Israel, Jordan & Egypt
Catholic Program
Year round
Itinerary:
Day 1 USA/TEL AVIV
Depart the USA to begin your spiritual journey to the Holy Land. Dinner and breakfast will be served on board your trans-Atlantic overnight flight.
Day 2 TEL AVIV
Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, an Altura representative will meet and assist you. Transfer to your hotel in Tel Aviv. Welcome Dinner. D
Day 3 JAFFA/CAESAREA/HAIFA/ACRE/TIBERIAS
Drive through Cosmopolitan Tel Aviv to Jaffa , the ancient Joppa, city of Jonah and Simon the Tanner. See the restored Old City and visit the Church of St.Peter. Then travel along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea , Old Crusader City and the Capital of the Roman Province. See the Amphitheater, the impressive Aqueduct and the harbor from which St.Paul was taken prisoner to Rome. Proceed to beautiful Haifa and ascend to Mount Carmel where Elijah confronted the profhets of Baal. Visit the Carmelite Monastery, Stella Maris and the Persian Gardens. Continue to Acre, famous old Crusader stronghold; then proceed to the biblical city of Tiberias for overnight. B,D
Day 4 GALILEE
Today drive to the Mount of Beatitudes including its church , site of the Sermon on the Mount. Then to Tabgha, to view a beautiful mosaic depicting the scene of the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes. See Capernaum and the ancient synagogue, and Chorazim which along with Capernaum was cursed by Jesus for spurning His teaching. Enjoy a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, then on to Mount Tabor to visit the church, traditional site of the Transfiguration. Proceed later for a Baptism ceremony at the River Jordan where it flows out of the Sea of Galilee. Return to Tiberias. B,D
Day 5 NAZARETH/JORDAN VALLEY/JERICHO/JERUSALEM
Leave Tiberias for Cana, site of Jesus’ first miracle and Nazareth where Our Lord spend His childhood and early years. Visit the church of Annunciation, Joseph’s Carpenter Shop and walk through the old bazaars to see Mary’s Well. Depart to Beit Shean, ancient Scythopolis and through the scenic Jordan Valley towards Jericho, the oldest known inhabited city in the World. Tour the ruins and archelogical site. See Mount of Temptation to the west then continue south to the Dead Sea, with a stop in Qumran, site of the Dead sea Scrolls discovery. View Mt.Nebo and follow the ancient Roman route through the Judean Desert, via the Good Samaritan Inn and Bethany, where Jesus raise Lazarus, before continuing to Jerusalem. B,D
Day 6 JERUSALEM: MT OF OLIVES/GETHSEMANE/KIDRON VALLEY/BETHLEHEM
Drive to the Mount of Olives and the place of Ascension for a wonderful view of the “Golden City” of Jerusalem. Visit the Pater Noster Church and the Chapel of Ascension. See the Palm Sunday road, on which Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Drive to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations. Drive down the Kidron Valley to the Church of St.Peter in Gallicantu, built over the Palace of the High Priest Caiaphas. Proceed to Mount Zion and visit the Room of the Last Supper, King Davids Tomb and Dormition Abbey. Continue to Bethlehem to see the Church of Nativity, built over the stable
where Jesus was born. Visit the plains of Boaz and Shepherd’s Fields. View Mt. Herodium where Herod’s Palace stood. Return to Jerusalem. B,D.
Day 7 JERUSALEM: EIN KAREM/NEW AND OLD CITY
This morning drive pass the Knesset, to the Israel Museum. Visit the Shrine of the Book and see the Dead Sea Scrolls. Proceed to the Model of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus and on to the Church of Visitation in Ein Karem, traditional home of Elizabeth and the birthplace of John the Baptist. Continue to Yad Vashem for a visit to the Memorial of the Holocaust. In the afternoon, enter the Old City of Jerusalem to visit the Western Wall, the Temple Area with the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque, the Pool of Bethesda, St.Anne’s Church, birthplace of Mary, Arc of Ecce Homo (Behold the Man) , and the Via Dolorosa and Holy Sepulchre. Stroll through the Bazaars before returning to your hotel. B,D.
