13 Day Tour

Day 1 - TUESDAY
Departure from North America or other International gateway to Cairo, Egypt.

Optional pre-arrival extra night in Cairo: With jet-lag and fatigue a possible downside to long flights, we recommend arriving in Cairo one day before your tour starts (Monday arrival instead of Tuesday). This will help you rest, relax, and better adjust to the new time zone, which will help you start fresh when your tour begins. To help you take advantage of an optional extra day in Cairo, we include private transfers from Cairo International airport to your hotel, one night stay at The Ramses Hilton including meals (breakfast and dinner) for $95.00 per person in double room, and $155.00 in single room or select the Barceló Cairo Pyramids including meals (breakfast and dinner) for $80.00 per person in double room, and $120.00 in single room (Oct 01, 2013 to Apr 30, 2014 add $10.00 per person per night). When booking the tour, please advice us whether you would like to book the optional pre-arrival extra day in Cairo, and one of our agents will be happy to confirm the extra day.

Day 2 - WEDNESDAY
Egypt
Welcome to Egypt! Upon arrival into Cairo International Airport you will clear immigration and customs formalities, and met outside customs by our representative for private transfer to your hotel in Cairo for evening at leasure and overnight.

Day 3 - THURSDAY
Pyramids/Sphinx/Solar Boat/Egyptian Museum/Old and New Cairo/Coptic Cairo/Synagogue of Ben Ezra
After a good nights rest enjoy a breakfast buffet, and then meet your Egyptologist guide to start the tour and visit one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient World, the 3 Pyramids of Giza. Cheops Pyramid (the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis built in the 3rd dynasty about 2690 B.C as a tomb for Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu), Pyramid of Chechen, and at the bottom of the Pyramid Chechen lies the majestic Great Sphinx, which is the largest single block sculpture. Enjoy an opportunity to ride a camel by the Pyramids followed by a visit to the Solar Boat museum, whose main attraction is an ancient Egyptian cedar wood dating back 4500 years. Continue to visit the famous Egyptian Museum where we shall provide you with a brief but colorful insight into the five thousand years of Egypt’s fascinating history. Afterwards we visit Old Cairo, and the city’s cultural landmarks that span three millennia of Egypt’s history. We begin with you visiting the Hanging Church, Cairo's most famous Coptic church first built in the 3rd or 4th century AD. This basilica was named "Al-Mu'allaqah" for its location above a gatehouse of the Babylon Fortress. Continue to the Church of St. Sergius, a 5th century Coptic Church. This basilica is built on the cave in which the Holy Family stayed and is regarded by visitors as a source of blessing. As we stroll along, we will come to the recently restored Synagogue of Ben Ezra - the oldest Jewish synagogue in Egypt built in 882 AD. Next, we will explore the spices and silks in the medieval bazaar of Khan el-Khalili, one of the biggest bazaars in the Middle East and North Africa’s most famous bazaar. Lunch will be served during the tour at a local restaurant. Return to hotel. Overnight and Dinner included.

OPTIONAL EVENING ACTIVITY: Pyramids Sound and Light Tour include round trip transfers $57.00 per person.

OPTIONAL EVENING ACTIVITY: Nile Cruise Dinner with Show includes round trip transfers $75.00 per person. Back to your hotel and overnight.

Day 4 - FRIDAY
Sinai Desert/Morah by the Red Sea/Elim/Rephdsim/Land of Goshen
After Breakfast departure by private air-conditioned mini coach or bus to St. Catherine via the tunnel underneath the Suez Cannel to the west branch of the Red Sea, following what is thought to be the route of the Biblical Exodus (Genesis16-18). Our drive through the Sinai Peninsula and the biblical Land of Goshen to the Mount Sinai area (233 miles) takes about 6 hours. Marah by the Red Sea the desert springs along the shore of the Red Sea where the children of Israel found the water bitter. Continue to Alim visit the desert oasis continue to Wadi Feiran ( Rephidim).the desert valley where the children of Israel fought against Amalekites. Then to Mount Serbal, the possible site where Moses held his arms up for victory we continue inland heading towards the granite mountains of Mt. Sinai and Wadi El Raha According to traditions the area where the Israelites camped and the golden calf was forged (Exodus 32). We will arrive to the hotel near Mt Sinai and St Catherine’s Monastery. Dinner and overnight.

The options for hotel accommodation in the remote area of Mt. Sinai are very limited. The hotel used in our Footsteps of Moses Tour is the best available in the area, however not equivalent in standard to other hotels we use along this tour.

Day 5 - SATURDAY
Sinai to Israel
At day break if you wish, climb-up Mt. Sinai Jabel Musa. You may choose renting a camel for assistance 2/3 of the way up to see the sunrise. Enjoy a time of praise and incredible views of the Sinai wilderness, we read from the Book of Genesis God revealed himself to Moses in the Burning Bush and where he received the Ten Commandments. Descending the mountain we return to the hotel to rejoin the rest of the group for Breakfast. Touring the St. Catherine Monastery with its History , constructed at the foot of Mt. Sinai the oldest working Christian Monastery. St. Catherine Monastery was built in ( 527 and 565 A.C) by the Roman Emperor Justinian, and where it’s believed God appeared to Moses in the Form of a burning bush. The Greek Orthodox Church building is the oldest continuously used church building in the world. Leaving Mt. Sinai area toward the eastern shores of Sinai Peninsula and on the Red Sea north to Taba Border ( Egypt Israel crossing border). Lunch box provided for Sinai to Taba drive. After crossing the Taba you will be met and assisted by our representatives and transferred to your hotel in Eilat – OR – To Eilat Airport.

