Israel & Wonders of Jordan

Day 1

ARRIVE IN TEL AVIV, ISRAEL Welcome to Tel Aviv! This evening, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)

Day 2

TEL AVIV. EXCURSION TO VALLEY OF ELAH–LATRUN–JAFFA Giant Victories LATRUN AREA See the site of David’s victory over Goliath and visit the Monastery of the Trappist Monks.
JAFFA Take a walking tour of the ancient port. (B)
82mi/ 132km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORY & MYSTERY Explore the ancient port of Jaffa, where biblical stories of Jonah, Solomon, and St. Peter took place. The Israeli city traces its roots to 1800 BC, with mythological tales of Andromeda and Perseus. Today Jaffa features picturesque alleys, art galleries, unique boutiques, ancient buildings, and wonderful landmarks.

Day 3

TEL AVIV–CAESAREA–ACRE–HAIFA Crusaders & Legendary Leaders CAESAREA Visit the Roman Theatre and the Crusader Fortress.
ACRE Visit the Underground Crusader City.
HAIFA Explore the Baha’i Shrine. (B,D)
62mi/ 100km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
LEGENDARY LIVES Born Sayyed ʻAlí Muḥammad Shírází, “The Báb” was the founder of Bábism, and endures as the central figures of the Baháʼí Faith. He was executed in 1850 along with thousands of his followers by the Persian government which opposed this new movement. The magnificent shrine and ethereal gardens of Baha’i stand as a testament to the revered religious leader where his remains are laid to rest – a UNESCO World Heritage Site of extraordinary beauty.

Day 4

HAIFA. EXCURSION TO THE SEA OF GALILEE, MOUNT OF BEATITUDES, CAPERNAUM & KIBBUTZ Faithful Sites & Service MOUNT OF BEATITUDES Explore the site where Jesus delivered his iconic Sermon on the Mount.
CAPERNAUM Visit the site where Jesus recruited his first followers.
JORDAN RIVER Visit a baptismal site.
SEA OF GALILEE See Lake Tiberias before a [LF] scenic cruise. Hear a [LF] lecture on Kibbutz life. (B,D)
107mi/ 173km

LOCAL FAVORITE
EPIC RIDE Cruise on the historic waters of Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) with panoramic views of the area. Later hear about the traditions of the Kibbutz. Hebrew for ‘gathering,’ Kibbutz life dates back thousands of years with quiet and collaborative communities of volunteers from around the world who work to enhance industry or agriculture in a peaceful and harmonious setting.

Day 5

HAIFA–NAZARETH–CANA–BET SHE’AN–JERUSALEM Miraculous Sites & Ancient Wonders NAZARETH Visit the Church of the Annunciation.
CANA Visit the site of Jesus’ first recorded miracle.
BET SHE’AN Explore the ancient city including the Roman and Byzantine relics.
Stop for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. (B,D)
147 mi / 235 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WONDERS Bet She’an is one of the best-preserved archaeological sites of this region and well worth some time to wander around. Ongoing excavations at this UNESCO World Heritage site reveal time-worn colonnade-style streets, bathhouses, and an auditorium with perfect acoustics.

Day 6

JERUSALEM. EXCURSION TO MASADA & THE DEAD SEA Uplifting Waters & Wonders JERUSALEM Take a scenic drive through the Judean wilderness en route to the Dead Sea.
MASADA Take a cable-car ride to visit the cliff-top fortress.
DEAD SEA [LF] Float in the saltwater of the Dead Sea and receive a salt scrub gift. Return to Jerusalem. (B)
64 mi / 103 km

LOCAL FAVORITE
NATURAL WONDERS Feel weightless as you float effortlessly on the waters of the Dead Sea. This legendary salt lake in the Jordan Rift Valley is fed by the Jordan River, with its salty surface lying 430.5m below sea level – the lowest land-based shores on Earth.

Day 7

JERUSALEM. EXCURSION TO YAD VASHEM–THE ISRAEL MUSEUM–BETHLEHEM Moving History JERUSALEM Visit Yad Vashem and the Israel Museum.
BETHLEHEM Take an orientation tour and visit the Church of Nativity. (B,D)
6 mi / 10 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
IN MEMORIUM Yad Vashem (the World Holocaust Remembrance Center) takes its name from the biblical verse, ″And to them will I give in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name (a yad vashem)” – (Isaiah, 56; 5). Here, roughly one million visitors come to remember the millions who were persecuted during WWII. Housing a remarkable collection of historic and personal artifacts, stories, and memorials to the Jewish people who suffered at the hands of the Nazi regime, Yad Vashem leaves a deeply profound impression of remembrance and conviction in the souls of all who visit.

