12-Nights Israel & Jordan Escape - Escapes from $3,169

Israel & Jordan Escape

Day 1ARRIVE IN TEL AVIV, ISRAELWelcome to Tel Aviv! This evening, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner. (D)



Day 2TEL AVIV–JAFFA–CAESAREA–NAZARETH–CANA–HAIFAMiraculous Sites & Ancient Wonders Start your journey of discovery as you depart Tel Aviv to reach Jaffa to join a guided walking tour of the ancient port city. Travel to Caesarea for a guided sightseeing tour that includes the Roman Amphitheater and Crusader fortress. Later, travel to Nazareth, the city where Jesus lived and worked as a carpenter, visit the Church of the Annunciation, before continuing to Cana to visit the site of Jesus’s first recorded miracle, when he attended a wedding and changed water into wine. This evening enjoy dinner in your Haifa hotel. (B,D)
124 mi/200 km

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 3HAIFA. EXCURSION TO THE MOUNT OF BEATITUDES–CAPERNAUM–SEA OF GALILEEHoly Water & Wondrous Miracles This morning, visit the UNESCO-listed site of extraordinary beauty - the Baha’i Shrine. Then a multitude of biblical locations await you. Visit the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered his Sermon on the Mount. Continue to Capernaum to visit the site where Jesus recruited his first followers before arriving at the Jordan River to visit a Baptismal site. Later, at the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) enjoy a [LF] scenic cruise and enjoy a photo opportunity to snap pictures of Lake Tiberias from a panoramic point. (B,D)
66 mi/107 km

LOCAL FAVORITE
EPIC RIDE The Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) is the background to many biblical events and miracles, including the site where Jesus walked on water. Take a cruise on the historic waters of the lowest freshwater lake in the world, just over 200 meters below sea-level, and enjoy the panoramic views.



Day 4HAIFA–VALLEY OF ELAH–LATRUN–BETHLEHEM–JERUSALEMGiant Victories Start your journey of discovery with a visit to the Latrun Area to see the site where David was victorious over Goliath and visit the Monastery of the Trappist Monks. Later, drive to Bethlehem and visit the Church of the Nativity, built on the site where Jesus was born. This evening, enjoy an evening at leisure in Jerusalem. (B) 140 mi/ 225 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SITE The Emperor Constantine and his mother St Helena commissioned the first Church of the Nativity in the 4th century, it was built over a grotto widely recognized to be the birthplace of Jesus. In the following centuries, the church was rebuilt and renovated. Today the guardianship of the Church is shared by three Church Authorities – Armenian Apostolic, Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic.



Day 5JERUSALEM. EXCURSION TO THE ISRAEL MUSEUM, YAD VASHEM, AND MOUNT ZIONMoving History This morning, participate in a moving visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s National Holocaust Museum. Continue to the Israel Museum, a cultural institution featuring art and archaeology. Later, follow your Local Guide on a walking tour to Mount Zion, visit the Upper Room, and the Tomb of King David. (B,D)

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 6JERUSALEM. EXCURSION TO THE OLD CITYPrayerful Places Today is dedicated to Jerusalem. Follow your Local Guide for a guided walking tour of the Old City featuring the Mount of Olives, Via Dolorosa, and the Garden of Gethsemane. Visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and see the Western Wall. Enjoy free time this evening to discover more of the city. (B)

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 7JERUSALEM. EXCURSION TO MASADA AND THE DEAD SEAUplifting Waters & Unforgettable Wonders Today, travel through the Judean wilderness towards the Dead Sea. Admire the views as you ascend by cable car to the spectacular clifftop fortress of Masada. Continue to a Dead Sea resort and float in the saltwater of the Dead Sea. Later, return to Jerusalem and enjoy dinner at your hotel. (B,D)
64 mi/103 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
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 8JERUSALEM, ISRAEL–ALLENBY BRIDGE–JERASH, JORDAN–AMMANBridging History Today, depart Jerusalem, cross the Jordan River via the historic Allenby Bridge, and reach Jerash for a fascinating visit of the magnificent Greco-Roman archaeological site. Later, arrive in Amman, the capital of Jordan, and the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city. (B,D)
111 mi/178 km

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 9AMMAN–WADI RUM–PETRARed Roving in Wadi Rum Admire the scenery as you depart Amman and arrive at the spectacular red-stone desert landscape of Wadi Rum. Enjoy a [LF] fascinating 4-wheel drive tour in the stunning desert landscape and see the Seven Pillars of Wisdom made famous by Lawrence of Arabia. Receive a keffiyeh (traditional headscarf) as a keepsake. Later, arrive in Petra to enjoy some free time. (B,D)
273 mi/440 km

LOCAL FAVORITE
EPIC RIDE Climb aboard for a visually thrilling 4-wheel drive 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 10PETRACinematic Treasures Take a guided walking tour of stunning Petra, featuring the Siq and the Treasury, which may look familiar from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Enjoy free time for lunch, followed by [LF] traditional tea service 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 11PETRA–KERAK–WADI MUJIB–DEAD SEAA River Wild This morning drive to Kerak to visit the formidable Crusader Castle, the largest, best-preserved castle in Jordan. Enjoy free time for lunch before continuing to Wadi Mujib for a fantastic opportunity to capture photos of the impressive canyon with its dramatic rock formations and scenic riverscape. Later, arrive at your Dead Sea hotel. (B,D)
200 mi/322 km

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 12DEAD SEA. EXCURSION TO MADABA, MOUNT NEBO & BETHANY BEYOND THE JORDANThe Promised Land A fascinating day awaits! Drive to Madaba, known as the “City of Mosaics.” Visit St. George’s Church, home to an exquisite mosaic map of the Holy Land, and explore the Madaba Archaeological Museum. Continue to Mount Nebo for an orientation walk on the legendary mountain ridge. Reach Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where Jesus is believed to have been baptized by John the Baptist, and follow an orientation walk. Later, return to your Dead Sea hotel for a farewell dinner. (B,D)
29 mi/46 km

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 13DEAD SEASafe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (The nearest airport is Amman). (B)