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USA DEPARTURE
Be at the New York Airport (JFK) 3 hours before departure for security and check-in procedures. Seat assignments and in-flight services are done per airline group policies.
ARRIVE CAIRO
Arrive Istanbul this morning. Transfer to the nonstop flight to Cairo.You will be met upon arrival and process through passport control. Meet your escort. Claim your luggage. Depart for your hotel adjacent to the pyramids. Relax before dinner.
INTRODUCTION TO EGYPT
Depart for the Giza Pyramids. Ride camels to the pyramids and the Sphinx. Keep $3 handy for the camel escort (pay only after dismounting). Nearby is a factory for papyrus and carpet shopping. Continue to Memphis (the ancient capital) and Saqqara (Step Pyramid of King Djoser). Lunch beside the Nile River at the Seahorse Restaurant. This afternoon visit the Egyptian Museum to view ancient artifacts including the two galleries of the King Tut exhibits. Transfer to the Cairo rail station for the overnight Pullman service to Luxor. Dinner will be served in route.
Depart the Cairo Airport for a Luxor early morning flight. Cross the Nile River into the Valley of Thebes to visit the Valley of the Kings (tombs), the Colossi of Memnon, Queen Hatshepsut's funerary temple and tombs of the workers. Return to the East Bank of the Nile River for lunch near the Nile and a visit to the temples of Karnak to view Shishak’s inscriptions, and the record of Tutmoses III’s Canaan campaign. Sail on the Nile River in a felucca boat for evening devotions and sunset. Visit the temples of Luxor in the cool of the evening. Transfer to Luxor rail station for the return overnight Pullman to Cairo.
GOSHEN AND THE EXODUS
Today depart Cairo for the biblical Land of Goshen, the Israelite archaeological sites: Tell el-Yahudeya (Leontopolis), Tell Basta, theLand of Goshen, view Tell el-Dab'a (Avaris/Ra'amses) conditions permitting, Wadi Tumilat (ancient canal), Tell el Rataba (Pithom),Tell Maskhuta (Succoth), Lake Timsah (Reed Sea?), and lodge at Ismailia.
THE EXODUS TO MT. SINAI
Explore the traditional route of the Israelites to Mt. Sinai: Ein Musa, Wadi Suder, Ain Hawarah, Wadi Gharundel, and Abu Zeneimeh. Continue via Wadi Feiran, Plain of Rahah, the Feiran Oasis, view Mt. Serbal, and arrive Mt. Sinai.
SINAI SUNRISE, TO PETRA
Ascend in the dark to the top of Mt. Sinai. Watch the sunrise and walk down the Mount to return for breakfast. Visit St. Catherine'sMonastery. Depart via the Watiya Pass to Neuweiba. Cross the Red Sea by speed boat (self-porterage) to Aqabah. Transfer to a coach and continue to Petra.
DAY AT PETRA
At Petra walk for 2 1/2 miles via the Siq to the ruins of the Rose City. The Nabataean ruins include hundreds of burial chambers and thefamous Treasury House. Nearby, the Roman theater seats 3000. Optional: ascend the ancient High Place of Sacrifice or the Monastery, to view Petra from above. Return to your Petra hotel for lodging and dinner.
PETRA, AMMAN Depart Petra on the Old Kings' Highway, more than 5000 years old. Visit biblical Zered (Wadi Hasa), enter Moab. Proceed to Kerak (Kir-hareseth), descend Wadi Kerak to Bad edh-Dhra (biblical Sodom), view the Arnon River, and continue to the Jordanian Baptismal site. Ascend Wadi Seer to visit Madeba (the mosaic map of the cardo) and Mt. Nebo, and proceed to lodging in Amman.
GENESIS TOUR
Visit Wadi Jabbok. Continue to Jerash's enormous ruins and proceed to Umm Qeis (Gadara). Descend into the Jordan Valley to Pella, the Wadi Jabesh, and visit Tell Deir Alla (Succoth). Continue to Wadi Jethro and then to the Amman hotel.
TO ISRAEL, GALILEE REGION
Depart for the King Hussein Bridge (Allenby Bridge) and process to Israeli services. Visit Tell es-Sultan (O.T. Jericho). Depart for Tell Beth-shean. Explore the demise of King Saul atop the tell, and descend to a brief tour of Scythopolis (the only decapolis city west of the Jordan River), the "Disneyland of modern archaeology". Continue to the Arbel for an overview of the Sea of Galilee (time permitting). Proceed to your seaside lodging.