Day 8 JERUSALEM
Enjoy a day at leisure. Take the opportunity to revisit a place of particular interest or take an optional tour to Massada and the Dead Sea. Relax and go bargain shopping along the narrow streets of the Old City or perhaps explore on your own the New City. In the evening enjoy an special farewell dinner. B,D
Day 9 JERUSALEM/JERASH/AMMAN Early departure for the Israel border and cross the Allenby Bridge into Jordan. On to Mt. Nebo, where Moses view the “Promised Land” and to Madaba, to see an splendid mosaic. Continue north to the Greco/Roman city of Jerash, ancient Decapolis and The “Pompei of the East”; see the Hippodrome, Theater, Forum and other impressive ruins. Drive south through Wadi Zarka to Amman, ancient Philadelphia and Biblical capital of the Ammonites. Overnight. B,D
Day 10 AMMAN/PETRA/AQABA After a short tour of Amman, depart southwards along the biblical King’s highway to Petra. Carved out the solid colored mountains, this monumental rose-red city was the core of the Nabatean empire and a Christian workship center. The tomb of Moses brother, Aaron as well as “The Springs of Moses” in Wadi Musa are located nearby. Visit the “lost city” on foot or by horse, the Royal tombs, Treasury, Roman theater, Palaces and other beautiful monuments. Continue via Wadi Rum to the resort city of Aqaba in the Red Sea for overnight. B,D
Day 11 AQABA/MOUNT SINAI Leave Jordan on the way to Egypt travelling through the scenic Sinai Peninsula. Arrive near St. Catherine’s Monastery for overnight. B,D
Day 12 MOUNT SINAI/CAIRO This morning see (optional climb) Mount Sinai, “the mountain of God”, where the Lord appeared to Moses and the children of Israel received the Ten Commandements. Visit the famous 1.400 years old St. Catherine Monastery and see its extensive library and art works. It was here that one of the oldest Greek manuscripts of the New Testament was found. Continue travelling through the Sinai Peninsula and cross the Suez Canal on the way to Cairo for overnight. B,D
Day 13 CAIRO Visit the Egyptian Museum witch houses the world’s largest collection of ancient art from the era of the Pharaos, including Tutankhament’s treasures and Mummy room. Proceed later to Old Cairo where early Judaism and Christiany flourish in Egypt. See the Hanging Church and Visit St. Serguis Coptic Church , the oldest in Egypt. In a cave under its altar, Mary, Joseph and Jesus are believed to have taken refuge. Visit the Ben Ezra Synagogue and then on to the Islamic quarter to stroll the fortress of Saladin and visit the Mohammed Ali “Alabaster Mosque “. End the day at the Bazaar of Khan El Khalili where you can bargain for souvenirs. B,D
Day 14 CAIRO Star the day driving to the Giza Plateau to visit the monumental Three Great Pyramids and the recently discovered arquelogical area. Wonder at the impressive 66 foot hight Sphinx carved out of the natural cliff. Experience an optional Camel ride before proceeding to the Solar Boat Museum to see the oldest known ship in the World. In the afternoon head to Memphis, biblical Noph and oldest capital of Egypt. Visit the alabaster statue of Ramses II and continue to Sakkara, complex of King Djoser to see the Step Pyramid and ancient tombs. In the evening , enjoy an special farewell dinner on the Nile Pharaoh cruise ship. B,D
Day 15 CAIRO Transfer to the airport for your return fligh(s) home as your Bible Lands journey comes to an end. B
Every Spiritual Journey includes:
· Roundtrip air transportation via the finest scheduled service airlines
· Meeting and assistance service at airports
· First class and/or first class superior hotel accommodations
at selected hotels
· Breakfast and dinner daily
· Sightseeing by deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach including
entrance fees
· Professional English – speaking tour guides/escorts
· Roundtrip transfers including baggage handling
· Hotel taxes and service charges
· Travel documents
· Assistance by local Altura Representative
FREE TRIP INCENTIVE PROGRAM
· One free journey for every five paying passengers
· Travel credits for very odd-paying passenger
· Assistance with creating your program brochure
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