Arrival at the airport, assistance, and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation. NOTE: We advise taking an additional night at the beginning to be able to go on an optional tour of Massada and the Dead Sea.
Breakfast. PICK UP AT THE HOTEL BETWEEN 07:45 HOURS (AM) AND 08:00 HOURS (AM). Departure from the city of Tel Aviv, travelling round the Mediterranean Sea to Yaffo, an ancient port of Israel, now an artists’ neighbourhood. Visit to the Church of Saint Peter. Continuing along the coast to CAESAREA Maritima, an old Roman capital, where we will visit its Theatre, the Crusaders’ Fortress Walls and the Roman Aqueduct. We shall continue our journey to the city of HAIFA, we shall climb Mount Carmel, where the Grotto of the Prophet Elijah and we shall view the Bahai Temple and its Persian Gardens, and we shall have a panoramic view of the city and port. Onward to SAINT JEAN D’ACRE, capital city of the Crusaders, visiting the medieval fortresses. Arrival in NAZARETH/ TIBERIADES. Dinner included.
Breakfast. We will start the day with the visit to Nazareth where we will visit the Church of the Annunciation, Saint Joseph’s Carpentry Workshop and the Fountain of the Virgin. Continue toward Mount Precipice, from where we may enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of Nazareth and the surrounding area, then on to MOUNT TABOR where the transfiguration of Jesus before Moses and Elijah took place. Return to Nazareth. We end the visit at Canaan of Galilee, where Jesus performed his first miracle. Dinner included.
Breakfast. We will start the day with a boat trip on the Sea of Galilee. Later, we will visit the Mount of the Beatitudes, where the Sermon of the Mount was given, TABGHA, the place where the bread and fish were multiplied, and CAPERNAUM, where the house of Saint Peter is, and the ruins of the old synagogue. In the afternoon, trip to Jerusalem along the River Jordan valley, round the oasis of Jericho, where we will enjoy a panoramic view of the Mount of Temptation and the Dead Sea. Climb up through the Judean desert and entry to Jerusalem, the peace messenger city, birthplace of the three great monotheistic religions.
Breakfast. PICK UP AT THE HOTEL RECEPTION BETWEEN 07:45 HOURS (AM) AND 08:00 HOURS (AM). Excursion to visit the New City of Jerusalem, seeing the Shrine of the Book in the Museum of Israel, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed, and the model that represents the city of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus. We will go through the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, then going toward Ein Karen, a picturesque neighbourhood on the outskirts of the city to visit the Shrine of Saint John the Baptist. We will also see Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum and Memorial. In the afternoon, we will travel to BETHLEHEM, located behind the wall built in recent years to separate the two communities. We will take a Palestinian guide to visit the Church of the Nativity, the Grotto of the Manger and the Shepherds’ Field. Return to Jerusalem
We include a visit to the old city of Jerusalem. Excursion by Mount Scopus toward the Mount of Olives. There is an extraordinary view of the walled Holy City from the top. We then continue to Gethsemane, the Basilica of the Agony. Departure toward the Old City. Visit to the Western Wall (Wailing Wall). We will continue along the Via Dolorosa to arrive at Calvary, the place where Christ was crucified, and to see the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We then go onward to Mount Zion to visit the Tomb of King David, the Cenacle (Hall of the Last Supper) and the Abbey of the Dormiton.
Breakfast. Early departure to border of Israel and Jordan. Arrival at Sheik Hussein Bridge to complete border and visa procedures. Welcome to Jordan! We explore the FORTRESS OF AJLUN, an imposing castle dating back to the 12th century. In this area, Muslims and Orthodox Christians have always lived together. We visit the historic CHURCH OF SAINT SERGIUS. Shall we all pray for peace? Lunch included. We continue to JERASH to visit its impressive Roman archaeological site. We then travel to AMMAN. Arrival and accommodation. NOTE: The Sheik Hussein border must be crossed on a special bus for this purpose. This costs around $3 per person, which must be paid directly by the passengers themselves. FEES: Each country requires an entry/exit fee that passengers must pay directly at their destination. For guidance purposes, these are the fees/visa fees that may apply (prices subject to change without notice): Israel: $32 (Departure Fee to Jordan); Jordan: 40 dinars/$60 (Sheik Hussein Border visa).
We will depart towards the CASTLES OF THE DESERT, built between the 7th and 8th centuries. We will visit QASR KHARANA, with its imposing structure of thick walls and the QUSAYR AMRA World Heritage Site, notable for its remarkable frescoes. Then, we travel to MADABA, Lunch is included. We will visit the Madaba Archaeological Park, which we cross via an ancient Roman road, and the Church of St. George, with its fantastic 6th Century mosaic representing the oldest known map of the Holy Land. We continue to MOUNT NEBO, where Moses stopped to look over the Promised Land. Return to Amman. Arrival and free time.
We leave for BETHANY on the banks of the River Jordan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; this is where John the Baptist baptised Jesus. Then we visit the DEAD SEA MUSEUM, which an impressive Panorama Complex. Lunch is included. Arriving at our hotel at the DEAD SEA, do not forget to take a dip in the saltiest sea and lowest altitude on earth. Dinner and accommodation included.
Exciting section in the heart of Jordan. Following the Dead Sea, we visit LOT’S CAVE, discovered in 1991, with its old Byzantine church from the 6th century. Then we ascend into the mountains to DANA, a small picturesque town of stone houses on a huge cliff. Lunch is included. We continue along the King´s Route to SHOBAK, where we take photographs (outside only) of the great Crusader Castle. We continue to WADI MUSA (the site around Petra). We will explore the MOSES SPRING, where Moses is said to have tapped the rock with his rod and the water gushed out, and the Petra Museum, an excellent exhibition that enables us to learn about the history of the Nabateans and to see magnificent pieces found in the area. Dinner and accommodation. Any travellers who wish can go to an old Turkish bath or see a light and sound show in Petra.
Today we have the most exciting day of the trip: First, we visit the impressive archaeological site of PETRA, which is accessed through a narrow canyon, and discover the temples and tombs excavated on the cliffs in this city that was founded 300 years before Christ. After lunch (included) we leave for the impressive desert of WADI RUM. At the Visitor Centre we board 4x4 vehicles to visit some of the most impressive landscapes. We stop in the town of RUM to visit the ruins of the Nabatean temple. We include a 45-minute camel ride through the desert. We will also visit the Khazali Canyon. In this spectacular place, we will see the engravings that reveal the origins of the Arabic language. Dinner and accommodation included in a desert camp.
After breakfast we will leave for AQABA, Jordan’s second city. We will visit Jordan’s second city, a modern, commercial port city. Afternoon free to enjoy the hotel-resort and the warm waters of the Red Sea!
After breakfast we will depart via “the desert road” to the AMMAN Note: Depending on the number of travellers, the trip from Aqaba to Amman may be made by regular VIP coach. Arrival and end of our services. Check the time of your flight in case you need an additional night. Transfer to the airport for your return flight.
