Into The Promised Land: Egypt, Jordan & Israel Journey

• Due to the length of this journey, we recommend arriving in Cairo 1 day before the tour starts, with a Saturday Departure to arrive Sunday (Day 1). This will allow you to rest and adjust to the time difference so you will be refreshed for the beginning of the tour. We have negotiated an amazing package that includes an extra night at the hotel, breakfast, dinner, and transfer from the Cairo Airport to your hotel - all for a total of $130 per person in 2023 based on double occupancy or $235 for single occupancy in 2023. In 2024 the extra night pricing is $149 per person in a double room or $240 for a single room.

• Our journey begins today as we depart on our flight to Egypt– the land of the Pharaohs. Sit back, relax, and enjoy your flight while you prepare yourself for a life-changing experience.

• Upon arrival in Cairo and after passport control, you will be met by our Cairo representative. A private transfer is included from the airport to your hotel. Our hotel is conveniently located only 1.5 miles away from one of the Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramid of Giza.
• Check in at the hotel, unpack and rest. Dinner at the hotel.

• After breakfast we will start our first touring day in Egypt. Our first stop will be at the Pyramids of Giza. A visit to the 3 Giza Pyramids is on every world traveler’s must-see list. Cheops Pyramid, the largest of the three, was built in the 3rd dynasty about 2690 B.C. and is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
• In front of the Pyramids of Chephren, we will find the colossal statue of the Great Sphinx, which has stood guard over the pyramids for more than 4,500 years. The Sphinx is carved from a single piece of stone. It is a lion with a Pharaoh’s head and is thought to be a portrait of the Pharaoh Chephren.
• We will have the privilege to go inside the Great Pyramid to discover the burial chamber. The burial chamber consists of an empty Sarcophagus (7.3 ft by 3.75 ft) with smooth walls and a polished ceiling. The floor is made with blocks of pink granite, which cover 50 sq meters.
• During our Pyramids visit you will have a chance to ride a camel near the pyramids (complimentary by AIT). This is your opportunity to have your postcard photo riding a camel with the pyramids on the background.
• Next we will drive into Old Cairo to explore the city’s cultural landmarks that span three millennium of Egyptian history.
• Discover the greatest collection of Pharaonic treasures in the world at the famous Egyptian Museum. See the unique collection of Pharaonic art, starting with the Old Kingdom Collection, on to the Middle and New Kingdom galleries and Greco-Roman periods as well as the famous Tutankhamun treasures.
• We will continue to Coptic Cairo, where we will visit the famous Suspended Church (Hanging Church), dating to the late 4th and early 5th century. This basilica was named “Al-Mu’allaqah” because it was built atop the south gate of the Fortress of Babylon.
• We will 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, which marks the place where Moses was saved by the water girl of Pharaoh. This is the oldest Jewish synagogue in Egypt, built in 882 AD.
• We will return to our hotel for dinner.

• After breakfast we will travel east, heading towards the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula and the Land of Goshen tracing the Route of the Biblical Exodus (Genesis16-18). We will drive via the tunnel underneath the Suez Cannel to the west branch of the Red Sea. Our first stop will be Marah by the Red Sea, the desert springs along the shore of the Red Sea, where the children of Israel found the waters bitter.
• We will continue to Elim and visit the desert oasis and the possible sites where the 12 wells and 70 Palm Trees were found during the Children of Israel’s journey to the Promised Land.
• We will then travel along the western Sinai coast to Wadi Feiran (Rephidim), the desert valley where the Children of Israel fought against the Amalekites. From here we can see Mount Serbal, the possible site where Moses held his arms up for victory.
• We will head inland towards the granite mountains of Mt. Sinai and Wadi el Raha. In Arabic Raha means “rest” and, according to tradition, this is the area where the Israelites camped and the golden calf was forged (Exodus 32).
• In the afternoon we will arrive at our hotel near Mt. Sinai and St. Catherine’s Monastery.
• We will visit the Monastery of St. Catherine, constructed by the RomanEmperor Justinian (527 and 565 AD)
• This evening we will enjoy an authentic Bedouin dinner in a Bedouin tent.

