Essence of Jordan & the Holy Land | 12 Days

After breakfast, transfer to Petra en-route visiting Mababa, Mount Nebo and Kerak (Kings Highway). The trip south from the dead sea takes us to the 5,000-year-old King’s Highway, one of the most memorable journeys in the Holy Land, passing through a string of ancient sites. The first city you come upon is Mababa, “the City of Mosaics”. Madaba’s chief attraction, in the contemporary Greek Orthodox Church of St. Georg, is a wonderfully vivid, sixth century Byzantine mosaic map showing Jerusalem and other holy sites. Ten minutes to the west is the most revered site in Jordan: Mount Nebo, the memorial of Moses, the presumed site of the prophet’s death and burial place. A small, square church was built on the spot by early Byzantine Christians and later expanded into a vast complex. Later proceed further south to Kerak. Kerak lies about 150 Km south of Amman. It is famous of its crusader fortress in the center of underground galleries, rooms and secret passageways and its thick defensive walls pierced by narrow arrow slits where crusader archers held out bravely but in vain for over 100 years. It was the crusaders who made Kerak famous. The fortress was built in 1142 by Payen Le Boutellier, the lord of Montreal. He made Kerak the new capital of the province because it was situated on the king’s highway, where it could control all traffic from north and south. After the tours, proceed to Petra for check in and overnight. Overnight in Petra.

Meals Included:

Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, enjoy a guided tour of the many sites of Petra. Petra was carved into the rose-red Sharah Mountains by the Nabateans and lost to Civilization until re-discovered by the Swiss Burkhardt. Around 11,000 BC Stone Age man was already exploiting the abundant natural resources of the Petra region, particularly wild goats and by 7000 BC some of the world’s earliest farmers were living in a walled village at Beidha, cultivating cereals and collecting nuts and fruits. But Petra really came to prominence in the 7C BC when the Edomites settled on Umm al-Biyara and other mountain strongholds and built a town at Tawilan above ’Ain Musa, in the hills to the north. Subject to Assyria, Babylonia, and then Persia, Edom in the 3C BC became the nucleus of an Arab state, the Nabateans kingdom and its capital at Petra. Originally from North Arabia, the Nabateans are first mentioned by the 1C BC historian Diodorus, who relates that in 312 BC Antigonus, the One-Eyed sent his general Athenaeus against ‘the land of the Arabs who are called Nabateans’, at that time a nomadic people who raised cattle and sheep and could survive for long periods in the desert, where they created a network of secret underground reservoirs. Athenaeus attacked a certain strong, though un-walled rock, perhaps the great massif of Umm al-Biyara at Petra, where the Nabateans had left their valuables, elders, women, and children while celebrating a festival, killed some of the Arabs there and made off with vast quantities of frankincense, myrrh and silver. Some 150 years later the Nabateans had settled, and Petra was the capital of an organized state, walk through the Siq, a narrow and winding fissure between the cliffs, to reach the Treasury, the Roman Theatre, the Courts, Qasr Bint Pharaoun, Temple of the Winged Lion and other monuments. Overnight in Petra.

Meals Included:

Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, drive to the desert of Wadi Rum. Enjoy 02 hours 4×4 jeep tour of Wadi Rum, following in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia then drive to Amman hotel for overnight. Overnight in Amman.

Meals Included:

Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast check out and transfer to the border. Cross to Israel where you be met and transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Tel Aviv.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

Drive for a visit of the port city of Jaffa (Joppa) where we will take a short walking tour in picturesque alleys of the old, fortified town. We will pass by the house of Simon the Tanner and marvel at the views from the hilltop. We drive north along the coastal road – Via Maris, to the archaeological ruins of Caesarea, built by Herod the Great in honour of Augustus Caesar. From here we go on to visit Megiddo where the book of Revelations mentions a great battle at the place called “Armageddon”, an ancient city inhabited continuously for more than five millennia (6000-500 B.C.). After exploring the ancient ruins we drive toward the Sea of Galilee, stopping at Cana to visit the Wedding Church where Jesus performed his first miracle, turning water into wine. Arrive at Tiberias and check-in to your hotel. Overnight in Tiberias.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