Day 8

JERUSALEM. EXCURSION TO THE OLD CITY History & Mystery JERUSALEM Take a guided walking tour of the Old City.
includes the Garden Tomb, Mount of Olives, and the Garden of Gethsemane. Follow the Via Dolorosa and visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Stop at the Western Wall. Walk to Mount Zion and visit the Upper Room where Jesus and his disciples had the last supper. Visit the tomb of King David. Dinner at your hotel. (B,D)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ICONIC FOOTSTEPS
Jerusalem is totally unique; there is no place like it. A city of tradition, religion, and history, but also increasingly of modern culture and heritage. Take in all this while you wander around the maze of streets listening to the story that made it so special even astronaut Neil Armstrong when visiting said, “I am more excited stepping on these stones than stepping on the moon.”

Day 9

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL–ALLENBY BRIDGE–JERASH, JORDAN–AMMAN Bridging History ALLENBY BRIDGE Cross the border to Jordan.
JERASH Visit the Greco-Roman ruins en route to Amman. (B,D)
111mi / 178km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ART & ARCHITECTURE Explore the remarkable Roman ruins of Jerash’ ceremonial gates, colonnades, temples, and auditoriums. Considered one of the world’s largest and best-preserved sites of Roman architecture, Jerash gives a glimpse into a world of chariots racing before 15,000 spectators in the Hippodrome, and religious sacrifices carried out in the Temple of Zeus.

Day 10

AMMAN–WADI RUM–PETRA Red Roving in Wadi Rum WADI RUM Free time for lunch. Take a scenic [LF] four- wheel drive tour in the red sandstone landscape of Wadi Rum and receive a complimentary keffiyeh (traditional headscarf).
PETRA Enjoy free time this afternoon. (B,D)
272mi/ 437km

LOCAL FAVORITE
EPIC RIDE Climb aboard a four-wheel drive for a visually thrilling ride you’ll never forget. Explore a spectacular Mars-like landscape spanning nearly 200,000 acres in the painted desert and rocky masterpieces of Wadi Rum.

Day 11

PETRA Cinematic Treasures PETRA Guided walking tour features the Siq, the famous narrow gorge. See the famous Treasury. Free time for lunch. [LF] Sip tea in a Bedouin tent. (B,D)

LOCAL FAVORITE
PICTURE PERFECT Enjoy an unforgettable experience as you walk down the Siq, the narrow gorge made famous by Indiana Jones. Stand in awe in front of the iconic and famed treasury. See spectacular temples and tombs created out of the rose-hued sandstone, and sip tea in an authentic Bedouin tent.

Day 12

PETRA–KERAK–WADI MUJIB–DEAD SEA A River Wild KERAK Visit the Crusader castle, followed by free time for lunch.
WADI MUJIB Photo stop at the canyon. (B,D)
187mi/ 301km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDERS Stop for a photo opportunity at the spellbinding canyon of Wadi Muji. Towering above Jordan’s Mujib River on its way to the Dead Sea, the Mujib Biosphere Reserve is home to fascinating and rare wildlife species who call this spectacular natural landscape their home.

Day 13

DEAD SEA. EXCURSION TO MADABA, MOUNT NEBO & BETHANY BEYOND THE JORDAN The Promise Land MADABA Visit St. George’s Church and the Madaba Archaeological Museum.
MOUNT NEBO Stand at the site where Moses saw the promised land.
BETHANY BEYOND THE JORDAN Take an orientation walk. Enjoy free time this afternoon before a farewell dinner at your hotel. (B,D)
29mi/ 46km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ART & ARCHITECTURE Explore the market town of Madaba, home to a bounty of breathtaking Byzantine mosaics. See the most famous of these ancient works discovered amid the rubble of the floor of St. George’s Church – revealing a treasure of early Christianity and the oldest existing map of Palestine.

Day 14

DEAD SEA Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. The nearest airport is Amman. (B)