Please note: The options for accommodation in the remote area of Mt. Sinai are very limited. Although not equivalent in quality to the other hotels we use along this tour, the hotel we use is the best in the area.

• At daybreak those who desire and are physically capable will depart for a memorable early ascent to Mt. Sinai, where they will walk in the footsteps of Moses and the devoted pilgrims who traveled this route centuries earlier. You may choose to ride a camel part way, stopping at one of the stations to take in the scenery along the climb to the summit. We should reach the summit just before dawn in time to witness its incredible sunrise and splendid views. We will enjoy a time of praise and unforgettable, breathtaking views of the Sinai Wilderness. As we read from the Book of Genesis we remember that this is the place where Moses met the Lord in the Burning Bush and where he received the Ten Commandments.
• Descending the mountain, we will return to the hotel to rejoin the rest of our group for breakfast.
• We will head towards the eastern shores of the Sinai Peninsula and the Red Sea on our way north to the Taba Border (Egypt / Israel border).
• Arrive at the Arava Border (Israel / Jordan southern border), cross to Jordan, and meet with our Jordanian tour guide – Welcome to Jordan! A short drive from the border (15 minutes) lays the resort city of Aqaba on the Red Sea.
• We will check in at our 5 star resort hotel for dinner and overnight.
• Use the free evening to enjoy the hotel’s facilities or just rest, relax, and enjoy the Red Sea and the tranquil town of Aqaba.

• After breakfast enjoy a free day at our resort hotel. Get some rest and enjoy the resort’s facilities and beach.

• Drive along the King's Highway to Wadi Musa before entering into Petra, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.
• Explore Petra and see "The Treasury", the field of tombs, the obelisks, the altar, and more.
• Drive to our resort hotel on the shore of the Dead Sea where you will be able to enjoy a relaxing evening. We will stay overnight in the Marriot Dead Sea Resort.

• After breakfast we will head to the biblical town of Madaba. Madaba is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics and for its Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. Here we will view the earliest original map of the Holy Land.
• We will continue to the biblical Mt. Nebo, from which Moses viewed the Promised Land. Mt. Nebo, believed to be the site of the tomb of Moses, commands a spectacular view across the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea.
• We will drive by Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where John the Baptist is purported to have baptized Jesus, and cross to Israel via the Allenby Bridge to meet our Israeli tour guide.
• Passing by Jericho will arrive in Tel Aviv - Israel’s largest and most modern city.
• We will check in at the Herods Hotel, conveniently located in the heart of Tel Aviv, on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea.
• After dinner, enjoy an optional free escorted night tour to Old Jaffa with your expert tour guide: For those who would like to explore Old Town Jaffa at night, meet with your tour guide after dinner. After a short walk on the famous Tel Aviv sidewalk, we will arrive in Jaffa and walk through the narrow passages of Old Jaffa, believed to be the oldest port city in the world. See the amazing St. Peter Church at night and take in a spectacular view of the Tel Aviv Shoreline from Jaffa’s Hilltop. Peter came to Joppa (modern day Jaffa) from Lydda to raise Tabitha (Dorcas) from the dead (Acts 9:36-42). While in Jaffa, the apostle stayed at the house of Simon the Tanner. The Church of St. Peter marks the traditional site of Peter’s vision of the great sheet.