Visit the sites on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, the stage for many of the events in Jesus’ life. Drive along the shore of the sea to Capernaum – known as “His Town”, the centre of Jesus ministry where he spent much time healing the sick and performing miracles. On to Tabgha, the site of Christ’s miracle of feeding the 5,000, visiting the Church of Multiplication, where the mosaic floor depicts a basket with loaves and two fishes, and the Church of the Primacy of St Peter, commemorating Jesus’ reinstatement of Peter as chief among the Apostles. Continue to the Mount of Beatitudes overlooking the sea, where Jesus preached the “Sermon on the Mount”, and it is believed that he picked his 12 apostles. Ascend to the Golan Heights to view the panoramic view of the peaks of Mt. Hermon and the rugged Golan plateau. Visit Banias (Caesarea Philippi), one of the sources of the River Jordan, where Jesus took his disciples, revealing his purpose and His Church before his last trip to Jerusalem and where Simon identified Jesus as the Messiah. Drive to the southern part of the Sea of Galilee to visit the Yardenit Baptismal Site. Overnight in Tiberias.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

Sail on a boat on the Sea of Galilee to experience the tranquillity and scenery little changed during the past 2000 years (subject to conditions and fee). Travel through the Galilee to Nazareth, where Jesus spent his childhood, and the Church of Annunciation, built on the site where archaeologists believe the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary. You will also see Mary’s Well and Joseph’s Church. Visit the ancient synagogue at Beit Alpha, located at the foot of the northern slopes of the Gilboa Mountains, which has    one of most preserved and beautiful mosaics in Israel. Drive  through the Jordan Valley, passing by Jericho, before ascending through the Judean Mountains to Jerusalem. Overnight in Jerusalem.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

Through remarkable scenery of the Dead Sea we travel to Masada which is situated on an isolated cliff in the Judean Desert. The site was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. Ascend by cable car to the fortress, which was the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their war against the Romans. Visit the excavations, King Herod’s palace, the synagogue, bathhouse and much more. Enjoy the breathtaking view of the Roman camps and the Dead Sea below. Visit the site of the Qumran Caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Nearly 1,300 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on the earth’s surface. Bring your swimsuit as if weather permits it’s possible to “float” on the salty, mineral rich, water. Return to Jerusalem. Overnight in Jerusalem.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

Start the day at the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book with the famous Dead Sea scrolls, then a visit to the beautifully renovated model of the Herodian city of Jerusalem, dating back to the time of the Second Temple. Enjoy Ein Karem; a picturesque village in the south western outskirts of Jerusalem. This small village has great significance in Christian traditions, since this is where according to tradition John the Baptist was born. Visit Yad Vashem the official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953, located at the foot of Mt. Hertzl. Visit Bethlehem* – the birthplace of Jesus at the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square. Return to your Jerusalem hotel. Overnight in Jerusalem.

*Site under the Palestinian Authority Jurisdiction, subject to security conditions on day of visit.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

Enter the Old City of Jerusalem where you will see the Western Wall and the actual site of the Second Temple, the Temple Mount. Walk the Way of the Cross, the Via Dolorosa, to Calvary and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, housing both the traditional site of Crucifixion and the Tomb of the Resurrection. To the southwest, just outside the Old City, is Mount Zion, with the traditional tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper. Visit the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus spent his last night and was betrayed by Judas. Enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of Jerusalem – the holy city for each of the world’s three great religions – Christianity, Judaism and Islam, from atop the Mount of Olives. Overnight in Jerusalem.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

Transfer to Ben Gurion airport for departure. End of services at Tel Aviv Airport.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

Licensed English speaking guide

Tours as per itinerary

11 Breakfasts, 4 Dinners

Transportation by air conditioned vehicle

Entrance fees to sites listed in the itinerary

Local taxes

Border tax and entry visa into Jordan & Israel

Any beverages or food not listed in itinerary

Baggage and personal insurance of any kind

Hotel taxes, service charges and tips for baggage handling

Any items of a personal nature