

Sunday, March 14 - Day 11: We visit Madaba, cited in the Exodus account in Numbers 21:30 and Joshua 13:9. This is the site of the famed Madaba Mosaic Map, the earliest known representation of Jerusalem. Continue to Mt. Nebo - the burial site of Moses, then we continue south along the King's Highway. Dinner and overnight Petra Taybet Zaman.

Monday, March 15 - Day 12: Tour Petra, a city carved into the rose-red Sharah Mountains by the Nabateans and lost to civilization until re-discovered by the Swiss explorer Burkhardt. Walk through the Siq, a narrow and winding fissure between the cliffs, to reach the Treasury, Roman Theater, Courts, Temple of the Winged Lion, and other monuments. Afternoon free to explore, perhaps climb to the Monastery to overlook the valley of the Dead Sea. Dinner and overnight Aqaba Intercontinental Hotel or if you end your tour here you will return to Amman for your flight home.

Tuesday, March 16 - Day 13: Free day in a beautiful location - relax, rest, read, snorkel, scuba dive, shop, walk the city. Dinner and overnight Aqaba Intercontinental Hotel.

Wednesday, March 17 - Day 14: Transfer through 2 border crossings into Egypt. Drive to the traditional site of Mt. Sinai. Arriving at St. Catherine's we settle into the Wadi El Raha hotel (not fancy but unique, the best available, 2+ stars). After dinner, it is early to bed if you are climbing to the top of Mt. Sinai!

Thursday, March 19 - Day 15: Awakened at 2 am, we begin the climb up Mt. Sinai. We can walk, or ride a camel over half-way up, reaching the mountain top before sunrise. After experiencing the sunrise, we walk back down the mountain to our bus and return to our hotel for breakfast. We will tour St. Catherine's Monastery where the oldest copy of the entire Bible was found in the 1800's, and the traditional site of the Burning Bush. Afternoon departure by bus to Cairo in reverse of the traditional route of the Exodus. We pass Marah, Exodus 15:23, and the Oasis of Rehidim, Exodus 17:2. One hour east of Cairo we pass under the Suez Canal in the Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel. Dinner and overnight Cairo Marriott Hotel.

Friday, March 19 - Day 16: Early morning transfer to Cairo Airport for flight (included in price) to Aswan. Upon arrival in Aswan we are met, assisted and transferred to our 5 Star Nile River Cruise ship. After lunch onboard we have a unique experience, sailing the Nile on a felucca. Dinner and overnight Sonesta Nile Goddess.

Saturday, March 20 - Day 17: Following breakfast we visit the Aswan High Dam and continue to the Philae Temple on an island in the manmade lake behind the Aswan Dam. Returning to the ship we have lunch and sail to Kom Ombo. We then continue down river to Edfu. Dinner and overnight Sonesta Nile Goddess.

Sunday, March 21 - Day 18: Early morning visit to Edfu then return to ship for breakfast. Watch the process of passing through the locks, and continue sailing to Luxor. Dinner and overnight Sonesta Nile Goddess.

Monday, March 22 - Day 19: Today we visit Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings in Luxor. Evening flight to Cairo, dinner and overnight Cairo Marriott Hotel.

Tuesday, March 23 - Day 20: Full day of touring Cairo starting with the Giza Plateau to visit the last remaining site of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World: the Great Pyramid, built 2600 years before Christ. Nearby we see the pyramids of Chefren and Menkaure, the majestic Sphinx. We then visit Coptic Cairo and we end the day at the Egyptian Museum to especially view the treasures of King TUT. Dinner and overnight Cairo Marriott Hotel.

Wednesday, March 24 - Day 21: Early morning departure from Cairo.