• After an early breakfast we will start our Holy Land tour heading north to the Sea of Galilee. We will have a relaxing drive along the beautiful coast of the Mediterranean Sea and stop at Caesarea Maritima (Acts 9:30 Acts 10:24-48), which was the center of early Christianity. Here Cornelius the Centurion and his household were saved and baptized (Acts 10) and it was also here where Paul made his defense before Festus and King Agrippa prior to his final journey to Rome (Acts 25 & 26).
• Next we will stop at Mount Carmel (Muhraka), where Elijah issued his challenge to the False Prophets.
• Then on to Megiddo (1 Kings 4:28, 9:15, 2 Kings 23:29 & Rev. 16:16), and the Valley of Armageddon (Revelation 16), to see the remains from Solomon’s days, and view the site where the Battle of Armageddon will be fought.
• We will continue along the Jezreel Valley to visit the town of Nazareth (Luke 1:26, 4:16-29, Matthew 2:23). We will take in an unforgettable view of the city of Nazareth from the top of Mt. Precipice, also known as the Mount of Precipitation, or Mount of the Leap of the Lord. It is believed to be the site of the rejection of Jesus, described in Luke 4:29-30.
• (* If time permits we will also visit the Church of the Annunciation).
• We will drive to Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed his first public miracle – the turning of water into wine at a wedding feast (John 2:1-11).
• We will end our first day of touring Israel by driving through the Lower Galilee Region to the beautiful Sea of Galilee and the town of Tiberias. Our centrally located hotel is situated right on the town’s center and on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
• We will check in and enjoy dinner at our hotel. Enjoy a free evening to walk along the shores of the Sea of Galilee and explore the town of Tiberias.

• Today we will discover the tranquil Galilee Region and the beautiful Golan Heights. After breakfast we will board a wooden boat and sail on the Sea of Galilee as the disciples did 2,000 years ago. We will visit the Kibbutz Nof Geonsar and see the “Ancient Jesus Boat”- the remains of a 2,000 year old boat that was discovered in 1986. This boat was used at the time of Jesus and his disciples.
• Next we will drive up to the beautiful Golan Heights and learn about the ancient Jewish settlements in this region.
• We will visit Banias – ancient Caesarea Philippi (Matt. 16:13 and Mark 8:27), where Jesus said, “On this rock I will built my Church”.
• We will drive through the natural Hula Valley and the Upper Galilee Region back to the Sea of Galilee.
• We will conclude this remarkable day with a visit to Yardenit – the wonderful baptismal site on the Jordan River.
• We will then return to our hotel for dinner.

• Today we will experience the area of Jesus’ early ministry around the Sea of Galilee. After breakfast we will drive along the shores of the Sea of Galilee and visit the Mount of Beatitudes (Matt. 5-8), where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount.
• We will continue to Tabgha- the site of the Feeding of the 5,000 and Primacy of Peter (Matt. 13, Mark 33-45, & John 21). Here we will visit the Church of Multiplication with its 4th century mosaic floor.
• We will continue on to the 2,000 year old remains of Capernaum (Matt. 4:13 13:54, 17:24, Luke 7, Mark 1:2, & John 4:46-54). Here we can stand in what is left of the synagogue in which Jesus ministered.
• From here we will drive south along the Beth Shean Valley for an overview of this remarkable archaeological site. It was here that after defeating Saul and his sons on Mount Gilboa, the Philistines hanged their bodies on the walls of Beth Shean (1 Samuel 31).
• We will drive through the Jordanian Valley, pass the city of Jericho, and arrive at the lowest place on earth- the Dead Sea. Walk to the beach, float in the salty healing water of the Dead Sea, and take a dip in the beautiful swimming pool of our resort hotel. You can also take this opportunity to enjoy the Dead Sea’s famous mud and mineral treatments at our hotel’s spa.