Day 6 - SUNDAY
Petra
Following a delicious Israeli buffet breakfast (which you will enjoy each morning prior to departing for your day of touring). Depart the hotel at 7.30 AM to Arava crossing border point Israel – Jordan and drive to Petra. Start the tour by horse-drawn carriage (additional cost) or on foot to the ancient Rose City. This was a city of Edom from the times of Israel and Judah. Petra was the capital city of the Nabataean people who flourished over 2,000 years along this area of a major trade route. It was forgotten for hundreds of years until. It was rediscovered in 1812. Much of Petra’s appeal comes from its spectacular setting deep inside desert gorge Petra a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Include lunch. Petra’s most famous monument, the Treasury, the Siq and various walks and climbs reveal literally hundreds of buildings facades, tombs, baths, funerary halls, temples and a 3000 seat theatre, from the first Century AD. After short tour at the Port City of Aqaba return to the Israeli border and transfer to your hotel in Eilat. Transfer from your hotel to Eilat airport. Depart for a one hour flight to Tel Aviv. You will be transferred to your hotel in Tel Aviv for dinner and overnight.

Day 7 - MONDAY
Caesarea / Megiddo / Haifa / Acre
Depart Tel Aviv. Drive north along the coastal plain to Caesarea (Acts 9.30 Acts 10 24-48), capital of Judea under the Romans. Visit the excavations of this ancient city, the Roman theatre and aqueduct. Continue to Megiddo (1 Kings 4.28, 9,15, 2 Kings 23,29 & Revel. 16.16), identified as the site of Armageddon. Visit the archaeological excavations at Megiddo, including the well-preserved water supply system. Drive to the beautiful port city of Haifa, nestled on the Mediterranean Sea. Visit the world famous Persian Gardens at the Bahai Temple. From Haifa, drive to Acre (Micah 1.10), capital of the Crusaders for more than a century. Visit the ancient city and harbour before continuing eastwards across the plains of the Galilee to Kibutz hotel Lavi, not far from the Sea Of Galilee
Dinner and overnight. Evening lecture by one of the Kibbutz members about life in a Kibbutz.

Day 8 - TUESDAY
Tiberias / Capernaum / Banias
After a short tour of the Kibbutz grounds we take a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum (Matt. 4.13 13.54, 17.24, Luke 7, Mark 1.2, John 4.46-54). Visit the remains of the 2nd century synagogue. Proceed to Tabgha (Matt. 13, Mark .33-45, & John 21), the site of the miracle of fish and loaves, and visit the Church of Multiplication with its 4th century mosaic floor. Continue to the Mount of the Beatitudes (Matt. 5,6,7,8), where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Drive to the Banias Spring and Waterfall (Matt. 16.13 and Mark 8.27), where Jesus was recognized as The Messiah by His Disciples. Tour the Golan Heights, with its valleys, grazing land and snow capped mountains. Return to Kibbutz Lavi for dinner and overnight.

Day 9 - WEDNESDAY
Nazareth / Beit Shean
Begin the day with a drive to Nazareth (Luke 1.26, 4.16-29, Matthew 2.23) via Cana of Galilee (John 2.1-11). In Nazareth, we shall visit the Church of the Annunciation, St. Joseph’s Workshop and Mary’s Well. Next on our program are the Jordan River and the Baptismal site. Continue to Beit Shean, one of the ancient Decapolis cities (Mark 5.20, 7.31), and visit the Roman theatre. This is the city where Saul and his son Jonathan were nailed to the walls (1st Samuel 31.10). Judges 1.27 also mentions Beit Shean. Continue south along the shores of the River of Jordan. Passing Jericho, we proceed westward and climb to the Golden City of Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

Day 10 - THURSDAY
Jerusalem - Old City
Today we visit the Old City of Jerusalem. Our appreciation of this Golden City begins with a panoramic view from the Mount of Olives, overlooking the walls of the old city and the ancient Jewish cemetery. Enter the Old City to begin exploring the wonders of Jerusalem. Visit the Church of All Nations. Proceed to Mount Zion to see the tomb of King David and the nearby Room of the Last Super (Mark 14.13, Luke 22. 10-38, Matt 26 17-29, Acts 1.13 and Acts 2 the Pentecost). Walk through the Cardo, the main street of Jerusalem 2000 years ago. View the Temple Mount and the Western Wall. Walk along the Via Dolorosa, where Jesus carried His Cross. Continue to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Matt. 27. 33-57, 28.10). No visit to Jerusalem is complete without a walk through the colourful Arab bazaar (a chance to test your negotiating skills). Visit the garden tomb. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

Day 11 - FRIDAY
Jerusalem – New City and *Bethlehem
Today’s program is dedicated to the new city of Jerusalem. Visit the model of ancient Jerusalem .Continue to Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Enter the site by walking along the Street of the Righteous Gentiles, dedicated to the non-Jews that risked their lives in order to save their Jewish neighbors. Continue to Ein Karem, birthplace of John the Baptists (Luke 1.39-80). This Spanish style church and Mary’s well is where Mother Mary met her cousin Elizabeth. Proceed to Bethlehem * to visit the Church of the Nativity. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

Day 12 - SATURDAY
Dead Sea / Massada
Drive through the Judean Desert to Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls where found in 1947 by a Bedouin boy. Visit the ancient city of Qumran and drive along the shore of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth, to Massada, the last stronghold of the Jews after the destruction of the Second Temple. In 70 A.D. Ascend Massada by cable car and visit the food storeroom, water irrigation system and Herod’s Palace. Descend Massada time and weather permitting float on the Dead Sea. Return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

Day 13 - SUNDAY
Breakfast at your hotel, please check out from your room at 12 noon and leave your luggage with the Hotel Concierge. Pick up time from the hotel lobby to Ben Gurion airport will be 4 hours before your departure flight.