SEA CIRCLE TRIP
Circle the sea visiting sites of Jesus' ministry. Depart for the Yarmuk River and ascend the Aphek Plateau for an unobstructed view of the Sea of Galilee from Kfar Haruv. Continue past Kursi ("demons into the swine") to Bethsaida, home of Peter, Philip, Andrew. Visit the Mt. of Beatitudes, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5-7). Optional is a foot descent to the seaside of Tabgha. Visit Capernaum, the center for Jesus' Galilean ministry. Optional is a lunch-break to sample St. Peter's fish. Board the Jesus Boat, a double-scale replica of a Roman fishing boat, to sail the sea. Proceed to Nazareth for an overview of the Jezreel Valley. Visit Mary’s well in the Church of St. Gabriel and walk to the Bascillica of the Anunciation to see the archeological museum and excavations.
UPPER JORDAN
Depart the sea on the ancient Via Maris to Hazor (ancient crossroads, largest Canaanite city) for a brief stop. Continue to Tell Dan. Walk through the Nature Preserve beside the roaring Dan River to Tell Dan. View the High Place of Jeroboam. Proceed to Banias (Caesarea Philippi), Peter’s confession of Jesus as Christ. Return via Quneitra to view the Syrian border.
TO CAESAREA, TEL AVIV
Depart for the Jezreel Valley and the Harrod Spring. Proceed to Tell Megiddo, the NT Armageddon of Rev. 16. Visit excavations and the water tunnel. Ascend Mt. Carmel (Elijah’s encounter with prophets of Baal). Continue to Caesarea Maritima (Acts 10, Peter with Cornelius, a "god-fearer"). Here Paul stood before Festus and Felix. View the most recent excavations, the theater, port and Roman aqueducts. Overnight at Tel Aviv.
JUDAEAN SHEPHELAH
Depart for Beth-shemesh (Samson, Ark of the Covenant) and then continue into the Valley of Elah. Ascend Socoh and consider the geography of David and Goliath's encounter. Proceed to Hebron to view the Herodian structure over the graves of the Patriarchs. Continue to Tell Arad for a brief visit. Descend to the Dead Sea for a swim at your hotel.
MASADA, TO JERUSALEM
Ascend the Masada fortress via the new tram. Explore the dig of the last stand of the Jewish Zealots against the forces of Rome. Descend to the Dead Sea and Ein Gedi (David and Saul) and walk the path to the waterfall. Proceed to Qumran to view the caves. At NT Jericho observe the Roman Road up the Wadi Qilt (reference for the story of the Good Samaritan). From the modern highway detour to the Roman road to view the cliff-side St. George's Monastery. Continue to Jerusalem for an orientation to the Old City from Mt. Scopus and an ancient Genesis welcome. Lodging is in Jerusalem.
JERUSALEM, BETHLEHEM
Visit the Mt. of Olives for orientation to Jerusalem's Old City (Ps.122). Walk on the traditional Palm Sunday route past the Dominus Flevit Church and continue to the Garden of Gethsemane. Proceed to the Dung Gate and ascend the Temple Mount. View both the Al Aksa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. Continue to the St. Stephen’s Gate and embark on a walk of the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Depart for the Judaean wilderness and to view Shepherd’s Fields. Continue to Bethlehem and the Church of the Nativity. Take time for olivewood shopping before returning to Jerusalem.
JERUSALEM
Enter the Dung Gate and visit the Western Wall (Bar Mitzvahs this morning!). Ascend the Temple Mount and walk past the Golden Gate and into the intact Crusader St. Anne’s Church (hymn sing?) and the Pools of Bethesda. Visit St. Peter in Gallicantu (Peter’s denial). Ascend Mt. Zion and the Upper Room. Walk to the Cardo to Hezekiah’s Broad Wall. Enter the Wohl Archaeology Museum (upper Jerusalem of Jesus’ time). Visit the Israel Museum to view the 1/50 scale model of Herodian Jerusalem and the renovated biblical archaeology. Nearby is the Shrine of the Book. The Western Wall Tunnels are subject to time confirmation.
JERUSALEM SIGHTSEEING
Visit the Garden Tomb for a private tour (time permitting). Enter the Ophel Ridge to walk on the Herodian pavement, view and touch the Temple foundation, and sit on the Temple steps from Jesus’ time, the one place where we know Jesus walked and taught (Lk. 19-21). Walk to the Damascus Gate and ascend the wall. You will walk the wall of the Old City from the Damascus Gate to the Jaffa Gate around the Christian Quarter. Enter Hezekiah’s Tunnel, (bring old shoes for the knee-deep water) and walk to the Pool of Siloam (Jn. 9). Also visit the lower Pool of Siloam.
DEPARTURE FOR USA
Transfer to the Tel Aviv Airport for the return flights to New York via Istanbul. Fly while reliving the incredible experiences of walking and learning in the lands of the Bible.
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