• Today we will explore the Dead Sea and the Judean Desert Region and its biblical and historical sites. After breakfast we will drive along the shores of the Dead Sea to visit one of the most spectacular sites in Israel – the 1,500 foot mountaintop fortress of Masada. Built by King Herod, Masada is famous for being the last stronghold of the Jewish rebellion against the Romans. We will ascend to Masada by cable car and discover the 1st century Synagogue, Herod’s Bathhouse, and many other sites.
• We will continue along the shores of the Dead Sea for a look out on the oasis of Ein Gedi, where David hid in a cave when running from Saul (1 Samuel 23). It was here that David composed several of his Psalms.
• Next, we will visit Qumran and walk through the ruins of this ancient Essene community. In this spot, an amazing cache of ancient biblical texts was discovered in 1947- commonly called the Dead Sea Scrolls.
• From here we will ascend to Jerusalem– the Holy City of Zion.
• Upon arriving in Jerusalem we will head to the top of the Mount of Olives to stand where the Lord ascended into heaven (Acts 1).
• From the Mount of Olives we will take in a breathtaking panoramic view of the city across the Kidron Valley to the Eastern Gate where the Prince of Peace will enter (Ezekiel 44).
• We will pass by Pater Noster Church and visit Dominus Flevit, where “the Lord wept” as he beheld the Holy City.
• We will take the Palm Sunday Road down to the Garden of Gethsemane where we will see 2,000 year old olive trees that date back to the time of Christ.
• We will end our day and continue to our centrally located hotel for check-in and dinner. Our hotel is conveniently located walking distance from Old City Jerusalem as well as from the City Center. Use the free time to rest, relax, and enjoy your first evening in Jerusalem.

• Today we will walk where Jesus walked. We will return to the Old City where we will enter via the Dung Gate and visit the Southern Temple Mount archaeological excavations. Here we will visit the “Southern Steps”- the archaeological reconstruction of the Temple Steps where Jesus walked so often. From here Jesus entered the Temple Mount and drove out the vendors and money changers who were exploiting the people.
• We will visit the unearthed southern end of the Western Wall, the paved street and the Robinson’s Arch.
• At the Davidson Center Museum we will view a fascinating documentary of the excavation and a 10 minutes film describing the visit of a pilgrim to the Second Temple – to better understand what the Temple was like in Jesus’ time.
• We will continue our Old City exploration and walk through the historic Jewish Quarter all the way to Mt. Zion. Here we will visit the Tomb of King David and worship in the Upper Room (Luke 22) – the traditional site where Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper and where Thomas later cried, “My Lord and my God”.

• Following breakfast we will enter the Old City via the Lions’ Gate. The Lions’ Gate, located in the Eastern Wall of the Old City, is the entrance that marks the beginning of the last walk of Jesus from prison to the crucifixion- the Via Dolorosa.
• We will start our walk along the Stations of the Cross to visit the St. Anne Church and the Pool of Bethesda.
• We will continue to the Judgment Hall of Pilate all the way to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Matt. 27: 33-57, 28:10).
• After lunch we will enjoy some free time to rest and shop at the colorful Christian Quarter bazaars.
• We will drive through the New City of Jerusalem and pass by the Knesset- Israel’s parliament- and continue to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity (Luke 2:1-7).
• We will venture out to the Shepherd’s Field, referenced in Luke 2:8-20, where an angel appeared to announce the birth of Jesus.
• We will end our touring day visiting the Garden Tomb, where we will celebrate the resurrection with a time of prayer (Luke 23).
• We will end the day by driving back to our hotel for our great farewell dinner, where we will say goodbye to our travel companions who are ending their tour in Israel. We will share food with our new friends and be inspired by all the memories from our journey- memories that will last a lifetime.

• After breakfast and by 12 noon, check out from your hotel and store your luggage at the hotel storage room to enjoy a free day in Jerusalem. Take this opportunity to experience the special atmosphere of Jerusalem. Our hotel is conveniently located within walking distance from the Old City as well as the City Center. You might choose to return to the Old City to walk again through the biblical sites and the colorful bazaars, or head to the City Center and walk along the Ben Yehuda Street to experience the authentic Jerusalem restaurants and shops. Our knowledgeable staff will be more than happy to suggest some other sites for you to explore on your own, such as the newly renovated Israel Museum, the Shrine of the Book and much more.
• After dinner (not included) the group will meet at the hotel lobby for our evening departure transfer back to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport (40-60 minutes drive). Your departure transfer is fully escorted by your tour guide.

• Arrive this morning back in the U.S.A and start planning your next trip to the Holy Land…