EGYPT - ISRAEL

DAY ONE: EGYPT

Arrive at Cairo International airport at 9 am. You will be welcomed and assisted through immigration and customs by our representative.  Proceed to the hotel. Check in, if the hotel rooms are vacant. Visit the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. We then move to the Old Cairo to visit the hanging church that was built in the 4^th century and a 5th century Basilica built over crypt where the Holy Family is believed to have stayed. We then visit the church of Mary, built at the house where the Holy Family spent their first days. In this church there is a well that sprung out of the ground when the family was in the house. We visit a perfumery shop and a cotton shop. Mass at the Chapel. Return to the hotel.

(Overnight: Pyramid Park Hotel; Cairo)

MEAL PLAN: Lunch and dinner

DAY TWO: CAIRO/SINAI

 After breakfast check out of the hotel and depart for Mt. Sinai. We cross the famous Suez Canal that separates Asia and Africa. This 2-km tunnel is under the canal and an adventure in itself. We travel to Elim where Moses found twelve water springs and 70 palm trees.

We continue in the Wilderness of Sin to where the miracle of Manna and Quails took place. We then pass by Rephidim where the Israelites fought the Amalekites. Arrive at St Catherine. Proceed to Taba

(Overnight: TabaWAKALA HOTEL)

MEALPLAN: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

DAY THREE: TABA/ISRAEL

After breakfast, Transfer to the border and cross over to Eilat to enter Israel through the border- check and immigration. Meet and be assisted by our guide in Israel. Travel along the Israel – Jordan border.

Welcome to ISRAEL…Land of the Bible….Land of the faith…. the Holy Land, revered throughout recorded history as the cradle of monotheistic religion.Pass by the Dead Sea. This is the lowest point on the earth: 420m below sea level. We pass near Sodom and Gomorrah, the caves of EinGedi, Fort of Masada and the Caves of Qumran.  Proceed to visit Jericho (the oldest and lowest city on earth), where we will climb by cable car  the Mt. of temptation, see remains of the walls of the old Jericho, the springs of Elisha and Zacchaeus sycamore tree (Luke 18:35-42). Proceed to Baptismal Site on River Jordan. Transfer to Galilee

(Overnight: Eden Hotel, Tabarya, Galilee)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.

DAY FOUR: ISRAEL

We travel to Galilee and visit the Mt. of the Beatitudes, where the "Sermon on the Mount" was given. Proceed to Tabgha where Jesus fed 5000 men with two fish and five loaves, walk down to Primacy of Peter (Mensa Christi), then proceeding to the town of Christ (Capernaum).  Also we will sail on the Sea of Galilee in a boat similar to the one used by Jesus and his disciples. We later visit a Kibbutz that specializes in daily farming, fruits and bananas.

(Overnight: Eden Hotel, Tabarya, Nazareth) 

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY FIVE: NAZARETH

Here we will visit the Basilica and the Grotto of the Annunciation, House of Joseph and Mary's well. We visit the Synagogue where Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God. We travel to Cana of Galilee and taste the wine similar to that of the first miracle.  We move to Mt Tabor (the Mount of Transfiguration) where Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus. We continue to Haifa on Mt. Carmel. We see the Elijah’s cave and the Monastery of Stella Maris. We visit Caesarea where Paul was imprisoned for two years. It is here that King Herod the Great build his palace. We see the great aqua duck that supplied water to the Palace. Then we proceed to Joppa where Peter resurrected Tabitha. It is here that Peter saw the ‘vision of the flesh’ whileliving in the house of Simon the Tanner. We then proceed to Bethlehem.

(Overnight: Nativity Bells Hotel, Bethlehem)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DAY SIX:ISRAEL

Visit Bethany and enter into the Tomb of Lazarus. Proceed to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, and see the panorama of Jerusalem from there, also will visit the Ascension Chapel from where Jesus ascended into Heaven. Visit the Church of Pater Nosterto witness the “Lord’s Prayer’ written in several languages. Proceed to the Garden of Gethsemane and see the Rock of Agony, the place where Jesus prayed before His arrest. Here there are olive tree that date back to the time of Jesus. They witnessed the Agony

Continue to visit into the Old Jerusalem and enter the Church of St. Anne, where the Virgin Mary was born, to the Pool of Bethesda. Then continue to Via Dolorosa starting from the first station (condemnation) to the fourteenth station inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where Jesus was crucified, died and buried. We enter the empty tomb of Jesus. Then continue crossing the old City of Jerusalem to the remains of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem - the Wailing Wall.

(Overnight: NATIVITYBELLS HOTEL  Bethlehem)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

DAY SEVEN:  ISRAEL

Inthe morning we visit the ancient Church of the Nativity and touch the very place where Jesus was born. We shall also visit the "Milk Grotto" and, the "Shepherds Fields" in Beth-Sahour. We continue to visit EinKarem, the place where John the Baptist was born. We proceed to the Mount Zion area to see the Upper Room where Jesus and His disciples had their last supper with his disciples. See also King David’s tomb, the Dormition Abbey where the Virgin Mary went into eternal sleep and the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantuwhere Peter denied Christ three times. We visit the dungeons believed to be where Jesusspent some hours while waiting to be delivered to the Governor.From Mt. Zion we proceed to Garden Tomb. This is believed to be an alternative site of the Tomb of Jesus.

 (Overnight: NATIVITY BELLS HOTEL Bethlehem)  

Meals Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DAY EIGHT: ISRAEL/EGYPT

After breakfast we visit Qumran where old testament scrolls were discovered n 1957. We then go to the Dead Sea and have rare opportunity to float on the Dead Sea water. From here we transfer to the boarder and return to Egypt. We bid farewell to the Israel  guide and link up again with the Egyptian team. We then travel to St. Catherine and the foot of Mt. Sinai. We check in the hotel.

(Overnight: Morgan Land Hotel- St. Catherine)

DAY NINE: EGYPT

 At 0100 hrs we start to climb Mt. Sinai (7 Km stretch that take 3 – 4 hours). Return to hotel for breakfast and checking out. Thereafter we visit the Greek Orthodox St. Catherine Monastery, built at the site of the Burning Bush and the well where Moses met the daughters of Jethro. We visit the place where the Israelites camped when Moses went to receive the Ten Commandments.  We then return to Cairo through the Exodus route.

(Overnight – Pyramid Park Hotel Cairo)

Meals plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DAY TEN:  EGYPT

 Leisure walk/shopping . Visit any site that was not visited